What Should I Look For With Press Release Distribution?
When it comes to press release distribution, there are a number of important things to look for. It depends on your company’s size, budget, and how much time you have to work on its public relations aspect. If you’re a small company with a tight budget, you will be looking for the highest return on investment with the least amount of time spent.
What is a press release?
A press release is a document issued by a company to inform journalists and other media representatives about news. The goal is to get media pickups from journalists who will find the press release interesting enough to want to pass on the information to their readers.
What is a press release distribution service?
A press release distribution service can offer several key features when it comes to spreading the word about your release. The most important thing is to compare services and prices for those services. Also comparing what you are allowed to upload, and how your results will be tracked, can give you the most return on your investment. Here are a few of the essentials to look out for.
How the press release is distributed:
Some services have a network of sites they push content to. The trouble is, they are often general news sites and aggregators who take your press release as is and publish it on web pages without any human being having looked at it. There is also the issue of letting a press release go live without making any final edits.
In addition to not being very prestigious sites, there is the issue of duplicate content. Search engines will penalize sites for duplicating content. What does that entail? If websites are reprinting your press release as is, only one copy will be shown.
The number of journalists using the database:
Journalists who are looking to turn press releases into articles will often search through a press release distribution service’s database. Make sure to ask how many media personnel use their database. Go more in depth and ask how many unique users they have each month.
What social networks they link to:
Many distribution services will link to social media sites so journalists can share the release with their followers. The usual networks include Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
What file input they will allow?
Some interfaces will only let you upload one image. Others will allow you to add as many as you wish. Some will allow you to upload video. If your choice of service doesn’t, see if you can include the embed code of a video, then upload your video to YouTube. Others will also allow a PDF version of your press release. Keep in mind every distribution service is different. Make sure to find the right one for your company’s preferences.
What their reporting is like:
Ask to see a sample of their reports on the results of your press release distribution. You should be able to read it easily and it should record your results for 30 days.
What other tiers of service they offer?
There are different tiers of press release distribution. With every tier comes an added service. From press release writing to media pitching, check out what services each company offers to get the best bang for your buck.
Pricing
Pricing will be based on one press release being issued, but you might manage to lower the cost by buying slots in bulk, such as 3, 4 or 12 at a time, or, purchasing a monthly plan!
Call us today to speak to one of our PR specialists: 1-800-713-7278
