I get asked all the time if I can I provide a list of free press release distribution companies. Despite being antithetical to my business, which relies on reaching media directly by email and dedicated newswire feeds to newsrooms nationwide, I thought it would be worth venturing into this murky world to give you a comprehensive list of free press release websites. I caution you to use at your own risk and to realize that a free press release is not a mechanism of public relations or PR, but an offshoot of search engine optimization (SEO) — with no proven track record of actually improving a website’s SEO.
Be sure to read: WTF?? Free Press Release Distribution Head Scratcher
Top 10 Free Press Release Distribution Websites
Free Press Release
http://www.freepressrelease.com
PR-inside.com
http://www.pr-inside.com
i-Newswire
http://www.i-newswire.com
PR LOG
http://www.prlog.org
BigNews.biz
http://www.bignews.biz
PressReleasePoint
http://www.pressreleasepoint.com
ClickPress
http://www.clickpress.com
OpenPR
http://www.openpr.com
IdeaMarketerss
http://www.ideamarketers.com
1888PressRelease.com
http://www.1888pressrelease.com
Additional Free Press Release Services
Free Press Release
http://www.free-press-release.com
UpVery.com
http://www.upvery.com
Pressbox
http://www.pressbox.com
24-7 Press Release
http://www.247pressrelease.com
PressMethod
http://www.pressmethod.com
SanePR.com
http://www.sanepr.com
PR9.NET
http://www.pr9.net
PressExposure
http://pressexposure.com
Post a Free Press Release
http://www.postafreepressrelease.com
Free Press Release Center
http://www.free-press-release-center.info
PressAbout
http://www.pressabout.com
Businessportal24.com
http://www.businessportal24.com/en/
prFocus
http://www.prfocus.com
Exact Release
http://www.exactrelease.com
Press-Network.com
http://www.press-network.com
PR Friend
http://www.prfriend.com
Live-PR
http://www.live-pr.com/en/
Newswire Today
http://www.newswiretoday.com
MediaSyndicate
http://www.mediasyndicate.com
PublicityWires
http://www.publicitywires.com
AddPR.com
http://www.addpr.com
NetForce Press
http://www.netforcepress.com
PR Kiosk
http://www.prkiosk.com
Press Release 001
http://www.pressrelease001.com
PR Urgent News
http://www.prurgent.com
LocalNews.biz
http://www.localnews.biz
Prbd.net
http://www.prbd.net
USPRwire
http://www.usprwire.com
PitchEngine - Credit card required.
http://www.pitchengine.com
The Open Press Unable to register for months due to issues related to a hack.
http://theopenpress.com
Fast Pitch! - Despite free option, you basically have to upgrade.
http://www.fastpitchnetworking.com
Criteria: When developing this list, I looked at several variables, such as: Alexa ranking, Page Rank, credibility indicators, and style. Sites that didn’t make the rank included: simple blogs, industry specific, dead sites (no recent press releases), and sites with broken navigation or ordering systems.
Help Us Keep This List Up to Date
A trend I’ve noticed is that many past free press release websites are no longer free (but let you set up a free account to then pay). If you find any of these sites no longer offer free press release distribution, let us know by commenting below.
Share Your Free Press Release Success or Failure
Please comment below and share your experiences with free press releases.
For details on the pitfalls of free press release websites visit: Free Press Release Websites Are Expensive and WTF?? Free Press Release Distribution Head Scratcher
Tags: free press release distribution, free press release distribution service, free press release list, free press release websites, free press releasesThis article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (http://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. To subscribe to PR Fuel, visit: http://www.ereleases.com/prfuel/subscribe/.
You forgot http://www.pitchengine.com.
Comment by Ryan Alford — October 6, 2009 @ 10:46 am
Thanks Ryan. Great addition!
Comment by prfuel — October 6, 2009 @ 12:20 pm
I don’t see http://www.pr-inside.com/ on this list. It’s one I use all the time and stories are immediately picked up by Google. I am not so sure that reporters read these releases, but it certainly helps our SEO.
Comment by Marti Mayne — October 7, 2009 @ 10:31 am
Thanks for this great resource. While Caribbeanpressreleases.com is a non US site and only a few years old, it is a free press release distribution site geared specifically for Caribbean businesses and audiences.
