Best Press Release Submission sites for 2023

Where do you send a news release and what are the finest free press release submission sites and press release distribution services are frequently asked questions.

So, if you’re reading this, you’ve probably already created one and now need to learn how to submit a press release. That’s why our guide to the best press release submission sites for 2021 has been completely revised.

If you haven’t written a press release yet, our Ultimate Startup Press Release Guide will teach you all you need to know about the process. To make the procedure even easier, you can download our press release template and examples here.

SEO Basics:

We did what all good copywriters do when developing the new version of this page: we went through the other Google page-one search results. We were surprised to find that a lot of the backlinking advice for SEO was outdated. Some of the pages were from 2009, and because SEO years are roughly equivalent to cat years, the advise was from another era.

The SEO industry as a whole agrees that press release submission platforms are no longer a viable way to gain valuable backlinks. To cut a long story short, Google became tired of people misusing these platforms to earn backlinks a few years ago.

As a result, most respectable press release submission websites now automatically set all backlinks in news releases to nofollow.

This means that no link equity is passed on to the linked-to site. While some paid and free press release distribution providers still provide follow backlinks in 2021, the advantage will be minimal.

However, all of this discussion about using press release submission services to gain backlinks misses the point slightly. If this is your goal, these websites should only be considered a means to an end. They provide journalists with a place to look for stories. If a journalist turns one of these press releases into a story for a news outlet, the backlink in the article will pass link equity. As a result, you may mix PR and SEO through earned media triumphs.

Here’s a link to a blog post we made on the subject that goes over the history and present state of play in greater depth.

What is a press release?

press release
press release

A press release is a document that effectively communicates your startup’s announcements to journalists. Press releases follow a formulaic framework that is intended to communicate a company’s message as plainly as possible.

We understand how difficult it is to write press releases.

Writing press releases, on the other hand, is a crucial skill that can help your firm get traction with industry influencers and journalists.

Where do I submit a press release?

While you most likely came to this page in search of press release submission sites, it’s critical that you grasp the context and process. In general, there are two major ways to distribute a press release:

  • Send a press release to journalists in the hopes that they will incorporate it into an article. Our Ultimate Startup Press Release Guide walks you through the process step by step.
  • Submit a press release to a press release distribution service. This is the subject of this guide.

Furthermore, as the news industry has changed dramatically in the previous decade or two, these press release platforms have adapted to remain relevant.

Many of them now provide a slew of other services, including contact information databases, social media influencer access, media monitoring, and public relations analytics.

Sites dedicated only to video press release services, for example, are growing in popularity among organisations large and small. Businesses can use video press releases to visualise their message, capitalising on the increased consumer demand for video-based information.

What is a press release submission?

Websites that allow you to submit and publish press releases are known as press release submission websites. Journalists and reporters looking for stories might utilise these platforms as a source of information. [Warning: skewed metaphor] Consider them the news industry’s distributors or stockists.
Here’s a great video from Newswire, a leader in the field, demonstrating how their service works.

What is the difference between a paid and a free press release submission site?

There are sites where you may submit a press release for a fee as well as sites where you can submit a press release for free.

As you can see from the list below, the free online press release submission services are pretty rudimentary. If you want to get your storey published in a well-known publication, free submission sites are unlikely to help you achieve that goal.

As a result, establish your expectations accordingly and think of these services as a means to acquire some free publicity (although some question if this is even worth the effort).

Some free press release submission sites are said to be ideal for technophobes due to their simple UI. But have faith in us. Sacrificing quality for usability is a surefire method to send your press release straight to the spam folder of a journalist.

The fee-based platforms, especially the market leaders, have massive reach into major news and media publications. These treatments, however, can be highly costly and do not guarantee outcomes.

XML Sitemap Generator
XML Sitemap Generator

The pros and cons of press release distribution services

As previously said, there are two ways to acquire media publicity by sending out a press release. One option is to email it to journalists personally, while the other is to submit it to one or more press release submission platforms.

