Tag Archive for: what to look for in a PR firm

Why Do PR: Do You Need A PR Agency for Media Coverage?

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Key Takeaways

  • Strategic Media Relationships: PR agencies leverage their extensive relationships with journalists and utilize tools to track changes in the media landscape, ensuring targeted outreach and increased chances of securing coverage.
  • Understanding Journalists’ Needs: Effective media relations involve prioritizing journalists’ needs, as they focus on crafting engaging stories. PR firms are adept at aligning their pitches with what journalists are looking for, enhancing the likelihood of favorable coverage.
  • External Perspective and Insights: PR agencies provide valuable outside perspectives that can identify coverage gaps and emerging trends. This fresh viewpoint can help align PR strategies with broader business goals, ultimately enhancing brand reputation and value.

Do you need a PR Agency for media coverage?

This is a totally fair question. The answer is no.

But, if you don’t need a PR agency for media coverage, why are there so many PR agencies, and what value do they bring?

In her early years at Spanx, Sara Blakely famously used PR and not a single paid advertisement, and she did much of it herself early on. Bootstrapped companies should absolutely take a page out of her playbook.

But if your business is scaling, or you’re raising money, or looking for an acquisition, then maybe this isn’t the best use of your time anymore – or maybe it never was.

PR Agencies Have The Right Tools and Relationships

Keeping up with journalists and their beats is an ongoing part of how PR agencies monitor the landscape. We often know when a journalist has moved beats or outlets started going freelance, or is taking a sabbatical to write a book.

PR agencies use enterprise level tools to monitor coverage and keep up with the changes in journalists. These platforms save endless hours of research time.

Can you do this yourself? Yes.
Should you? Only if it’s the best use of your time.

PR strategy and emotional intelligence in pitching

Many people will tell you that PR agencies thrive off their media relationships. And this is true, particularly within certain B2B industries. But in consumer media, the landscape shifts constantly.

Media is in a state of re-invention with reduced budgets, and many media writers and journalists are actually finding freelancing to be more beneficial. So while we’ve certainly developed deep relationships with journalists, it’s not uncommon for them to leave the beat or move to freelance. And it’s the keeping track of these relationships and their new contact info, along with relevant beats, that set the agency relationship apart and helps a PR agency for media coverage.

We employ tools to help us quickly find the right people at the right time. We can also quickly find recent articles across a wide range of outlets, and this helps us get a better, more strategic sense of the likelihood that a particular journalist is interested in our story.

PR firms know the true target audience

What does a media pitch look like? You just email the journalist and tell them about your company, right? And then they email you back and you get media coverage? Not quite.

Journalists don’t view their job as helping you get media coverage. The journalist’s job is to tell a well-rounded story, and make sure the article gets eyeballs. When you’re talking to journalists, their needs must come first; that’s why it’s called media relations.

At Avaans, we spend a lot of time understanding the shifting needs of journalists, we understand how to talk with journalists and how to ensure your company stays in front of the right media outlets at the right time for media coverage. Understanding how to support media outlets and their journalists is part is an effective reputation management strategy.

 

PR firms bring an outside perspective

If you have an internal and separate communications person,  meetings and communication strategy along with internal comms likely fill their days. That’s a mighty big job already. The demands of that role make it nearly impossible to do consistent media outreach.

But even if they do, an agency supports the brand with something else: an outside perspective. At Avaans, we often provide a brand insight that changes business outcomes. Because we view the brand with fresh eyes, we can identify gaps in coverages based on your business goals and inform you on emerging trends that are relevant to your PR strategy.

If you don’t have an internal comms person or your CMO doubles as your communication executive, then your CMO definitely wants a PR firm to provide PR insight. PR is part of marketing, but it has distinct differences and opportunities and a good PR firm like Avaans can provide insight into ways to combine marketing and PR.  

The biggest brands in the world count on brand equity as a major part of their valuation; investing in PR makes brand value grow faster.

Learn more about our work and how we have built value for our clients.

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7 Critical Criteria for Selecting Your Funding Round PR Partner

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Key Takeaways

  • Strategic Narrative and Expertise: It’s crucial to select a PR agency that excels in crafting a compelling, investor-focused narrative for your funding round. The agency should not just relay financials but position your company as an industry leader with a strong, marketable story that sparks investor interest.

  • Media Relationships and Crisis Management: A successful PR agency should have strong, established media connections to secure high-quality placements. They must also be prepared to manage crises swiftly and effectively, ensuring your company’s reputation remains intact amidst scrutiny during the funding round.

  • Data-Driven and Long-Term Positioning: Look for an agency that uses measurable metrics to track PR success, focusing on investor sentiment and market impact rather than vanity metrics. Additionally, they should offer long-term visibility and executive thought leadership, setting the stage for future funding rounds and growth.

