What Is PR Distribution? Best PR Software to Get You Started

A gift is pointless if it’s delivered to the wrong person. Public relations and communications specialists don’t go through all the effort to create content for a press release, carefully choose the right words, and wrap it up with the prettiest images and multimedia only for it to not be seen by anyone. Working hard to get this close to the finish line, but not crossing it, is frustrating.

This is why press release (PR) distribution is important in any public relations campaign. If your phone’s network carrier didn’t cover phone calls beyond a two-mile radius, you wouldn’t be able to communicate with most of the people you knew. You might as well get carrier pigeons to help you communicate and spread the word.

Press release distribution is all about efficiency, or gaining the most coverage with the least effort. And what’s more efficient than a tool that helps centralize and automate the process?

Let’s dive into what PR distribution is and explore some of the best press release distribution software on the market, their pros and cons, and how much these services cost.

Companies hit milestones throughout their lifetime. These milestones could include a new product launch, strategic acquisition, new hire, or partnership. While these things can be shared on social media and podcasts, nothing is grander than a formal announcement in the press. PR distribution helps spread this message across, garnering media coverage for the business.

How to distribute a press release

Once you finish writing your press release, the next step is obvious: sending it. But with the various press release distribution strategies, how will you determine your best fit? Your choice of strategy will depend on the specific content in your press release.

Press release distribution is an art in itself, but the work doesn't stop there. You'll also want to use media monitoring software to monitor any media coverage closely to ensure you don’t miss out on any industry trends your business could leverage.

Some companies handle distribution on their own while others hire PR agencies to take care of it. You can target individual journalists, send a mass email, or shortlist the publications most likely to give you favorable coverage.

Distributing press releases to individuals or small groups is time-consuming, but it’s well worth it if you develop relationships or work to develop them from there. When you have a professional relationship with a journalist, you can sense whether your press release is a good fit for them. 

Distribution is narrower than the thousands of journalists scouring newswires, but it's more targeted. One of the most popular strategies is to use a distribution service to get your press release on the wire. 

You can distribute your press release by personally sending it to journalists and news outlets or using a press release distribution service.

1. Personal distribution

This method is more time-consuming and requires you to have a list of established media contacts for press coverage. The upside to distributing personally, however, is you have the ability to personalize your pitches and build valuable contacts with people in the press industry. 

Keep in mind that personalizing your pitches and using LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook to pitch your business to journalists is a unique and overlooked way to get your note seen and opened by journalists and bloggers.

So, while you might default to pitching over email, don’t forget the power of DMs and social media.

2. Press release distribution services

Press release distribution services get your press releases in front of journalists, reporters, and other influential members of the media such as bloggers and thought leaders. Instead of targeting specific people, you post your press release once and it becomes available to everyone with access to the service.

Using a distribution service is the easiest way for a company to broadly distribute press releases. The sheer size of the services lets you connect with media pros in locations all over the world. While the approach may not be super targeted, the math still works in your favor based on the number of eyes on your release. 

Both paid and free press release distribution services are available. If you're working with a PR agency, it'll likely have access to several services and help guide you in the right direction. Some distribution platforms also include press release writing services as a part of their bundle.

Free press release distribution

Free press release distribution is an option for budget-conscious organizations or companies with minimal resources. Instead of hiring a PR agency or paying for access to certain newswires, you can save that money and invest it elsewhere.

While expenses are lower, the time spent can cost you a pretty penny. You’ll have to keep this question in mind: Is it worth committing the time it takes to post your release on free distribution services or reach out to receptive journalists? If the answer is yes, then this option may be for you.

A word of caution: distributing press releases on a free service will likely not be as effective at securing publicity as paid options. Journalists at the top media outlets have access to paid newswires. Since those are popular and well known, they have a greater reach than free services.

Paid press release distribution

Paid press release distribution is one of the most popular ways companies get media coverage. Newswires like PR Newswire and Business Wire aren't cheap, but they offer access to broad pools of outlets and reporters.

