Press releases are a powerful way to get your specific information out there. If you acquire a competitor, use a press release to let the world know. If you launched a new partnership, use a press release.
I’ve used press releases for various aspects of my acquisitions
Here’s an example of a press release I did when I merge Inventige.com into TheWebsiteFlip.com
Press release distribution services can do the job for you. They send your press release to various media outlets using their database of contacts, saving you from having to find journalists and send emails manually. Many services will also improve your chances of success by helping you to write and edit your press releases.
I cover the best PR services in this article. Let’s dig deep.
How Can Press Release Services Help SEO?
Distributing press releases via a press release service can give your website an SEO boost.
As an SEO tactic, press release distribution is reputable and relatively low cost (in contrast to tactics like buying links, which can be expensive and breach Google guidelines). With the help of a press release distribution service, it can be quick and low-effort too.
The benefits of using a press release service for SEO include:
- Backlinks: The number one benefit of using a press release service is gaining backlinks. Your press release could earn you a link from a highly reputable source, which search engines take into account when ranking your website.
- Traffic: When your press release is picked up by news outlets, the people who read the news article will likely visit your website to find out more.
- Social signals: As well as being picked up by offline media and websites, your press release may appear on social media too. This can lead to more backlinks and social traffic and can be a positive indicator for search engines.
- Branding: Press releases generate exposure and increase awareness of your brand. Appearing on authoritative and credible websites can also enhance the trustworthiness of your brand.
- Fast Indexing: News websites are frequently crawled by search engines and their content is indexed frequently. If you want quick publicity then a press release is likely to appear in search results much faster than an article on your own website.
The only note of caution when distributing press releases for SEO is to use a reputable distribution service that will send your press release to quality media. Choosing a cheap and less reputable provider could result in links to your website appearing on spammy websites, which may do your SEO more harm than good.
To help you find a reliable service to work with, and avoid potential SEO problems, we’re going to compare 14 of the best press release services for SEO.
Press Release Service for SEO: Comparison Table
We compare 14 of the best press release services for SEO, including what they are best for, their starting prices, and the top reasons why you might want to choose each service.
| Service | Best For… | Starting Price | Why choose this service? |
| NewswireJet | Overall performance and value | $99 | You want a balance of services, distribution, and affordability. |
| Business Wire | High-end global PR | $760 | You need to reach major news outlets in multiple countries. |
| GlobalNewswire | AI-assisted PR | $199 | You want to balance planning your own PR with expert support and AI tools. |
| PR Fire | UK press release distribution. | £95 (c.$120) | You’re happy to use a self-service dashboard and want to reach UK and global journalists. |
| PR Web | Unlimited multimedia. | $110 | You want to include lots of photos and video. |
| Pressat | UK press releases including a newsroom and subscriber distribution. | £110 (c. $140) | You want a service like PR Fire, but with your own newsroom and the ability to reach Pressat’s opted-in subscribers. |
| PRLog | Limited free distribution | Free (or $339 distribution via PR Newswire) | It’s the only top service that has a completely free tier. |
| Newswire | A combination of industry-targeting and geo-targeting. | $349 | You want to target a particular industry at the state or national level. |
| PR Underground | Guaranteed online coverage on lots of websites. | $75 | You want guaranteed links on lots of websites. |
| Linking News | Guaranteed online coverage on premium websites, including Chinese websites. | $159 | You want guaranteed links and are willing to pay more for better quality and/or you want to target a Chinese audience. |
| 24-7 Press Releases | A low-cost visibility boost. | $49 | You want the cheapest option. |
| eReleases | Editorial reviews and press release writing. | $399 | You want support from a professional journalist and a regular account manager. |
| PR Newswire | Massive reach from a trusted big name in the industry. | Prices upon request | You want to work with an established service on a large-scale campaign. |
| Presswire | Industry targeting and global reach in any language. | $250 | You want to target a specific industry and/or would benefit from sending your press release in multiple languages. |
The 14 Best Press Release Services for SEO
To help you choose the best press release service for your SEO needs, let’s take a detailed look at each of the leading press release services on the market.
NewswireJet.com
We’ve chosen NewswireJet as our overall best press release service for SEO due to its balance of services offered, distribution to quality media outlets, and affordable pricing.
NewswireJet has a network of over 500 media partners and offers a distribution service that includes expert support and detailed reports.
In addition to press release distribution, NewswireJet also offers press release writing support and a HARO (‘Help a Reporter Out’) service that can earn you coverage and backlinks from the world’s top media sites.
Best Features:
- Excellent value entry-level packages.
- Full PDF report included in all plans.
