Prowly vs. Muck Rack: A Battle of PR Software Titans — Meet Candid

Making the Choice

What is a Prowly?

prowly

Prowly is a PR software or tool designed to assist PR professionals and organizations in managing their media relations more effectively and efficiently. It offers a range of features aimed at building better relationships with the media, including finding relevant media contacts, organizing them in a PR Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, creating visual press releases, sending email pitches, and maintaining journalist-friendly newsrooms. Prowly aims to streamline PR tasks, save time, and enhance communication with the media.

Who uses Prowly?

Prowly is used by a wide range of individuals and organizations in the field of public relations (PR) and media relations. Here are some of the primary users and groups who utilize Prowly:

1. PR Professionals
2. PR Agencies
3. Communications Teams
4. Marketing Teams
5. Media Relations Specialists
6. Journalists and Editors
7. Content Creators
8. Startup Founders and Entrepreneurs
9. Nonprofit Organizations
10. Government Agencies

What is a Muck Rack?

muckrack

Muck Rack is a PR software solution that provides users with the tools to effectively manage their public relations efforts. It includes a sophisticated media database that helps users identify and connect with the right journalists and media contacts for their PR campaigns. One of its key features is an automatically updated media list, ensuring that users always have access to the latest and most relevant media contacts, saving them time compared to maintaining outdated lists.

Who uses Muck Rack?

Muck Rack is used by a diverse range of individuals and organizations in the field of public relations (PR), media relations, and communications. It serves as a valuable tool for media professionals and PR practitioners to manage and streamline their efforts. Here are some of the key users and groups who commonly use Muck Rack:

1. PR Professionals
2. PR Agencies
3. Communications Teams
4. Media Relations Specialists
5. Journalists and Editors
6. Content Creators
7. Marketing Teams
8. Startup Founders and Entrepreneurs
9. Nonprofit Organizations
10. Government Agencies
11. Media Outlets

Common Features:

1. Auto-update Media Lists
2. Campaign Management
3. Clippings Management
4. Communications Calendar
5. Contact Management
6. Digital Asset Management
7. Direct Mail Management
8. Email Distribution
9. Press Monitoring
10. Press Release Builder

Deep View of Features

1. Auto-update Media Lists:

Purpose: This feature is designed to help PR professionals maintain accurate and up-to-date media contact lists effortlessly. Media lists are crucial for successful PR campaigns as they contain the contact information of journalists, bloggers, influencers, and other media professionals relevant to a particular industry or niche.

How It Works: Both Prowly and Muck Rack employ automated processes to keep media lists current. Here’s how it typically works:

1. Database Access
2. Real-time Updates
3. Customization
4. List Management
5. Notification

Benefits:

• Time Efficiency
• Accuracy
• Relevancy
• Improved Relationships

Customization: Users can often customize their media lists by adding or removing contacts, grouping contacts by relevance, and adding notes or tags for better organization.

Integration: This feature may be integrated with other aspects of the PR software, such as email distribution and campaign management, to streamline the entire PR process.

2. Campaign Management:

Purpose: The Campaign Management feature in PR software is designed to facilitate the planning, execution, and monitoring of PR campaigns. It serves as a centralized hub where PR professionals can strategize, organize, and track their public relations initiatives.

Key Components:

1. Campaign Planning
2. Content Creation
3. Scheduling
4. Contact Management
5. Distribution
6. Monitoring and Tracking
7. Analytics and Reporting

Benefits:

• Efficiency
• Coordination
• Data-Driven Decisions
• Improved ROI

Customization: Users can typically customize campaigns based on their specific goals and target audiences. This may include segmenting contacts, personalizing content, and tailoring distribution schedules.

Integration: Campaign Management often integrates with other PR software features, such as Contact Management, Email Distribution, and Analytics, for a seamless PR workflow.

3. Clippings Management:

Purpose: Clippings Management is a feature in PR software designed to help users gather, organize, and manage media mentions and coverage related to their brand, organization, or specific PR campaigns. It simplifies the process of tracking and showcasing press mentions and relevant articles.

Key Components:

1. Media Monitoring
2. Automatic Collection
3. Organization
4. Keyword Alerts
5. Analytics

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Coverage
• Evidence of Success
• Reputation Management
• Competitive Insights

Customization: Users can often customize their clippings based on their specific needs and reporting requirements. This may involve creating customized reports or dashboards.

