2017 RANKING & REVIEWS
BEST RATED TOP PRESS RELEASE SITES
Intro: Finding the Best Press Release Sites
Companies that are interested in expanding their customer base or passing along pertinent company data to their clients have likely already investigated the possibility of utilizing press release sites.
While you may be able to make use of free press release sites, you can gain a much wider exposure through the paid press release websites available. How do you know which of these press release sites is the best one for your needs (or your budget)?
Each press release company will have a slightly different service and pricing structure that may or may not meet your advertising needs.
As a company, you will need to determine those services and features that are of highest importance for you to get the most out of your paid press release service.
Press release companies can provide visibility among a number of outlets: search engines, social media, traditional print outlets, radio, television, blogs, and more. Determining which best press release site is the best for your company is an important distinction.
Award Emblem: Best Press Release Sites
With so many different options cropping up – all claiming to provide the best press release sites for companies to gain more visibility for their news and media releases – AdvisoryHQ wants you to be well-informed.
We created this press release sites list in order to give you our top-ranking best press release sites as a starting point for your own marketing endeavors. Want to know which of the press release websites made it onto the list? Find out in the sections below!
AdvisoryHQ’s List of the Top 6 Best Press Release Sites
List is sorted alphabetically (click any of the names below to go directly to the detailed review section for that press release service):
Why Consider Press Release Companies?
When companies seek to make their news known to a wider audience, it’s rare that they have the know-how or contacts to get the ball rolling on their own. If they have time to spare, they may choose to invest some of their personnel’s energy into investigating free press release sites.
With such varying levels of success on these free press release sites, it sometimes becomes necessary to employ the help of press release companies who specialize in reaching journalists and news outlets with your story.
Image Source: BigStock
Press release companies can assist you with the entire process from start to finish. Your company doesn’t need to have a writer on staff in order to have a successful and well-polished piece to put before news outlets.
Many of the top press release sets will offer writing and editing services at an additional charge – a worthwhile investment for those who lack the ability to produce a compelling press release in-house.
Beyond this, press release sites maintain healthy relationships with subscribing journalists. Placing your press release directly into their email or across their newswire can generate interest in your story and attract more customers and clients than you thought possible.
The ability to attract a wider audience certainly has the potential to offset the marketing expense of hiring one of the top press release sites.
Overall, you will need to take time to evaluate your company’s needs. Managing how much you can afford to spend in hiring the best press release services that meet your expectations can make your life seem significantly more manageable.
The best press release sites will offer you a cost-effective service that provides a great value and the potential for a great return on your initial investment.
See Also: PR Newswire Review & Ranking (What Is PR Newswire? Competitors, Costs)
Selection Methodology: Top Press Release Websites
What methodology does AdvisoryHQ use in selecting and finalizing the firms, services, and products that are ranked on its various top rated lists?
Please click here “AdvisoryHQ’s Ranking Methodologies” for a detailed review of AdvisoryHQ’s selection methodologies for ranking top rated firms, products, and services.
Top Rated Best Press Release Sites:
Distributors | Websites |
| 24/7 Press Release | http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/ |
| eReleases | http://www.ereleases.com/ |
| PR Newswire | http://www.prnewswire.com/ |
| PRLog | https://www.prlog.org/ |
| PR.com | http://www.pr.com/ |
| PRWeb | http://www.prweb.com/ |
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Detailed Review – Top Ranking Best Press Release Sites
For a more detailed breakdown of the individual press release websites and press release companies that we ranked, see the sections below.
We will review the services they offer, their company history, and the prices you can expect on this press release sites list.
While they may not be free press release sites, you can benefit from making the most of the marketing services you can afford after seeing the detailed reviews. You want to get the most value for your investment, so consider what your company needs before hiring one of the top press release websites.
24-7 Press Release Review
Founded in 2004 with the aim of making press release companies more affordable and accessible, 24-7 Press Release increases visibility through online and traditional outlets. Its database includes over 30,000 members and distributes over 250,000 news releases currently.
Key Factors that Enabled This Company to Rank as One of the Best Press Release Sites
Among the top press release sites, 24-7 Press Release offers a host of services that can assist you with drafting and creating a stellar media release for your company. To get you started, 24-7 Press Release is one of the press release sites that can simultaneously assist you in writing your final draft.
If you provide it with a rough manuscript detailing the important content you want included, its team of writers can polish and edit it to make it as effective as possible. It can even assist with writing additional content for your company.
Image Source: 24-7 Press Release
When 24-7 Press Release’s writing team is finished, it uploads it to its newswire at no additional cost. Once uploaded to its top press release sites, it can be discovered on search engines and is sent along to news and authority websites.