If you're looking to target top-tier publications (think The Wall Street Journal and Forbes, ) you're more likely to find their journalists on paid newswires. The publications with the resources to afford them will likely take advantage of the many resources available in paid services.

The downside, of course, is cost. Whether you're posting press releases on the newswires yourself or having a PR agency handle it, you're shelling out cash. Assess the situation on a case-by-case basis. Ask yourself how important potential coverage is and how much you’re willing to spend. 

It might be more effective to target a few reporters you know well or those who have covered similar news (and you can do this for free).

Press release distribution software

Press release distribution software sends your press releases to various newswires and media outlets. PR professionals who work at both agencies and in companies' PR departments use them. Some software also includes monitoring features, as well as its own newswire services.

3. Press release microsites

Once you're done crafting a press release, why not publish it on your own company website?

Some organizations create a press release microsite, which is basically a smaller site under their larger corporate web presence.

You can create a microsite to consolidate your company’s latest news and set the tone for the messaging around it. Additionally, it creates another opportunity for online searchers to type the right keywords in a search engine and discover your company.

This step is free and guarantees publication and ensures you'll at least get some eyes on it. It’s not necessarily going to get your release picked up by the media or even much visibility, but you've already created the press release. It only takes a few minutes to upload it to your website.

Investors and loyal customers are likely to find the page and learn about the goings-on. Uploading your own press releases helps interested people find the latest news about your company – all in one place. Investors and loyal customers are likely to find the page and learn about the goings-on. 

4. Individual outreach

Whether or not you’re using a service or newswire, always consider sending your press release to the media directly. Once you’ve developed friendly professional relationships with specific reporters or publications, this can be a super-effective (and free) tactic. Just be sure to follow their preferred method to get in touch.

Individual outreach thrives on smart targeting and the power of relationships. And don't assume that no response means they aren't interested! Make sure to follow up (once or twice, never more). These journalists or reporters are bound to be busy, and it’s possible that they missed your first attempt.

How to measure the success of your PR distribution

With any activity, it becomes crucial to track and assess the outcome so as to showcase the success of your initiatives and justify its value to stakeholders. PR is an excellent tool to utilize for any organization, whether a startup or a large corporation, provided it’s been performed correctly. This is where reporting plays a huge role. One important criterion to monitor is the success of a PR distribution activity.

Broadly speaking, there are a few factors to keep in mind while measuring the impact of a distribution activity:

1. Number of impressions

A good press release is nothing without visibility. The aim of strategic distribution is to significantly increase a company’s exposure.

The success of a press release largely depends on how many people have seen it. Tracking the number of impressions for any press release should be a no-brainer. Most press release distribution services offer stats on how many impressions a story has garnered over a period of time.

2. Website traffic and conversions

Press releases are ripe with backlink opportunities. Backlinks serve two purposes to any PR strategy:

• To improve search engine optimization (SEO) efforts and increase a company’s SERP rankings.
• To track how many leads came from a single press release.

The latter helps businesses attribute website traffic and lead acquisitions or referrals to a PR activity, contributing to PR wins.

3. Share of Voice

Share of Voice (SoV) is the amount of brand awareness and exposure enjoyed by a business as compared to its peers (both direct and indirect competition) within the industry. Unlike market share, SoV is more concerned with the prominence of a brand in media and across social interactions.

PR distribution contributes to a company’s SoV across SERP, social media, and offline media channels. Measuring the total media share captured by a company that has executed PR activities is a good metric to report on.

4. Sentiment analysis

True or false: there’s no such thing as bad press.

False.

Unlike most content formats, press releases rely heavily on a reader’s emotions. Strong sentiments that shape opinions can impact an individual’s perception of a brand or organization.

Today, there are many sentiment analysis tools on the market that can monitor the public’s feelings toward a story or news release. Regularly measuring the target audience’s perception of your brand is crucial for relevancy and longevity in the industry.

