The PR Tools That Should Be In Your Toolbox

Savvy PR professionals have a variety of tools at their disposal, but do you know which ones to pull out, and when? Do you know how much they cost, if anything? Do you understand how they’re different from each other?

We’ve compiled a rundown of some of our favorite PR tools broken out by category. Whether it’s issuing a press release, monitoring the media, searching for a reporter, tracking your social feeds, or something else to help improve your brand’s visibility and efficiency, we’ve got the tool for the job. 

PR Distribution Services

Business Wire

Send press releases to major media outlets in defined geographical areas and track results. Business Wire also offers reporting options.

Cost: There are many options for membership. A single press release starts at $400. Learn more here.

PR Newswire

Distribute press releases to PR Newswire’s global network of more than 10,000 websites.

Cost: An annual membership of $195 plus a cost per press release. Press releases start at $350. Get it here.

PR Web

Forward distributions to journalists and bloggers who subscribe to the service.

Cost: Prices start at $99 per release. Check it out here.

Media Monitoring Tools

Google Alerts 

The best free tool for monitoring clients, topics, or specific news, Google Alerts keeps track of the outlets that feature your clients, as well as competitors’ news and the latest industry trends.

Cost: It’s free!  Learn more here.

Feedly

While Google Alerts is a great tool, too many alerts can overwhelm your inbox. Feedly helps organize your emails (and your life).

Cost: Free, but with optional paid “Pro” and “Team” plans starting at $5.41/mo. Get it here.

Help a Reporter Out (HARO)

Get the inside scoop on what reporters are writing about. Sign up and gain access to daily emails from journalists seeking interviewees.

Cost: It’s free! Get it here.

Prezly

Prezly offers online distribution of press releases and a multimedia newsroom. You can share stories via email and social media press rooms, plus analytics and insights are included.

Cost: Ranges from $300 – $450 per month. Learn more here.

ProfNet

PRNewswire offers this tool for journalists and bloggers to send thousands of story leads every month to ProfNet users. Like HARO, you can review daily emails from reporters looking for sources on particular topics.

Cost: Membership fees are based the on size of business. ProfNet is free for reporters. Check it out here.

TrendKite (Owned by Cision)

TrendKite helps agencies measure the effectiveness of their PR efforts. Features include custom dashboards that allow you to track mentions of your company in articles, as well as general sentiment and share of voice. You can also receive email news alerts and shareable PDF reports.

Cost: Prices vary on the number of dashboards an agency requires. Get it here.

Reporter Search

Cision

This tool makes it a snap to track down reporters’ contact information and sort reporters by the beats they cover. 

Cost: There are multiple paid plans, starting at $3,000/yr. Learn more here.

TechNews

Easily search for up-to-date contact details and web articles by authors, bloggers, and journalists for trustworthy publications.

Cost: Costs vary based on service level. Check it out here.

MuckRack

Find the right reporter to pitch by searching keywords, company names, competitors, beats, outlets, media types, and more. You can set up email notifications when journalists tweet or link to articles matching your search terms.

Cost: Costs vary based on service level. Get it here.

Social Media Monitoring Tools

Buffer

You can schedule posts on all your social media handles, then track valuable analytics like views, clicks, and favorites.

Cost: It’s free with optional paid plans starting at $15/mo. Get it here.

Sprout Social

Monitor all social media connections in one place, complete with history, notes, and more.

Cost: Costs range from $99 per month for Standard to $249 per month for Advanced. Learn more here.

Twilert

Twilert monitors what’s being said about your client’s brand on Twitter. It helps you monitor your online reputation by keeping an eye on mentions and hashtags.

Cost: Prices start at $9 per month. Check it out here.

Other Digital Marketing Tools:

Creative Commons

Creative Commons allows you to search for content that you are able to use, share, and edit legally. This site will help you find and properly cite images

Cost: It’s free. Check it out here.

Evernote 

Take notes on the go, record interviews, keep client to-do lists organized, and set reminders with Evernote. There is a desktop and mobile app so you always have access

to your notes. 

Cost: It’s free with upgrade options. Get it here.

Google Drive 

Google Drive is a collaboration tool allowing for real-time editing and suggestions. Each app (docs, spreadsheets, presentations, forms, and drawings) automatically saves

every three seconds, so you never have to worry about programs crashing and losing work.

Cost: It’s free. Get it here.

Grammarly 

Grammarly is a great browser extension that serves as an automated proofreader. It checks for more than 250 types of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors, enhances vocabulary usage, and suggests citations.

Cost: It’s free with premium services. Learn more here.