 

Raising capital is one of the most defining moments for any startup or growth-stage company. Investors are watching, competitors are listening, and your narrative needs to be airtight, compelling, and precisely timed. That’s why choosing the right PR agency selection process isn’t just about finding a firm with good media connections. It’s about securing a strategic partner who appreciates the high-stakes nature of your funding round. Effective funding round PR is essential.

Not all agencies are created equal. Some will supercharge your funding narrative, while others will leave you scrambling to control the message. So, how do you evaluate a PR agency for this pivotal moment? Read on to find out.

7 Key Criteria for Funding Round PR Agency Selection

We have created an assessment framework to guide you through a structured, thoughtful selection process. Based on seven critical criteria for funding round PR, this framework helps you systematically evaluate a PR agency by inquiring about its key methods and approaches to validate its expertise.

It ensures that your PR agency selection isn’t based on gut feeling alone but on measurable, comparative insights. Here are the seven key factors when hiring a funding round PR agency.

1. Strategic Narrative Expertise for Funding PR

Investors don’t just back products; they back stories and compelling narratives that signal growth, innovation, and market leadership. Numbers alone don’t secure funding; the perception of momentum and category dominance does.

Your funding round is a strategic opportunity to position your company as an inevitable industry leader. A strong funding round PR partner should transform your financials, vision, and competitive edge into a narrative that grabs attention, builds credibility, and sparks investor FOMO (fear of missing out).

They should know how to connect your milestones to larger market trends, craft a media-friendly hook, and strategically place your story where it will influence the right stakeholders. In short, your PR partner must make your funding round impossible to ignore.

Questions to Ask

  • Do they understand the nuances of different funding rounds (Seed vs. Series A vs. Series B vs. Series C+)?
  • Can they shape a compelling founder story beyond just financial metrics?
  • Have they successfully positioned clients to attract both investors and customers?

2. Media Relationships: A Critical Factor in Funding Round PR

It’s one thing to pitch TechCrunch, Forbes, or Bloomberg—another to secure meaningful coverage that drives investor confidence and market credibility. Simply landing a mention isn’t enough; your story’s depth, tone, and placement determine its impact. A well-executed PR agency selection process should go beyond surface-level claims and involve deep scrutiny of the agency’s media relationships.

Make sure they have strong reporter connections in your industry and can secure exclusive features, interviews, and thought leadership opportunities. Assess their past placements, journalist relationships, and strategic approach to ensure they can deliver media exposure that truly moves the needle.

Questions to Ask

  • Do they have established contacts at top-tier business and tech publications?
  • Can they navigate mainstream media (Forbes, WSJ) and niche industry verticals?
  • Do they tailor pitches, or do they just blast journalists with generic press releases?

3. Crisis Preparedness for Funding Announcements

Funding rounds invite intense scrutiny, especially in today’s unpredictable market, where every announcement is dissected by investors, competitors, and the media. A misstep in messaging, a poorly worded executive quote, or an overlooked controversy—such as an investor’s past scandals or a sudden round of layoffs—can erode trust and derail momentum overnight.

Your funding round PR partner must excel at amplifying your success, navigating crises, mitigating risks, and shaping narratives under pressure. They should have a proactive crisis strategy, strong media relationships, and the ability to course-correct swiftly before minor issues become reputational disasters.

Questions to Ask

  • Have they managed PR crises related to funding rounds before?
  • Can they craft contingency messaging under pressure?
  • Do they offer proactive risk assessment, not just reactive crisis management?

4. Startup & VC Ecosystem Knowledge

A consumer brand PR agency may boast impressive media placements, influencer collaborations, and viral campaigns. Still, if they lack deep expertise in venture capital, they will fall short when it matters most. Funding round PR isn’t about product hype—it’s about positioning your company as a high-growth, investable business. You need a PR partner fluent in funding structures, investor psychology, and startup milestones, ensuring they can craft a narrative that resonates with VCs, analysts, and financial journalists. Without this nuanced understanding, even the most well-connected agency will struggle to tell a story that builds credibility and fuels momentum.

Questions to Ask

  • Have they worked with startups at your stage and sector?
  • Do they understand how to communicate with both VCs and customers?
  • Can they translate financial growth into compelling media angles?

5. Agility & Speed

Funding announcements are highly time-sensitive, and missing the right moment can significantly impact investor interest, media coverage, and overall momentum. If your PR agency drags its feet—delaying press outreach, struggling with approvals, or failing to coordinate with your internal timeline—you risk losing your PR window to competitors or shifting market conditions.