Press release distribution tips

Your press release could check every box on a best practices list, but it won't get the media coverage you need without proper distribution. In other words: Your press release is only as good as your distribution tactics.

The following tips will help you get the most from your distribution efforts:

Know the timing and deadlines 

Stories are only newsworthy for an extremely limited time – especially with today's endless stream of articles, social media feeds, and 24-hour news networks. It’s critical to start your outreach before the news goes live. Give reporters plenty of time to prepare for the big day.

Most journalists need between one day and a week to turn something around. Otherwise, they'll have to scramble to report on old news that’s already been made public or ignore it altogether.

Give an exclusive

Media outlets love being either the first or the only source to report the news. Distributing your press releases on the newswires removes the possibility of an outlet getting an exclusive opportunity. With so many journalists browsing those platforms, it's impossible to know who will pick it up first.

But if you give one media outlet an exclusive, it allows them to be the only one discussing your topic. That makes them more likely to cover it. More importantly, this helps you build a relationship to increase future opportunities.

As they say, it’s all about who you know. It’s best to offer an exclusive to a reporter or media outlet with whom you already have a relationship. Be sure to secure the coverage before confirming it’s an exclusive. If you ask nicely, they may even give you a sneak peek at the story before it goes live.

Schedule distribution for off times

Some press release services and software allow you to schedule your distribution at a certain time. Naturally, most companies do this at the top of the hour,  which can bury your press release in a deluge of other announcements and breaking news. Try to schedule your press release at an unusual time, like 8:37 a.m.. Journalists may be more receptive if it doesn't blend in with the barrage of others.

Send a press kit

Sending a press kit along with your release means less work for the reporter, and you can bet that making their lives easier will put you in their good graces. With all the background information, documents, photos, and other resources at hand, journalists can easily start writing a story — with minimal research required. 

Best press release distribution software

Press release distribution software is perfect for when targeted media pitches aren't necessary. These systems are useful when businesses need to share news with a general audience in a large demographic area at a state, regional, or national scale. For news that needs to reach a targeted audience, it might be better to pitch directly to specific outlets instead of relying on a newswire.

Let’s look at the best press release distribution services currently available:

The following list breaks down each of the top five press release distribution software on the market, including the highlights of each, cost, pros and cons, pricing plans, and real user reviews.

To qualify for inclusion in the press release distribution category, a product must:

• Distribute news to diverse readership groups or to online news agencies.
• Enable users to submit, synchronize, or manually enter news and press releases.

* Below are the five leading press release distribution software from G2's Fall 2021 Grid® Report. Some reviews may be edited for clarity.

1. Cision PR Newswire

Cision PR Newswire is a press release distribution network whose reach includes thousands of websites and media outlets and hundreds of news content systems. With the help of PR Newswire, PR professionals can reach a wide audience across the globe through targeted content distribution. Users can narrow down the markets or industries they wish to exclusively target with the help of industry and sector micro lists.

PR Newswire pricing

While users experience many benefits from PR Newswire, a common sore point is the price. PR Newswire’s pricing is not available on their website, however, a list of their domestic rates from 2017 is available online. According to this list, a 400-word press release that needs to be distributed across the U.S. will set you back $805, with extra charges for every additional 100 words.

* Disclaimer: Rates are subject to change. Please contact PR Newswire for their current prices.

Pros and cons of PR Newswire

PR Newswire is enjoyed by many users who take advantage of the many benefits the platform has to offer. 

Pros of PR Newswire are:

• High domain authority
• Tracks metrics such as share of voice (SoV), and audience reach
• Enables users to set up email alerts for PR campaigns and keywords
• An in-house moderation team that oversees style standards
• Availability of a step-by-step outline template and a press release tip sheet

While PR Newswire has a host of features and offers many benefits, most users have complained about the platform’s pricing, with some even calling it cost-prohibitive.