- Responsive and knowledgeable customer service.
Pricing:
Plans range from $99 to $649 depending on the distribution required. Discounts are available for booking a multiple press release package.
Business Wire
Business Wire is a premium press release distribution service owned by Berkshire Hathaway.
As one of the largest press release services, Business Wire has an unrivaled media database and offers exceptional distribution, ‘Smart News Releases’ that increase engagement through photos and videos, and detailed NewsTrak reports.
However, these features come at a high price that will make Business Wire unaffordable for the majority of entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Best Features:
- International distribution in 20+ languages.
- Tell your story through photos, videos, and interactive media.
- Create your own online newsroom.
Pricing:
Contact Business Wire for a quote. Expect to pay $760+ for entry-level press release distribution.
GlobalNewswire
GlobalNewswire offers targeted press release distribution to media outlets around the globe.
Additional services offered by GlobalNewswire include media monitoring, a media contacts database, and social listening. The platform has also embraced AI, with artificial intelligence tools embedded within the media database and available to help you draft your press releases.
Best Features:
- Embed media snippets into your press releases to increase engagement.
- Browse the media contact database and create your own media lists.
- The first press release service to offer an AI press release generator.
Pricing:
Distribution starts from $199 but costs may be significantly higher depending on the services required.
PR Fire
PR Fire is a UK-based press release service that offers distribution to both UK media and international news outlets.
Distributing a press release through PR Fire is straightforward. You simply upload your press release, choose your distribution options, and add guaranteed coverage from selected media if you wish. Alternatively, you can pay an additional fee to have PR Fire write your press release for you.
Best Features:
- Press release review and industry targeting included in the basic plan.
- Unlimited word count and no additional charge for multimedia.
- Option to add guaranteed media coverage.
Pricing:
Choose between the £95 press release distribution plan and the £290 press release writing and distribution plan.
PR Web
Owned by Cision, PR Web integrates with the Cision Communications Cloud to distribute your press releases to targeted media websites, industry publications, bloggers, social media sites, and search engines.
In addition to distribution, they provide 24/7 support and a proofreading service to ensure the quality of your release, as well as influential bloggers targeted on the premium plan.
Best Features:
- Unlimited media assets even on the basic plan.
- 48-hour turnaround time on all plans.
- Proofreading services and blogger outreach on higher plans.
Pricing:
The basic plan costs $110 per press release and includes unlimited multimedia. More advanced plans range from $230 to $455 per press release.
Pressat:
Pressat is a UK-based press release service that can distribute your press release within the UK and internationally.
You can easily submit your press releases by uploading content, selecting distribution preferences, and optionally opting for guaranteed coverage from specific media outlets.
Pressat is similar to PR Fire, though slightly more expensive. Additional services include creating your own newsroom and sending your press releases to 33,000+ opted-in Pressat subscribers.
Best Features:
- Create your own newsroom.
- Distribute directly to 33,000+ Pressat subscribers.
- Discounts for bulk buying multiple press release distributions.
Pricing:
Distribute one press release and set up one newsroom for £110. Bulk buying ten press releases costs £880, reducing the cost per press release to £88.
PRLog
The only press release service on this list that will distribute your press release to search engines and host your newsroom entirely free of charge.
PRLog also offers discounted distribution via PR Newswire, giving you the option to send your press release to journalists for a one-off fee of $339.
Best Features:
- Free press release distribution and newsroom hosting
- Free distribution to search engines
- Discounted distribution via PR Newswire
Pricing:
Free basic distribution to search engines. Premium distribution to journalists is done via PR Newswire at a discounted rate.
Newswire
Newswire is a news distribution platform that offers a range of services, including press release distribution, media pitching, and media monitoring.
As well as choosing to target a list of trade publications relevant to your industry, Newswire also allows you to choose between digital, state/local, and national plans in order to geo-target your press release campaign to the right audience.
Best Features:
- Media pitch templates to increase the chances of your press release being noticed.
- AI writing assistant to help refine your press releases.
- Choose between state and local targeting or national press release distribution.
Pricing:
Plans start at $349 for a campaign that will reach ‘hundreds of online outlets throughout the United States’. Discounts are available for purchasing multiple press release distribution campaigns.
PR Underground
PR Underground is an affordable online press release distribution service. It doesn’t have the same reach as some more expensive services, but it does allow you to get your press releases published on 100+ websites at a low cost.
Best Features:
- Guaranteed coverage on selected websites.
- Twitter distribution included.
- Gold and Premium plans include multiple press releases.
Pricing:
Plans range from $74.99 to $419.99 depending on the number and quality of the websites you wish to include in your press release distribution.
