Press Release Distribution Terms Explained: A Beginner’s Guide to PR, SEO, and GEO
Michaela Jackson, part of the risk assessment team at EIN Presswire, contributed to this article.
Let’s face it. When you start looking for ways to get your news in front of the media (and now AI tools), it can feel overwhelming because there are so many channels of communications to consider. It’s not always clear which ones are worth your time or money.
One effective tool that has been around for more than a century is sending press releases through distribution platforms. These specialized services offer a way to share company news, updates and announcements about your brand or business with a wide network of media outlets without having to track down countless journalist emails or phone numbers.
However, people new to PR can sometimes find the terminology on these distribution websites confusing. Don’t panic. These terms become much easier to understand once you grasp the basics.
Terms like syndication, GEO, and distribution reports can sound like a foreign language. For those who find themselves navigating uncharted territory, we’ve broken down some of the common jargon you’ll see on EIN Presswire and other press release distribution platforms.
What is a press release?
First, let’s start off with what a press release is (and what it isn’t). Sometimes also referred to as “media alerts,” a press release is a 500-700 word formal announcement from a company or brand to inform the public, the media, and shareholders about new developments or upcoming events.
Press releases are:
Written from a neutral, third-person perspective. Instead of “We are proud to announce…” a press release would say, “Company Name is proud to announce…”
Making a clear, timely, newsworthy announcement. Common angles include: promotions or staff appointments, quarterly financial updates, company statements on current events, achievements, awards, and milestones, business expansions, and the introduction of new products or services.
Written by following a specific press release format. Typically, this includes a headline, a dateline, an intro paragraph, body content, a boiler plate, and contact information.
Great tools for marketing, boosting brand awareness, and improving SEO/GEO.
Press releases are not:
Advertisements. If the content is primarily aimed at selling a product or service, without any newsworthy or informative elements, then it is an advertisement and not a press release. Hyperbolic claims, overly promotional language, and superlatives should be avoided.
Opinion pieces, otherwise known as “op-eds.” If the primary purpose of the content is to persuade the public to your stance on an issue or relies on personal opinions and interpretations of facts, then it is an opinion piece and not a press release. Exposés and open letters often also fall into this category.
Potentially libelous, harmful, or malicious.
Why is this important?
Press releases are one of the most commonly used tools for brand strategy, and it’s been that way for over a century! Press releases have been around since 1906, and they’ve endured as a staple of the marketing and PR industry because of their effectiveness and universal accessibility. All of the biggest brands in the world utilize press releases to get their message to consumers, shareholders, and the media. So, whether they’re a new brand just beginning their journey, a well-established company looking to boost their online presence, or a PR agent tasked with enhancing the digital marketing strategy of their clients, press releases are a critical piece of today’s online news landscape.
Further reading: How to Write a GREAT Press Release
What is a boilerplate?
A boilerplate is the part of a press release where you tell your audience about your business or brand. It’s a concise, compelling paragraph that explains what you do, why, and how. It may also cite things like ownership, growth data, and the organization’s website to inform (and impress) the audience.
Shortening your brand’s mission statement and purpose into 3-5 sentences may seem like a tall order. However, it’s more simple than you might think. Here’s an example of an EIN Presswire boilerplate to consider:
About EIN Presswire
EIN Presswire, Everyone’s Internet News Presswire, founded by industry experts, delivers breaking news to a global audience through innovative, cost-effective distribution channels, making it a leading hub for professionals seeking to share or discover news efficiently and effectively. EIN Presswire is an operating division of Newsmatics Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based news tech company. Learn more by visiting www.einpresswire.com.
Why is it essential?
Boilerplates cover the main features of a brand in a way that is easily understood by readers, journalists, search engines, and AI tools. They help you control your brand’s narrative and spread awareness by condensing a company’s information into a citable, indexable, and memorable format. It’s a key feature of writing an effective, professional press release!
Further reading: Master the Press Release: Key Elements That Build Credibility and Reach
What is a newsroom?
Think of a newsroom as an online hub where all of a company’s press releases and recent news is gathered in one place. You can browse their recent headlines and catch up on their latest updates. Usually newsrooms also display the company’s logo and press contact information.
Why is this important?
Newsrooms are frequently used by journalists, industry professionals, and stakeholders to stay informed about a brand or organization. They offer a credible information source for artificial intelligence tools and search engines to pull answers from.
Further reading: Newsroom Setup & Use Guide
What is a newswire?
Though the term may sound ancient to some, newswires (or “wire services”) are used every day by journalists and news consumers alike to receive critical news updates, and by brands and companies to get those updates to the public. Newswires are a time-tested and strategic way to get news to the masses.
In today’s digital world, a newswire is a service or online platform that sends news and announcements to journalists, editorial departments, news outlets, and media databases for publication. Basically, it gets your news where it needs to go.
