With PR distribution costs starting at $50 and climbing to over $800, it can be hard for lean-budgeted businesses to justify the expense. Luckily, several free PR sites can help you get the news out about your business without making a major investment.
While free distribution services don’t always offer all the bells and whistles that their premium counterparts do, they still provide a valuable opportunity to reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness.
Try one service or try them all, and see which works best for your specific needs and goals.
Try These 7 Free PR Sites for Maximum Brand Visibility
When it comes to free PR sites, the quality varies greatly across the board of options. To save you the headache of vetting legitimate options, I’ve narrowed the list down to seven that offer the best opportunities for boosting your brand’s visibility.
1. PRLog: Our Overall Favorite Free PR Site
PRLog offers the most comprehensive free press release site, designed to help you broadcast your business news without spending a dime.
It offers a range of services that allow you to distribute your press releases to major search engines and various feeds, including JavaScript, HTML, and RSS, increasing the visibility of your announcement.
Here’s what PRLog offers for free:
- Distribution to search engines like Google, enhancing your online presence.
- Listings on JavaScript, HTML, and RSS feeds to widen your reach.
- Support for both written and video press releases, giving you flexibility in how you present your news.
- Ability to include links within your press release, which is often a premium feature elsewhere.
PRLog helps you reach your target audience through extensive distribution channels and provides a dedicated press room. This feature allows journalists to easily follow your updates, saving significant time in your media outreach efforts.
While the free services cover basic needs, PRLog also offers paid plans that include additional perks like Google News distribution, in-depth analytics, and ad-free experience.
However, if you’re starting out or operating on a tight budget, PRLog’s free offerings can significantly boost your brand’s visibility and help you connect with media outlets and potential customers.
2. Connectively (HARO): Drive Attention to Press Releases on Your Site
Connectively (formerly known as HARO) is a popular backlink outreach tool that brings viewers directly to your press release.
When you sign up with Connectively, you get journalist requests for quotes, sources, and stories on various topics. By responding to their queries with your press release link in hand, you can drive attention to your news and gain potential media coverage.
Connectively’s free service has the following features:
- Direct connection with journalists: Instead of distributing press releases to news sites, Connectively allows you to respond directly to journalists’ queries. This can lead to being featured in articles and stories, providing significant media coverage.
- Access to a wide range of media outlets: From major news platforms to specific industry publications, Connectively sends out three daily emails with requests from reporters, giving you numerous opportunities to secure valuable press mentions.
- Different pay points: While Connectively offers paid options, you can set up a basic account for free.
To maximize results on Connectively, read and respond to queries thoroughly and promptly. This will increase your chances of being featured in news stories and boost your brand’s visibility.
3. IssueWire: Send a Single Press Release to a Wide Distribution Network
IssueWire is ideal for startups and small businesses that need to push out a single, impactful announcement. That’s right, you only get one press release with IssueWire for free.
The good news is that plenty of media elements can be added to your press release. You can enhance it with embedded videos or images and share your news directly on social media platforms.
While the free version doesn’t include major search engine indexing or RSS feed distribution, it still supports basic SEO practices to help your content get noticed.
Key features of the free service:
- One press release per sender
- Ability to embed images and media for enhanced engagement
- Social sharing capabilities to broaden reach
- Mobile-friendly distribution to cater to smartphone users
- Advanced targeting to refine audience focus
After your initial free submission, further press releases will require choosing from paid plans. They offer more comprehensive services like SEO mass pings, social media blasts, and the ability to schedule your distribution for optimal timing.
4. OpenPR: Great for Free Google News Distribution
If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to publish press releases and boost your business’s online presence through Google News, OpenPR is a fantastic option.
With OpenPR, you can submit a free press release every 30 days, offering consistent exposure without breaking the bank.
OpenPR distributes your press releases to Google News, search engines, and RSS feeds for free, saving you money on features that many other press release distribution services charge extra for.
This service is perfect for businesses of all sizes, especially those with a limited budget for press release distribution.
You can expect:
- Free submission to Google News, search engines, and RSS feeds
- Analytics to measure audience reach
- Supports multiple languages and global distribution
- Includes logos and links on free version
- User-friendly interface.
By using OpenPR, you can save time and money while effectively reaching your target audience. Its free distribution options make it one of the best free press release websites available, allowing you to maximize your business’s media exposure without added costs.
One thing to keep in mind is that revisions actually do cost money. You can expect to pay $10 for editing or deleting a press release, so make sure to proofread your submission carefully before hitting send.