Integration: Clippings Management may be integrated with other PR software features, such as Campaign Management and Analytics, to provide a holistic view of PR performance.

4. Communications Calendar / Editorial Calendar:

Purpose: The Communications Calendar (also known as an Editorial Calendar) is a feature in PR software designed to assist PR professionals in planning, scheduling, and managing their public relations activities, including press releases, pitches, and other communication efforts. It serves as a visual and organized timeline for all PR-related activities.

Key Components:

1. Scheduling
2. Content Planning
3. Visibility
4. Collaboration
5. Integration

Benefits:

• Organization
• Consistency
• Resource Management
• Avoid Overlaps
• Deadline Tracking

Customization: Users can often customize the calendar to suit their specific needs, including defining different types of PR activities, color-coding, and adding notes or comments.

Reminders and Notifications: Some PR software includes reminder and notification features to alert users of upcoming PR activities or approaching deadlines.

5. Contact Management:

Purpose: Contact Management is a core feature in PR software designed to help users efficiently organize, categorize, and maintain their media contacts, journalists, influencers, and other stakeholders. It plays a critical role in facilitating communication and relationship-building within the PR field.

Key Components:

1. Contact Database
2. Categorization and Tagging
3. Import and Export
4. Contact History
5. Communication Integration

Benefits:

• Efficient Outreach
• Personalization
• Relationship Building
• Segmentation
• Data Integrity

Search and Filtering: Users can search for specific contacts or apply filters to find contacts based on various criteria, making it easy to locate the right individuals quickly.

Notification and Alerts: Some PR software provides notification and alert features, such as reminders for follow-ups or notifications of contact updates.

6. Digital Asset Management (DAM):

Purpose: Digital Asset Management is a feature in PR software designed to help users efficiently store, organize, and manage multimedia assets (such as images, videos, documents, graphics, logos, etc.) that are relevant to their PR campaigns. The primary goal is to ensure easy access to these media resources and streamline their use in PR activities.

Key Components:

1. Centralized Repository
2. Metadata and Tagging
3. Access Control
4. Version Control
5. Asset Preview
6. Search and Retrieval
7. Sharing and Distribution

Benefits:

• Efficient Resource Management
• Quick Access
• Consistency
• Compliance
• Collaboration

Customization: Users can customize the DAM system to align with their specific organization’s needs, including configuring metadata fields and access permissions.

Integration: DAM systems are often integrated with other PR software components, such as Campaign Management and Content Creation, to seamlessly incorporate multimedia assets into PR activities.

7. Direct Mail Management:

Purpose: Direct Mail Management is a feature in PR software designed to facilitate the efficient management of direct email communication with media contacts, journalists, influencers, and other stakeholders. It streamlines the process of sending personalized emails, pitches, press releases, and other PR-related communications directly from the platform.

Key Components:

1. Email Composition
2. Personalization
3. Contact Selection
4. Template Library
5. Scheduling
6. Tracking and Reporting
7. Contact Management Integration

Benefits:

• Efficiency
• Personalization
• Tracking and Analytics
• Scheduling
• Contact Segmentation

Customization: Users can often customize email templates and messages to align with their brand’s voice and style.

Integration: Direct Mail Management may integrate with other PR software features, such as Campaign Management and Analytics, to ensure that email communication is seamlessly integrated into the broader PR workflow

8. Email Distribution:

Purpose: Email Distribution is a core feature in PR software that streamlines the process of sending press releases, media pitches, and other PR materials to targeted media contacts, journalists, influencers, and other stakeholders via email. It is a critical component of public relations campaigns.

Key Components:

1. Contact Selection
2. Email Composition
3. Personalization
4. Template Library
5. Scheduling
6. Tracking and Reporting
7. Analytics
8. Bounce Management

Benefits:

• Efficiency
• Personalization
• Tracking and Analytics
• Scheduling
• Segmentation

Customization: Users can often customize email templates and messages to align with their brand’s voice and style.

Integration: Email Distribution may integrate with other PR software features, such as Campaign Management and Analytics, to ensure that email communication is seamlessly integrated into the broader PR workflow.

9. Press Monitoring:

Purpose: Press Monitoring is a crucial feature in PR software that allows users to monitor media coverage and mentions of their brand, industry, or specific keywords in real-time. It serves as a valuable tool for staying informed about the latest news and trends relevant to their PR efforts.