Like any good press release service, it also sends your brief sample to print media outlets, including The New York Times, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal, indicating exposure far greater than you may receive with free press release sites.
Between radio shows, reporters, social media, and prominent blogs, the company’s press release service can gain you a wide audience.
It has over 100,000 visitors each month to help increase your prospects and reach your audience. Press release sites such as 24-7 Press Release also leave your form of advertisement on its website forever, making it accessible even into the future.
Pricing
While 24-7 Press Release is not one of the free press release sites, its rates are likely considered affordable by many interested in a press release website.
There are no word limits on the lower priced options for press release sites. However, the most expensive option (Mass Media Visibility priced at $389) has a word limit of 375 words.
Its most recommended package is the Integrated Media Pro option at $139. This will send it to its database of other press release sites and press release companies interested in your news (over 3,000 newspapers and 1,500 magazines); make it accessible to search engines and the associated press; give the ability to include up to five images, documents or a video; and give you statistics on your campaign.
See more pricing in the chart below:
Package | Pricing | Objective |
Visibility Boost | $49 | Entry-level package, can increase online visibility |
PR Network Plus | $89 | Intermediate package, additional distribution |
Integrated Media PRO | $139 | Advanced package, online and traditional distribution |
Mass Media Visibility | $389 | Premium package, maximum distribution |
eReleases Review
Almost 14 years old, eReleases hosts a unique and fresh perspective to help its clients get to know the team and the services it offers. Colorful photographs and personal anecdotes adorn the company’s “about us” page, inviting you to get to know its team better. What is it that really sets eReleases apart as one of the top press release sites?
Key Factors That Enabled This Company to Rank as One of the Best Press Release Sites
Highlighting a few of the factors that set eReleases apart as one of the top press release sites is relatively simple. You can customize your national PR Newswire distribution to reach reporters and journalists from the major media outlets that interest you. Over 100,000 journalists subscribe to its press release sites, from publications such as Bloomberg, National Journal, The Wall Street Journal, and CNNMoney.
It can reach traditional outlets and average online visibility as well as bloggers, radio shows, and television shows, really increasing your expected exposure compared to lower quality free press release sites or paid press release companies.
eReleases considers one of its best features to be the method that it distributes content through in comparison to other top press release sites. It emails content to journalists, posts it on websites (including searching engines and social media), and distributes it on a major newswire of press releases.
According to its own review, most of the Fortune 1000 companies and publicly traded companies prefer this method for the most widespread reach of content.
Another feature that compels AdvisoryHQ to list eReleases as one of the top press release sites is its detailed analytics on your order. It breaks down your traffic, audience, and engagement for more than 300 media sites. The WireWatch report shows you view counts, representing the number of times it was looked at on the PR Newswire site. However, it cannot count impressions or email open rates for other websites.
Pricing
For assistance in drafting your press release, you can take advantage of eRelease’s free resource, Beginner’s Guide to Writing Powerful Press Releases.
Otherwise, it appears its writing service (combined with the distribution service) starts at $549. The length of your press release for the writing fee will vary depending on which of the three packages you choose from.
Press release companies such as eReleases are great for the flexible package options they provide to clients. While its starting rates are significantly more than other press release sites, such as 24-7 Press Release, you will have to weigh which services are most important for your company and your release. For details regarding the pricing and objective of each package, see the chart below:
Package | Price | Objective |
Buzz Builder | $299 | Custom distribution, 400 words and one target, news on 75 media sites |
Newsmaker | $399 | All of the above, 500 words and two targets, news on 100 media sites |
PR Pro | $499 | All of the above, 600 words and three targets, PRTrue List of journalists, news on 150 media sites |
PR Newswire Review
One of the large-scale press release companies spanning eighteen countries, PR Newswire has been around since 1954.
Offering multimedia platforms and distribution, its press release services mostly cater to marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs, and investor relations officers, assisting them in managing a wider audience.
PR Newswire’s content reaches more than 3,000 newsrooms, including the likes of The New York Times, ABC News, and Buzzfeed.
Image Source: PR Newswire
Key Factors That Enabled This Company to Rank as One of the Best Press Release Sites
Among press release sites, PR Newswire offers some of the best press release services for individuals and companies in need of a wider range of creative talent. Most of the press release sites list writing as their primary creative service, and the MultiVu Creative Services center from PR Newswire can also help you create engaging video content to send along with your media release.
