Business Wire vs PRNewswire: Is the Higher Cost Worth It?

Business Wire vs PRNewswire
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Business Wire vs PR Newswire are two of the leading press release distribution services. Both services help businesses and organizations share their news and announcements with a large audience, focusing on important industry areas and reaching major media outlets.

When I first started in public relations, I was overwhelmed by the multitude of choices available for distributing press releases. I remember my first big client, a mid-sized tech company introducing a groundbreaking software product. The pressure was on, and the success of this launch was vital for both the company and my growing reputation as a PR consultant. Faced with choosing between Business Wire and PRNewswire, I spent many hours researching, comparing, and weighing the higher cost against the possible benefits.

I’ll never forget the anxiety and excitement of that crucial moment in my career. It was late at night, and I was bent over my laptop, going through countless articles and reviews, trying to choose the best platform for our big announcement. Business Wire offered high-quality service but was expensive. On the other hand, PRNewswire was a tried and tested option, known for its reliability and broad reach. It was a clear choice between cost and value, and I had to make the right decision.

PR Newswire has a rating of 3.8 out of 5 from 690 reviews and is a well-known source for news distribution. Business Wire, with a slightly higher rating of 4.1 out of 5 from 182 reviews, is praised for its user-friendliness and wide distribution network. When choosing between these platforms, it’s important to look at their features, prices, and performance to find the best one for your organization’s communication needs.

Let’s get started!

Key Points

  • Business Wire is a reliable source for news organizations, journalists, investors, and regulatory bodies. It sends news directly to editorial systems and top online news sites through its unique NX Network. 
  • Newswire is a media technology company that offers the Press Release Optimizer (PRO). The PRO includes press release distribution, media databases, media monitoring, and newsrooms. 
  • When comparing PR Newswire and Business Wire, it’s important to look at how they distribute and reach audiences. Both services can effectively send your press releases to media outlets and newsrooms locally, nationally, or globally.
  • Both PR Newswire and Business Wire offer options to target specific audiences. This includes the ability to focus on certain regions, helping you reach the journalists and media outlets most relevant to your audience.

Business Wire

Established in 1961, is a reliable source for news organizations, journalists, investors, and regulatory bodies. It sends news directly to editorial systems and top online news sites through its unique NX Network. Business Wire’s global newsrooms support communication professionals and news media around the world.

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Newswire

Newswire is a media technology company that offers the Press Release Optimizer (PRO). The PRO includes press release distribution, media databases, media monitoring, and newsrooms. This program helps small and midsize companies from various industries build brand awareness through media coverage, increase online visibility with better SEO, and attract more sales inquiries with targeted digital marketing campaigns.

Now let’s take a closer look at how the two differ and are similar. 

Business Wire vs PRNewswire

Regularly distributing press releases helps companies enhance their PR and marketing efforts, keeping them visible to their main audiences. For small businesses developing their brand, this extra exposure allows them to share news, announce new projects, and strengthen connections with their key audiences.

PR Newswire vs Business Wire: Overview

When picking a service to distribute your press releases, two main options are PR Newswire and Business Wire. It’s important to know the differences between them to choose the right one for your needs.

PR Newswire and Business Wire both provide strong press release distribution, letting you reach media outlets locally, nationally, or globally. Both have wide networks, but Business Wire can reach 92,000 journalists, while PR Newswire reaches 39,000 journalists.

Pricing varies for each service. PR Newswire offers packages called Value Packs, which include different pricing options for three, six, 12, or 24 press releases, depending on your needs. Neither PR Newswire nor Business Wire lists their prices online, so you’ll need to contact them for a quote.

User experience also varies. Some users find PR Newswire harder to use than Business Wire, but PR Newswire often catches news that other platforms miss, making it a valuable primary source. Business Wire is a reliable secondary option.

In summary, both PR Newswire and Business Wire have their strengths and weaknesses. Your choice depends on your specific goals and needs. Consider the reach, pricing, user experience, and performance of both platforms to make the best decision for your press release distribution.

PR Newswire vs Business Wire: Distribution and Reach

When comparing PR Newswire and Business Wire, it’s important to look at how they distribute and reach audiences. Both services can effectively send your press releases to media outlets and newsrooms locally, nationally, or globally.

Both PR Newswire and Business Wire offer options to target specific audiences. This includes the ability to focus on certain regions, helping you reach the journalists and media outlets most relevant to your audience.