Cons of PR Newswire are:

• High costs
• Quality of channels being targeted
• Dissemination of news releases to microchannels with less exposure

PR Newswire reviews

Here are a few user reviews for PR Newswire:

What users like:

“PR Newswire is the service we use when we have our biggest stories and our most significant announcements, such as the opening of our half-billion-dollar new hospital. We don't use it all the time as there's a cost, but when you want to make the biggest media splash, they're the way to go.”

– Cision PR Newswire Review, Daniel C.

What users dislike:

“I dislike the pricing. Although I was able to get a great package for our company for a predetermined number of news releases, some with photos or videos included, it’s still very expensive.”

– Cision PR Newswire Review, Cindy A.

2. Newswire

Starting its operations in 2005, Newswire offers press release and multimedia distribution software and services across the world. It provides a comprehensive list of targeted trade publications by allowing users to choose from a wide range of industries, matching people’s needs to the right journalists. Newswire has an extensive network of trusted media outlets and journalists from around the world.

Newswire pricing and distribution circuits

Newswire lists out its pricing based on the target audience, coverage, and number of press releases required to be sent out, on its website. Typically, the rates range between $300-$2000 for a single press release.

Currently, Newswire offers three plans: Domestic, International, and Financial. Each plan offers different packages and pricing based on the number of press releases, ranging from a single PR to two dozen. 

Newswire’s PR distribution services offer the following packages based on the objectives of the PR campaign:

• Newswire Digital: Press releases are published across major media outlets.
• Newswire Digital Plus: Offers greater visibility and boosts the online presence of PR content by improving the press release’s rank on search engines.
• Newswire State: Distribution of press releases with a focus on regional, state, and local media.
• Newswire National: Press releases are distributed across the country by targeting national editors and mass media.
• Newswire Financial: Distribution of public company announcements to financial news sites. 
• Newswire International: Disseminate news and press statements to a global audience by targeting international publications and newsrooms.

Pros and cons of Newswire

Across the board, users rave about Newswire for its reporting capabilities, customer service, and pricing. 

Pros of Newswire’s services:

• Premium distribution
• Diverse pricing options
• High-quality reporting and a monthly data-review presentation
• Customer support across every stage of the distribution process
• Customized pricing based on features
• Detailed performance tracking

Cons of Newswire’s services:

• Its international distribution has room for improvement.
• Some users also had some difficulty getting a grasp on the software’s user interface, feeling that there’s a learning curve to understanding the design.

Newswire reviews

Below are some Newswire reviews from real users:

What users like:

“Newswire has provided us an easy way to share the latest news about our company, products, and customer highlights. They offer an affordable option for newswire distribution, but as part of the earned media advantage program, we have been able to gain invaluable leverage for our internal marketing team to increase our outreach and brand awareness.”

– Newswire Review, Jessica J.

What users dislike:

They're a fantastic partner in the U.S., but in terms of promotion outside of the U.S., they're still growing in other markets.

– Newswire Review, Angus Q.

3. Business Wire

Business Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company, offers press release and media distribution services across the globe. Its patented NX Network has been instrumental in delivering news and announcements to over 100,000 media outlets across 162 countries in 219 industry and trade sectors. Business Wire also has an international network that includes translations for over 20 languages that are available as distribution choices.

Business Wire pricing and distribution circuits

Business Wire offers different packages depending on factors like geography and coverage area. The platform offers specialty targeted circuits that cover a diverse range of categories and industries available for PR distribution. Businesses looking at targeting a niche audience can pick from any one of these circuits:

• Targeted Circuits: Reach niche market segments and media.
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): For news and announcements centered around charitable initiatives, press statements are sent to leading CSR magazines and news outlets, Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) funds and publications, and CSR-focused universities, and trade publications.
• EntertainmentWire: Entertainment reporters, columns, television programs, and newspapers that report on events, influencers, and the entertainment industry at large.
• Public Policy Wire: Government, policy, and issues writers and editors at newspapers, radio and TV stations, and other media; plus government offices and legislators.
• LatinoWire: English and Spanish distribution to print, broadcast, online media, newswires, and news services in the nation's top Hispanic markets.
• HealthWire: Includes reporters as well as newspapers and local media that cover the health industry.
• AutomotiveWire: Includes writers, analysts, newspapers, and local media that operate in the automotive space.
• SportsWire: News releases are delivered to reporters, columns, syndicates, television programs, newspapers, and other local media that cover the sports industry.