The right funding round PR partner understands the urgency of these announcements, ensuring precise timing, seamless execution, and rapid media engagement. They should have a proven track record of working under tight deadlines, securing embargoed press, and capitalizing on peak media interest to maximize your funding news impact.

Questions to Ask

  • Do they have a clear execution timeline?
  • Can they adjust messaging at the last minute if investor terms change?
  • Do they proactively push updates, or do they wait for direction?

6. Data-Driven Approach & Measurable Funding PR Outcomes

Great PR isn’t just media buzz. It should deliver a measurable impact that aligns with your business goals. A top-tier funding round PR agency will go beyond vanity metrics like “impressions” and demonstrate how their efforts contribute to investor confidence, brand authority, and market perception.

Look for an agency that quantifies how their work influences investor sentiment, market positioning, and funding success. For example, you can ask for success stories and case studies where PR directly contributed to a funding milestone or request sample reports on campaign performance, including metrics beyond impressions and reach.

Questions to Ask

  • How do they measure PR success beyond media placements?
  • Can they provide examples of PR campaigns that influenced investor perception or funding outcomes?
  • What tools or analytics do they use to track the impact of funding announcements?

7. Ability to Amplify Thought Leadership & Long-Term Positioning

Your funding round is pivotal to positioning your leadership team as industry visionaries. A strong funding round PR partner won’t just focus on a single press release; they will extend your visibility through executive thought leadership, guest articles, podcast appearances, and long-term media positioning. Funding is a stepping stone, not the final goal—your agency should help set the foundation for future rounds, acquisitions, or an IPO.

Questions to Ask

  • How do you incorporate executive thought leadership into a funding round PR strategy?
  • What long-term PR strategies do you use to sustain visibility after the funding announcement?
  • Can you help secure guest articles, speaking opportunities, or investor-focused content beyond media coverage?

Scoring System for Funding PR Agency Evaluation

Once you have all the answers and information you need, you are set to take your PR agency selection process to the next level. Here, we have a clear and structured scoring system for evaluating a funding round PR agency based on the seven critical criteria:

Criteria 3 Points (Excellent) 2 Points (Average) 1 Point (Poor)
Strategic Narrative Expertise Transforms financials & vision into a compelling investor-friendly story; proven track record in funding PR. It provides basic messaging but lacks deep investor appeal; storytelling is generic. Relies on standard press releases; struggles to shape a differentiated funding narrative.
Media Relationships It has strong direct relationships with top-tier VC and startup reporters (TechCrunch, Forbes, Bloomberg, etc.). Knows key journalists but doesn’t secure exclusive, high-impact placements consistently. It relies on cold pitching and struggles to place funding stories in top publications.
Crisis Preparedness Proactive risk management, scenario planning, and experience handling startup PR crises. Reacts to crises but lacks preventive strategies or deep experience with startup damage control. No structured crisis playbook; poor response time and damage mitigation.
Startup & VC Ecosystem Knowledge Understands funding structures, VC dynamics, and startup growth challenges; tailors PR accordingly. Some knowledge of startup PR but lacks deep VC insight; may require client guidance. Primarily works with non-startup brands; struggles with investor messaging and funding dynamics.
Agility & Speed Moves fast to meet funding announcement timelines; adapts quickly to market shifts and investor concerns. Works at a moderate pace but sometimes misses key PR windows for funding momentum. Slow turnaround; misses opportunities for real-time funding coverage.
Data-Driven Approach & Measurable PR Outcomes It measures PR success using investor-focused metrics such as sentiment tracking and funding impact. Provides generic PR metrics but doesn’t link results directly to investor perception. It focuses only on vanity metrics (e.g., impressions) and has no meaningful investor insights.
Ability to Amplify Thought Leadership & Long-Term Positioning Positions founders as thought leaders via guest articles, interviews, and speaker opportunities. Occasionally secures executive placements but doesn’t integrate thought leadership into the core strategy. There is no long-term positioning strategy; PR efforts end after the funding round announcement.

Scoring Methodology:

  1. Assign a score (1-3 points) for each category based on the agency’s responses.
  2. Total the points (max: 21, min: 7).
    • 18-21 points: Exceptional funding round PR partner.
    • 14-17 points: Good agency but may need some guidance.
    • Below 14 points: High-risk—may not be the right fit for funding PR.

This structured evaluation system ensures objective decision-making when selecting the best PR agency for your funding round.

Red Flags to Watch for

Even the most polished PR agencies can have hidden weaknesses that could derail your funding announcement. So, before signing a contract, watch for these red flags:

1. Overpromising Media Coverage

If an agency guarantees top-tier media placements, be cautious—no one can 100% promise coverage in outlets like TechCrunch or Bloomberg. PR success depends on strong media relationships and a compelling story, not empty guarantees. Always ask for case studies and journalist connections.

