Distributing your press releases for free

A blog is about the best place to include a press release that will then be available on Google News instantly. The best blog system to use is Google's Blogger.com, which is free to set up. You can set up as many blogs on Blogger.com as you want. You simply need a GMAIL account, also owned by Google.


But, you can expand the network by also submitting your press release to many free online press release aggregators, such as two that I manage to address American Arab and Middle East issues, for example, including:


Arab American Media Services

http://aams.blogspot.com/


Arabisto.com.


I also have one for mainstream news releases associated with Radio Chicagoland at

http://radiochicagoland.blogspot.com/

The first and last are Blogger.com blogs linked throughout my Internet Network, and Arabisto is a web site featuring the writings of Arab writers from around the world. All have heavy traffic.


But, there are many thata lso serve mainstream audiences that are based in their own networks.

They include:

Free Press Release at
http://www.free-press-release.com/release-features.html

PR Log at
http://www.prlog.org/

I-News at
http://www.i-newswire.com/

1888 Press Releases at
http://www.1888pressrelease.com/

The problemw ith all of them is that the basic free service is limited to placement. You have to pay extra to showcase, add an image to the release.

The best way to distribute your release professionally to the mainstream news media is through two main services, PR News Wire (PRNewsWire.com) and The Business Wire (BusinessWire.com)

They charge, too, but you are guaranteed actually distribution, whereas the free placements and even the paid services on the free placement sites like those above are merely "placed" online and then indexed in Google News.

The basic costs for a press release on PR News Wire and Business Wire start at $140 for a 400 word release distributed "statewide" in Illinois. The same release will cost about $1,200 for distribution nationally to all of the country's newspapers, radio and TV stations, and even online news sites.

Sometimes it is worth it to go professional. Although the mainstream news media is biased, the businesses that utilize them are well worth the investment, especially on a priority campaign.

-- Ray Hanania
www.RadioChicagoland.com