Press release distribution

Consider these two options, which has more bang for the buck

eReleases http://www.ereleases.com/index.html

or

PRWeb® + Business Wire Distribution - http://www.prwebdirect.com/catalog.php

I've used both but that was some time ago.

While yes, prweb is the more publicly well known, ereleases seems to be better in that they offer the pr newswire distribution which I thought prweb did at one point but doesn't seem to at this point.

 

I don't use either and wouldn't seven times on sunday. Because I send my press releases to journalists who cover my stories in real media outlets. Have you considered actually going to the media with your release? It's free you know.

 

You say going to media direct but short of spam which is not an option, it's very time consuming. On the flip side, PR Newswire for example will get you a guaranteed press release on Yahoo and at least 30 actual new postings on national news outsites. For example, if I post something on PR Newswire, in 7 to 10 days, I will have at least 30 mentions on national media websites, as well as Yahoo News. This doesn't mean a link from these sites and Yahoo news but rather they will put up the release on their sites.

 

You don't want releases printed as-is... at least not if you're using the releases seriously. The goal of a press release is to spark a real and unique story in each outlet that picks it up. And Dominic is right... manual is best. If you hire a PR person, it would probably cost quite a bit. But there's no reason you can't reach out to highly targeted outlets yourself. Sure, it'll take forever if you want to hit hundreds of outlets. But why not send it to 10, build real media relationships that actually lead to real coverage, etc. instead of simply shooting it out over the wires hoping for a few reprints from lazy journalists?

That said, newswires do have their place, especially if it's a broad interest subject, and you can't afford to put in the time yourself and can't afford to hire someone to do it manually for you. But at the very minimum, reach out indpendently to your local papers and such. Those are contacts you'll definitely want to make and maintain yourself.

 

What would you consider a good reputable distribution service? Paying for a company to handle a real press distribution is not the issue but rather finding them. In the few I've worked with, I can tell you most are not reputable and typically just do that, send out thousands of spam emails to an old mailing list of reporters.

 

You can submit to me, i just started a press news blog...

 

You need to work with an actual PR professional or PR firm for "reputable distribution" if you want something done manually, and not just a random person willing to post to free sites and send emails. Many of them don't even know how to find real press contacts, and just use a general address on something like a newspaper's website. A real PR pro will know how to get the media contacts, and will know how to contact them appropriately. Often that is through email, but that person should have a record (or be able to easily find out) if that's the preferred method of contact. Release distribution campaigns need to be tailored to every outlet individually (from getting it to the right editor or beat journalist down to their preferred method and avoiding clashes with their deadlines). A reputable campaign from someone who knows what they're doing can very often run you into the thousands though.

 

PRWeb has always been more successful for me, by a long shot!

 

"More successful" than what?

 

I KNOW PRWeb is hugely popular...and for good reason, it works. I have used PRWeb to drive internet traffic with unbelievable results as integral parts of multiple campaigns.

Here are my suggestions for success.
*Have a GOOD writer/professional write and edit your Press Release
*Use PRWeb and the $200 level distribution service
*Use newsworthy subject-matter
*THINK OF THE PERFECT HEADLINE
*Properly use anchor text/links in the Press Release
*Use one quote only, and make it a great quote from a relevent source

do these things and PRWeb will be a huge positive for you. private message me if you need help

 

As much as technology helps us, press releases are an area in which if people communicate directly... great things can happen.

I would pick out the journalist who has written stories in the past on your topic area, at your city / state newspaper and give them a call. Ask them for an email to send them personally your release and discuss the story with them.

Remember, their boss demands a good supply of content from them (that is something you can provide). They need stories. Don't be afraid either to be genuine with them and just say hey, I thought this would be a good story, what do you think? or to ask: What else does the story need?

Never try to pitch a story or convince a journalist to cover it, just offer what you can and ask for their advice. They know what they want and if you can provide it they love your ass.

On the distribution question, you want to work with one journalist who will take your release and turn it into a story. One journalist! Once it is a story, other media outlets can pick the story up from there and it can grow legs and appear in more newspapers, and get covered on radio and tv. The goal is to get your press release turned into a story... somewhere - by one journalist.

Anyone who writes a press release then gets on the phone with a journalist and discusses sending it to the journo is going to 1. learn a ton, and 2. have 500% more chance of getting their story covered.