2. A “One-Size-Fits-All” Playbook

If an agency immediately pitches the same PR strategy they used for another startup without customizing it to your company’s positioning, that’s a red flag. Your funding round is unique, and your PR strategy should be, too. Agencies that rely on a templated playbook are unlikely to craft a compelling narrative that truly stands out.

3. Overuse of Press Releases Without Media Strategy

Some agencies think press releases alone drive media coverage. They don’t. Suppose an agency suggests drafting a press release as its primary strategy without a clear media engagement plan, journalist outreach, or exclusive pitching strategy. In that case, they may not have strong media connections. PR success comes from strategic storytelling, not mass-distributed announcements.

4. Limited Experience in Handling Sensitive Financial News

Funding announcements involve financial details that must be carefully framed for investors, the press, and competitors. If an agency isn’t comfortable working with financial disclosures, SEC regulations (if applicable), or investor-sensitive information, it could mishandle messaging and create unintended scrutiny.

5. They Can’t Articulate How PR Aligns With Investor Expectations

Media exposure is great, but what matters is how investors perceive your company after the funding news hits. If an agency can’t explain how its strategy supports future fundraising, investor confidence, and valuation growth, it may not truly understand startup financing dynamics.

Final Thoughts: Making the Right PR Agency Selection

Selecting your funding round PR partner isn’t just another box to check—it’s a decision that can shape your startup’s trajectory. The right agency doesn’t just secure media placements; it strategically positions you for your next funding milestone, enhances investor confidence, and fuels long-term brand authority. The wrong one? It can dilute your narrative, squander valuable opportunities, and stutter your momentum.

Using a structured assessment framework and scoring system, you can evaluate PR agencies with clarity, ensuring you’re not just hiring a service but investing in a partner who understands the stakes.

If you are looking for a seasoned PR agency with tons of experience in funding round PR, consider Avaans Media. We handle all aspects of financing round PR, crafting narratives that move markets. With deep expertise in high-growth startups, VC dynamics, and strategic media positioning, we ensure your funding story gets the attention it deserves.

Ready to make an impact? Let’s talk.

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What is a Boutique Agency and Should You Consider One?

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Key Takeaways

  • Definition and Size: Boutique agencies are typically small, with fewer than 20 employees, offering specialized services and a hands-on approach to client management.
  • Service Delivery and Expertise: Boutique agencies often provide more personalized service with experienced account managers directly involved in your projects. However, they may take longer for last-minute requests compared to larger agencies, which have resources readily available.
  • Cost Considerations: While boutique agencies can be less expensive for smaller budgets, larger agencies may offer additional services that justify their higher fees. The choice depends on your specific needs, such as personalized attention versus a broader range of immediate resources.

As you research PR agencies you may see many touting that they are “boutique.” What is a boutique agency? A boutique agency is an agency that prides itself on its smaller size, usually under 20 employees. Boutique agencies tend to offer either specializations or a more hands-on approach to client services.

What is a boutique agency and is a boutique agency right for you? Choosing a PR agency isn’t just about size. It’s about how the agency thinks, who you’ll actually work with, and whether their operating model matches your business. For some companies, a global agency with hundreds of employees is exactly the right fit. For others, a boutique PR agency delivers more strategic involvement, faster decision-making, and more experienced counsel.

Is Every Small Agency a Boutique Agency?

I suppose some of this depends on your PR agency expectations. The way boutique agencies are different from other small agencies is in a few areas: quality of work, experience levels, and client service levels.

  • Work quality at a boutique agency should be a point of pride. Quality starts with strategy. Your relationship at a boutique agency should be unique to you. That means from the start, the PR agency takes the time to understand you, your product, and your goals. There’s nothing wrong with a PR package; it’s just not a boutique experience.
  • Client service levels. Your team shouldn’t be managing a group of 5 or more clients. If your program is unique and special to you, you need a team that is constantly in touch with what matters to you, and that requires time and attention. This time and attention can also mean a faster turnaround on in-house services.
  • Experience levels. If your team is all junior-level except for one executive who occasionally drops in you’re not at boutique agency. In PR, experience levels matter because judgment matters, understanding industry and business matters, and, yes, outcomes matter. Executive-level PR teams are not only more efficient, but the experience is invaluable.

Do Boutique Agencies Offer the Same Services as Larger Agencies?

As all agencies vary in services, boutique agencies expand and contract as clients need. They often rely on a trusted team of subject experts and implementation specialists to do this. There are advantages and disadvantages to this approach. The advantage is you’re not paying for services and team members you aren’t using. The disadvantage is that adding to the scope and implementation may take longer. At a larger agency, you are paying for 24/7 service whether you need it or not.

