That’s what one big brand was spending per month on press release distribution, according to a study by marketing agency owner Tim Grice, posted on Moz in 2012.
That’s a huge number.
For the past year now, at Express Writers, we’ve offered syndicated online press release distribution to all of our customers, at rates well below what our former news partner charged on their own site. Our clients got a good deal—and we felt happy to offer it to them.
That is, until this October—when we stood back and looked at the actual benefit of online, syndicated news. I even got two experts on the line to help me dig up solid truths about this industry. (I’m indebted to Steve Rayson at BuzzSumo for pulling metrics and data for me, and Tim Grice at Branded3 for an updated quote.)
Our findings weren’t good, by any means.
That’s why we’re calling our findings the wicked witch of online press syndication and turning it into a Halloween post.
Here’s the (in the spirit of Halloween—cold, dead) truth: if you’re paying for syndicated news, you might just be wasting every single dollar you sink into that channel.
Don’t just be frightened by the witch: know the facts and make an informed decision the next time you choose to put your money into syndicated news (or not).
The Story Behind the Study: What Inspired Me to Take a Deeper Look at Press Release Distribution
I’d noticed a pattern: in 2012, when we started offering distribution, I saw amazing, fast results in Google. For instance, one press release we did back then was about a stuffed toy. Their keyword, a solid, low competition long-tail, ranked #3 in Google in just days—the #3 result was their actual PRWeb release. Now thatwas value!
But I haven’t seen this happen since that day. And we’re talking out of dozens to hundreds of press releases that our team has written and distributed by now. On average, we distribute 6-10 press releases for clients in a month. We have so many clients that complain about the reports we send them. “This is all the data and results we get?” And the truth is: we didn’t really have an answer for them. The quality of the news results online was finicky. I’d see an online Fox station pick it up—and then it would be gone the next day, when I was ready to send the link to the client. Results weren’t permanent. And nothing showed in the first page of Google for their (great) long-tail news keywords.
The more I saw this happening, the more I realized I needed to research syndicated distribution. A bad feeling in my gut drove me to do it before we renewed our contract this year. And sure enough, what I found was pretty dire.
To make my research and findings official, I got in touch with my friend Steve Rayson, Director at BuzzSumo, for an exclusive study: and even got in touch personally with Tim Grice from Branded3.com, the author of the Moz piece, for some updated findings.
Let’s dive in to the findings.
Interview with Tim Grice: The Cold, Hard, Dead Truth of Syndicated Online Press Release Distribution
Here’s what Tim Grice had to say, when I sat down with him to discuss his Moz post and what he’d say about online press syndication currently as it stands in 2016.
Julia: You shared your findings on how budgets are being wasted with online press release syndication, back in 2012. Would you say it’s become an even bigger waste of budget in 2016? Or have you seen brands adapting, and investing less in online PR?
Tim: The Moz post is specifically referring to online PR syndication (PR Newswire, etc). SEO agencies and in-house teams were using them as a primary link building channel, firing out boring stories that got absolutely no pick up and the online links created were from low value directories.
In 2008, it worked really well to game Google’s rankings: but by 2012, it should have been on its way out. Not so much. Link building was becoming difficult and it was the easy go-to option for many agencies.
Here’s the thing: if anyone is using syndication for links today, they should be fired.
[clickToTweet tweet=”There is no value in press release syndication for SEO purposes. – @Tim_Grice” quote=”There is no value in press release syndication for SEO purposes. – @Tim_Grice”]
Journalists are already inundated with companies offering up information for free, and there is no need to check a press wire.
Julia: Why is online PR a bad idea for a link building investment?
Tim: Online PR done right is not a bad idea, syndicating crap stories around the web for a handful of links on press wires is a terrible SEO strategy; no relevance, no authority, no trust. Creating genuinely insightful content or offering up unique data and selling it indirectly to journalists and bloggers is the right approach to online PR (done right, you can generate hundreds of high authority links from a single campaign).
Julia: Is there any good form of online syndication?
Tim: Not that I am aware of.
[clickToTweet tweet=”Anything designed to create quick, easy links is almost always a waste of time and money. -@Tim_Grice” quote=”Anything designed to create quick, easy links is almost always a waste of time and money. -@Tim_Grice”]
Julia: What is a much better way to invest revenue to boost your online marketing, instead of online PR?
Tim: Done right, online PR can return good ROI as well as high authority links, however the fact is that where you invest will depend purely on the gaps in your strategy.
From an SEO stand point, if you rank in the top five you’ve probably got enough links to be position one, and you should work on the technical side of it, CTR’s, mobile and great content.
Final word…
[clickToTweet tweet=”Syndication is never a good investment, and I would opt for any other tactic. – @Tim_Grice” quote=”Syndication is never a good investment, and I would opt for any other tactic. – @Tim_Grice”]
BuzzSumo: What Is The ROI Of Press Release Distribution (Syndication)?
To further dig into the reality of how ugly the press release syndicated world is, I asked my friend Steve Rayson over at BuzzSumo to get some exclusive findings. He was happy to accommodate, and here’s what we found. Ready?
To wrap up our findings…
On average, press releases on the top two syndication sites get a measly 24 shares–total. Fact: 24 shares don’t equate to people actually reading, yet alone someone clicking a link in a release. Over 50% of URLs shared on Twitter are never clicked (BuzzSumo).
Big ticket question:
Are shares inflated by syndicated press release distribution networks?
Using Moz’s Open Site Explorer, we found out that the press release with 149k shares has only 1 backlink with a Domain Authority well below quality (19 on a scale of 100).
Investigating further, the backlink itself has 4 spam flags.
