Press releases remain one of the main tools for public relations. They are the first line of communication to inform the public about an organization’s products and activities. Press releases can also pique the interest of journalists and prompt them to interview one the organization’s leaders for an upcoming article or even to write an in-depth article about the subject of the release.

Deciding how to distribute your news release can be challenging. Many PR pros use media directories to build their own media lists of news sources and journalists. Larger businesses use the established news release distribution services such as Business Wire, especially for financial reporting and major product announcements, believing the paid services provide the widest coverage and best placements. Some publicists, especially small businesses, hope to save costs by using free online press release distribution services.

To help small businesses and others hoping to promote their organizations, we’ve ranked free distribution services and selected the best based on page rank and Alexa traffic ranking, a figure that estimates website ranking based on a combination of unique visitors and page views.
SEO Value of Press Release Sites

The value of press release distribution sites for SEO has diminished following Google’s revisions to its search results algorithm. After finding that some businesses were inundating press release sites with releases stuffed with spammy backlinks in an effort to boost their website ranking, Google limited their SEO impact. Google recommends that links in press releases be “no follow” links. If they are not, extensive use of press releases could prompt a search engine penalty.

Press releases still have value, but Google recommends disseminating them to get media attention, not for SEO points.

Opinions vary about the value of free press release distribution sites. Some PR experts say they aren’t worthwhile, citing the phrase: “You get what you pay for.” Free sites may only post the release on their site and may not include photos, videos or HTML-formatted content. They may not post submissions immediately, may not always be reliable, and require you to do more work. PR personnel should balance any benefits against the time involved in submitting the release.

The core purpose of a press release is to get placement in legitimate news and social media sources. Each free press release distribution service should be judged against that standard.

Paid Press Release Sites

The major fee-for-service press release distribution services maintain comprehensive databases of news sources and social media influencers. Their clients choose appropriate categories of sources to receive a news release; the service sends the release to all sources in their media database within the client’s selected categories. The system assures businesses that their releases reach the appropriate news and social media outlets. It does not assure that the press release will be published – or even looked at by a journalist. (That’s where a compelling headline works its magic.)