Most boutique agencies have trusted relationships with providers of services they don’t offer in-house. For example, while we provide a digital PR perspective, we don’t offer SEO in-house. We can refer you to excellent agencies who deliver those services. Boutique agencies are excellent at networking and finding other boutique service providers.

How Many Clients Does a Boutique Agency Have?

The number of clients a boutique agency varies dramatically. It doesn’t matter how many clients an agency has; what matters more is how many clients your team members manage. In a boutique setting, you would expect to see account teams managing fewer than  five clients depending on their role; in other agencies where the service levels aren’t a priority or the team members manage packages rather than customized PR programs, you may find team members managing eight or sometimes even more clients. I think you want to look for an agency whose key team members aren’t working with more than five clients.

Do I Get The Same Level of Service?

Of course, it depends on your definition of service. So, let’s break down how agencies of different sizes handle client management. Boutique agencies have more “working managers,” which means your account managers are frequently agency executives. Their level of engagement will vary depending on factors like your PR budget, but they’re more deeply involved with your account than at a larger agency. You may even work with the agency’s CEO at a boutique agency, a highly unlikely occurrence at a large agency.

Also, typically, larger agencies assign more clients per team member than boutique agencies do. While a strategist at a large agency may carry 6-8 clients, at a boutique agency, your strategist may carry 4-5 clients at once. For example, our agency regularly receives service inquiries, but our current clients always come first. We choose that because our senior strategists are involved in both biz development and client work. If personalized strategies and personal attention matter, a boutique PR agency may suit you better.

At a larger agency, it’s very common to work with an executive during the RFP or decision-making process, but that executive is rarely involved in the day-to-day of your account; you may see them once a month. So if working with executive-level strategists is important to you, you may appreciate the personalized attention a boutique offers. But if you are someone who only wants to hear from your agency’s account team when necessary or you’re ok with a more junior account team for the day-to-day, then you may appreciate the larger agency’s approach. But if you want more engaged and experienced strategists, who are regularly active in and with your account, then a smaller agency might be better.

Are Boutique Agencies Less Expensive?

First, some perspective. Your $20,000 budget might be minimal at a larger agency but quite substantial at a boutique agency. That matters because, as I always say, you never want to be the client paying the least at any agency. So, you should consider the value of PR for your company and work with a larger agency as part of the whole value proposition (like the additional services mentioned above). Sometimes, hiring a larger agency is well worth it; “no one ever got fired for hiring Edelman.” However, boutique agencies may not be less expensive, but the service levels differ. So it’s up to you to decide what’s more valuable to you.

The real question isn’t whether a boutique agency costs less. It’s whether you’re paying for senior strategic thinking or organizational overhead. A larger agency may be the right investment if you need dozens of specialists available immediately. But if your success depends on executive judgment, narrative development, and close strategic collaboration, a boutique agency often delivers more value for the same investment.

 

When a Boutique Agency is the Better Choice

A boutique PR agency isn’t automatically the right choice for every company. Large agencies excel when organizations need global teams, simultaneous product launches across multiple markets, or large operational teams that can execute at scale. But there are situations where a boutique agency offers a distinct advantage.

Boutique agencies are strongest when the work requires senior judgment, not occasional executive oversight. If your communications strategy influences fundraising, market positioning, regulatory credibility, or executive visibility, working directly with experienced strategists can make a meaningful difference.

They’re also well suited for companies creating a new category or redefining an existing one. When the market doesn’t yet understand your story, communications becomes more than media outreach. It requires thoughtful narrative development that consistently reinforces what your company stands for and why it matters.

Growth-stage and regulated consumer brands frequently benefit from this model. As companies enter new markets, prepare for capital events, or operate in industries with complex communications constraints, every media opportunity contributes to a larger business objective. Strategy becomes as important as execution.

That doesn’t mean a boutique agency is always the better choice. If your organization needs communications support across multiple countries, dozens of specialists working simultaneously, or high-volume media outreach across many product lines, a larger agency’s infrastructure may be a better fit.

Ultimately, the right decision comes down to the kind of communications challenge you’re trying to solve.

 

Top Rated Boutique PR Agency

What does it actually mean to work with a boutique PR agency?

These are the questions we hear most. Straight answers, no spin.

What’s the difference between a boutique PR agency and a large agency?
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At a large agency, you pitch to a senior team and work with a junior one. That’s not a knock it’s how large agencies stay profitable. But for regulated consumer brands, that model is a liability. A junior account manager learning your category on your retainer can cause real damage: wrong messaging, misunderstood compliance constraints, pitches that land in the wrong hands. At Avaans Media, the executive team that pitches you is the team that does the work. Every account, every time.