As we end, if you’re still choosing to go with PR syndicated distribution, I ask you to ask yourself:
If the highest shared press release in existence has only one backlink, which is spammy, what real value are you getting out of your syndicated press release distributions?
Are we still doing press release writing? Yes!
We still offer press release writing from expert journalists! A PR in and of itself, as Grice said, holds much value (as long as you’re using something a little better quality than the syndicated online network.) As of October 31, we no longer offer distribution only. Get your written press release here.
Hey, friends! Did you miss #ContentWritingChat this week? Have no fear! You can get caught up with our recap and learn all about public relations from our chat participants.
#ContentWritingChat Recap: The Role of PR in an Internet-Based Media Age with Shannon Renee
This week, our guest host was Shannon Mouton Gray. Shannon is the Managing Director of McKinney & Associates, a public relations firm.
Q1: Many argue that PR isn’t as worthwhile as it once was in today’s online age. Thoughts?
There’s been a pretty hot debate lately about whether or not PR is still important in this online age. What did people from Tuesday’s chat have to say? Find out:
A1 PR is as important today–if not more so–than it’s ever been. #ContentWritingChat
Bill knows it’s not easy to change someone’s mind, especially if they’re stuck in their ways. The best thing you can do is to show someone the ROI that PR can provide.
A2: PR is essential if there’s ever a crises, especially on Social Media. PR keeps order and control. #ContentWritingChat
Julia said you still need PR if you want to spread the news about your business. The channels in which you do it are just different. Here at Express Writers, we also know the power of a great press release. Show the naysayers exactly what a well-written press release can do for their brand.
Q3: How has PR changed in recent years due to this internet-based age?
As we’ve already discussed, PR has definitely changed over the years. What changes have occurred? Here’s what you need to know:
A3 Monitoring PR has become more important. Yes, what your brand puts out matters, tho, what folks are saying is too. #ContentWritingChat
Shannon feels monitoring PR has become even more important than it once was. You need to monitor not only what your brand puts out there, but also was other people are saying.
A3: The rise of Social Media + blogging over the years have impacted the necessity for PR. More monitoring nowadays! #ContentWritingChat
Katie from globalHMA said the methods of reaching publications have changed these days. Now, we have the opportunity to go straight to the audience with the help of social media.
.@ExpWriters A3 easier to monitor, greater chance to spread content more widely, more paths to PR contacts #ContentWritingChat
Erika said PR has become more about strategic content creation and placement and building thought leadership. As she said, PR and content are basically joined at the hip with social media. They all go hand-in-hand.
A3: PR isn’t just about your connections/network, you need to have a strong digital footprint & social experience #ContentWritingChat
As Julia said, the channels have now improved. With the right distribution outlet, you can reach Fox and CNN. You can even utilize social media to start conversations with the right people.
A3: PR that hasn’t changed its main idea – building brand awareness and loyalty. #ContentWritingChat
Shannon said PR is still about building relationships and creating content. Forging bonds with outlets is still relevant, but there are just a lot more outlets these days. She also knows good content is just as important today as it was before.
A4. PR is still all about building relationships with your brand + the world. #contentwritingchat
As Sarah said, the focus of PR is still about getting the brand out there. We’re just able to go about it in different ways, thanks to today’s internet age.
A4: The media has changed, but PR really hasn’t. There’s just more of a need for it now with all the social outlets! #ContentWritingChat
Halle feels PR hasn’t changed, but the media has. With all the social media outlets available today, there’s even more of a need for a public relations team.
A4 #PR will always be the bridge between your organization and your audience regardless channels or tactics. #ContentWritingChat
Shannon said to make sure your press release has a pithy headline and needs to be well-written. You should also include all the important information people need to know.
A5: Make it shareable, which means keeping it clear, straightfoward and accurate. Don’t bury the lead. #ContentWritingChat
If you’re angling your press release for a certain publication, you should follow their style guide. Ray also said you should answer the 5 W’s when writing.
A5 Get a journalist! First and foremost. At @ExpWriters, we have expert staff journalists writing our client’s news. #ContentWritingChat
What’s Julia’s suggestion? Get a journalist! Get an expert to write the news for your brand. That’s something we can help with at Express Writers, too!
A5: Catchy headline, precise summary, mention social media outlets in the conclusion. An about section is a must. #ContentWritingChat
Our Content Manager, Katria, chimed in with her advice. She said to write a catchy headline and a precise summary. You should also mention social media outlets and include an about section.
A5. Same rules apply as all good content: Keep it precise, answer a question/solve a problem, be useful. #ContentWritingChat
Don’t make them guess what your brand’s press release is about. Be clear and make your most important points. Use descriptive language that will draw them in and keep them reading the entire thing.
Q6: How can you evolve your PR strategy to keep up in this internet-based age?
With so many changes occurring, how can you keep up? Evolve your PR strategy by following this advice from our chat participants:
A6 You split your time between short-term rapid response and long-term planning. #ContentWritingChat
Katria suggests investing time into social media and knowing how to effectively use each of the platforms. After all, social media is a powerful tool if you know the right way to use it.
A6. Don’t be averse to trying newer ways and outlets to reach your audience. Think beyond the press release. #ContentWritingChat
Bill sees communications, marketing, and social media positions coming together to form one mega team. It sure is a great way to take advantage of each person’s skills and experience.
A7: The future is interactive and participatory. PR will connect directly with the public and build relationships #ContentWritingChat
Cheryl sees better outlets on the way, plus improved ways to monitor each of them.
We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM CDT for great chats centered around content writing and marketing. Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on our new topics and guests!
Download your Free copy of The Wicked Witch of Online Syndication is Dead: Why We’re No Longer Offering Syndicated Press Release Distribution