January 8, 2007

Promotion: Free Press Release Sites — Using the List

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 6:25 am

Free, Press Releases — What Does that Mean?

Free — 10 : not costing or charging anything — Merriam-Webster Online
Press Release — press release, release (an announcement distributed to members of the press in order to supplement or replace an oral presentation) — Wordnet at Princeton University

Great Find: Blogging Secret Free Press Release Sites!!

Permalink: http://bloggingsecret.blogspot.com/2006/11/free-press-release-sites.html

Target Audience: Anyone who has news to announce to an online audience

Using the List

I’ve not been to every site on the list. Nor would I take for granted that every service is free. I know that, PRWeb, possibly the most well-known press release service online, has fee-based offerings. Each of these sites provides guidance for beginners and direction for reaching the market most effectively. Read through the press releases they currently have on display to see which are most compatible with what you want to share news about. That will be the pr site that’s the best fit for you.

I’ll use PRWeb as a model for what you might look for in support. They provide templates, tips and guidelines for the press release writer. The tips and guidelines show writers where focus attention in preparing content to prepare a strong press release. Points in this section include:

  • Is your news “newsworthy?”
  • Start strong.
  • Write for the Media.
  • Not everything is news.
  • Does your press release illustrate?
  • Stick to the facts.
  • Pick an angle.
  • Use active, not passive, voice
  • Economics of words.
  • Beware of jargon.
  • Avoid the hype.
  • Get Permission.

You might notice that what they’re suggesting is quality writing and content.

To visit the entire list of Blogging Secret Free Press Release Sites!! click on the title below.

Free Press Release Sites

No one needs all of the places on this list. You might read through a few, if you need a broad and specialized education in using press releases. Next, check their services to find the best fit for the support you need. Then, look through the press releases at each site for those that match well with your product launch. Finally, you might also do a search on Google and Google Blog Seach to find which of these sites are being talked about on the PR blogs.

Do you know the sites this list? Which have you used and which do you recommend?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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Filed under Great Finds, Marketing, Successful Blog |



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6 Comments to “Promotion: Free Press Release Sites — Using the List”

  1. January 9th, 2007 at 12:14 am
    louiss said

    thanks liz, what a surprize here, thanks for listed me! wish successful-blog will grow bigger and stronger in future! Cheer!

  2. January 9th, 2007 at 12:56 am
    Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound said

    You should know this about free press release distribution sites. Most don’t “distribute” anything. They simply park your press release at their website.

    Most exist for two reasons: either to upsell you to a paid service or to make revenue from Google ads.

    I’ve heard too many horror stories from people who have relied on these free services. Instead, be smart and go with a company like PRWeb. Another good one is Expertclick, which lets you post up to 52 press releases a year.

  3. January 9th, 2007 at 5:49 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Louis,
    Thanks for this list!

  4. January 9th, 2007 at 5:50 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Joan!
    Welcome!
    You’re just the kind of help we need. I appreciate your candor and the fact that you bring in a helpful manner. I’m going to email you offline in hopes that you might help us further. :)

  5. January 9th, 2007 at 7:40 am
    Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound said

    Yes, Liz, I’d love to hear from you.

    Here’s something else your readers might want to know. Since I’m a publicity expert and a former newspaper editor, I continually get so many questions about press releases that I finally wrote a free tutorial that explains how to dwrite and distribute press releases, step-by-step.

    It’s called “89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases.” It’s a very long, dense course. But by the time you’re done with it, it will be like you’ve earned a master’s degree in press releases.

    You can sign up for it at my website at http://www.PublicityHound.com. Look for the red headline near my photo on the homepage.

    The course stresses that the old press release, as we know it, is dead. Under the new rules of press releases, we now write them and distribute them online for consumers, not only for journalists.

  6. January 9th, 2007 at 7:43 am
    ME Strauss said

    Joan,
    Your comments have been wonderful. Thank you so much for adding, actually making, this discussion. Anyone not in PR tends to be a PR newbie. We need folks like you to help.

    Thank goodness there’s no such thing as “PR attitude” or if there is, that you don’t have it. :)

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