Press Release Distribution Guide

Distribution Channels

There are three primary methods for distributing press releases, each with different strengths, costs, and use cases.

1. Wire Services

Wire services like PR Newswire, Business Wire, and GlobeNewswire distribute your release to thousands of media outlets simultaneously. They guarantee placement on major news aggregators and provide SEO backlinks.

• PR Newswire: Largest network, 4,000+ newsrooms. Best for broad national coverage. Starting at $350/release.
• Business Wire: Strong B2B and financial media connections. Preferred by Fortune 500 companies. Starting at $400/release.
• GlobeNewswire: Cost-effective option with good international reach. Starting at $195/release.

2. Direct Media Outreach

Sending personalized pitches to targeted journalists often yields higher-quality coverage than wire distribution alone. Build a media list of 20-50 relevant journalists and customize your pitch for each.

3. Owned Channels

Post on your company blog, share on social media, and include in your email newsletter. These channels drive immediate traffic and provide SEO value.

Timing Your Release

• Best days: Tuesday through Thursday
• Best time: 8:00-10:00 AM in your target timezone
• Avoid: Fridays, weekends, holidays, and major industry events
• Embargo: Share with key journalists 24-48 hours early under embargo for coordinated coverage

Measuring Success

Track these metrics to evaluate your press release performance:

1. Pickup count: How many outlets published your release
2. Tier 1 mentions: Coverage in major publications (NYT, WSJ, TechCrunch, etc.)
3. Referral traffic: Website visits attributed to press coverage
4. Social shares: How widely your news was shared on social platforms
5. Domain authority impact: SEO value from backlinks in press coverage