Linking News
Like PR Underground, Linking News is a press release distribution service that guarantees your news will be published on certain websites.
With Linking News, you can select from a range of packages depending on which websites you want to target. The Basic Plan includes MSN, ABC, NBC, FOX, and CBS Network, while the Gold Plan adds higher-tier sites such as Business Insider.
There is also a Chinese Distribution Plan that specifically targets Chinese news and media websites.
Best Features:
- Guaranteed coverage on premium websites.
- Transparency of which websites are included at each price point.
- Chinese website package available.
Pricing:
Plans range from $159 to $1380. The Chinese distribution package costs $880.
24-7 Press Releases
24-7 Press Releases is the cheapest press release distribution service on our list.
Plans start from just $29, however, this ‘non-distribution’ package only includes publication on the 24-7 press releases website. Proper distribution starts at $89, with distribution to the Associated Press Newsroom included.
Higher plans are available, costing up to $419, to increase the quantity and quality of media on your distribution list, including newspapers, magazines, and bloggers.
Best Features:
- Cheap press release syndication.
- Reach the Associated Press Newsroom on the $89 plan.
- Strong offline media database as well as online media and bloggers.
Pricing:
Syndicate your press release for just $49. Distribution plans range from $89 to $419 per press release.
eReleases
eReleases is a nationwide partner of Cision PR Newswire, one of the most trusted newswires to ensure your press release reaches a journalist.
The team are eReleases pride themselves on being journalists and editors, giving you the chance to work directly with an expert when distributing your press release. You can ask to work with the same editor across multiple press releases, and you’ll always communicate with a journalist, not a salesperson.
Best Features:
- Expert team of journalists and editors.
- A nationwide Cision PR Newswire partner.
- 94% delivery rate to hand-picked journalists.
Pricing:
Press release distribution packages start from $399 for 400 words and one industry target list. Higher-level packages allow you to send longer press releases and target more industry lists. You can also have eReleases write your press release for an additional $300.
PR Newswire
PR Newswire is one of the oldest and most trusted newswires. Their press release distribution service allows you to target and distribute your press release to the largest and most-sourced news distribution network in the world.
As a premium press release distribution service, PR Newswire can reach over 440,000 newsrooms and subscribers, including 270,000 journalists and influencers and over 9,000 websites and digital media publishers.
Best Features:
- Trusted and well-established with more than 65 years in the industry.
- An enormous network of media outlets and journalists.
- A guaranteed placement service allows you to publish branded content on selected premium websites.
Pricing:
PR Newswire does not publish its prices publicly, but you can expect to pay well over $1000 to distribute a press release with images to a national distribution list.
Presswire
PressWire is a major press release distribution service that allows you to send your press releases to news outlets in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Within the geographic territory you choose, you can further refine your press release distribution by choosing one of over 140 different industries to target.
Best Features:
- Target by continent or distribute your press release globally.
- Choose to target media contracts in more than 140 different industries.
- Translation service available.
Pricing:
PressWire charges $250 to distribute a single press release to North America, Europe, or the UK. A global press release costs $400. Tracking reports, online syndication, and translation services are available for an additional fee.
How to Choose the Best Press Release Service to Boost Your SEO
You’ve decided to send out a press release using a press release distribution service, but how do you choose the best press release distribution service for you?
As well as carefully considering all of the information elsewhere in this guide, we recommend taking these 6 key factors into account:
- Distribution channels: Where will the service send your press releases? Will they go to high-quality media outlets that you would benefit from reaching?
- Geographic reach: Will your press release be published in media from the countries that you want to target and in the language that you want to target?
- Targeting: Does the press release service allow you to select relevant industries and audiences that you want to target with your content?
- Analytics: A good press release distribution service will provide stats on where your press release was published and an indication of how often it was viewed and shared.
- Additional services: Does the service offer extra support in addition to distribution, such as help with writing or editing your press releases?
- Price: Prices vary between press release services and many offer a variety of plans to suit different customer needs. While it’s important not to simply go for the cheapest option, you will need to choose a press release service that is within your budget.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of press release distribution services on the market and they each have their pros and cons and varying price points. Some are also more reputable than others, so it’s important to choose wisely when selecting a service to work with your brand.
If you choose the wrong press release service then it could be difficult to undo the damage, and you are unlikely to get your money back. For that reason, we want to help you make the right choice from the start.
Of course, you should do your own research, read reviews, and seek out recommendations, but if you choose any of the leading press release services for SEO, as featured in this guide, then you can be confident that they are reputable and that your press release SEO is in safe hands.
