Choosing a Wire Service for Your Press Releases

Whether you’re a publicly or privately held company, large business or a startup, using a fee-based wire service can greatly enhance your public relations outreach.  However, not all wire services are the same and choosing the right one is more than just a question of price - it is choosing one that best meets your goals and objectives.   

Originally started as a means for publicly-held companies to comply with SEC requirements for public disclosure, fee-based wire services are a great way for companies of all sizes to amplify their outreach when issuing a press release.  When combined with email distribution to target media (and often analysts too) and one-on-one outreach to media, it can be a combination where results are greater than the sum of the whole.  

One of the reasons we like using wire services for startups in particular is that it is a great way to get the news up on the Internet, including news sections of search engines such as Yahoo and Google.  

Wire services typically charge based on geographic circuit selected, with complimentary “trade” media included.  While the term “trade” media may sound a bit limiting, it can mean anything from technology to lifestyle - basically almost anything.  And this is another big part of the value of wire services - getting the news out both directly as well as on news feeds to your appropriate trade media.  

When looking at a wire service for your company, here are some things to ask:

• Names of media outlets on the circuits.  While wire services may say they have the same circuits, the media on circuits can vary greatly between wire services.  Ask to see the media lists.
  
• Number of complimentary trade media included.  While some offer unlimited complimentary trade circuits, many wire services - especially the cheaper ones - limit this to five.  This can greatly impact your results.   For example, we have a client where we use 42 complimentary trade circuits.  And every single one of them is important to the client’s outreach and results.
  
• Availability of account executives and editorial staff.  Being able to talk with editorial staff at a wire service is important, particularly if you are a younger company and new to the process of PR.  Is the wire service staffed 24/7?  Availability of staff for any last minute changes or questions - which happens more frequently than one might think especially with startups - is important.  
  
• Scheduling.  Can you talk to someone live about scheduling, or is there a deadline for submitting a press release to the wire service for distribution the next day?
  

So when selecting a wire service for your press releases, look at more than just the price - look at the value it provides you in meeting your goals and objectives.  Cheaper isn’t always better.

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