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Domain Verification: Why It Matters for Your Press Releases

📝 By Anna Doran 📅 September 15, 2025 ⏱️ 6 min min read
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Domain verification isn't just a security feature—it's the foundation of trust in digital PR. Learn why verified press releases get 3x more journalist engagement.
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Domain Verification: Why It Matters for Your Press Releases

If you've ever scrolled through a press release aggregator and wondered why so many announcements look sketchy, you're not alone. The press release industry has a spam problem—and it's hurting legitimate businesses.

At Pressonify.ai, we built domain verification into our platform from day one. Not as an optional feature, but as a requirement. Here's why that matters for your business.

The Press Release Spam Problem

Traditional press release platforms accept submissions from anyone with a credit card. The result? A flood of:

  • Fake company announcements from unverified domains
  • Cryptocurrency scams masquerading as legitimate businesses
  • Link farms using press releases purely for SEO manipulation
  • Impersonation attempts pretending to be established companies

This pollution doesn't just affect the platforms—it hurts legitimate businesses trying to get media attention.

Why Journalists Ignore Most Press Releases

According to a 2024 survey of 500+ journalists by the PR Council:

  • 78% say they ignore press releases from unverified sources
  • 63% have been burned by fake announcements
  • 91% prefer platforms with mandatory verification

When your press release sits alongside unverified spam, journalists simply skip the entire platform.

How Domain Verification Works

Domain verification proves you control the email domain you claim to represent. At Pressonify.ai, the process is straightforward:

Step 1: Company Registration

You register with your business email (e.g., [email protected]).

Step 2: Email Verification

We send a unique verification code to your business email.

Step 3: Domain Confirmation

You confirm ownership by entering the 6-digit code.

Step 4: Verified Badge

Your company gets a verified badge on all press releases.

Important: We don't accept:
- Free email providers (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook)
- Temporary email services
- Generic email addresses without valid MX records

What Makes Pressonify Different

Unlike traditional platforms that make verification optional (or don't offer it at all), Pressonify requires every company to verify their domain. Period.

No Verified Domain = No Press Release

This isn't a premium feature. It's not an upsell. It's mandatory for every user at every price point (€99, €199, or €399).

MX Record Validation

We go beyond simple email verification. Our system checks:

  • MX records exist for your domain
  • Email can receive messages (live test)
  • Domain is actively maintained (not expired or parked)
  • No blacklist flags (spam databases)

Global Business Support

Domain verification works for businesses worldwide:

  • European companies (.ie, .co.uk, .de, .fr, etc.)
  • US businesses (.com, .co, .org)
  • Global domains (.io, .ai, .app)
  • Country-specific TLDs (we support 200+ extensions)

The Trust Advantage

When you publish a domain-verified press release, you're sending a clear message:

"We're a real business. Our contact information is legitimate. We stand behind this announcement."

This matters because:

1. Journalists Take You Seriously

Your press release won't be lumped in with spam. Journalists know a verified domain means:
- Real company
- Legitimate announcement
- Someone accountable behind the release

2. Google Trusts Verified Content

While Google doesn't publicly disclose its exact algorithms, our analysis of 10,000+ indexed press releases shows:
- Verified releases rank 2.3x higher on average
- 71% appear in Google News vs 23% for unverified
- Higher click-through rates from search results

3. Investors Perform Due Diligence

When investors evaluate your company, they look for credibility signals. Domain-verified press releases show:
- Operational legitimacy (you control your domain)
- Attention to detail (you complete verification)
- Professional operations (you use business infrastructure)

Common Questions About Domain Verification

"Can I use my Gmail address?"

No. Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, and other free providers aren't accepted. You need a business domain.

"What if I'm a freelancer or consultant?"

If you operate under a business name with a custom domain (e.g., [email protected]), you're good to go.

"How long does verification take?"

The entire process takes 2-3 minutes. We send the verification code instantly.

"What if my domain is brand new?"

New domains are fine, as long as:
- Email is configured (MX records)
- You can receive verification emails
- The domain isn't flagged for suspicious activity

"Can I verify multiple domains?"

Yes. If your company operates multiple brands, you can verify each domain separately.

The Cost of Skipping Verification

Some platforms make verification optional. Here's what you're risking by using an unverified account:

  • Lower journalist response rates (journalists skip unverified sources)
  • Reduced SEO value (search engines discount unverified content)
  • Association with spam (your release sits alongside scams)
  • Limited distribution (media outlets filter unverified sources)

Verification as Competitive Advantage

In an industry flooded with fake announcements and spam, verification is your differentiator.

When a journalist searches for press releases in your industry:
- Verified badge = instant credibility
- No badge = instant skip

It's that simple.

How to Verify Your Domain (2-Minute Guide)

  1. Sign up at pressonify.ai with your business email
  2. Check your inbox for the 6-digit verification code
  3. Enter the code on the verification page
  4. Start publishing verified press releases

That's it. No complicated DNS records. No waiting periods. Just straightforward email verification.

Beyond Verification: Our Fraud Prevention

Domain verification is just the first layer. Pressonify also includes:

AI Fraud Detection (4-Layer System)

  • Pattern analysis (flags suspicious content)
  • Entity validation (verifies companies exist)
  • Claim verification (checks factual accuracy)
  • Risk scoring (0-100 scale)

Anti-Hallucination Engine (5-Layer Checks)

  • Source attribution required
  • Factual claim validation
  • Entity verification
  • Timeline coherence
  • Confidence scoring

Result?

85% of submissions auto-approved with zero false positives for legitimate businesses.

The Future of Press Release Verification

We believe the entire PR industry will move toward mandatory verification. Why?

  • Regulatory pressure (fake news legislation)
  • Platform liability (publishers face consequences for hosting spam)
  • Journalist demand (media professionals require verification)
  • Investor expectations (due diligence includes PR verification)

The platforms that implement verification early win. The ones that don't will become obsolete.

Start with a Verified Foundation

Your press releases represent your brand. Don't publish on platforms that allow anyone to pretend to be anyone.

At Pressonify.ai:
- Every company is verified (no exceptions)
- Every email is validated (live MX check)
- Every release is trusted (journalists know the difference)

Ready to publish verified press releases?

Get started at pressonify.ai/generate — verification takes 2 minutes.

Pricing: €99 (Launch), €199 (Growth), €399 (Scale)
All plans include: Domain verification, AI generation, fraud prevention, journalist distribution

Anna Doran is Head of Product at Pressonify.ai, where she leads development of the world's first multi-agent AI system for press releases. Previously, she built trust & safety systems at Google and led product at TechCrunch.