We are happy to answer any questions that you may have regarding this service. For your convenience, we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions. We ask that you review this list prior to contacting us with your questions since we may have already provided the answer here. If you require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our staff.
How is
PRWeb
different from other newswires?
PRWeb’s Online Visibility Engine distinguishes it from other newswires through its search-engine optimized and social-media enabled distribution platform.
PRWeb
built its newswire to enable press releases to be a key part of a company's marketing, visibility, public relations and search engine optimization strategies.
PRWeb
sends press releases directly to the media, but it doesn't stop there. Your release also is submitted to premium online locations all over the Internet where interested readers can easily find it. In addition,
PRWeb’s direct-to-consumer distribution platform provides the tools to optimize your releases to make them easy to find by interested people and to rank higher in search engine results.
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How are press releases ranked on
PRWeb?
PRWeb
ranks press releases on its homepage by upgrade level and then by Friend of
PRWeb
score. Releases at the Social Media, SEO and Media Visibility levels are guaranteed page one placement on
PRWeb, with page two placement guaranteed for Standard Visibility level releases. Each release is assigned a number of gold stars relating to its upgrade level and falls into rank based on this number. Friend of
PRWeb
scores boost press releases above others with lesser Friend of
PRWeb
scores when more than one release has the same distribution level.
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Does
PRWeb
offer any tips or help on how to write an effective news release?
PRWeb's Resources Menu on the main homepage offers editorial help including writing tips,
PRWeb
editorial guidelines, common press release mistakes and an online help desk for your convenience. Here you will also find a press release template featuring important information about the difference components of a press release.
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Do you offer any training on the
PRWeb
platform?
PRWeb’s Platform Trainer Mario Bonilla frequently leads hour-long, free Webinars that walk new and existing users through the
PRWeb
platform and process. For more information about a Webinar, or to enroll in the next available session, visit http://prweb.webex.com or click the "Support" menu at the top of your News Management Console.
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How do I get started submitting a press release?
To get started submitting a press release to
PRWeb, create a free account by clicking on the "Register Free" button on our front page. Once you have completed the registration process you will be taken to a welcome screen where you can submit a press release and go to your News Management Console.
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How much does it cost to use
PRWeb?
All users must create a free account with
PRWeb
before proceeding. Once complete, customers can login to select a distribution package.
PRWeb
offers four basic packages and several premium packages. Basic distribution packages include: "Standard Visibility" ($80), "Social Media Visibility" ($140), "SEO Visibility" ($200) and "Media Visibility" ($360). An explanation of each package is available by clicking on the "Submit News Release" button from your News Management Console or at http://www.prweb.com/service_features.php. Please note that all press release distribution packages are purchased on a per press release basis.
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Does distribution through
PRWeb
guarantee page placement, search placement in the search engines or that the media will use my press release?
Although
PRWeb
can guarantee that we make your press release available to the news search engines, we cannot guarantee its rank as related to search terms or page placement. Additionally, no newswire service can guarantee that the media will use your news release. We do not control the media. Think of
PRWeb
as your delivery service. That said,
PRWeb
is a delivery service with an outstanding reputation for marketing your press release and providing the media with quality content in accessible formats. The ultimate responsibility for the success of your press release lies with you. Did you create a compelling news release? Is it newsworthy? Will others find it newsworthy?
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How long will my press release stay on
PRWeb?
Your release remains online at
PRWeb.com until you delete it. Most users leave their releases online even after they become old news. Leaving older releases online is an effective way of letting people know where you have been as an organization. In certain circumstances, you may want to remove a press release from our archives. Simply log into your account and click the "Delete" link located directly above the headline of the press release that you wish to remove. Please note that
PRWeb
has limited ability to remove your content from other Web sites after your press release has been distributed.
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How do I upload a press release for distribution?
To upload a press release for distribution, click on the "Submit Release" button from your News Management Console. You will be taken to a page that explains the different distribution options. Choose a distribution package and any add-ons and enter your payment information. Once you have completed the payment process you can upload your press release by copying and pasting your text into the template and providing all the necessary information. Once you have done so, save the release.
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Does PRWeb offer a chart that outlines the upgrade features available at each package level?
You may view PRWeb's packages, features and distribution options at http://www.prweb.com/service_features.php. In addition, a detailed list of the features available at each of the distribution levels is available from within your News Management Console when you click "Submit Release."
Click on "+ more info" to view a list of feature enhancements to your press release at each level. You can click on any of the enhancements to view more information and a brief description.
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What do the gold stars next to the headline of my press release stand for?
The gold stars listed next to headlines on
PRWeb.com indicate the amount of money the press release submitter paid to have his/her press release distributed. One gold star equals $40. The greater amount of stars, the higher its rank on the
PRWeb.com home page.
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How soon after I’ve submitted my release will my press release go out?
Both our Standard and Social Media distribution levels require a two-day turnaround for approval. You may select next day distribution if you have purchased the SEO Visibility or Media Visibility levels. Of course, you may also select a day in the future if this better meets your needs or requirements.
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Once I save my release, is it possible to change it or preview the copy?