Comment by Sharon Coward — October 7, 2009 @ 10:39 am
Thanks Marti. I’m going to add PR-inside.com to the list.
Sharon, as noted in criteria, I’m going to stick with free press release sites that handle all types of press releases. I discovered industrial free press release sites, travel free press release distribution services, and ones that were geographically-centric so I decided it was best to try to keep the list as broad as possible. Ideally, these sites will be useful across all industries and at least for U.S. businesses.
Best,
Mickie Kennedy
Comment by prfuel — October 7, 2009 @ 2:28 pm
Great post. I have a question. Will you help us by mentioning how to write an effective press release as well. I will be grateful.
Vikas
Comment by Vikas — October 8, 2009 @ 2:21 am
Vikas,
I would recommend http://www.ereleases.com/howtowrite.html as well as check out some press release samples here: http://www.ereleases.com/press-release-sample.html
Best,
Mickie Kennedy
Comment by prfuel — October 8, 2009 @ 8:39 am
Vikas, I would recommend you read the tips on press release writing here: http://www.ereleases.com/howtowrite.html — as well as check out some industry-specific press release samples here: http://www.ereleases.com/press-release-sample.html
Best,
Mickie Kennedy
Comment by prfuel — October 8, 2009 @ 8:41 am
Vikas, I would recommend you read the tips on press release writing here: http://www.ereleases.com/howtowrite.html — as well as check out some industry-specific press release samples here: http://www.ereleases.com/press-release-sample.html
Best,
Mickie Kennedy
Comment by prfuel — October 8, 2009 @ 8:43 am
You might want to add pressdr.com to the list.
Comment by Edward Moore — October 8, 2009 @ 5:59 pm
Edward, Unfortunately, my viewing of that site determined they are no longer free. Press release distribution starts at $35.
Best,
Mickie Kennedy
Comment by prfuel — October 8, 2009 @ 6:13 pm
This is great resource given by you.
I am working in india.is this list helpful for India?
also any list about Indian PR website like this?
Comment by Mayank patel — October 10, 2009 @ 7:34 am
Another online press release distribution service is:
PressFlow.co.uk [Editor: not free so not included above]
Comment by Hayley — October 12, 2009 @ 10:57 am
For Mayank Patel. A popular site that provides free releases for India:
http://www.merinews.com/
Sites that are on the list that now charge:
http://express-press-release.net/ Price $29 per press release
http://www.pressmediawire.com Require payment, see below
http://www.pressmediawire.com/press-release-service-pricing.cfm
http://www.pitchengine.com They require you to provide a credit card!
http://www.pr9.net/ Slowed way down. I think they register for free, but charge for submission?
Sites that have slowed way down:
http://www.prfocus.com Good luck, if you can navigate out of the pop up ads!!
http://www.exactrelease.com Not much action on this site!
These free sites are okay for temporary Internet Visibility and to establish branding, but don’t expect much traffic, and an even less chance you’ll get contacted by a media source!
Comment by Steven Johnson — October 14, 2009 @ 2:46 am
Great resource! Thanks for putting together this list.
Comment by Sofia Ribeiro — October 14, 2009 @ 9:53 pm
Thanks Steven, I’ve updated the list and removed express-press-release.net and pressmediawire.com, which now appear to be charging.
Mickie Kennedy
Comment by prfuel — October 15, 2009 @ 4:09 pm
No problem Mickie!
That’s the best top 10 list I’ve come across yet.
Additionally, I’d like to add that these free sites also lack any real SEO benefits. Such as helping establish high quality back links or having a positive effect on your website’s key metrics.
However, they can be good tools to use to practice your press release writing skills, and to learn the proper way to format them. Providing you have a lot of time and patience!
Comment by Steve Johnson — October 15, 2009 @ 6:01 pm
This is a great list of pr release sites and free traffic is bound to follow.
Comment by michael — November 16, 2009 @ 10:27 pm
Hi Mickie, seoPRwire is also a free press release distribution site that is thriving. Since its launch in August 2009, we have improved and worked hard on our SEO and now stands at Google Page Rank 3. Another great resource for small business world wide. Thanks and you can also add it on your list.
Comment by Isaac Aboagye — November 18, 2009 @ 9:15 pm