For small businesses, public relations (PR) can be an invaluable tool for increasing brand awareness and credibility. However, many small businesses might not have the budget to hire a dedicated PR team or engage a PR agency. That’s where these resources come in. Below is our ultimate list of PR resources for small businesses to help you navigate your PR journey.
1. PR Newswire
PR Newswire is a leading global provider of news distribution and earned media software and services. This platform allows small businesses to distribute press releases to a broad audience and track their performance.
2. Help a Reporter Out (HARO)
HARO connects journalists seeking expertise to include in their content with sources who have that expertise. It’s a great way for small businesses to gain press coverage at no cost.
3. PRWeb
PRWeb offers press release distribution services. It is a more cost-effective alternative to PR Newswire, making it ideal for small businesses or startups.
4. Google Alerts
Google Alerts is a free tool that sends emails when it finds new results—such as web pages, newspaper articles, or blogs—that match your search term. It’s a fantastic way to monitor mentions of your brand and competitors.
5. Muck Rack
Muck Rack is a PR software that helps you identify journalists, monitor news, and organize outreach. It’s a more comprehensive solution that can help streamline your PR efforts.
6. Canva
Canva is a design platform that allows businesses to create stunning visual content. It’s perfect for creating engaging social media posts, infographics, or even your press kit.
7. Penguin AI
Penguin AI by Curious Penguins is an innovative platform that utilizes artificial intelligence to create press releases. For small businesses with limited resources, writing a compelling and effective press release can be a challenge. Penguin AI simplifies this process. By inputting key information about your news or event, the AI generates a professionally-written press release. This tool not only saves time but also ensures your press releases are structured correctly and contain the essential elements to catch the attention of journalists and media outlets. A well-crafted press release can be a game-changer in your PR strategy, making Penguin AI a valuable resource for small businesses.
8. PR Daily
PR Daily is a news site that delivers public relations, marketing, and social media advice. It’s a great source of industry news and tips.
9. Social Media Platforms
LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram can be powerful PR tools. They allow you to engage directly with your audience, distribute content, and monitor brand mentions.
10. BuzzSumo
BuzzSumo is a research and monitoring tool. The functionality of this tool includes content discovery, brand monitoring, competitor research, and more.
11. The PR Masterclass by Alex Singleton
This book is a comprehensive guide on how to get media coverage. Singleton reveals the secrets of crafting a compelling PR strategy and implementing it successfully.
12. SEMrush
SEMrush is a comprehensive digital marketing toolkit that offers a suite of features beneficial for PR activities. Its Media Monitoring tool is particularly useful, as it allows businesses to track brand mentions across online news and web content, keeping them informed of their media coverage. Furthermore, its Social Media Tracker can assist in managing your brand’s social media channels and analyzing the performance of your posts, which is essential for any modern PR strategy.
Additionally, the SEO and Keyword Research tools can help you optimize your press releases and other online content, making them more likely to be found and shared. This enhances your brand’s online visibility, which is a critical aspect of successful PR.
13. PRSA (Public Relations Society of America)
The PRSA offers a wealth of resources for PR professionals, including webinars, articles, an online community, and more.
14. Cision
Cision is a comprehensive PR software that offers media database, press release distribution services, media monitoring, and media analysis. It’s a powerful tool for PR professionals, but it might be on the pricier side for small businesses.
15. PitchEngine
PitchEngine is a PR tool for creating, hosting, collaborating, and sharing PR content. It offers a more visual and interactive way to tell your brand’s story, making your pitches more engaging for journalists.
16. Prowly
Prowly is another PR software that offers media database, press release distribution, and media monitoring. It also provides a CRM for your PR activities, which can be very handy.
17. Mention
Mention is a real-time media monitoring tool. It allows you to monitor brand mentions across social media and the web, helping you manage your online reputation.
18. XOVI Now
XOVI Now is a robust digital marketing suite that covers a wide range of features including SEO analysis, social signals, link building, and keyword tracking. As with SEMrush, the application of these features is not confined to SEO alone, but also greatly aids PR activities.
For instance, its backlink analysis tool helps PR professionals track the efficacy of their press releases or content marketing efforts by showing which sites are linking back to their content. It’s also beneficial when researching potential websites or influencers to collaborate with, as you can see who links to them and assess the quality of these links.
Moreover, its keyword tracking can help improve the visibility of your press releases and content in search engine results. This enhances your chances of reaching a wider audience, a crucial aspect of successful PR.
19. Anewstip
Anewstip is a search engine for finding journalists, influencers, and media outlets that have mentioned specific topics on Twitter.
20. Agility PR Solutions
Agility PR Solutions provides powerful yet easy-to-use media database, monitoring, and analytics solutions for PR professionals.
21. Critical Mention
Critical Mention is a real-time TV and radio intelligence platform for quickly finding and sharing broadcast media coverage.
22. Prezly
Prezly is a PR tool that helps you create press releases, host them online, and distribute them to your media contacts.
23. Talkwalker
Talkwalker is a social listening and analytics tool that helps track and optimize your online presence. It offers media monitoring and analytics across social media and the web.
24. PR Couture
PR Couture is an industry platform providing resources, education, and career services for PR professionals. It’s a great resource for PR strategy and tips.
Public relations can seem daunting, especially for small businesses that might lack the resources to hire a full-time PR professional or team. However, as we’ve explored in this article, there are numerous resources available that can empower you to manage your PR activities effectively.
From platforms like PR Newswire for distributing your press releases, to tools like Penguin AI that use artificial intelligence to create press releases, these resources simplify and streamline the PR process. Monitoring tools like Google Alerts, Mention, and SEMrush allow you to keep a finger on the pulse of your brand mentions and manage your online reputation. Meanwhile, digital marketing suites like XOVI Now help you integrate your PR, SEO, and social media strategies.
It’s important to note that while many of these resources offer free options, some of them are paid services. Investing in some of these tools can significantly enhance your PR efforts and provide a valuable return on investment. We’ve provided links to these resources for your convenience, and please be aware that we may earn a commission for some purchases made through these links.
Remember, successful PR is not just about using the right tools—it’s also about crafting compelling narratives about your brand, building relationships with the media and your audience, and consistently delivering valuable content. These tools are meant to facilitate that process, not replace it.
So, start exploring these resources and see which ones best suit your business needs and budget. Remember, PR is a long-term commitment that requires consistent effort, but with the right resources, you can make your small business stand out in the crowd.
