There is no doubt that press releases are one of the most important tools for every business. Even though it is just a written document, the tool can offer impactful marketing results that can instill more growth, sales, and popularity for your business. The market is currently filled with numerous professional PR agencies, and you can easily find them with a simple search on Google.
However, people get doubtful when they have to invest a certain amount, and that is valid for paid press release packages. On the other hand, anything that is free can attract a lot of customers, because why not? Everyone loves a freebie, and you would too. Now, the biggest question is, should you buy a free press release service?
They say you get what you pay for, and it is true for most services and products. However, things are a little different with press release services, as many companies offer the free services just to offer a demo of their paid packages. You can definitely avail of free PR services since you have to lose nothing here. But sharing the sensitive information of your business with others is also risky. Here are some key checks before you hire any company.
Key Checks for Free Press Release
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Distribution Network
The distribution network plays the main role in PR distribution as it helps to gain attention from credible media and news platforms. However, you cannot expect to gain guaranteed placements through free services, but it should still provide some credibility if the network matches your niche. The free services often lack direct access to premium media like Google News, Yahoo, AP, and others, which are mainly for the paid services. But you should still gain some light from the niche and relevant industries.
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SEO Support
Search engine optimization (SEO) is an integral part of PR distribution, as improving online visibility is also one of the major goals of a press release. In case of paid packages, you will get complete SEO support through optimization, mass ping, and audit. But there are no special features in the case of the free services. You should check whether the company or package is offering any SEO benefits through keywords, backlinks, or any other element. You should opt for free packages that at least offer the basic SEO benefit of keyword integration through PR content.
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Multi-media Support
Modern-day PRs are comprised of multimedia attachments like images, videos, GIFs, infographics, and others that can help to gain more attention from the target audiences by adding attractive visual elements. You should check whether your free PR package also offers multimedia support. Without multimedia, gaining engagement through your PR can get difficult, and that is why this benefit should also be offered as case-free services, too.
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Analytics and Reporting
The professional PR agencies make sure to provide a detailed analytical report after the press release campaign ends. The detailed analytical report can help you find critical insights on your target audiences and their online behavior based on different demographics and metrics, which helps you understand your target audiences better and the credible sources from which you can connect with them. This analytical report can be missing in case of free services, but if they still offer it, it can be a great way to have a complete idea of the market situation. You should ask whether they provide the basic metrics or not. There should be a facility to monitor your campaign as well.
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Consultancy and Customer Service
A lot of professional PR agencies provide highly effective consultancy services where clients can share their raw ideas, and the professionals make sure to incorporate their ideas into the campaign. They can create a tailored campaign based on your unique needs, but the benefits of customization are mainly limited to the paid services. Free services might not provide consultancy, but there should be an active customer service for everyone, regardless of whether the package is free or paid. You should check whether the company offers 24*7 active customer service or not. Queries can appear regardless of the expenditure, and that room should be offered by the PR agency.
Should you opt for the Free PR service?
Opting for the Free PR service should be considered as an opportunity to test the water rather than a weak package for beginners. By choosing free PR services, you can easily find out how the company handles the campaign or how they behave with their clients. This offers a great opportunity to find out how each platform works that provides free PR services. Besides, opting for a free service can also help to save a lot of budget that you can invest back into your business. Free services can be easily availed by the emerging companies, independent individuals, as well as startups that have a low budget and are in dire need of exposure in the market. So, if you are out of money, hiring the free PR service is the best option.
Bottom Line
While free services are good for the initial stage, it is always recommended to go for paid packages, no matter which agency you hire. Paid packages can offer you quick and impactful results in the market that scale with time. Paid packages can be cost-effective in the long run with improved ROI. Avail of the packages to witness the difference.
