Sometimes it's true -- you get what you pay for.
After trying many free press release services, I've come to the conclusion that most are not worth the time and aggravation.
However, there are a few freebie PR sites that I consider a cheapskate marketer's dream. Here are three of my favorites.
To make my list, turnaround time from submission to distribution had to be reasonable (24 hours or less), stories had to appear in Google (either Google News or Google Alerts), and the site had to support hyperlinks, keywords, basic editing capabilities, and social sharing.
Freebie Favorite PR Service #1: PRLog
PRLog attracts approximately one million visitors per month. In addition to hyperlinks and keywords, the site provides basic tracking and categorization of news stories.
For the most part, distribution is the same day. Stories issued through this site are picked up by Google News and pushed out via Google Alerts. In some cases, I observed multiple alerts in response to one press release.
Stories can be shared with 15 different social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
My favorite PRLog feature is the dedicated press room that you can brand with your logo and company details, and link to it from your own website. My press room is slightly out of date, but you can check it out here.
Freebie Favorite PR Service #2: PressReleasePoint
PressReleasePoint attracts about one-tenth the traffic when compared to PRLog. Stories are not indexed in Google News and you'll have to pay for tracking, but the site supports hyperlinks, keywords, categories, and Google Alerts. Here again, I've seen multiple alerts for one press release.
Social sharing is integrated with 13 different sites, five which overlap with PRLog's social list.
Visitors can view your company information and press releases on a single web page, but you don't get a dedicated press room like you do with PRLog.
Freebie Favorite PR Service #3: PitchEngine
PitchEngine traffic is on par with PressReleasePoint. I like this site because distribution is truly instantaneous. Within minutes of pushing out a release, you'll see it come through as a Google Alert.
You can share your releases with 10 of the more common social networking sites. Eight of these sites overlap with the social sites included on PRLog and PressReleasePoint.
Tracking is included, but press releases on this site expire after 30 days. To keep them on the site longer, you'll have to upgrade to a paid subscription.
Let's share. Which free PR services are your personal favorites and why?