For global distribution, both PR Newswire and Business Wire can help you reach media outlets around the world. They allow you to target audiences in different countries and increase your business’s exposure internationally.

However, there are differences in cost and distribution reach. PR Newswire usually focuses on the United States, while Business Wire tends to be more expensive. Depending on your budget and where you want to reach, one service might be a better fit than the other.

Both PR Newswire and Business Wire can help you connect with your target audience, reach important media outlets, and enhance your presence in the news. By considering your budget and the locations you want to target, you can choose the best service for your needs.

When it comes to reach, Business Wire has an edge. It boasts a more extensive network of media outlets and journalists, ensuring your press release gets in front of more eyes. For my tech client’s software launch, the broader reach of Business Wire played a crucial role in securing coverage in top-tier tech publications. This exposure was instrumental in driving early adoption and establishing the software’s credibility in a competitive market.

PR Newswire vs Business Wire: Pricing and Cost Comparison

The main difference between Business Wire and PRNewswire is the cost. Business Wire usually charges higher fees, which can be a problem for startups or small businesses with tight budgets. However, the saying “you get what you pay for” often applies to PR services. In my experience, the higher cost of Business Wire is worth it because of its better reach and more detailed analytics.

When comparing the prices of PR Newswire and Business Wire, both services have similar costs, but they differ slightly in some features. PR Newswire pricing starts at about $199 for the Newswire Digital package. Business Wire doesn’t list a specific starting price, so it’s best to check their website for the latest details.

For saving money, PR Newswire offers Value Packs with bundle deals. You can choose packages for three, six, 12, or 24 press releases. These packs come with a 5% discount, which is useful if you need to send out many press releases.

When using PR Newswire and Business Wire, remember that additional costs might come up. These can include fees for using logos, multimedia, and memberships. It’s important to think about these extra costs when choosing the best service for your needs, as they can affect the total price of your press release distribution.

To make it clearer:

  • PR Newswire: Starts at $199 for the Newswire Digital package.
  • Business Wire: Entry-level pricing is not disclosed; check their website for accurate details.
  • Value Packs: Newswire offers a 5% discount for higher press release volumes.
  • Additional Costs: Include logos, multimedia, membership fees, and more.

In summary, both PR Newswire and Business Wire are well-known press release distribution services. When deciding between them, carefully compare the pricing and extra costs to choose the one that fits your budget and needs best. Always check their websites for the latest pricing information and discounts.

PR Newswire vs Business Wire: Features and Services

SEO and Online Visibility

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Both Business Wire and PRNewswire are great for improving search engine results, but Business Wire has a slight edge. It connects with more well-known websites, which helps your press release rank higher in search results. This was especially helpful for my client, as we saw a clear increase in website visitors and inquiries after using Business Wire.

Customer Support and User Experience

Both platforms offer excellent customer support and user experience, but I found Business Wire to be a bit easier to use. Their website is simple to navigate, and their support team responds quickly. During the busy launch period, their help and fast responses made it easier to handle some technical issues.

When deciding between PR Newswire and Business Wire for your press release needs, it’s important to look at their customer support options and how you can reach them.

PR Newswire:

  • They offer multiple ways to contact customer support: phone, email, and live chat.
  • This variety allows you to choose the most convenient method for your needs.
  • Their customer service team is knowledgeable and ready to help with any questions about their services.

Business Wire:

  • They mainly provide support through email.
  • While they don’t offer as many ways to contact them, their team still gives helpful and timely responses.
  • Just remember, email support might not be as quick as a phone call or live chat.

Summary:

PR Newswire: Phone, Email, Live Chat

Business Wire: Email

Consider these options when choosing between PR Newswire and Business Wire. Good customer support and easy communication can greatly impact your experience and the success of your press release.

Multimedia Capabilities

Both PR Newswire and Business Wire let you add images, videos, and audio to your press releases. This makes your release more attractive and increases the chances that media outlets will use it. They support different file formats and sizes to suit various needs.

Social Media Distribution

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With the recent digital development, social media is key for sharing news and information. PR Newswire and Business Wire both offer services to share your press release on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. This helps boost your brand’s visibility online.

Writing and Proofreading Services

If you need help writing your press release, both PR Newswire and Business Wire offer writing services to help you create a strong and interesting story. They also provide proofreading services to make sure your release is free of any grammatical or punctuation errors.

Media Monitoring Services

Tracking the media coverage of your press release is important to see how well it did and its impact on your brand. PR Newswire and Business Wire both offer media monitoring services. They give you reports that show which media outlets picked up your release and how much audience engagement it got. This information helps you understand how effective your press release was and guides your future PR strategies.

