How Can a Small Local Business Get Mentioned in the News and Online?

By Bill Stilwell · Last reviewed October 16, 2026

The short answer

Digital public relations (PR) means earning mentions of your business in news stories, blogs, and community sites. Find stories that are true and useful, send short pitches to the right local contacts, back every claim with proof, and disclose any payment or relationship. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires that material connections be disclosed clearly, and Google’s spam policies treat paying for links that pass ranking credit as link spam.

Why it matters

A mention in the local paper or on a respected trade site tells customers and search engines that real people know your business. Google’s local ranking tips say prominence includes how many websites link to you.

Done the wrong way, PR backfires. Paying for links can count as link spam in Google’s eyes. Hiding a paid relationship can break FTC rules. And an exaggerated claim in a news story is still your claim.

19.10.1 Newsworthy activity

What it means: Real stories about your business, your community work, your expertise, or your customers.

How to do it: Keep a running list. Good local stories include opening a new location, hiring, a big community project, sponsoring a youth team, a useful seasonal tip (“how to protect pipes before the first freeze”), or a milestone. Expert comment counts too. A roofer can explain storm damage after a hailstorm.

Common mistake: Pitching “we launched a new website” or “we’re the best in town.” That’s an ad, not news.

19.10.2 Media list

What it means: A record of the local and industry contacts who might cover your story.

How to do it: Make a sheet with the outlet, the reporter or editor, what they cover, how they like to be contacted, and the date of your last contact. Include local newspapers, TV and radio stations, community blogs, chamber newsletters, and trade magazines. Read their recent work before you add them.

Common mistake: Buying a big email list and sending to everyone. Reporters ignore mass pitches.

19.10.3 Pitch

What it means: Short, accurate, useful outreach.

How to do it: Keep it under 200 words. Say what the story is, why it matters to their readers now, who can talk, and how to reach them. Offer photos you own. Send it to one person by name. Follow up once, a few days later.

Common mistake: Long pitches with attachments and no clear story. Or press releases stuffed with keyword links. Google’s spam policies list optimized anchor text links in press releases as an example of link spam.

19.10.4 Proof

What it means: Evidence for every claim, with no exaggeration.

How to do it: If you say you planted 500 trees, have the receipt or the partner’s confirmation. If you share a customer story, have written permission (see 11.1.13 Testimonial Permission). Give real numbers only from your records. Truth in advertising rules still apply to what you tell reporters (see 11.3.1 Truthful Advertising Claims).

Common mistake: Rounding up. “Hundreds of happy customers” when you have 60 reviews is the kind of claim that gets checked.

19.10.5 Disclosure

What it means: Telling people about sponsorships, relationships, or payments.

How to do it:

If you pay for a placement, give free products, or have a business or family tie to the person writing about you, it must be disclosed. The FTC’s Endorsement Guides say a connection the audience wouldn’t expect must be disclosed clearly and conspicuously.
The FTC says plain words like “ad” or “sponsored” work, and the disclosure should sit with the endorsement, not behind a link or only in a profile.
The FTC’s rule on consumer reviews and testimonials, in effect since October 21, 2024, bans fake testimonials and undisclosed reviews from your own staff (see 11.3.5 Fake Review Rules).
On your own site, mark paid links with rel=“sponsored”. Google says that’s the preferred tag for paid placements.

Common mistake: Assuming a platform’s built-in “paid partnership” label is enough. The FTC says it may not be.

19.10.6 Tracking

What it means: Recording responses, coverage, links, and outcomes.

How to do it: Add columns to your media list for the pitch date, response, coverage date, link to the story, and whether it links to your site. Note any calls or leads that mention the story in your lead-source tracking (see 15.8 Lead-Source Tracking). Save a copy or screenshot of each story.

Common mistake: Counting only links. A story with no link can still bring calls and trust.

When to get help from a pro

An attorney familiar with advertising law: before you pay for placements, run influencer deals, or publish customer stories in ads. Questions to ask:

What disclosure wording should we use for this sponsorship?
Does this customer story need written permission, and what should the permission say?

A PR professional: if you have a big announcement and no contacts. Ask how they’ll measure results and what they won’t promise.

Bill’s note

[Bill: add a short story or lesson here. For example, a client who got a local news mention by offering expert tips after a storm, or a “guaranteed links” PR offer you’ve seen go wrong.]

If you’d rather have help with this, SiteSmarty can help you plan local visibility work alongside your website and Google Business Profile.

How I did this for SiteSmarty

[Date I did this:]
[What I actually did, step by step: the first story idea, who was on my media list, and the pitch I sent]
[What it cost and how long it took:]
[What surprised me or what I’d do differently:]
[Screenshot or photo to add, with private info blurred: the SiteSmarty media list and coverage tracker]
[Result so far:]

Questions people ask

What counts as a newsworthy story for a small business? Something new, useful, or tied to the community: a project, a hire, a milestone, or expert advice on a current local problem.

Can I pay for a news article or a link? Paying for links that pass ranking credit is link spam under Google’s policies. Paid placements also need clear disclosure under FTC rules.

Do I have to disclose sponsored posts? Yes, when there’s a payment, free product, or relationship the audience wouldn’t expect. The FTC says to disclose it clearly, right with the post.

Do press releases help search engine optimization (SEO)? Not through their links. Google lists keyword-stuffed links in press releases as link spam. A release can still help if a reporter turns it into a real story.

How do I track press coverage? Keep a sheet with the pitch, the response, the story link, and any leads that mention it.

Audit check

Line	Question	Pass looks like	Fail looks like	Evidence to collect
19.10.1 Newsworthy activity	Is there a list of real story ideas?	True, local, useful ideas	Self-promotion pitched as news	Story idea list
19.10.2 Media list	Is there a targeted contact list?	Named contacts with beats and dates	Bought mass list	Media list sheet
19.10.3 Pitch	Are pitches short, accurate, and personal?	Under 200 words, one person, one story	Long blasts, keyword-stuffed releases	Sent pitch emails
19.10.4 Proof	Is every claim backed by records?	Receipts, permissions, real numbers	Rounded-up or unproven claims	Proof folder
19.10.5 Disclosure	Are payments and relationships disclosed?	Clear “ad” or “sponsored,” rel=“sponsored” on paid links	Hidden deals, staff reviews without disclosure	Agreements, live posts, page code
19.10.6 Tracking	Are responses and results recorded?	Coverage and leads logged	No record	Coverage tracker, lead log

Where this fits

Do this first: 19.7 Entity Consistency, 19.8 EEAT Signals, 11.3.1 Truthful Advertising Claims

Do this next: 19.11 Images and Video

Sources

Federal Trade Commission, "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising" (16 CFR Part 255, section 255.5) (checked October 16, 2026)
Federal Trade Commission, "FTC's Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking" (checked October 16, 2026)
Federal Trade Commission, "Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers" (checked October 16, 2026)
Federal Trade Commission, "Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule: Questions and Answers" (checked October 16, 2026)
Google Search Central, "Spam policies for Google web search" (checked October 16, 2026)
Google Search Central, "Qualify your outbound links to Google" (checked October 16, 2026)
Google Business Profile Help, "Tips to improve your local ranking on Google" (checked October 16, 2026)

This page explains general rules and Bill's own experience. It is not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Talk to a qualified professional about your situation.