Distribution rates within the U.S. range depending on the targeted area. Business Wire offers three packages: Local, Regional, and National.

• Local: Distributes news and press releases to most U.S state, metropolitan, or city circuits.
• Regional: Distributes news and press releases to any regional circuit within the U.S.
• National: This package covers national media outlets.

Pros and cons of Business Wire

Customers see a lot of value in Business Wire’s extensive distribution lists and have praised its customer support. 

Pros of Business Wire include:

• Accessible customer support that offers quick recommendations for target audience lists
• A large variety of distribution lists to choose from
• Easy-to-use formatting for press releases 
• Data on which outlets have viewed a campaign
• View which news outlets have published articles based on your press release

Cons of Business Wire: 

• The user interface, while simple and easy to use, is too basic and lacks many features. 
• A few have also been unhappy with the price of Business Wire’s services.

Business Wire reviews

Here are a few reviews from some users:

What users like:

“Their help and record groups are responsive and fast to assist with any solicitations or issues. All things considered, there is a lot of significant value for specific customers (particularly open organizations) to send official statements out on the wire, and I utilized it on a membership reason for one specific client.

I like that Business Wire client support is so extraordinarily accommodating. At whatever point I need something, they are VERY mindful and hit me up rapidly noting the majority of my senseless inquiries.”

– Business Wire Review, Anthony P.

What users dislike:

“The interface is really simple and lacks many functions that allow full communication with the work team. The connection with Wire is very slow, so much so that to change the profile picture or send any type of file takes longer than normal. It practically does not integrate with any other application, making this a great disadvantage since there are many more platforms that do that job better.

What helped us the most was how this platform was able to communicate safely when it comes to very important information, but the rest has not been able to cover all the required needs since Wire is really simple and lacks many tools.”

– Business Wire Review, Rachel P.

4. PRWeb

Founded in 1997, PRWeb distributes media releases or eReleases to major news websites and web-based search engine tools. Unlike the other press release distribution software on this list, PRWeb focuses exclusively on boosting online awareness and driving website traffic for companies’ PR endeavors. The service concentrates the bulk of its efforts on search engine optimization (SEO), influencer targeting, and social sharing.

PRWeb pricing

PRWeb offers four different price packages, each one differing in the amount of reach and mileage a press release can achieve.

Here are the packages offered by PRWeb for a single press release:

• Basic: Helps increase a news release’s visibility across search engines by permanently hosting the press statement or announcement on PRWeb.com.
• Standard: This package includes the syndication of news releases across hundreds of media sites and permanently hosts the release on PRWeb.com.
• Advanced: In this plan, businesses can directly email their press releases to relevant journalists and industry-specific influencers. Additionally, PRWeb will syndicate the release across media partner websites and host the news release on its website.
• Premium: This package includes features like distributing press releases to industry-curated Twitter feeds and influential blogger networks, emailing news releases directly to journalists and industry-specific influencers, syndication press statements across media sites, and permanently hosting the news announcement on PRWeb’s website.

Pros and cons of PRWeb

A common sentiment shared by many customers is how easy it is to send a release on PRWeb. Most users find PRWeb’s network to be quite wide and have been able to reach journalists and influencers that are relevant to their industry and business needs.

Pros of PRWeb include:

• Sending press releases to a specific individual whose contact information isn’t readily available
• Tracking tools that provide detailed metrics on how a press release is performing
• A large pool of influencers and reporters
• Sheds insight on relevant keywords that can increase a press statement's reach

Cons of PRWeb include: 

• A few users, feel the pricing is on the higher end. 
• Press releases are sent out to most of the major media outlets but there are some instances where a news release is sent out to a publication that might miss it.

