The oldest forms of marketing techniques used in the industry of publishing are the newswire services. Initially, this technology was used by several prominent publications including the PE Newswire and Business Wire to enhance the way in which news reports were distributed across numerous media outlets.
But because of the digital revolution, the wire service technology has receded in recent years regarding demand and supply. Furthermore, it has also coincided with some popular PR solutions these days such as campaign analytics, content publishing, media contact databases, alert software, etc. Certain factors also affect the overall performance of press release distribution such as changes in press release functions, merging of different media organizations, and editorial trends.
Another problem that the industry of press distribution needed to deal with was the volatility of content consumption. Besides, how could they guarantee that the content they distributed would gain traction and attract the right audiences? How can you be assured that the $150 or more that you will spend in distributing press releases to several networks will not go to waste?
It’s important to note that the press release distribution may not be for everyone. The only way to know if whether or not it can work for your business is to clearly identify what your PR goals are, as well as the press release topic, and the type of business that you have.
What is Press Release Distribution?
Basically, press release distribution is the process of distributing press releases about your company to the media to reach the general public. Depending on the strategy you use as well as your preferences, the press releases could be sent to numerous publications or to one single website.
For instance, you can have the press release published in some traditional media outlets, such as newspapers and magazines, or you can have it distributed in a more unconventional method by posting it to some websites dedicated to press release distribution.
There are no rules to follow when it comes to the methods of distributing press releases, and the cost will usually depend on how much the publishing companies will charge. Nevertheless, both of these options have a similar purpose, and that’s to ensure that the press release will reach the intended public. In line with this, the newswire services are usually the most reliable source of press releases for journalists, whether they’re on the news feeds or websites. They are used to generate and distribute news and stories to people all over the world and journalists refer to databases like LexisNexis to verify facts.
Newswire services are popular with journalists simply because they’re a reliable source of information and most of the press releases that are published there are factual. Furthermore, they feature updated information regarding the latest news from around the world, making it easy for journalists to look for relevant news stories and press releases to report.
Although most journalists refer to newswire services to come up with news stories others rely on the newswire service to be updated with the latest happenings in the major industries around the world, from fashion, retail, to banking and automotive trends. This is because these industries are constantly changing, so it’s important for journalists to be able to keep up with the trend and be able to report them.
The Best Platform to Use
Below are some of the best-rated PR distribution sites that are considered the most effective and popular nowadays.
- Business Wire
- Cision
- Marketwired
- Newswire
- PR Newswire (a Cision subsidiary)
- PR Underground
- PRgloo
- PRWeb
Although Cision owns PRWeb and PR Newswire, they have been listed separately. Interesting enough, the list above includes newswire companies that were already around ever since the industry was established back in the 1950s and the 1960s. The list also includes companies that were formed just a decade or so ago.
For those who are familiar with press release distribution sites, you might be wondering why TrendKite is not included in this list. This is because TrendKite has a totally different platform compared to the others on the list and its main focus is to monitor and analyze press releases. Another site that’s not included on the list is PitchEngine, and that’s because this platform is mainly responsible for hosting news content instead of distributing press releases unlike the others on the list. The platforms on the list above are geared towards distributing press releases, and that’s all that they do.
5 Best PR News Wires
Before we provide the definitive ranking of the top distribution services, let’s first analyze the data we have obtained. As per the data, only four of the platforms were accurately referred to as the frontrunners of the industry, and these are Newswire, Cision, Business Wire, and Marketwired. PRWeb is considered a “niche” press release distribution site while Newswire, PR Underground, and PRgloo are the industry’s high performers.
When it comes to PR professionals, Newswire has the most impeccable customer service support. Cision, on the other hand, has the best turnkey solutions while both the Marketwired and Business Wire are superstars regarding press release distribution.
We have done additional digging and investigation to determine what really sets these press release distribution sites apart from each other and here’s what we found out:
- Marketwired
It was in the year 2016 that the world has seen numerous remarkable merges from the top industries, including Marketwired and Nasdaq. When the two companies joined forces, customers of Nasdaq were given access to social media tools and analytical tools, something that they didn’t have access to in the past.
The merging of these companies also means that the special tools of Marketwired are now integrated into GlobeNewswire. As a result, there’s now an efficient operation of public and investor relations that totally enhances the communication and intelligence tools involved.
