Anything that is free can create excitement in the human mind; after all, who does not like a freebie? Whether it is a free sample product or a free service, everyone wants to avail themselves of a free package, and that is quite true in the case of press releases, too. You can easily find a free press release site that offers the benefits of free PR distribution. However, the effectiveness of that campaign might not be as strong as a paid service.
Before utilizing a free press release site, there are a few aspects that you should check to ensure that the campaign is going to be fruitful for you, even if the magnitude of the results is not that high. Starting from authority, relevance to quality of service, and reputation, there are a lot of avenues you should check before getting tempted by the word ‘free’. If you are looking forward to hiring a free PR site, here are the key features that you should look for.
Services and Features of the Website
When you are availing of a free PR service, it does not require any monetary contributions from you, and as a result, you will get a basic distribution on limited platforms. It might not be grand, but it can still provide some traction to your business website. Here’s what you should check,
- Website Authority - The PR site you hire should appear professional, along with a strong and decent online presence in the market. An authoritative distribution network can help to avoid extremely low page rank, and it allows for improving visibility.
- Multimedia Support - Modern-day PRs feature dynamic multimedia attachments. Make sure to verify if the free sites allow you to add multimedia elements like images, videos, or infographics in order to engage more potential online users from your niche.
- Submission Guidelines - Each press release platform has its own guidelines, and you need to read them carefully, based on every aspect. This way, you can save a lot of wasted time. Conduct proper research before you avail yourself of any distribution service.
- Hyperlink Support - Hyperlinks are highly important for driving more traffic and search engine optimization (SEO). The free PR service must offer hyperlink support so that more visitors can come to your website and improve the amount of online engagement received by your site.
You should also check if the site has a relevant distribution network that allows you to create a buzz in the niche. Their distribution network should be comprised of top-tier platforms to ensure that you can gain organic exposure from credible sources.
Reliability and Reputation of the Agency
The agency you are looking forward to hiring, is it reliable enough? Does it have a good reputation in the market or not? These are the indicators that can help you understand whether the agency is good enough for your PR goals and business growth. You can determine the agency’s expertise and reputation in the market through the following elements,
- Check Market Reviews - What do you do before buying anything online? You check the reviews offered by the previous buyers, and that is quite the same in this case. Before hiring a PR agency, you should check the market reviews to determine if it is reliable enough. Reviews and client feedback can also help the site's reputation and trustworthiness.
- Customer Service & Guidance - Around 70% customers are more likely to work with an agency or a brand for the long term that comes with excellent customer service. Therefore, you must focus on that area. Check if the professionals from the agency are ready to guide you through effective and simple steps. The customer service should be active around the clock so that you can contact them at any time of the year.
There are a lot of agencies that can offer you 100% satisfaction with their effectiveness and catering to your unique needs. And at the same time, it can lead to fraud. Therefore, it is always important to check the reputation and reliability of an agency for all kinds of businesses, especially in your niche.
PR Distribution Strategy
It is not just about hiring a PR distribution agency, but it also requires an effective strategy to make sure your PR goals are met by the end of the campaign. They should assess your goals and help you prioritize what is most important at the moment. Whether it is awareness, traffic, or media coverage, the agency must make sure that the campaign is personalized based on your needs. While a free PR service can easily become a part of the distribution campaign, it requires a fair amount of planning to understand what will work fruitfully for your business. Therefore, the agency should offer you a dedicated workforce and effective distribution ideas to strategize.
Final Thoughts
You might have already heard the phrase, ‘you get what you pay for,’ and since you are paying nothing in case of free PRs, the results will never be highly impactful, but more like gradually growing. While free PRs are great, it is also recommended to purchase paid press release distribution packages that can offer bigger benefits within a short duration. Take professional help and embark on your PR journey to grow your business organically.