Key Components:

1. Media Sources
2. Keyword Alerts
3. Real-time Updates
4. Sentiment Analysis
5. Customization
6. Alerts and Notifications
7. Reporting

Benefits:

• Real-time Insights
• Competitive Analysis
• Crisis Management
• Data-Driven Decision-Making
• Media Relations

Customization: Users can often customize their monitoring settings to focus on specific topics, industries, or regions of interest, ensuring that monitoring efforts align with their PR objectives

Integration: Press Monitoring may integrate with other PR software features, such as Contact Management and Analytics, to provide a comprehensive view of PR performance.

10. Press Release Builder:

Purpose: The Press Release Builder is a key feature in PR software designed to simplify the process of creating and formatting press releases. It offers tools and templates that enable PR professionals to craft visually appealing and informative press releases for distribution to the media and stakeholders.

Key Components:

1. Templates
2. WYSIWYG Editor
3. Multimedia Embedding
4. SEO Optimization
5. Preview and Proofing
6. Distribution Integration
7. Version History

Benefits

• Efficiency
• Consistency
• Visual Appeal
• SEO Benefits
• Distribution Integration

Customization: Users can often customize press releases by adding their branding elements, including logos, contact information, and boilerplate text.

Compliance: Press Release Builders may include features to help users ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, such as adding necessary disclaimers or disclosures.

Access Monitoring

Prowly:

Live customer support representatives: Prowly provides live customer support representatives who are available to assist users in real time. This means that if users have questions, encounter issues, or require assistance while using Prowly, they can reach out to these support agents for immediate help. The availability of live support enhances the user experience and ensures that help is readily accessible.

Muck Rack:

Muck Rack does not specify 24/7 access monitoring with live representatives: In the provided information, there is no mention of Muck Rack offering 24/7 access monitoring with live customer support representatives. This means that users of Muck Rack may need to refer to the platform’s specific support or access policies to understand the availability of support and monitoring. Muck Rack may have different support hours or access policies.

Integrations

Prowly Integrations:

1. Vimeo Livestream Integration: Prowly integrates with Vimeo Livestream, a live video streaming platform. This integration likely enables users to incorporate live video streaming into their PR and media outreach efforts. Here’s how this integration may be beneficial:

1. Live Events
2. Analytics
3. Enhanced media

2. Google Analytics Integration: Prowly integrates with Google Analytics, a web analytics service. This integration allows users to track the performance of their PR and media content by leveraging Google Analytics data. Key benefits include:

1. Traffic Analysis
2. Conversion Tracking
3. Audience Insights
4. ROI Assessment

Muck Rack Integrations:
While the specific integrations for Muck Rack are not mentioned in the provided information, Muck Rack typically offers a range of integrations with various tools and platforms to enhance its functionality. Some potential types of integrations that Muck Rack may provide include:

1. Social Media Integration Email Marketing Integration
2. Content Management System (CMS) Integration
3. Media Database Integration
4. CRM Integration
5. Analytics Integration

Alternatives

Alternatives to Prowly:

1. Prezly: Prezly is a PR software platform that helps PR professionals manage their media relations, create engaging press releases, and build journalist-friendly newsrooms.
2. Meltwater: Meltwater offers media monitoring and intelligence solutions to track news and social media, helping organizations stay informed about their brand’s online presence.
3. Newswire: Newswire provides press release distribution services, helping businesses distribute their news and stories to a wider audience.
4. Agility PR Solutions: Agility PR Solutions offers media database and media monitoring tools, making it easier for PR teams to target journalists and track media coverage.
5. PR Underground: PR Underground specializes in press release distribution services, helping businesses reach a broader audience with their news.

Alternatives to Muck Rack:

1. Prezly: Prezly offers media relationship management tools, enabling users to manage media contacts and build journalist relationships.
2. Meltwater: Meltwater’s media monitoring platform can be an alternative for tracking news and online mentions relevant to your brand.
3. Newswire: Newswire offers press release distribution services similar to Muck Rack, helping businesses distribute their news and stories.
4. Agility PR Solutions: Agility PR Solutions also provides media database and monitoring services, making it a comprehensive alternative.
5. Cision: Cision offers PR and media management software, including media monitoring, influencer identification, and media outreach tools.