5. PressReleasePoint: Best for Event or Product Launches
PressReleasePoint is ideal for event or product launches, allowing you to submit one free press release every three months. This service distributes your press release to over 40 media sources, helping you gain visibility without spending a dime.
It’s perfect for businesses needing reliable press release submission sites to boost their online presence.
Primary features of PressReleasePoint include:
- Free press release submission every three months
- Media monitoring and news media directory access
- Delivery to media outlets and search engines.
PressReleasePoint simplifies the process of sending press releases, saving you time and ensuring your news reaches the right audience. While it lacks advanced SEO optimization and social media sharing, it’s still a valuable tool for cost-effective press release distribution.
6. MediaPost: A Great Networking Platform
MediaPost is a valuable resource and promotional newsfeed for advertising professionals and businesses. Media post offers a range of free features that can help connect your business with others.
As a member, you can access MediaPost’s member directory to contact other members, making it easy to network and pitch personalized PR offers.
You’ll also get $100 off admission to all MediaPost conferences and events, and the ability to participate in Feedback Loop and comment on stories.
Additional free membership features include:
- Free access to MediaPost’s member directory
- $100 off MediaPost conferences and events
- Participation in Feedback Loop and story comments
- Subscription to at least one daily newsletter
- Receive promotional emails about MediaPost publications, events, and conferences.
By leveraging these free features, you can enhance your industry knowledge, expand your network, and gain exposure through online PR media. MediaPost is perfect for those looking to distribute press releases, engage in press release writing, and utilize both free and paid press release options.
7. NewswireToday: A Popular Choice for Non-Profits
NewswireToday is an excellent choice for non-profits looking to distribute their press releases for free. It sends your press release to over 2,000 RSS feeds, providing significant exposure without cost.
This free plan is specifically for non-profit organizations and includes third-party ads. You won’t be able to choose your publication date, as submissions are added to a queue.
Additional free features include:
- Distribution through a basic RSS network
- Lifetime campaign duration
- Supported by third-party ads.
Using NewswireToday can help non-profits save time and resources while ensuring their news reaches a broad audience. For eligibility and application processes, non-profit and tax-exempt organizations should contact NewswireToday directly.
How to Prepare Your Brand for Success on Free PR Sites
I have experience with both sides of PR sites.
- As a freelance writer, I’ve used them to promote and showcase brands, case studies, and annual reports.
- As a blog and ecommerce site owner, I’ve also used a few of these platforms to drive exposure to my own businesses.
Here are a few top tips & tricks I’ve learned along the way for creating a good press release and preparing your brand for PR exposure:
- Craft a Compelling Headline: Your headline should grab attention and succinctly convey the essence of your press release. Use action verbs, unique words, and keep it concise.
- Use Tools like Canva for Visuals: Enhance your press release with visuals created using a graphic Design AI tool like Canva. High-quality images, infographics, and branded graphics can make your press release more engaging.
- Utilize AI Writers like Jasper: Streamline your content creation process with AI writers such as Jasper. These tools can help you draft professional and polished press releases quickly.
- Develop a Strong Logo and Branding: Ensure your brand is visually appealing and recognizable. Invest in a professional logo and maintain consistent branding across all materials.
- Create a Professional Website or Landing Page: Direct your audience to a well-designed website or landing page. This serves as the hub for all your information and press materials.
- Build and Maintain an Email List: An email list is invaluable for direct communication with your audience. Use automated email software like ActiveCampaign to manage and segment your contacts for targeted campaigns.
- Prepare a Media Kit: A comprehensive business or influencer media kit should include your company background, high-resolution logos, key team member bios, and previous press coverage. This makes it easy for journalists to cover your story.
- Engage with Social Media: Promote your press release and interact with your audience on social media platforms. Consistent engagement helps build your brand’s presence and reach.
Here’s one final tip: don’t just stick to free PR sites for exposure.
While it may take more work, directly contacting journalists and media outlets can also yield great results for your brand. Plus, it allows for more personalized and targeted pitches, which may lead to a smoother collaboration.
Final Thoughts: Free PR Sites for Brand Visibility
As a cautionary note, upon scouring the internet for the best free PR sites, I realized that they’re a dying breed. Many free options have become paid services or are simply disbanded. There are plenty of players willing to invest in their brand’s exposure, and current PR pricing reflects this competitive marketing arena.
The solution? Get started now. Many of these platforms only offer one free press release – so make sure yours is worth it. Spend time crafting a well-written, attention-grabbing press release and take advantage of all the free features offered.
