Do press releases help local SEO? Real-life case studies

    For years, many professionals in the SEO In Spain, we took it for granted that Press releases did not help Google ranking.. And for a long time, that statement was true.

But SEO changes.
Google changes.
And press releases too.

    After retrying this strategy in several local businesses in Spain, The results have been overwhelming: Well-written press releases can improve local SEO, organic positioning and visibility in Google AI results.

   In this article from Eiji Group we share three real case studies in Spain taken from the work carried out last year, one of them with a 83% increase in organic traffic in less than 30 days.

Are press releases useful for SEO?

The short answer is: Yes, but not like before..

Press releases no longer function as a tactic for mass link building. Today, they work when:

• They are based on real news

• They include verifiable local data

• They contribute subject authority

• They reinforce the geographical relevance

• They are consistent with the business's local SEO strategy.

When these conditions are met, the impact is real and measurable.

Case 1: Estate agent in Madrid (+83% organic traffic)

   The first experiment was conducted with a estate agent in Madrid, specialising in the sale and purchase of homes in neighbourhoods such as:

• Chamberí

• Salamanca

• Retirement

Applied strategy

A press release was published with:

• Real data on the Madrid property market

• Price trends by neighbourhood

• Expert analysis of the agent

• Contextual link to your main services page

SEO results (28 days)

• 📈 +83 % organic traffic to the target URL

• 🗺️ Immediate improvement in the Local Pack

• Increase in searches such as:

  • estate agent in Chamberí

  • sell flat in Salamanca Madrid

  • real estate in Retiro

SEO conclusion

    A well-focused press release can act as a sign of immediate local authority, accelerating visibility on Google Maps and local results.

Case 2: Law firm in Valencia and the cumulative effect

The second case was a labour law firm in Valencia.

Unlike the first experiment, the results were not immediate, but they were consistent.

Contents of the press release

• Statistics on redundancies in the Valencian Community

• Recent regulatory changes

• Expert opinion from the firm

• Clear and verifiable local context

Observed SEO evolution

1. First: improvement in the Local Pack

2. Weeks later: gradual increase in organic results

Beneficial keywords:

• labour lawyer in Valencia

• solicitor for dismissals in Valencia

• labour law firm Valencia

Interpretation

   The statement generated a basis of authority, which Google consolidated over time. It was not a one-off spike, but rather a sustained improvement.

Case 3: Gardening company in Barcelona and the impact on Google AI

This third case is the most revealing.

It was a gardening company in Barcelona, with services in:

• Eixample

• Gràcia

• Saint Martin

Classic SEO results

• Improvements to the Local Pack

• Increase in organic positions

The unexpected twist: Google AI Overview

For the search:

gardening service in Barcelona

The Overview of Google AI began to directly quote excerpts from the press release.

This means that Google considered that content to be:

• Reliable

• Authoritative

• Worthy of being used as a source for AI-generated responses

New SEO reality: press releases as a sign of trust for AI

Today, press releases fulfil a new strategic function:

• They do not seek massive links.

• They are looking for credibility

• Reinforce entity and context

• They feed the systems of Google's generative AI

If Google uses your content to answer questions, your brand gains visibility even without clicks.

Why do press releases work now when they didn't before?

Five years ago, this tactic had no real impact on SEO.

Today, they directly influence:

• 📍 Local SEO and Local Pack

• 🔍 Organic positioning

• 🤖 Results generated by AI

The difference is not the format.
The difference is the current algorithm and its focus on trust, context, and authority.

Key points for using press releases in local SEO in Spain

For them to work, they must comply with these rules:

• To be based on actual events

• Contribute local data

• Be aligned with a main keyword

• Strengthen a specific location

• Published as part of a SEO strategy, not in isolation

Conclusion: the most important lesson for local SEO

The lesson is clear:

Never assume anything is dead in SEO.

 What did not work a year ago — or five years ago — may now be a huge competitive advantage.

  The Local SEO in Spain is constantly evolving, and those who try it first are the ones who gain visibility first. In the Eiji Group Agency We work with local businesses with the aim of gaining visibility and attracting potential customers to their businesses., Would you like us to work together?