Deployment Details

Muck Rack:

• Deployment: Cloud-based
• Free Version: Available
• Free Trial: Available
• Support: Email/Help Desk, FAQs/Forum, Knowledge Base, Phone Support (24/7 with Live representative), Chat

Prowly:

• Deployment: Cloud-based
• Free Version: Available
• Free Trial: Available
• Support: Email/Help Desk, FAQs/Forum, Knowledge Base, Phone Support (24/7 with Live representative), Chat

Both Muck Rack and Prowly are cloud-based solutions, and they offer free versions and free trials for users to explore their features and functionalities. Additionally, they provide various support options, including email, FAQs, knowledge base, phone support, and chat, with 24/7 availability for phone support with live representatives.

Focus area

The focus areas for both Prowly and Muck Rack are related to Public Relations and Social Media Management, but they have slightly different emphases:

Prowly:

1. Public Relations: Prowly is primarily designed to support various aspects of public relations. This includes functions such as media contact management, press release creation, media monitoring, and analytics. PR professionals and teams use Prowly to streamline their PR campaigns and media relations efforts.
2. Communication Management with Social Media: Prowly places a strong emphasis on managing PR and communication efforts, including the integration of social media. Users can distribute press releases and other PR materials through social media channels, enhancing their outreach to a wider audience and engaging with stakeholders on social platforms.
3. Sending & Publishing Communications: Prowly’s focus extends to sending and publishing communications, which includes the creation and distribution of press releases, pitches, and other PR content. The platform provides tools for crafting visually appealing press releases and efficiently distributing them to media contacts.

Muck Rack:

1. Public Relations: Like Prowly, Muck Rack is centered around public relations and media relations. It offers features for media contact management, media monitoring, and connecting with journalists and influencers
2. Social Media Management with Social Media: Muck Rack’s notable strength lies in its social media management capabilities. It enables users to manage their social media presence, engage with influencers, and track social media conversations and trends related to their brand or industry.
3. Social Media Analytics: Muck Rack also emphasizes social media analytics. Users can analyze data related to social media engagement and mentions, helping PR professionals understand the impact of their social media efforts and make data-driven decisions.

Distinguishing Emphases:

While both Prowly and Muck Rack serve as valuable tools for PR and social media management, their distinguishing emphases are as follows:

• Prowly: Prowly places a strong emphasis on communication management, including creating and distributing PR content like press releases. It also integrates social media to enhance PR efforts and outreach.
• Muck Rack: Muck Rack shines in the realm of social media management and analytics. It is known for helping users effectively manage their social media presence and measure the impact of social media activities.

Ultimately, the choice between Prowly and Muck Rack depends on the specific needs and priorities of PR professionals and organizations. Those seeking comprehensive PR and social media management solutions may consider how these platforms align with their goals and strategies.

pros and cons

Muck Rack:

Pros:

1. Comprehensive PR Solution: Muck Rack offers a wide range of features for PR professionals, including media monitoring, contact management, customizable reports, and more, making it a comprehensive solution for PR needs.
2. Ease of Use: Users have praised Muck Rack for its user-friendly interface, making it easy to look up information on reporters, develop media lists, and send pitches.
3. Continuous Improvement: Users appreciate that Muck Rack constantly updates and improves its platform with thoughtful improvements, enhancing the overall user experience.
4. Fast Customer Support: Muck Rack provides fast customer support, helping users ensure their customers receive quick responses, which is crucial for online image and professionalism.

Cons:

1. Inconsistent Results: Some users have reported inconsistencies in the results and information output, which can be frustrating when trying to gather accurate data.
2. Limited Contact Information: Occasionally, Muck Rack may not have contact information available for certain outlets, making it challenging to reach out to specific journalists or media.
3. Technical Issues: Users have reported technical issues, such as the system failing to send PR pitches and slow response from support, leading to dissatisfaction.

Prowly:

Pros:

1. Innovative: Prowly is praised for its innovative approach, making it a favorable choice for PR professionals who are looking for modern and forward-thinking PR solutions.
2. Recommendation-Worthy: Users have recommended Prowly to other PR professionals, indicating a high level of satisfaction with the platform.
3. Saves Time: Prowly helps PR professionals manage media relations more effectively, saving time on routine tasks and streamlining workflows.

