Press Release Tip 76

How to type a “no follow” link

Inbound links to your website from other quality sites are part of the criteria Google uses to determine the quality of your site and where it should appear in search results.  

A “no follow” link tells the search engines not to “endorse” the website that it links to.  Reputable press release distribution services use “no follow” links in all their press releases.

Why? Because several years ago, Google cracked down on bad-quality releases that many companies were writing with one goal in mind: to link back to their websites and get a higher search ranking. Google caught on and decided to view press releases distributed through paid services not as news but as advertising.

A “no follow” link will take readers to the website where you want them to go—your site or someone else’s.  But Google won’t give the website you’re taking them to credit for that inbound link. 

If you submit your press release to one of the major distribution services and don’t configure the links to be “no follow” links, the service will usually do it for you.  

If you’re not using one of the distribution services, but you’re sending a press release to the media or you’re publishing it to your website, you don’t need to worry about this. If, however, you want to learn how to type a “no follow” link, I’ve created this short video below that shows you how. “No follow” links might be too technical for most people taking this course. If you want an excellent in-depth explanation, see “When Do You Use NoFollow Links?” at the Search Engine Journal website. 

Opportunity #76 to write a press release: Sponsorships

If you or your company or nonprofit is sponsoring a person or a group, let the world know. You can also write a release if a business or nonprofit is sponsoring you.

If you’re trying to get a media sponsor for a fund-raiser or special event, don’t present yourself as a beggar. Explain why partnering with you will benefit the media outlet, and what you’ll do to help make their sponsorship easy. I have lots more tips on how to encourage them to say “yes” in “Special Report #36: How to Clinch a Media Sponsorship for Your Fund-Raiser or Special Event,” including how to do your research before you approach a media outlet and what to include in your proposal. Only $7. Order here. 

Next: Double-check all links.