Is a boutique PR agency right for a growth-stage brand?
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Often, it’s the better choice. Growth-stage brands need senior thinking, not scale for the sake of it. What matters at that stage is that someone with real media relationships and genuine category knowledge is driving your narrative — not managing a team that manages your account. Avaans is sized intentionally. We take on fewer clients than most agencies our age could justify, because category exclusivity and quality of work aren’t things you can scale around.

Why is Avaans rated one of the top boutique PR agencies in Los Angeles?
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Three independent sources have said so: Inc. Magazine named Avaans a Power Partner three consecutive years. Clutch — which verifies client reviews — awarded us Top Boutique PR Agency in Los Angeles. And PR Daily recognized our media relations work with an industry award. Those aren’t self-reported rankings. They’re based on client outcomes and verified reviews. We’ll take that over a trophy wall any day.

Does Avaans work with brands outside of Los Angeles?
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Yes. We’re based in Los Angeles and our media relationships span national and consumer-category outlets across the country. Most of our clients are distributed across the US, and our PR Sprint clients include brands doing national retail and DTC. Location has never been a constraint — what matters is category fit and whether the brand is ready to move.

What types of consumer brands does Avaans specialize in?
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Regulated consumer brands are our primary focus. Gaming, cannabis, supplements, functional food and beverage, consumer FinTech, alcohol, and emerging wellness categories where media access requires careful navigation. We also work with ambitious CPG, DTC, and consumer tech brands through our PR Sprint program, and with growth-stage consumer brands preparing for M&A or an IPO through our Bespoke Authority Program. If your category is complex, scrutinized, or still earning mainstream legitimacy, that’s our lane.

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Future Proof Your PR: Digital PR Strategies for 2025

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What defines PR and how best to go about it is ever-changing because so is media. But as you look forward to 2025, what PR strategy should you keep in mind? Digital PR strategies for 2025 can help future-proof you against the changing tides of today’s media landscape. Today’s media signals provide some great hints into the future direction of media and PR, both near and far.

Integrating SEO and PR: Core Digital PR Strategies for 2025

SEO is changing, PR must respond. Our PR meetings are increasingly including SEO teams, at least occasionally. That’s great to see because they overlap and can support one another. Today, there is no PR without digital PR. Personally, I couldn’t be more excited about this. When Avaans Media was first founded as Akamai Marketing, we were primarily a digital communications firm; ultimately, I shifted our focus to PR  but seeing media types blend is so satisfying. Today, there is no PR without digital PR.

Content Creation and PR

Modern PR includes an entire media suite that could consist of paid, earned, and influencer content. Always with content, it’s critical to remember the overarching strategy for said content. For example, some of your content will be created primarily to support SEO (we’ll get into that more in a minute); so long as it isn’t negatively affecting your brand or creating other reputational pressure, PR should be at the table for these planning meetings, but only to articulate potential opportunities. The same is true in reverse. SEO should not control PR content, but it should be included. Another example of this crossover is when your company wins an award. Each team might have different ideas about how to share and celebrate that award. Both are valuable and contribute to different goals; doing them all is probably great.

  • Include your SEO team in a monthly or quarterly PR meeting
  • Be very clear about the intent of any content and let that be the driving force behind the positioning, the voice, and execution of the content
  • Make sure to include SEO in any and all news
  • Reader experience will be #1

Brand Authenticity and Trust: Essential Digital PR Strategies for 2025

Brand authenticity and brand trust are going to become invaluable because this is the one currency that everyone can agree on. To the extent that anyone agrees on what’s trustworthy anymore. If you’re working with an SEO firm, they’re probably driving you to create more external content. And unlike the days when they just wanted ANY link to your website, the emphasis is on relevance; brand presence is PR’s specialty. Digital PR requires diversification of media presence. With SearchGPT and other large language models (LLM) entering the search space, we don’t know how each of them will evaluate quality content, but you can be sure that none will give you bonus points for low-grade content or easy-to-obtain content. Podcasts, awards, and interviews, especially when you get a link, even if it isn’t do-follow, will contribute to your brand reputation, which will help you become more credible across search engines and help you become more trusted to journalists and your customers.

My view is that some LLMs will prioritize answer-type content like one of our best-performing pieces, “How Much Does a PR Firm Cost?” But deeper down the funnel, you’ll see content like this that contributes more to the conversation than a top-10 list does, and I think this is personally more relevant for B2B PR. PR for consumer brands will especially need to include visibility from very credible sources. Google has hit the brakes on low-quality affiliate sites. However, sites like NYTimes Wirecutter will be fine, and Wirecutter just announced a podcast, too, so there is an additional example of content diversification that your PR needs to keep up with.