PRWeb reviews

Here are some reviews left by PRWeb users:

What users like:

“Signing up and getting started with PRWeb is a generally easy process. I like that we can target our audience to help get our news in front of people that may actually be interested in publishing it. I think that the pricing isn't bad since it would cost us much more to distribute our news through more manual methods.

We would have to take a long time compiling relevant contact information and using a platform that can move emails and host press releases without the threat of SPAM violations. PRWeb gives us a way to bypass all of that.”

– PRWeb Review, Bradley W.

What users dislike:

“PRWeb can often be a hit-or-miss type of news release distribution service. For certain types of news, PRWeb may not be the most efficient service, especially if it's for a very niche type of audience with few media outlets that cover related topics.”

– PRWeb Review, Kevin K.

5. ACCESSWIRE

ACCESSWIRE is a PR distribution service that utilizes news agency wire services like the Associated Press, Reuters, and Dow Jones, as well as online portals to amplify PR distribution. ACCESSWIRE’s editorial team helps businesses craft their story and create compelling press releases as a part of their offerings.

ACCESSWIRE pricing

ACCESSWIRE offers flat-fee pricing for three different plans: Pay as you go, pack of three press releases, and a pack of five press releases. For reference, the “pay as you go” plan has four different packages:

• Online: Companies that are only seeking to spread their story online can consider this package.
• Budget: This includes PR distribution across online channels as well as major news outlets, TV stations, newsrooms, and online publications.
• Premium: Businesses that want to share important news with a wider audience can take this plan. The package includes distribution to major media outlets, trading platforms, and wire services like the Associated Press, along with online publications, TV stations, and newsrooms.
• National: This plan covers a large portion of the media that targeted audiences would be consuming and includes targeted outlets, Business Insider, AP mobile, and specialty circuits, along with online publications, TV stations, newsrooms, and trading platforms.

Pros and cons of ACCESSWIRE

Most customers remark how easy it is to use ACCESSWIRE’s platform for their distribution needs. A few hail ACCESSWIRE for being an affordable PR distribution option in the market. The general consensus is that it’s a beginner-friendly software most businesses can use. 

Pros of ACCESSWIRE include:

• Cost-friendly services
• Simple press release submission process
• Quality distribution to automated placement media outlets
• Fast distribution of releases

Cons of ACCESSWIRE include:

• Some users have noted that the reporting and analytics could be better. 
• Quite a few have remarked that the distribution, while efficient, isn’t as targeted as they would’ve liked.
• Additionally, the targeting of the distribution, while wide, is shotgunned rather than a targeted one.
• The actual pickup rate might be low for traditional media.

ACCESSWIRE reviews

Below are a few reviews left by ACCESSWIRE users:

What users like:

“Accesswire offered my business coverage that we had never before experienced. We have used many other services, but Accesswire delivered the highest quality, largest news reaches we have ever experienced. They truly are the best at what they do.”

– ACCESSWIRE Review, John T.

What users dislike:

“Our staff wishes they could clean up the different categories in our dashboard. If we could have the ability to delete releases from drafts and other categories, this would allow us to keep things a little cleaner and less confusing for staff. It would mean that anytime there is something in categories other than submitted/live and editorial review, that our staff could easily see when action needs to be taken.

One thing that is not really a big issue for us, but something our customers repeatedly bring up, is the ability to choose direct links in a press release instead of redirects. We constantly get messages asking about this from current and potential clients.”

– ACCESSWIRE Review, Tyson C.

Turn your content into news

Press releases must stand out in a crowded space. A strong PR distribution strategy makes all the difference and can turn a 500-word press release into tomorrow’s breaking news.

Picking the right press release distribution software can be tricky. The key is to choose a platform that feels comfortable, whether that comfort has to do with budget, speed, ease of use, or the lack of a steep learning curve. Explore a few vendor options before committing to one tool.

PR distribution is just one component of a PR plan. Learn how you can create a comprehensive PR strategy for all your business needs.