Cons:

1. Limited Information: Some users have found Prowly to have limited information and data, which may not meet the specific needs of all PR professionals.
2. Customer Support: There have been reports of slow or inadequate customer support, which can be frustrating when users encounter issues or need assistance.
3. Cancellation Challenges: Users have faced challenges when trying to cancel their subscriptions and obtain refunds, which can be an inconvenience.

likes and dislikes by users

Prowly and Muck Rack are both popular public relations (PR) and media relations software platforms, but they have different features and capabilities. Here are some likes and dislikes for both platforms:

Prowly:

Likes:

1. User-Friendly Interface: Prowly is known for its user-friendly and intuitive interface, making it easy for PR professionals to navigate and use
2. Media Database: Prowly offers a media database that helps users find and connect with journalists and influencers, making it easier to target the right audience.
3. Story Creation: It provides tools for creating interactive press releases and media kits, which can enhance the storytelling aspect of PR campaigns.
4. Email Campaigns: Users can send personalized email campaigns to media contacts directly through the platform, streamlining outreach efforts.
5. Analytics: Prowly offers analytics and reporting features to track the performance of PR campaigns, helping users make data-driven decisions.

Dislikes:

1. Limited Features: Some users may find that Prowly lacks certain advanced features that are available in other PR software platforms.
2. Pricing: Pricing can be on the higher side for smaller businesses or organizations with limited budgets.

Muck Rack:

Likes:

1. Media Database: Muck Rack provides a comprehensive media database with detailed profiles of journalists and media outlets, making it easier to build media lists
2. Media Monitoring: It offers media monitoring and tracking capabilities, allowing users to stay up-to-date with media mentions and PR coverage.
3. Social Media Management: Muck Rack integrates with social media platforms, making it convenient to manage and schedule social media posts related to PR campaigns.
4. Analytics: Users can access detailed analytics and reports to measure the impact of their PR efforts.
5. Collaboration: Muck Rack supports team collaboration, making it suitable for PR teams working together on campaigns.
6. Learning Curve: Some users may find Muck Rack’s interface less intuitive, and it may take some time to learn how to use all its features effectively.
7. Pricing: Like Prowly, Muck Rack can be relatively expensive, which might not be suitable for smaller businesses or freelancers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Prowly FAQs:

1. How can I use Prowly to find journalists and media contacts?

You can use Prowly’s media database to search for journalists and media contacts based on specific criteria, such as location, industry, or topic of interest.

2. Is Prowly suitable for small businesses?

Prowly is typically used by PR agencies and larger organizations. Its pricing may not be as cost-effective for very small businesses or startups.

3. Can I measure the success of my PR campaigns using Prowly?

Yes, Prowly provides analytics and reporting features that allow you to track the performance of your PR campaigns, including metrics like open rates and engagement.

Muck Rack FAQs:

1. Can Muck Rack help me monitor my organization’s media coverage?

Yes, Muck Rack offers media monitoring and tracking features, allowing you to stay informed about media mentions and PR coverage related to your organization.

2. Is Muck Rack suitable for solo PR practitioners?

Muck Rack is used by PR teams and agencies but can also be valuable for solo practitioners. Pricing plans may vary, so it’s important to choose one that fits your needs.

3. Can I schedule social media posts with Muck Rack?

Yes, Muck Rack integrates with social media platforms, allowing you to schedule and manage social media posts related to your PR campaigns.

4. What kind of analytics does Muck Rack provide?

Muck Rack offers analytics and reporting features that help you measure the impact of your PR efforts, including metrics like social media engagement and media coverage.

5. What are the countries in which Muck Rack and Prowly PR Software have more customers?

Muck Rack has more customers in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada.
Prowly PR Software has more customers in Poland, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Pricing details

Prowly:

Explore Prowly’s pricing options, including the Essential Bundle at $339/month (billed annually) for essential PR tools, the Professional Bundle at $449/month (billed annually) with extended features, or the Professional Plus Bundle at $594/month (billed annually) for comprehensive PR solutions and dedicated support.

Muck Rack:

To get pricing details tailored to your specific needs, you can request pricing by clicking on the “Request Pricing” button on the pricing page. This will likely lead you to a form or contact information to get in touch with Muck Rack’s sales team, who can provide you with a customized proposal and pricing information based on your requirements.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the decision may come down to personal preference and specific use cases. Both Prowly and Muck Rack are reputable PR tools, and the “better” choice depends on which one aligns more closely with your particular goals and workflows. It’s advisable to take advantage of free trials or demos offered by both platforms to test them in your context before making a final decision.

Originally published at https://meetcandid.com on September 9, 2023.