Yes, a beginner can do SEO. You do not need to be an expert or use risky tactics to start improving your online visibility. Begin with the basics, make sure your website pages are properly optimized, then use practical strategies that help people find your business online.
One beginner-friendly SEO strategy worth considering is a press release. Digital PR can put a legitimate business announcement in front of multiple news and website outlets, helping establish a broader online presence.
Start SEO With On-Page Basics
Before getting into press releases, make sure the pages on your own website are in good shape. This is what people generally mean by on-page SEO.
Check the core elements on each important page:
- Does the page have a clear, accurate title?
- Does the title use the keyword or service people are likely to search for?
- Does the page copy clearly explain the service, product, or topic?
- Does the content naturally include relevant keywords without repeating them excessively?
On-page SEO is accessible because you control it. You can improve page titles, headings, service descriptions, and other content directly on your site. Once that foundation is in place, digital PR is one way to expand visibility beyond your own website.
What Is a Press Release?
A press release is an article that announces something newsworthy and distributes that story to multiple media outlets, news sites, and other websites. It is a form of public relations, or PR.
Traditional PR is often associated with celebrities or major brands managing their public image. Digital PR takes the same broad idea and applies it to online visibility. For SEO, the goal is not simply to publish random promotional content. The goal is to share a real, useful announcement about your business through a distribution network.
A published release can help your business appear in more places online. That increased presence may support brand visibility, help people discover your business, and create additional signals around your company and its announcements.
Press-release platforms also position their distributed content for broader discovery across search and AI systems. That said, the value should come from publishing a genuine announcement, not from trying to force a ranking result with spammy content.
Why Press Releases Are a Beginner-Friendly SEO Strategy
Press releases are relatively straightforward compared with more technical SEO work. You write a factual announcement, follow the distributor’s requirements, submit it for review, and choose the level of distribution that fits your budget.
This makes the strategy practical for newer businesses and new websites. You are not trying to manipulate a search engine. You are creating a business announcement and using a service designed to distribute it.
The key is to keep expectations realistic. A press release is not a replacement for a well-built website, strong page content, or consistent SEO work. It is one visibility tactic that can complement the rest of your marketing.
Choosing a Press Release Distribution Service
There is no single press-release option for every business. Some services are designed for enterprise-level companies seeking large national or global distribution. Others are more affordable and make sense for smaller businesses that need a simpler starting point.
Enterprise Distribution Options
Services such as PR Newswire and Business Wire are associated with large-scale distribution and maximum visibility. They may be appropriate for major corporate news, nationally important announcements, or companies with significant PR budgets.
The cost can be substantial. A standard national release through PR Newswire was shown at roughly $805, while other pricing references placed individual distribution packages in a broad range of about $350 to $10,000 depending on reach, add-ons, and the outlets involved.
That range matters when evaluating SEO offers. If one distribution activity can cost several hundred dollars by itself, be cautious when someone promises complete SEO for an unrealistically low price.
Budget-Friendly Options for Smaller Businesses
For a smaller business, a lower-cost provider such as EIN Presswire can be a more approachable option. Its basic package was shown at $149 per press release, with lower per-release pricing available when purchasing multiple releases.
That does not mean the least expensive vendor is automatically the best choice. It simply gives you a realistic idea of the entry cost. A budget of around $100 to $150 is a reasonable starting point for a basic release, before any added services or writing support.
When comparing vendors, look beyond the headline price. Consider:
- The distribution network and the types of sites included
- Whether the release is national, regional, or targeted by industry
- The review and approval process
- Whether additional formatting, media, or distribution options cost extra
- How long the release page and its links are likely to remain live
Some releases may remain available for a year or longer, while others can eventually be removed. Always review the provider’s current terms before purchasing.
What Should You Announce?
The best press releases are built around an actual announcement. If the entire article says your business is the best at something, it may not be approved and it is unlikely to feel credible anyway.
Instead, focus on something concrete that happened or is about to happen. Good examples include:
- Opening a new business location
- Launching a new website
- Introducing a new service, product, or program
- Announcing a business expansion
- Sharing a meaningful company milestone
- Launching an event, partnership, or community initiative
Think of it this way: write an article that announces something. That is the central strategy. A real business development gives the release a reason to exist and makes approval more likely.
How to Prepare a Press Release
You do not need to overcomplicate the writing process, but you do need to follow the distributor’s guidelines. Each vendor may have requirements for length, formatting, links, images, and the information included in the release.
A simple preparation process looks like this:
- Choose one real announcement. Pick a topic with a clear business reason behind it.
- Write a factual headline. Make the announcement obvious and avoid exaggerated claims.
- Explain the details. State what is happening, who it affects, and why it matters.
- Add business context. Include a short description of the business and a way to learn more.
- Review the vendor guidelines. Some platforms may request a specific word count, typically within a few hundred words, along with required contact information or other details.
- Submit for approval. Be prepared to revise the release if the service flags overly promotional or unsupported language.
Keep the content clear, accurate, and useful. This is better for public relations, better for credibility, and better for a sustainable SEO approach.
Set a Realistic SEO Budget
SEO takes resources, whether those resources are time, content creation, software, technical work, public relations, or distribution fees. That is why extremely cheap all-in-one SEO promises should raise questions.
If a basic press release costs around $149 through an affordable distributor, an offer to do all your SEO for less than that may leave little room for actual work. There is nothing wrong with starting small, but understand what is and is not included in any offer.
A beginner can absolutely build an SEO strategy. Start by improving your on-page SEO, create content that clearly represents your business, and use press releases only when you have a legitimate announcement worth distributing.
Keep Your SEO Strategy Simple and Legitimate
The goal is not to chase every tactic at once. Start with your website titles and content. Make sure people can understand what you do. Then, when your business has meaningful news, use a press release to help that announcement reach more places online.
For additional guidance on creating helpful, people-first website content, review Google Search Central’s guidance on helpful content.
Press releases are not magic, but they are a safe and accessible digital PR tool for beginners who want to support SEO and increase business visibility. Write a real announcement, choose a distribution service that fits your budget, follow its requirements, and build from there.