It claims that this material can boost your viewership by as much as 24 times. In terms of its scope and capability in the creation phase, this quickly landed PR Newswire as the best press release site.
Distributing your press release through even the best free press release sites won’t have quite the same effect as it does through PR Newswire’s press release website.
It boasts an increase of 48 percent in media pickup of your news release as well as a visibility three times greater than its closest competitor when it comes to media outlets, websites, and social media. Its press release service also targets specific journalists and bloggers who would have the most interest in your particular story.
As with most of the best press release services, you can evaluate the success or failure of your attempt to gain media attention for your company with PR Newswire’s analytics section. Understand what your return on investment is and how much interest is garnered through your press release website endeavor.
Pricing
PR Newswire doesn’t like to list information regarding its pricing on its website, forcing customers to call the customer service department to hear all of the numerous choices for press release websites and services. Below is information with a few of its pricing options, as given to one customer who inquired.
All of the package options require customers to first subscribe to PR Newswire’s press release service at an annual rate of $195 to $249.
From this point on, you have several options that you can customize, according to which press release companies you want to view your materials and what services you would like to pay for. For a 400-word release with a basic photo and a US national newsline, you can expect to pay somewhere around $1,100.
If you are more interested in online distribution (including a 1,000-word release accompanied by one photo), its WebMax package will cost just $545 to distribute your press release to more than 4,300 websites across the country.
Related: Top Best Press Release Distribution Sites | Ranking | Paid and Free Press Release Sites
PRLog Review
PRLog ranked on AdvisoryHQ’s list as one of the best free press release sites available. Free press release sites are hard to come by, especially those that are worth the time and effort that it takes to host your media release. However, PRLog definitely has a few features that allowed us to categorize it as one of the best press release sites around.
Key Factors That Enabled This Company to Rank as One of the Best Press Release Sites
One of the top press release sites, PRLog frequently makes it onto the free press release sites list that all consumers should investigate. For nothing more than the time and expertise that it takes to craft a solid press release, free press release sites like PRLog can increase visibility to search engines, email distributions, and social media as well as increase the presentation with a search optimized webpage.
PRLog is hailed as one of the best free press release sites, but it also offers upgrade options for those who like the services they receive for free but would like to enhance their visibility. It gives customers a wide range of flexible choices, beyond what may free press release sites list as an option. Consider upgrading in order to have your release distributed to newspapers, have syndication to news sites, and distribution via PR Newswire.
You also receive access to your own press room in order to better manage media inquiries – one of the most unique and useful best press release services available. For online press release submissions, you receive spam protection on your email address; another wonderful service that you may find yourself taking advantage of.
Pricing
While PRLog may be one of the best free press release sites, its upgrade options are worth considering for the price it charges. When compared to the rates by companies like PR Newswire, these free press release sites certainly have a lot to offer to their clients.
PRLog provides incredibly basic options, with only one industry listing and feed, three location listings, and no analytics for the free press release distribution or basic option (priced at $25). From there, you have the option to add more images, videos, locations, keywords, and industry listings in its premium packages. You can also have your press release distributed through free press release sites to newspapers, syndication to news sites, and distribution via PR Newswire for much lower costs ($49 to $349 per release).
Free press release sites such as PRLog are worth considering, especially in light of the discount you receive for having your press release distributed through PR Newswire. While the numbers listed in the review section for PR Newswire are astronomically higher, you can submit you press release via PR Newswire, through PRLog, for just $349 per press release.
PR.com Review
Calling itself a cross between a public relations firm and an advertising agency, PR.com includes a directory of businesses and an array of information to assist you on the free press release sites. Making an account gives you access to free press release distribution as well as the ability to post job opportunities and include your products and services in its directory.
Key Factors That Enabled This Company to Rank as One of the Best Press Release Sites
PR.com offers a host of the best press release services depending upon what your company considers a necessity. You can opt to have your news release made searchable through the major search engines, with document sharing and PDF versions of your story. You can also opt to have it search optimized, available on Yahoo News, and include large file attachments along with your text. Next day distribution is also an option on the list of services from press release companies such as PR.com.
If you are interested in gaining a wider audience through well-known websites, including the Boston Globe, Miami Herald, and more, PR.com has options available for a package of the best press release services that it can list. Of course, the amount of visibility, particularly to these larger companies and distribution channels is subject to which package (and which price) you select.
PR.com is also a useful resource as evidenced by the information included on this best press release site.
You can view company profiles to help determine whether they are a good fit for your information, search for companies, and sign up to receive newsletters on topics of your choice. Press release sites such as PR.com and its newsletters are a good way to stay on top of information in your market.
