This is the second in my two-part discussion of wire services. The first part discussed how to arrange for wire service distribution of your news release. This feature will discuss what happens on “announcement day.”
Generally, the wire services will notify you when the release has “crossed the wire,” meaning that it has been distributed to the selected list. They will also give you an idea of the pick-up of the announcement, generally e-mailing you some reports and then posting updates online.
Much of the initial pickup will probably come from news aggregators, which automatically post releases from wire services on their websites.
Do not rely on the wire service to give you a total report of pick-up. Do your own research into coverage and, as much as possible, into the impact your announcement has had on your target group.
Also distribute your news personally to the media who are important to you, as well as to your clients, prospects and other business associates. (If you need help putting together your list, check out my blog post on “The Media List: How to Quickly and Easily Identify Your Target Market” http://CommunicationsPlusBlog.wordpress.com/category/public-relations-pr-publicity.)
However, do not “spray and pray,” and send the release to the whole world in the off-chance someone might be interested. This will only make you look unprofessional and risk alienating the recipients.
Finally, post the release on the news section of your website as soon as the release has crossed the wire. List the headlines of your releases in chronological order (the most recent releases at the top) or alphabetically by subject area. Hyperlink to the actual releases. Wherever possible, also hyperlink to other documents on your site, to photographs, fact sheets and case studies, for example. If the announcement is significant, note it on the home page.
If you follow these guidelines, you will significantly increase the chances that reporters will see your news, that your search engine rankings will rise, and that you’ll successfully get your message out to your target groups.
Representative Major Wire Services
Virtually all these services distribute releases via e-mail or fax. Many provide other services. This list does not include all distribution services, and inclusion in this list is not an endorsement of any service. (My attorney made me say that.)
Business Wire, www.businesswire.com
CNW (Canadian News Wire) Group, www.newswire.ca
ExpertClick, www.expertclick.com
marketwire, www.marketwire.com
PR Newswire, www.prnewswire.com
PRWeb, www.prweb.com
URLwire, www.urlwire.com
