Press release wire services are arguably one of the oldest marketing technology services in the industry. Beginning in the 1950s and 60s, companies like PR Newswire and BusinessWire started developing improved ways to distribute press releases to news media and other media houses.
Today, the press release wire service sector increasingly overlaps with other PR marketing solutions, including media contact databases, alert software, campaign analytics and content publishing services. Compared with other areas of traditional marketing, which have thrived in the digital revolution, press release wire services have seen both boom and bust, as their business has been interrupted by dramatic shifts in media organisations, editorial trends and the function of press releases in business and digital marketing.
As any stalwart media professional would tell you, the value of press release distribution is no sure thing. Why should any company pay $150 per release to have the content distributed to networks that will never care to read it? Depending on your business, the release topic, and your PR goals, distribution services may or may not be an effective use of your marketing budget.
So why press release wire services?
As you consider the options, make sure you understand the field as it currently stands. While there have been some excellent analyses of press release wire services in the past, in the last couple of years, news wire services and other PR-focused SaaS companies have seen a great deal of consolidation, reorganising and takeovers. In 2014, we saw the biggest consolidation yet when Cision and Vocus: two of the giants in press release marketing merged, rebranded as Cision, then proceeded to buy up Visible Technologies and Viralheat, two social media platforms, and Gorkana, a PR analytics company. Cision later divested its UK-based functions to address anti-competition concerns. Today, Cision manages its own news wire, social and analytics platforms alongside standalone solutions: PRWeb, Gorkana, Help a Reporter Out (HARO) and, most recently, Bulletin Intelligence.
But the fact is that press release wire services are considered one of the most cost-efficient ways of digital marketing in the industry right now. Despite their apparent history as one of steeped in antiquity, press release wire services use press release marketing, which itself has been Frankenstein-ed from the press releases of the 1950’s and the internet-backed digital marketing practices of today. This combination has made it into a worthy competitor and a force to be reckoned with when it comes to marketing on a budget. The outlook might be outdated and old, but the fact is, to get the most bang out of your buck, press release marketing might help you get the most number of views (of your press release) per dollar spent and certainly boast a very high ROI.
So, in the midst of all this rustle, how should companies evaluating press release wire services review the current array of distribution platforms? In the rest of this article, we’ll review the latest literature on customer satisfaction and proven value of press release wire services, and provide our honest recommendation on the top four press release wire services customers should consider.
So which press release wire services are at the top of the food chain?
- iCrowdNewswire – Gives you the most bang for your buck. Its press release wire service and newswire platform (thru Release Live) are above par and beat out several contemporaries when it comes to press release marketing. It has a host of other options and plans that can custom-fit different packages and ensure a high visibility and distribution rate of your press releases.
- Cision: The great-grandaddy of news release distribution services and newswire services. It is the first and oldest in this group and has the results to back it up.
- PR Newswire: An excellent news release distribution service and newswire marketing service that boasts a high number of satisfied clients and an impressive track record.
- Business Wire: One of the major players in the newswire and press release distribution services market.
- Newswire: Another industry leader with its fair share of clientele and results.
More on iCrowdNewswire
Among the highly-rated press release wire services, iCrowdNewswire is the go-to service for any company or corporation looking to increase their footing on the internet and their exposure on the media. It’s press release distribution service, ReleaseLive, gives you the most bang for your buck. Its newswire service is absolutely above par and beats out several contemporaries when it comes to distribution and viewership. It has a bevy of options that can be customised to fit different businesses and ensure a high visibility rate. The website itself has a host of other features like Legal Newswire and Wire. RealEstate, which makes it the ultimate one-stop destination for news releases, whatever your business, event or corporation.