FAQ

Get answers to questions about membership, costs, putting out a press release, and more.

How much does it cost to become a member?

Business Wire does not charge a membership fee. To get started using Business Wire for press release distribution, simply fill out a membership form and submit it to your nearest bureau. All accounts are subject to verification and approval.

What are the benefits of being a Business Wire member?

Using Business Wire for your press release distribution includes many benefits, among them:

  • Consult the experienced editorial and client services staff in our more than 30 U.S. and international offices.
  • Take advantage of our free webinars on current PR, IR and SEO topics.
  • Create a custom news feed via email or RSS to receive breaking news from Business Wire.
  • Include a custom corporate profile with basic facts about your organization, its officers, financials and other information, linked from each of your press releases at BusinessWire.com.
  • Submit your orders and manage your account through our secure Business Wire Connect online system.
  • Include your full color, hyperlinked logo for free on all of your releases submitted via Business Wire Connect.
  • Store your photos and logos in your multimedia library in Business Wire Connect.
  • Complete the "Company Information Center" box with key company statistics that will appear with each release.
  • Choose from more than 500 circuits, from local to global, including print, broadcast, online, search engines and blogs, with free industry trades available with most news wire circuits.
  • Add embedded hyperlinks, bold and italics, and other XHTML formatting features to your releases at no additional charge.
  • Free NewsTrak measurement reports with valuable audience information and links to your release on key news sites.
  • Business Wire releases include social media links allowing readers to easily print, email, save and share your news.
  • BusinessWire.com hosts and archives your press releases for two years, enhancing the SEO of your news.
  • Permalink assigned to all Business Wire releases, making it easy to find and share your news.
How much will it cost to distribute my press release?

The cost of each press release is based on its length and the circuit to which you send it. Each of our geographic circuits is priced based on a 400-word press release, with an additional cost for each additional 100 words. Our newsrooms can provide you with an estimated cost for each press release that you distribute.

Where does my press release go?

Each Business Wire geographic circuit includes distribution to a variety of print and broadcast media in the city, state, region or country you choose. In addition, every circuit includes, at no additional charge, distribution to:

  • Online news sites, databases, portals, search engines and geography- and industry-specific websites.
  • Your choice of more than a dozen industry trade media categories in the Asia-Pacific region, both print and online. More trade media are available with North American, European and other distribution options.
  • Financial information systems, analysts and investors.

For detailed media lists for all of our circuits, please visit the Distribution Lists on BusinessWire.com.

Do you send to a particular publication?

If you're interested in reaching a specific publication, you can use the Search Media function on BusinessWire.com. It allows you to search by media name or by city, and see a list of all circuits which include that media outlet. If you can't find a publication, you can contact our Media Relations Team to inquire about having it added.

Do you offer press release writing services?

Unfortunately Business Wire does not offer press release writing services. However, our experienced editors will look closely at your press release, both to check for errors and to make suggestions on how to improve your release and/or your distribution options. We have the most experienced staff and most accurate newsrooms in the business, with a fraction of the error rate of our competitors. For added advice on press release writing tips, visit the BusinessWired blog.

Do you do media calls?

Business Wire does not do media calls on your behalf after distributing your press release. We do provide you with NewsTrak reports, which include a detailed list of the media that received your press release, links to postings on websites, online viewership data, referring URLs and other information that aid you in monitoring the success of your campaign.

Do you submit my press release to Facebook or other social media sites?

Best practices in social media recommend against wire services or vendors posting press releases to social media outlets. It's considered spamming, and can quickly get you booted from those sites. Business Wire does automatically tweet all its headlines via a number of industry-specific Twitter feeds, but there are strategies you can undertake to give your news more visibility in those outlets, including:

  • Creating your own Facebook brand page and linking to your press releases from it.
  • Tweet your press releases to your followers via your corporate Twitter feed or a dedicated handle.
  • Encourage readers and consumers to share your press release with social media sharing icons on every press release posted at BusinessWire.com.

Your account executive can recommend additional strategies for you.

How do I send my press release to you?

Once your account is approved, you'll be able to upload your press releases via Business Wire Connect, our password-protected online order system. Business Wire Connect lets you schedule releases in advance, save frequently used distributions for fast ordering, store logos, photos and other multimedia, and includes many other time-saving features.