Analytics and Reporting

When using PR Newswire and Business Wire for your press releases, it’s important to look at the analytics and reporting features each one offers. These features help you understand how well your press releases are performing and make better decisions for future releases.

Analytics:

  • Both PR Newswire and Business Wire offer real-time tracking and performance analysis.
  • You can see important data like views, clicks, social media shares, and geographical information.
  • This data helps you measure the success of your press release and find areas to improve.

Reports:

  • Both platforms provide detailed reports with information on demographics, geographical reach, and how many outlets published your news.
  • PR Newswire tends to offer more detailed and visually appealing reports, making it easier to understand and present your data.
  • Business Wire’s reports are more basic in comparison.

Both PR Newswire and Business Wire give you important analytics and reporting features to help you assess your press releases and improve your communication strategies. Depending on your specific needs, you might prefer one platform’s features over the other.

Having detailed analytics is key to understanding how well a press release performs. Both Business Wire and PRNewswire provide thorough reports, but Business Wire’s analytics are more detailed and easier to understand. This allowed me to give my client a complete report on how the release did, including insights into audience engagement and media coverage.

In Summary, PR Newswire and Business Wire both provide a variety of features and services, including multimedia capabilities, social media distribution, writing and proofreading services, and media monitoring. These tools help you create, share, and measure the success of your press releases, ultimately boosting your brand visibility and media presence.

My Opinion

When working on my big client’s software launch, choosing between Business Wire and PRNewswire was tough. Business Wire was more expensive but promised better reach and analytics, while PRNewswire was more affordable and reliable.

In my experience, Business Wire’s higher cost is often worth it for its wider audience, better online visibility, and detailed reports. This was clear during the tech client’s launch, where using Business Wire led to coverage in major tech publications and increased web traffic.

However, if budget is a concern, PRNewswire is still a good option. It’s reliable and cost-effective for less critical announcements. Your choice should depend on your specific needs, goals, and budget. In summary, Business Wire is great for maximum exposure, while PRNewswire offers solid value for money.

But in the end, we chose Business Wire even though it was more expensive. The results were great. The press release was picked up by several big tech blogs and news sites, which led to a big increase in downloads and user sign-ups. The detailed analytics from Business Wire helped us see which outlets brought in the most traffic and sign-ups, which helped us plan our future PR strategies better.

Conclusion

Choosing between Business Wire and PRNewswire can be tough, especially if you have a tight budget. In my experience, Business Wire’s higher price is often justified by its wider reach, better SEO benefits, and more detailed analytics. This investment can lead to significant returns, particularly for important announcements. If you want maximum exposure and detailed insights, Business Wire might be the better option. For businesses with smaller budgets or less critical news, PRNewswire is a reliable and affordable choice. The decision should ultimately be based on your specific needs, goals, and budget.

In the end, picking between Business Wire and PRNewswire depends on the value each service provides for your PR goals. Having made this choice several times, I believe that understanding the details of each service will help you make the best decision for your business or client.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Business Wire do?

Business Wire, owned by Berkshire Hathaway, is the top company worldwide for distributing news releases and regulatory information. Professionals in public relations, investor relations, public policy, and marketing trust Business Wire to safely and accurately share important news and multimedia content.

Is Business Wire a reliable source?

Founded in 1961, Business Wire is a reliable source for news organizations, journalists, investment professionals, and regulatory authorities. It delivers news straight into editorial systems and top online news sources through its unique NX network.

How much is a press release on Business Wire?

Sending a basic 400-word press release costs at least $760. If you add 100 more words and include multimedia (like a photo or video), the price goes up to $1380, which is similar to the cost of using PR Newswire.

Where is Business Wire located?

Company TypeSubsidiary
Founded1961
FounderLorry I. Lokey
Headquarters101 California Street, San Francisco, California , U.S.
Number of locations29 (2018)

Is Newswire a publisher?

PR Newswire is a company based in Chicago that distributes press releases. It was established in 1954 to help companies send press releases to news organizations electronically, originally using teleprinters.

Who runs the Newswire?

CNW Group Ltd., also known as Canada Newswire or CNW, is a press release service owned by Cision. In Canada, Cision Distribution services use Canada Newswire. This service can be used on its own or as part of Cision’s main platform for PR professionals, called Cision Communications Cloud.

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References:

NewswireJet

Prowly

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