When you've saved your press release you will see your release listed on your main account page, the News Management Console. Above your headline, you will find several options, including "Edit." You can make changes to any field of your release by clicking on "Edit," making the appropriate modifications and then saving your changes. Similarly, the "Preview" option will give you an approximation of how your press release will appear on our page once it has been released. The "Preview" option is also listed above the headline. Please note, making changes to your release will cause it to return to our editorial queue for a re-score. If your release has already been distributed, this will cause it to go offline for a short time. You are welcome to call an editor at 866-640-6397 to expedite this process.
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Can I target my distribution to a specific geographical area?
PRWeb's distribution is global. You may select a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) to categorize your news, but selecting an MSA does not target your distribution to that region. It simply categorizes your news with other news from that geographical area, making it easier for journalists and consumers from those target areas to find your press release.
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What kind of contact information does
PRWeb
require to submit a news release?
PRWeb
requires a contact name, e-mail address and phone number before we can distribute your press releases. The information you specify will be provided in the Contact Information bar to the right of the press release and will be made available to the public and the media. The e-mail address will be hidden behind a secure "email us here" link to prevent spam.
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What is my tracking number and how do I locate it?
The tracking number is your press release’s identification number. The number for each press release you have submitted is listed in your News Management Console with the headline, distribution date, and other data. You’ll find this six-digit number on the right side of each of your press release listings. In addition, your receipt, order confirmation and editorial approval e-mail contain this information.
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What are the typical kinds of press releases accepted by
PRWeb?
The three most typical types of press releases you’ll find on
PRWeb
are ones with:
* Strong news announcements about new products, books or services, an award or honor, new hires, upcoming or past events, mergers and acquisitions, business promotions, contests and other changes.
* Soft or “feature” news that connects an organization, service or product with a trend in their industry or in society or that provides an alternative perspective to a bigger news story. This could include news about a “local” connection to a national or international event, issue or news that shines a “human interest” spotlight on a person, product or organization that is a prime example of or is affected by a story in the news.
* Newsworthy and timely information about the release of a tip sheet, Web site or white paper that presents a person or organization as an expert in a specific field.
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What types of press releases and content does
PRWeb not accept?
PRWeb
does not accept press releases that we perceive to be inflammatory or intended to cause harm to a third party; that are written in the format of an advertisement, blog post, opinion column or spam; or are deemed not newsworthy. In addition,
PRWeb
does not accept press releases containing, promoting or linking to adult content or profanity or content that contains accusations of criminal conduct without attribution to a court case number.
PRWeb
does not accept press releases from anonymous or fictitious sources or that directly address consumers and the public with a “Buy Me!” type of appeal. Press releases with excessive amounts of links or lists may also be rejected. In addition, we will only accept press releases that are in a standard press release format.
PRWeb
editorial guidelines and tips on how to write acceptable content are available from our Help Menu.Top of Page
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What do the editorial scores mean?
Editorial scores are assigned by editors to indicate the overall quality and newsworthiness of your press release.
PRWeb
uses a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest score. A score of 4 or 5 is required to be included in the distribution feeds to Topix, Yahoo News and eMediaWire. Because there is virtually no difference between a score of 4 and 5, the majority of press releases on
PRWeb
are scored a 4. Scores of 3 may indicate that your press release is acceptable but could use improvement.
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What is an editorial hold?
When a press release submitted to
PRWeb
does not meet
PRWeb's editorial standards, an editor places it on editorial hold status to allow you time to make revisions.
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Can
PRWeb
write or edit my press release?
Yes,
PRWeb
has a team of talented NewsCrafters™ editors who can write your press release from scratch or re-work your release draft. Our NewsCrafters™ services are available as add-on services with any press release package. Your professionally written final copy will provide high online visibility for your company, product or service. To see examples of press releases written by
PRWeb
NewsCrafters™ editors, go to: http://www.rsspad.com/NewsCrafters.htm. To view these examples via RSS feed, place the following link in your RSS reader: http://www.rsspad.com/NewsCrafters.xml.
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How long should a press release be?
The optimum length for a press release is 300 to 800 words, and the length can directly affect your distribution. Press releases shorter than 300 words often are missing important elements and may not be recognized by the search engines as a press release. Search engines also may flag long press releases as something other than a press release.
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How can I access my press release statistics?
To access your press release’s statistics, please login to your News Management Console. Click on the graph icon located to the far right of your release’s entry to open all of the Visibility Statistics available to you. You may also access your statistics from the statistics menu located at the top of the Console. These stats will enable you to compare and monitor your press release’s visibility by reads, headline impressions, utilized features and categories, search hits and Activity by Geographical Location.
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How can I increase my online visibility statistics?
There are numerous ways to increase your online visibility statistics. Along with the quality and newsworthiness of your press release content, which is often a subjective evaluation, factors that may affect your statistics and online popularity include the type, relevancy and number of industry categories selected, the value of the upgrade package, the day of the week, whether attachments such as podcasts and logos are available, the placement of links and keywords, the “buzz” factor, etc. Of course, the more advanced features that you utilize, the more likely your press release will achieve more online visibility. Keep in mind that a press release shouldn’t be the only part of a marketing plan, and issuing frequent press releases will result in more online visibility than relying on a single press release.
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