Media Databases

How Much Does a Media Database Cost?

Media database costs vary widely from one provider to the next. The trick is to find a media database package that gives you exactly the features you require -- no more, no less, Here's what you need to know to get the biggest bang for your buck.

How much does a media database cost?

Well, how much do you have? The simple truth is that media database costs vary from a lot to a little depending on the features you need to connect your company with targeted media contacts.

The key to pricing media database services is to precisely identify the features you require from a media database. If you aren't careful, you could choose an inexpensive database solution that will ultimately be unable to meet your needs. On the other hand, you could drop a lot of cash on a Cadillac package that is filled with data you will never use.

As you explore media database options and learn more about media database pricing, you will start to get a feel for where you fit in the marketplace. In the meantime, here are some tips and ballpark figures to guide your search.

Standard Access

Most media database provider offer a standard package that provides access to a database with contact information for thousands of print, broadcast, and online media professionals. Pricing is based on a user license system that charges a base rate for the first license and reduced rates for additional ones. Other standard access features vary by provider. Media Based on these media database features, media database prices also vary accordingly. Cision, the industry leader, charges about $5,700 for a single license and additional user licenses run $1,275 each.

Premium Access

In addition to standard access features, media contact databases also offer premium access features that are very useful for PR professionals as well as publicity-minded business owners. Premium access features also vary by provider, but frequently include things like additional media contacts, detailed information about individual journalists (e.g. pitch preferences, work history, publishing credits, etc.), and other data broken down by sector or industry. A technology company or a tech-focused PR firm might purchase premium data for business and finance for $2,000, and then also buy premium data for technology journalists for an additional $2,000. Combined with the standard access pricing, a two-license purchase for Cision's best offering could easily run about $12,000 per year.

Other Options

As you might expect, there are ways to reduce the cost of media database access. Although Cision is highly rated among business owners, other providers like MyMediaInfo also offer a solid product. MyMediaInfo and similar providers don't offer the bells and whistles of their high-end competitors. But at $3,000 for a two license agreement, those providers are a bargain that some business owners find hard to pass up.

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