  • Press releases are frequently syndicated on platforms, improving your visibility.
  • You can obtain immediate access to the world’s most powerful news sources.
  • You can target a certain niche or industry on some platforms.
  • Press releases are frequently syndicated on platforms, improving your visibility.

However, when compared to pitching press releases directly to journalists, these platforms have some drawbacks:

  • We’ve found that pitching a press release directly to a journalist results in higher media coverage.
  • Because you don’t have direct access to journalists, you can’t form connections with them.
  • As previously stated, the SEO value in terms of backlinks is currently minimal to non-existent.

How to do a press release submission

How to do a press release submission
How to do a press release submission

The actual submission is simple if you use one of these press release distribution providers. Most sites allow you to simply copy and paste your information into an online text editor, then upload any relevant multimedia. Before publishing it, you can add hyperlinks and other features.

Furthermore, most premium services will allow you to select the types of newspapers you wish to target when it comes to outreach.

That all sounds great, but how do you effectively submit a press release? Here’s a simple checklist to get you started:

Create a list of chosen media outlets

You’ll have more control over who you send a press release to and when you send it if you build a list of contacts from the media you want to send it to.

You may find this contact information via a variety of tools, including LinkedIn, MuckRack, and HARO, which all include journalist emails and phone numbers.
Make care to keep this list up to date by updating which reporters work for which newspapers on a regular basis. People’s job statuses change all the time, and you don’t want to be caught off guard by pitching an announcement to a former publishing staff member.

Follow Submission Rules

Regardless of who you’re sending your press release to, each magazine has its own set of rules for filing press releases. Following these rules is a must for any media source worth sending your press release to.

Your best chance of getting media coverage for your press release is to closely follow the rules put out on the publication’s website, from the way you format your content to the person to whom you submit the request. For example, Entrepreneur places a high value on the quality and originality of your announcement.

Craft a killer submission and attach to the email.

The secret to obtaining valuable media coverage is to write an eye-catching press release submission.

Your press release should get right to the point of your announcement, starting with the subject line. It’s not necessary to include nice-looking text or amusing information; it’s simply a source for writers to consult when writing an article based on your news.

As a result, it’s critical to remember a few golden rules while producing a press release:

  • Make sure the headline accurately describes your announcement.
  • Include a date for the announcement.
  • Include quotations from your CEO about how important the news is.
  • To increase your reputation, include as much information as feasible.

Follow up with media outlets

So, you’ve finished writing your press release and sent it in. Isn’t it time to kick your feet up and watch all that great earned media flow in?

Wrong.

You’ve got reporters and journalists to nudge. It’s easy for your contribution to get lost in the never-ending stream of emails that flood their inboxes, so respectfully following up is always a good idea.

Whether you haven’t heard anything about your announcement in a few days, follow your connection’s preferred contact hours and send them an email asking if they’ve had a chance to review it.

Maintain a warm but professional tone in your writing, and give them time to answer to your follow-up email.

As a journalist, nothing is worse than being pressed for a response, which can jeopardise the relationship you’ve formed with them.

Track performance

In some quarters, the return on investment (ROI) of public relations is a bit of an enigma. There are, however, many ways to measure it, particularly when it comes to media attention resulting from press release submissions.

There are a few metrics to keep an eye on when your significant news is covered in a top-tier publication:

1. Publication reach (Impressions):

This will offer you a rough estimate of the number of people who could be interested in your storey. A smaller audience can signify a more specialised media outlet with a clearer target reader, thus it’s not the most trustworthy measure of ROI on your press release submission.

You can use SimilarWeb’s estimated website traffic calculator to determine the estimated reach of your target publication.

2. Domain Authority (DA):

Earned media from your submission can help your website’s SEO depending on whether you obtain a dofollow backlink or not. Backlinks are the holy grail of SEO since they work as a recommendation from one site to another. In Google’s perspective, this establishes your website’s credibility, resulting in higher search rankings.

Your DA score, which ranges from 1 to 100 and displays your website’s relative authority to other websites, is an excellent statistic for estimating this credibility. We devised our own calculation to help calculate the ROI of domain authority increases, which you can find in our ROI Measuring Toolkit.