If you start small, learn from journalists and build relationships with them you may find yourself in a position where they call you first for a comment on news you didn't even know was happening! (and mention your website).

So don't think press release distribution... think conversations and relationships with journalists who will tell you or teach you what they need.

P.S. Advice that involves spending $200 v. me saying talk to a journalist for free...

 

^^^ Hmmm, great tips. I'll have to try that. Has it worked for you?

 

Building relationships with journalist is always a great thing. Noone will argue that. It all depends what you want out of your press release.

If you want to call people and get in the local newspaper, use Dominic's advice. Hell, you might even get your press release turned into a feature story in the saturday "green section" of your local newspaper.

If you want to get on google and yahoo, pay a professional distribution service to do what you have no idea how to do.

 

Pretty much I can make the news any week I want, so probably that would be it's worked for me.

I guess if people here know how important content is for websites... imagine how important it is for newspapers... and other media outlets = they are begging for good stuff on a daily basis, why not give it to them and get your website mentioned?

 

My weekly community newspaper is filled with articles about local businesses. Just about everyone reads it because it has nearly a 100% delivery area penetration ever since they converted it to a freebie paper a year ago.

I am working with one of my clients to get his company information to them. There is so much value in having a list of quality press contacts vs. simply distributing the release via the internet.

 

The 'Saturday "green section"'... you think that is what my advice is worth? You think that is were my experience would lead people? And you devalue that too (even though it has some value)?

It does depend what you want out of your press release. If you are suggesting anything less than a free mention in a newspaper that is indexed by google and yahoo news anyways for free and includes a link to the website in question for free from a high trust (real) news website.... and suggesting people are too stupid to call a journalist and have an educational conversation... you must be selling something. It isn't that hard mate.

Professional distribution service is bullshit and a waste of money / a con. Distribution my ass. I'd believe a press release submission service, where a PR agent cleaned up a press release for you then submitted it to a journalist. But a distribution service... come on, you can't be serious right?

 

yea with that demeanor I'm sure you work wonders with PR people. I guess millions of people who achieve great success on a consistent basis through traffic-driving press release technologies are wrong, my bad.

I guess I'll start calling local papers and hope for the best!

 

Journalists love my demeanor, they love people who call a spade a fucking shovel when it needs to be called that. I'm not a diplomat, or a PR person.

'Traffic driving press technologies'.... lol you are selling something for sure. Who do you work for, what company are you trying to sell something for or push their agenda?

 

You'll get picked up in Google and Yahoo using free services. You don't need to pay $200. Hell, just get it picked up by AP (free) and you'll get there. It's not hard.

PRweb is fine if you're worried about backlinks. But manual distribution leads to that too (it might take longer, but the links are a higher quality).

Dominic... he's sounded like he was "selling something" when it comes to PRweb since he came to DP. Every thread he posts to sounds the same.... And like I've told him before, PRweb is fine for what it is. But it's FAR from the best option out there. And if you're going to use it and expect any real results, you'd better be ready to pay for top 10 placement or so. I've had it get people picked up in large outlets. But you get picked up in more if you do it right and build relationships just like Dominic is saying.

I'd ask for more details about his "unbelievable results," but the last time I tried he just skirted the question anyway. He's right about one thing: PRweb is "hugely popular." But look at who it's hugely popular with. Hmmmm... compare the number of webmasters to the number of major corporations that know what they're doing.

If you want real PR advice, on distribution or otherwise, PM me or Dominic. Hell... it's what I do. At least you know you'll get honesty over a load of hype.

 

I think at the end of the day, everyone is selling something, even if it's merely their credibility.

Anyone expecting "unbelievable results" is just kidding themselves, even sliced bread and every great invention that followed took some time to get attention. Ultimately our objective (yes, we are selling something) is to get real attention and I've found that the only way to truly do that is to find inexpensive ways to get your message out to as many people as possible.

Too many times people assume that if you go cheap, you are getting a great bargain, I don't personally come from that school of thought. If I spent $3k and get $20k worth of publicity, to mean that is a better bargain than spending $300 on some no name company and getting $0 in return.

All this talk about ideas and concepts, I guess the question still remains, what's a good source for quality publication relations services?