This is our second post on How to Write, Format and Distribute a Press Release. In this post we’ll discuss how free press release sites work.

Basically, with these free press release sites, you submit your press release and if it is written in proper format and does not violate any of the standard “don’ts”, for instance it cannot contain obscenity or promote pornography, hate material, blatant advertising, no promotion of illegal items, etc. – then they will print it on their site.

For a while it will be on their front page. Then as new press releases come along it will be pushed off the front page. It will still be on their site, listed by time and date published.

It will also appear in the search engines really quickly. Free press release sites are a great way to get your own site indexed quickly, and to get your news online very quickly. In some cases, within minutes after your press release has been submitted, people will be able to find it online.

Every free press release site operates a little differently in how long they take to approve your story. Some don’t have editors and just post the story instantly. Some have editors read the story/press releases first and it can take hours or days. With some of those sites, you will need to create an account and in others you just cut and paste your story.

All of these sites require the same basic information: headline, body of the story, and contact information for you or your company.

Your story can be found either by searching for keyword phrases that are used throughout the body of the story and in the headline, or by going to the press release distribution sites to look for news stories to pick up. We will discuss using keyword phrases in your press release and headline in a later post.

So….are these free press release distribution sites actually effective? Will anyone find your stories if you use them?

The answer is a resounding YES – or frankly, they would go out of business. And in case you are wondering how they stay in business – almost all of them offer enhanced services for a fee, such as the opportunity to embed video or include HTML and more links, and many also monetize with advertising, as well.

In our next post we’ll discuss some of the benefits of writing press release. Stay in touch.

Related posts:

1. How to Write, Format and Distribute a Press Release (I)