Keep your brand placement options as open as possible. Photos and videos not used on your website are especially welcomed by media. If you can, when you send a clip, also send a voice recording of it. (I think voice search is also set to explode, and having voice will be an advantage one day.) but for now, it allows media outlets to include the voice quote on YouTube or podcasts. The most popular age group for voice search is 18-34, with 77% using voice search on smartphones, so tomorrow’s customers expect voice-based content. Future-proofing digital PR strategies for 2025 means embracing AI, adapting to new search algorithms, and diversifying media content

  • Diversify your digital presence across platforms and formats
  • Start creating voice-based assets

Future Proof: Be Creative, but Not Short Sighted

When you think about the driving force behind content, it’s to deliver the most relevant, helpful information to the people looking for that information. With this in mind, be creative about ways you can engage emerging platforms. Be on the lookout for partnerships like the one LinkedIn and Perplexity just announced and think thoroughly about what this could mean for your brand presence. But I don’t think that suddenly spamming LinkedIn is a good idea. In the short term, that might work, but in the long term, you may get penalized. Play the long game with digital PR and digital PR will reward you. 

To inspire ideas and new ways to use new and existing platforms, use an emerging AI platform that can create an agent that concisely articulates information that may spark ideas. If you’re unfamiliar with agents, you need to get up to speed, and a great place to start is Google’s Notebook LM. As with all the free AI platforms, be wary of uploading anything that isn’t already public or confidential. Privacy conditions (such as they are) are prone to change, and there’s just no saying how free platforms are using the content uploaded to their AI, but you can bet they are using it.

  • Engage authentically and think about ways to use the changing tides to your advantage
  • Keep your eye on AI agents and LLM so you can address those changes in your digital PR planning today

Digital PR During Crisis

I’m sure you’ve thought about or maybe even survived it: a media crisis that spins out of control online. Every marketing executive I know, myself included looks at these as learning opportunities and also sends major empathy to the PR and marketing manager on the front lines.

The PR you earn today can save you or punish you in the future. What’s online is virtually permanent, and changes made to content can be easily identified with existing tools. So use PR today to build your trust bucket. AI is getting excellent already at parsing out content intention. Pretty soon, I won’t have to use the term “CMO” or “Vice President of Communications” on my website anywhere – AI will know those people can most appreciate content like this and serve it up in a more targeted way.

Stay agile with your crisis communication planning. As the PR landscape continues to evolve, I suggest reviewing it every six months. Remember that a true crisis response may require a cross-platform reaction, so sit down and think about what platforms will be most important in different scenarios. Also, identify whether communication with media will be through platforms or whether you will leverage your PR team to work with media for interviews.

  • Be ready to issue statements in a cross-platform format.
  • Review and update your crisis communication plans internally every six months.

Looking forward, digital PR strategies for 2025 will require brands to adapt to evolving technologies and media landscapes. Companies can build lasting trust with audiences by aligning PR with SEO efforts and keeping brand authenticity at the forefront. The most effective PR strategies are those that evolve alongside the digital landscape, prioritize credibility, and foster genuine engagement. With this approach, your brand won’t just adapt to the latest trends—it will set the standard for innovative, impactful PR in a rapidly changing world and even future proof your brand.

 

PS: In honor of voice-first ideas, this podcast has been converted to a podcast in two different formats: 

Google’s Notebook has created a conversational breakdown to this article, two totally natural voices here:
And, at the top of the page, we have Linda reading this article.

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How Much Does It Cost to Hire a PR Firm? Budget Planning Tips

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How Much Does it Cost to Hire PR Firm? PR Agency Pricing Guide & What to Expect

Looking for a straight-up breakdown of what PR agencies charge today? Here’s our current pricing overview.

Budgeting for PR can feel opaque. What affects price and how can you get a handle on how you can impact your PR budget before you ever even call a PR firm.

If you’ve ever typed “how much is PR” or “PR firm near me” into a search engine, you’re not alone. Businesses of all sizes—from startups to Fortune 500s—recognize the value of public relations in shaping reputation, generating visibility, and building trust. But before you hire a PR firm, it’s important to understand what impacts pricing, what services you’re really paying for, and how to find the right partner who can deliver measurable results.

This guide breaks down what affects PR pricing, how to find a PR firm that aligns with your goals, and what you can expect whether you’re hiring a PR agency near you or working with a remote team.

Get a PR ROI Assessment for Your Brand

Key Takeaways

  • Cost & Budget Alignment: PR agency fees typically range from $5,000 to over $28,000 per month, based on experience, scope, and market demands.

