A news release, media release, press release or press statement is a written or recorded communication directed at members of the news media for the purpose of announcing something claimed as having news value. Typically, they are mailed, faxed, or e-mailed to assignment editors at newspapers, magazines, radio stations, television stations, and/or television networks. Commercial press release distribution services are also used to distribute news releases.
The use of a news release is common in the field of public relations, the aim of which is to attract favorable media attention to public relations professional's client and/or provide publicity for products or events marketed by those clients. A news release provides reporters with the basics they need to develop a news story. News releases can announce a range of news items such as: scheduled events, personal promotions, awards, news products and services, sales, accomplishments, etc. They are often used in generating a feature story or are sent for the purpose of announcing news conferences, upcoming events or change in corporation.
A media release is like a short newspaper article that one may send to different media outlets in order to gain interest in a writer's mind so that a story will be published about the organization in which one works for or the product which they are trying to promote. The persons reading the media release will be looking for stories that will interest their readers, viewers and listeners. An effective media release, just like creating a website that works well, tells a story that will interest a number of people. Small business press releases need to be about the story and just enough relevant information for the story to work. The release isn't the place to list all the benefits of the business.
Reading press release reviews is a great way to evaluate the effectiveness of a distribution service. Customer press release reviews are left on this site to allow people in need of a press release service to evaluate which services are best at distributing news and generating responses to the news item.
Press releases are a criminally underused method of increasing an online company’s visibility. In general, a press release is written as a means of announcing something newsworthy relating to a company or one of its products/services. Thanks to the internet, these releases can be distributed to dozens of different sites simultaneously. A press release is a great way of letting people know what’s happening in your company and is also considered to be one of the most authoritative sources of news.
SEO
If your site is not receiving the requisite traffic, you can forget about enjoying increased profits. You can use search engine optimization within your press releases to improve your overall search engine rankings. If you can utilize keywords that relate to your industry, expect your website to achieve a substantially better ranking because search engines rate press release content above almost everything else. Press releases look official and give a veneer of authenticity to the news that articles and blog posts cannot.
Brand Identity
You can also use a press release distribution to help build your company’s brand. They are an ideal way of getting more industry recognition, especially for companies starting out that are likely to have a number of newsworthy events to report on. With press releases issued periodically, you can ensure your company always stays in the news. This is much better than those ‘Grand Opening’ advertisements which are only effective for a short period of time before being forgotten. You can have press releases for your start-up, expansion, special offers and much more. This will advertise your company name several times thus increasing your brand identity.
Targeted Marketing
Instead of wasting time and effort attempting to market to the masses, you can use press releases to market to specific audiences. This instantly increases your conversion rate as consumers know that you are tending to their individual needs rather than offering a generic solution to a general problem. Regular advertisements rarely reach those on social media networks who should be a core element of your target audience. Press releases have the ability to be seen on all social networking sites and other forms of online media.
Social Media
You cannot overestimate the impact that social media has on the success of a company. Like with Astonish Results Coaching, there are hundreds of millions of potential customers at your fingertips. Press releases can be distributed on Facebook, Twitter and other online sites. A combination of targeting specific customers and access to a huge chunk of the world’s internet users equals a marketing opportunity that should not be passed up.
If you distribute a press release, make sure that you create backlinks to your company‘s website. Search engines tend to give good ratings to websites which have a number of links to them. As a result, you get a good search engine ranking and are safe in the knowledge that you have press releases with links to your site on dozens of sites with millions of visitors. You should view press releases as a viable means of increasing the speed with which your company grows online.
Learn much more about press release writing and distribution on our press release blog.
All press release distribution services are not created equally. The features they offer, the extent of their distribution network, and of course the cost of each service varies. As a result of these differences, you'll notice quite a different response to the press releases you distribute. We've compiled a list of the best press release services below for you to read reviews of other customers as well as post your own reviews. The most expensive service may not be right for your company. Use the table and reviews to choose the best press release service for your needs. 