- Newswire
Even though Newswire is still new, they were able to make a mark in the industry by providing impeccable customer service. The website even ranked high in satisfaction survey and clients have highlighted the website’s very efficient online tutorials, as well as their practical approach and knowledgeable staffs. Furthermore, Newswire also offers numerous features for their users, yet they’re very cost-effective, not to mention the fact that their website is easy to navigate and use.
- Cision
Because of Cision’s decision to integrate with similar entities, they were able to position themselves as a one-stop shop that offers all the functionality and features needed by PR professionals. They have something for those who want to distribute press releases and users will also have the option to monitor the pickups of their press releases.
What really sets Cision apart from the rest of the press release distribution sites is its ability to offer an all-in-one solution for all your PR needs, including hosting and distribution. Cision has branched out to social media, which is a truly smart move since this is the current and future trend of communication.
- Business Wire
Another popular PR distribution firm that was able to maintain its success thanks to its solid SEO practices is Business Wire. However, the website is actually owned by Hathaway and Berkshire, and this means that it’s a premium service. Business Wire is more expensive compared to most of the other press release distribution firms.
Business Wire is usually the go-to place for journalists who are looking for reliable sources of information since the platform is backed by a team of professional editorial team who can edit and respond to your press release and will make sure that the end product will be something that will provide you with the results that you want.
This may not work well for those who would prefer speed and have deadlines to meet. Yet, it’s still worth considering, especially if the quality is something that you value the most.
- eReleases
eReleases is popular among bloggers and journalists, and this is due to its unique service known as iReach. The website can distribute your press releases to more than 100 websites fast, and they partner with real editors who will ensure that your story will have the reach that it truly deserves. This press release distribution site has a remarkable delivery rate of 94% which means that their editors are truly effective at what they do, although they can be a bit expensive, with plans costing from $249 to as much as $499!
Other Options
If the list provided above doesn’t impress you, then you can opt for other options, such as PR Underground, PRgloo, and G2Crowd. Although PR Web is great for anyone who wants to publish a one-off press release, you can do well if you consider other options, especially if PR Web won’t be able to meet your needs. In the end, you may want to use a press release distribution site that could provide you with the reach and influence that you want without spending a fortune. This is especially important if your priority is to distribute a one-off release.
News Distribution for Inbound Lead Generation
Remember that your inbound marketing plan will not be complete if it doesn’t come with a good amount of earned media. This is because earned media allows you to acquire qualified leads that you may not normally have access through social media or through your website.
Therefore, it’s very important that you first use an independent content distribution before you consider the thought of buying distribution since the former may turn out to be better than what you initially thought.
Does a Press Release Come with SEO Value?
Press releases don’t have SEO value.
As you know, SEO refers to the process of optimizing a website to make it appear on top of the search engine results. The main purpose of SEO is to ensure that your website will get a favorable ranking in the top search engine sites such as Google. This is very important since websites that rank high in Google are most likely to receive a good amount of traffic.
Before PR distribution could help to get your website to reach the top of search engine rankings by associating it with some popular and reputable sites like The Washington Post and USA Today. The more traffic that your website got from associating with these sites, the higher the ranking of your website would be. This led to a mutually and symbiotic beneficial relationship.
At least, that was the case before. But these days, it’s no longer that easy to acquire these kinds of results and synchronicity with SEO since Google’s algorithms are now almost unrecognizable. Nowadays, you cannot expect to acquire much traction from press releases since the rules require placing a “no-follow” link within the article itself.
Despite the changes, there are still many PR distribution sites that claim to be SEO friendly or SEO optimized to attract customers into acquiring their packages and plans. They back their “SEO-friendly” claims with the claim that they are going to use certain keywords in the press release article to make it appear on top of the search engine results every time someone searches for these terms.
But there’s not really a guarantee that this strategy will work since there’s not enough data that can back these claims. Yet, putting a press release may be a more effective approach to increasing awareness and generating traffic towards your site. Perhaps, it’s not just a good idea to think that this is happening as a direct result of distributing press releases on certain sites.
Conclusion
If you’re thinking of distributing a press release soon, you should make sure to use a reliable press release distribution site such as Newswire. This website will give you access to both the digital and traditional media outlets that are most likely to attract the attention of some of the world’s most reputable journalists and media outlets.
