Press Release Case Study: Do We Sell Them or Not?

How do you see press releases currently? Do you want to comment on anything else?

This final reflection was answered by 26 people out of a total of 54 surveyed.

• I believe they are essential for services like local SEO.

• They work especially well for addressing the popularity factor of the Google Maps algorithm.

• If at the end of a press appearance, we can show how that action has impacted client communication or reputation, great… if not, it is something doomed to fail.

• Depending on the client or service, they may or may not be valid.🤪

• I see it as a waste of time, especially with the latest GDPR requirements, although they keep coming in droves… and some may resonate if done well.

• I usually write them myself because I have a background in journalism. When I have hired them, I haven't noticed a significant impact on the sale of products or services, perhaps because I haven't known how to select the right media, but those that reach thousands of readers have an excessive price for the current operation of my business.

• If they are for promoting something, they can be useful. If it's for SEO, they are not useful.

• I find it hard to believe they are useful for generating leads.

• I think users confuse them with other PR tools and therefore do not extract all the potential. In my experience, the problem is not creating them but distributing them to the media and having them taken into consideration.

• From my point of view they do not work, I have hired them at places like Oniad and for SEO, they are not worth it. I repeat, this is my opinion. Regards. Carlos.

• It doesn't matter how relevant a news item may be, the current publication criterion is through payment; if you don't pay, they won't publish anything.

• It's throwing money away unless it's in an important newspaper.

• As I have always seen them. A way to get a specific topic to the media, hoping that some will echo it.

• Without a PR campaign, they are useless.

• More economical for those starting out, perhaps sites with not so high DR but that help generate the necessary trust.

• For the NGO, it is very useful.

• They are overrated and misused. Their function has been distorted, and mass sending makes them no longer relevant or interesting to read. When everyone wants something and it is within everyone's reach, it loses the value it might have had at the beginning. Furthermore, I don't believe that content published identically 100 times is useful for SEO. I prefer to control what is published about me or my brand (or my clients') and that each text is unique and addresses a search intent, not just to appear for the sake of appearing.

• I believe they are not useful for the short term, although if done well, they could help with SEO in the long term.

• Send different ones according to the medium. Always adapt to the target medium.

• An essential tool for generating branding and positioning against the competition in the minds of consumers and potential consumers.

• My audience does not read the press, at least not the one I want to attract.

• I think they are working worse and worse, but because the press sector (in my opinion) is quite discredited. Nevertheless, I believe it is a quick and effective option to improve the SEO of a new project and give it an initial punch of relevance.

• I don't think they work as well as before and even less so if you repeat the service more than once.

• I would like to publish more again, but since my role is more SEO and less generalist in marketing, it is no longer happening.

• Very poor writing if you hire packages. Therefore, if you use platforms, in general, it's better to write it yourself and have the platforms distribute it for you. Hiring an agency is a very high cost, and when we have tried it, it does not justify its price.

As you can see, the average of the 26 people who shared their reflections agrees that press releases:

Do not work for SEO, have an excessive price in relation to the impact they cause, and unless they have a PR campaign behind them, they are useless.

We leave you the link and continue gathering information for our case study on press releases.

Survey results on press releases 

Price research in the media

We also conducted research on prices, with various media outlets that sell press releases.

These are the responses we obtained:

• Almost all media outlets offer a fixed monthly fee for their clients. 

• The price of an individual press release is similar to that of a sponsored article.

On the other hand, they offer another package option for press releases. For example, if they hire 20 press releases, it will cost them less than if they hired just one.

• The surveyed media outlets claim that prices vary if they have to write the press release themselves or if the client provides it written and ready to publish. (more economical if the client has it ready).

• The price also varies according to the theme of the medium, meaning that some media may charge more for publishing press releases in specific thematic areas and targeted audiences. Depending on the theme, the reach and visibility will also vary.

• The included links must be no follow, and in some cases, the allowed quantity is limited.

• Although some media offer metrics at the end of the press release campaign, they do not guarantee a minimum number of impressions.

Analyzing these responses, we concluded that the price of press releases varies according to the theme, writing of the release, and quantity hired. 

Additionally, the lack of guaranteed impressions does not help when deciding whether to hire a press release or not.

Conclusions from the case study on press releases

After researching various media and the survey, we analyzed all the data and…

We concluded that press releases are no longer used in projects or events as much as before since they do not generate the desired impact or expected results.

• Since press release directories are untraceable.

• The texts are short and poorly written and lack appeal.

• The no follow links with the anchor text unoptimized.

• For the same price or even less money, you can buy articles in sponsored media.

There are many platforms that offer the sale of sponsored posts, but if you want a quality service, check out Unancor's website.

Our Affinity tool allows you to analyze your website and find related media and blog proposals for your project, so you don't waste your time or money.

Get links from relevant national, international, local, and thematic media, according to your strategy and campaign.

Unancor improves the online visibility of your business and enhances online authority and reputation.

Additionally, you can always request a personalized proposal, where a SEO professional will accompany you throughout the process: from project analysis to anchor text selection. You can have a specialist on your team without having to hire.

Lastly, you can send the articles yourself, or if you prefer, ask our team of specialized writers to do it.

Based on all the data obtained in our case study; we have decided not to offer press releases. 

Are we doing well? Are we doing wrong? What do you think of the study? Do you want to contribute something…?

Your opinion matters to us, so we appreciate your feedback. We look forward to your comments!

Thank you very much to all the respondents and media who made the effort and shared their experience with us!