Pricing
What initially attracts many customers to PR.com is the fact that it is one of several free press release sites. As should be expected, its free press release sites don’t offer nearly as many features or as much visibility as its premium packages do. Expect for your news release to show up in some general search engines, on PR.com itself, and through a handful of third-party news websites. It still isn’t a bad option when it comes to free press release sites.
PR.com may not be one of the totally free press release sites, but it certainly offers a low-cost solution to businesses interested in promoting their press release and information beyond their current audience and visibility.
If you decide to upgrade to receive more premium features (including more distribution channels and larger files to include with your press release), you can view the amount you might be spending in the chart below:
Services | Pricing |
1 industry distribution channel, 3 MB file attachments | $30 |
Above, plus 5 industry distribution channels, social media features | $50 |
Above, plus 10 industry distribution channels, 10 MB file attachments, search optimized image | $60 |
Above, plus professional editorial review, mobile and premium website distribution | $100 |
Popular Article: Top Rated Best Free Press Release Distribution Services (Ranking & Review)
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PRWeb.com Review
PRWeb.com is used by business owners, PR professionals, industries, and marketing professionals alike. It claims to be the industry’s most-visited news release website, automatically increasing your visibility when you sign up for a free account with its company.
The premise of press release sites, such as this one, is relatively simple: create your release, optimize it, and then send it out into the world.
Key Factors That Enabled This Company to Rank as One of the Best Press Release Sites
If you need to know how to write your own press release, press release sites such as PRWeb.com are an ideal and invaluable source of information for you. From its step-by-step guide to crafting the perfect media release to a press release grader, free press release sites such as this one can offer valuable feedback on how to improve your content, keywords, links, and multimedia. For no additional charge, this press release grader is a one-of-a-kind of feature that everyone should take advantage of.
Image Source: Service – PRWeb
When you opt for the services on its press release site, your release becomes searchable on Google, Yahoo!, and Bing as well as sent out to more than 30,000 journalists and bloggers.
PRWeb.com can distribute your press release to top outlets, including The New York Times and the Associated Press, or it can focus more on smaller, local publications or trade magazines.
Its website also hosts this as part of the press release service, one of the best free press release site options that alone garners more than three million visitors each month (far more than press release sites such as 24-7 Press Release).
Pricing
Before we dive into the specifics of the charges you can expect with top press release sites such as PRWeb.com, it’s important to note a couple of things.
If your company or brand sends out plenty of press releases each year, PRWeb.com is willing to hand out subscription discounts that help you send more press releases for fewer overall costs. These can be negotiated via the customer service hotline.
Like many press release sites, you can also opt for additional services beyond distribution. These can include assistance with writing ($325 per release), editing ($129 per release), and search engine optimization ($175). You can also select enhanced placement on its website for $40 more or a targeted email distribution for just $199.
Its basic rates can be seen in the table below:
Plan | Price | Features |
Basic | $99 | Permanent hosting, visibility in search engines and news sites |
Standard | $159 | Social media capabilities, sent to news outlets |
Advanced | $249 | Optimized for visibility, sent to premium news sites like StreetInsider |
Premium | $369 | Premier News Outlets (The New York Times, USA Today), include multimedia |
Read More: Top Best Press Release Services – Rankings & Review
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Conclusion: Top Ranking Best Press Release Sites
If your company needs to boost its visibility quickly, press release sites are a great resource for making it happen in real-time.
All press release sites list their capabilities and most impressive reach, which can sound appealing. However, you will need to decide for yourself which of the best press release services your company can benefit most from receiving.
Do you need to be featured in a major publication from the Associated Press, or are you aiming more for small, local publications or trade magazines? Do you need assistance with writing or creating content, or do you already have an employee who can handle that press release service? And perhaps, most importantly, does your marketing budget include press release distribution, or are you looking for free press release sites?
You should be able to find everything your company needs by taking a quick inventory of where you would like to be versus what you would like to spend on top press release sites. From there, take the time to consider the best press release sites included in our ranking for a great starting point of selecting your go-to press release website and press release companies for the future.
Related: eReleases Review | Is It Legit? What You Need to Know Before Using ereleases.com
AdvisoryHQ (AHQ) Disclaimer:
Reasonable efforts have been made by AdvisoryHQ to present accurate information, however all info is presented without warranty. Review AdvisoryHQ’s Terms for details. Also review each firm’s site for the most updated data, rates and info.
Note: Firms and products, including the one(s) reviewed above, may be AdvisoryHQ's affiliates. Click to view AdvisoryHQ's advertiser disclosures.