Newswires act as a bridge between organizations and the media outlets they want to reach, making sure important updates reach the right platforms quickly in a format reporters are ready to use.
EIN Presswire is considered a newswire because we distribute to a wide range of online platforms, media databases, and news outlets. These sources are then used by search engines and LLMs (Large Language Models) to provide answers to questions the public is searching for.
Why is this useful?
Most individuals and businesses don’t have direct publishing relationships with news platforms, media databases, and journalists. That’s where newswires come in. Wire services are especially useful for small and mid-sized businesses, self-promoters, and startup brands that don’t always have dedicated PR teams, or for adhoc announcements that need to go out fast. Researching media outlets, building distribution lists, and finding journalist and editor emails is time-consuming and tedious, but a newswire does that heavy-lifting for you.
Further reading: More Than Announcements: Press Releases In The AI Era Focus On Scalable, Search-Friendly Content
What is syndication?
If you’ve worked in the PR world, you’ve probably heard this term before, but you may not be familiar with what it actually means.
In the context of media and content, syndication is the mass transfer of content, usually between a publisher and news outlets or media databases. This is typically an automated process done through a variety of methods - from APIs, to RSS feeds, to content management systems.
Why is this important?
Syndication is a part of the magic sauce that makes press release distribution platforms like EIN Presswire such a valuable tool in content strategy. The platform builds the syndication tools and media relationships so you can focus on putting out great content about your brand.
Further reading: Why Press Release Distribution is More Than Just a ‘Send’ Button
What is a distribution report?
After a press release is published by a distribution platform like EIN Presswire, clients receive a distribution report for that release.
Think of it as a “report card” showing how and where your news was distributed.
A distribution report is a document provided after publication that tracks where the press release was delivered. For EIN Presswire, your report will give you links to where your release was syndicated across our distribution network, including placement on major news sites and partner platforms such as Google News, AP News, the National Law Review, and the USA TODAY Network, as well as how your release is visible in search engines like Google.
EIN Presswire’s distribution reports also include AI-related visibility information, reflecting how press releases may appear or be referenced in ChatGPT. This new addition shows the growing role of AI in how people discover and consume news.
Check out a sample distribution report from EIN Presswire.
Why is this useful?
Distribution reports give you a clearer picture of how your news is being distributed and discovered. The way people search for and consume information continues to evolve, with AI tools becoming increasingly common. These insights help you better understand your reach across online platforms.
Further reading: Get Your Brand Discovered by AI
What is a media list?
Media lists are lists or databases of press contacts (journalists, editorial teams, bloggers, newspapers, radio stations, etc.) that usually contains contact information and notes about what topics are covered by each contact. These lists are used by public relations pros to get in direct contact with a journalist or organization about a subject they may be interested in running a piece about. They’re also used by press release distribution platforms to share news with the media about a specific topic or location.
EIN Presswire makes its media lists public via our World Media Directory. Take a look at our United States national media list to see an example of what media lists look like.
Why is it important?
Most media professionals will tell you that networking is a key part of the public relations business. The same can also be said for press release distribution! That’s why so many people turn to distribution companies like EIN Presswire - media lists are ready-made, and we take care of sending the release to relevant contacts for you, so you can get exposure with top editorial rooms at the click of a button.
Further reading: How EIN Presswire Took the Pain Out of Cold Emails
What is SEO?
When someone searches for a brand or topic online, content should be easy to locate.
The goal is simple. Make content easier to discover when people search for relevant topics or keywords on platforms such as Google. Ranking on the first page of search results is often the target.
In a nutshell, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of improving how well content appears in search engine results. Effective SEO helps content rank higher so people do not have to search extensively to find it.
Why is this important?
Higher visibility in search results means the likelihood that content will be seen, read, and shared. For businesses and brands, strong SEO helps ensure their news and information reach the right audience in an increasingly digital search environment.
Further reading: How Press Releases Improve SEO and AI Reach
What is GEO?
The way people look for information about topics, companies, and brands is continuously evolving.
Instead of relying only on traditional search engines, more people are asking questions directly to AI chatbots and tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, Grok and Gemini. The cool thing is people are receiving conversational answers.
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) focuses on helping content appear in responses generated by AI-powered tools. Rather than showing a list of links, these systems generate direct answers by drawing from the content they have learned and summarized.
Why is this essential?
As AI tools become a more common way people discover information, visibility within AI-generated responses matters. GEO helps ensure that accurate, relevant brand content is more likely to be reflected in those answers, alongside traditional search visibility.
Further reading: Toolkit for AI-Driven Communications
So, what’s next?
Now that you’ve learned some of the basic PR jargon, you’re better equipped to understand how press release distribution works. Did we miss anything? Comment below!