3. Referral Traffic:

The referral traffic represents all of your website visitors who came from this page when you get a backlink from your press release submission. It’s an accurate representation of how your announcement has been received by a target audience and can be used to generate leads.

Referral traffic may be seen in your Google Analytics account, and we’ve put together a helpful guide on how to use it.

What are the best practices to submit news releases successfully?

If you consider the receiver when submitting a news release, you’ll have the best chance of success.

Consider the optimal time of day to submit your press release to a particular journalist, taking into account their timezone and schedule. Personalized emails, on the other hand, go a long way beyond copy-pasted emails, and journalists can see these a mile away.

You’ll have the best chance of getting your news release published if you submit it in a structured and interesting manner.

There are a few crucial procedures to follow in order to get your press release published in a certain media outlet:

Source the correct journalist

It may seem self-evident, but pitching your press release to journalists who are interested in your announcement takes precedence over anything else.

If I had a nickel for every time a tech reporter complained about receiving generic press release pitches, I’d be a millionaire. If I were being completely honest, I’d be in the Maldives instead of creating this guide for you.

When pitching, be precise. When determining which reporter typically covers your niche, do your homework. Journalists can smell a scatter-gun strategy to gaining media attention a mile away, and they’ll blacklist you before you can say “PR.”

Nurture strong media connections

In the realm of earned media, a solid relationship with a journalist is a valuable commodity.

They decide what is and isn’t newsworthy to the general audience. As a renowned company with vital announcements to share with its audience, it’s critical to earn their trust.

Send them pitches at times that are most convenient for them, and provide them with all pertinent information ahead of time. Journalists deal with a lot of news traffic and demands on a daily basis, so make it easier for them by providing all of the information they need on your announcement.

Write an irresistible pitch

Following up on the last point, the constant barrage of information delivered at journalists should shout one thing at you: make your press release stand out.
If your press release is picked up, a powerful and concise subject line, together with an email that gets right to the point, is the best approach to demonstrate why your storey is more relevant than your competitors’.

We’ve developed a full tutorial on how to pitch to journalists for you to follow if you want to go deeper into this issue.

What happens once I publish a press release onto a submission site?

Your press release will appear on the platform you submitted it to ‘as is’ (i.e. an exact copy of what you wrote). It is then forwarded to appropriate news and media outlets. It’s at this point that the magic happens.

If a writer or newspaper is interested in the storey, one of two things will happen: they will pick it up and run with it:

  • Publish it on their own website “as is.” This is just a copy-and-paste job of your press release.
  • A journalist will use quotes and other information from the press release to produce a storey about it.

The Top 9 paid press release submission websites 2021

NamePrices fromDescription
Newswire$149 per domestic press release and $1,649 per global press releaseOne of the leading press release distribution
platforms, offering broad-based newswire distribution and influencer marketing.
PRNewswireAround $1,000 per press releaseClaims to have the largest press release distribution
network of media outlets, websites and social channels, but with such large reach inevitably comes a high price tag.
BusinessWireAround $800 per release, upwardsClaims to offer the largest global coverage, reaching more than 89,613 media outlets in 162 countries. Aimed more towards large corporates who need to comply with regulatory requirements around announcements.
24-7 Press Release$19 to $389 per releaseSpecialist press release distribution service for small to medium-size businesses, operating since 2004.
MarketWiredAround $460 per releaseMarketWired provides a flexible news
distribution platform that can be tailored for any client and any type of outreach.
GlobeNewswireData not availableNorth American and European focused press release distribution service, focusing on media and investment outlets.
Pressat£110 per submissionUK-focused press release distribution service, but provides an international reach.
PR Underground$49.99 to $199 per releasePress release distribution platform operating at the more affordable end of the market.
eReleases$299 to $499 per press releasePress release distribution site that tries to offer the best value for money. It offers all new customers a $100 discount on its Buzz Builder plan.

The Top 8 of free press release submission sites 2021

Company NameKey Features
Domain
Authority
PR Log The free service distributes press releases onsite, cross search engines, social media and RSS feeds. 82
PR.com The free package receives a reduced distribution on pr.com, some third-party and news sites and RSS feeds.69
Press Release Point The free service allows you to distribute a press release to 20 PR sites. 59
Newswire Today The basic version only publishes press releases into their site and basic RSS feeds. 56
Online PR News The basic package allows users to publish a press release for 90 days on the platform. 56
PR Sync This is a community platform, rather than a distribution service. 52
PR Free The free service allows hyperlinks, search engine indexing and social share buttons. 43
PR Fire The free service is pretty limited, as it only publishes the press release on its own platform, which is then indexed by Google. 42

Press Release Submission Sites List

Sr. No. Press Release Submission Sites DA Difficulty
1http://npr.org93Very Hard
2http://mashable.com93 Very Hard
3http://prnewswire.com92 Very Hard
4http://businesswire.com92 Very Hard
5calameo.com92 Very Hard
6http://storify.com91Moderate
7http://betanews.com86Hard
8http://tmcnet.com82Hard
9http://cision.com82Easy
10http://prlog.org81Moderate
11mediapost.com80 Moderate
12http://good.is79 Moderate
13medindia.net74 Moderate
14http://openpr.com68 Moderate
15http://pr.com67 Moderate
16www.newsvine.com67 Moderate
17http://daily-chronicle.com66 Moderate
18www.pr-inside.com66 Moderate
19www.pitchengine.com64 Moderate
20www.24-7pressrelease.com64 Moderate
21free-press-release.com63 Moderate
22www.bubblews.com63 Moderate
23www.aspendailynews.com62 Moderate
24filecluster.com60 Moderate
25www.keysnews.com60 Moderate
26www.aiim.org60Hard
27www.sbwire.com60 Moderate
28pressreleases.kcstar.com59 Moderate
29www.directionsmag.com59 Moderate
30www.pressreleasepoint.com59 Moderate
31www.highwire.org59 Moderate
32www.prleap.com57 Moderate
33www.nanotech-now.com57 Moderate
34www.absolutearts.com56 Moderate
35www.onlineprnews.com56 Moderate
36https://www.wesrch.com55 Moderate
37www.newswiretoday.com55 Moderate
38www.newswiretoday.com55 Moderate
39newslink.org53 Moderate
40www.prurgent.com53 Moderate
41www.lxer.com53 Moderate
42www.1888pressrelease.com53 Moderate
43http://prsync.com51 Moderate
44prmac.com51 Moderate
45www.ideamarketers.com51 Moderate
46www.pressbox.co.uk51 Moderate
47www.live-pr.com49 Moderate
48eworldwire.com48 Moderate
49www.promotionworld.com48 Moderate
50www.briefingwire.com48 Moderate
51www.businessportal24.com47 Moderate
52www.theopenpress.com46 Moderate
53www.pr-gb.com45 Moderate
54bignews.biz45 Moderate
55www.free-press-release-center.info45 Moderate
56www.signindustry.com45 Moderate
57www.webnewswire.com45 Moderate
58clickpress.com45 Moderate
59www.prfree.org45 Moderate
60www.marketpressrelease.com42 Moderate
61hungarynewswire.com41 Moderate
62www.gulfoilandgas.com41 Moderate
63www.prfire.co.uk40 Moderate
64www.xpresspress.com39 Moderate
65www.ukprwire.com39 Moderate
66groupweb.com38 Moderate
67www.freepressindex.com38 Moderate
68freepressindex.com38 Moderate
69digitalmediaonlineinc.com38 Moderate
70www.techprspider.com37 Moderate
71www.prbuzz.com37 Moderate
72www.listfree.org37 Moderate
73www.travpr.com37 Moderate
74news.scoopasia.com37 Moderate
75www.webknowhow.net36 Moderate
76pressreleaser.org35 Moderate
77www.freepressrelease.com35 Moderate
78www.earthtoys.com35 Moderate
79www.proskore.com33 Moderate
80www.elecdir.com33 Moderate

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