  • Transparency & Ethics: Always ask how fees are structured and watch out for unethical pay-to-play practices masked as legitimate coverage.

  • Experience Matters: A seasoned PR team offers strategic planning, better media relationships, and higher ROI through tailored outreach and messaging.

What Influences PR Firm Costs and What to Expect from a PR Agency

The cost of working with a PR firm varies widely. Your PR goals and company goals, the timeline, industry, and agency expertise all impact pricing.

1. Your Goals Should Drive Your Budget

Are you in growth mode? Launching a new product? Preparing for an IPO? Your goals should directly influence how much you invest in a PR agency.

Here’s a rough guide:

  • Basic maintenance & support: $5,000–$10,000/month

  • Fixed Scope PR Campaigns: $10,000-$15,000/month

  • Campaign-driven or proactive strategies: $13,000–$27,000/month

  • Pre-IPO, international, or complex messaging: $20,000+/month

💡 Pro Tip: If your goal is aggressive growth, don’t expect huge ROI from minimal investment. Match your PR budget with the scale of your ambition.

2. PR Fee Structures: Hourly, Retainer & Project-Based

PR agencies may charge by:

  • Retainer: A flat monthly fee for ongoing support

  • Hourly: Ideal for small projects or short-term consulting

  • Project-Based: Great for one-off launches or crisis situations

Ask for a sample quarterly PR plan if working on retainer. This helps set expectations for deliverables like press releases, thought leadership, or media outreach.

3. How to Choose the Best PR Agency Near You (Or Not)

If you’re searching for a PR firm near you, you’re likely interested in local media relationships, community events, or in-person collaboration. Local PR agencies often offer market-specific insights that national firms may lack.

However, for businesses with a national or international audience, geography matters less than expertise. Many companies benefit from PR firms that have national media connections and can operate virtually with equal effectiveness.

🌍 Whether local or remote, choose a PR agency that aligns with your industry, goals, and communication style.

Why Hire a PR Firm Instead of Managing PR In-House?

The answer to this question could be different for every company, depending on many of the questions to ask before hiring a PR firm listed here. Ideally, an in-house person would work symbiotically with an agency.

In-House PR Teams Are Better At:

  • Deeply understanding the brand, it’s history and internal priorities
  • Recognizing assets and opportunities early in the planning process
  • Identifying cross-functional opportunities for PR to support the organization as a whole

PR Agencies Are Better At:

  • Developing and maintaining media relationships
  • Strategic messaging that can see the “forest through the trees” and maintain a third-party perspective
  • Crisis management and urgent outreach opportunities such as newsjacking
  • Keeping the company in the media consistently

What to Ask Before Hiring a PR Firm

Ask these questions during your PR agency interviews:

How Much Is PR

Monthly fees may also be impacted by agency size and breadth or services offered as well as team experience.

  • Solopreneur or freelance PR consultant: ~$5,000/month

  • Boutique PR firm: $13,000–$27,000/month

  • Large or premium PR agency: $28,000+/month

Costs are largely driven by people—nearly 60% of agency costs go toward staffing. You’re paying for their time, judgment, relationships, and results.

Pay-to-Play vs. Placed Content: What’s the Difference?

Understanding the difference between ethical placed content and unethical pay-to-play is essential.

  • Placed Content is paid media (like sponsored posts or advertorials) disclosed transparently. It’s a legitimate marketing strategy.

  • Pay-to-Play involves undisclosed payments to journalists or media outlets. It’s unethical and can damage both brand trust and media credibility.

A credible PR agency will always disclose what’s earned media and what’s paid placement. If you’re unsure, ask.

The PR Cost Factors Within Your Control

1. Timeline

Need quick media coverage or crisis management? Urgent turnarounds cost more. PR is most cost-effective when it’s proactive and planned—not reactive.

2. Industry Complexity

Regulated industries like HealthTech, CleanTech, or Cannabis require extra care due to regulation, which can raise costs.

3. Scope of Work

Product launches, thought leadership programs, and international media campaigns all demand different levels of intensity—and investment.

4. Strategic Impact

PR Campaigns for IPO, or acquisitions, or mergers or venture funding are high stakes and may increase PR cost.

5. Stage of Growth

If you’re in hyper growth mode and need an agency to be very proactive and aggressive and available, that’s very different from a defined product launch project.

Why Experience Matters When Choosing a PR Firm

What are you really buying when you hire a PR agency?

  • Access to media and industry relationships

  • Expertise in message development and storytelling

  • Judgment to navigate crises or sensitive campaigns

  • Strategy to guide your visibility long-term

An experienced PR team knows what resonates with journalists, how to pitch stories that land, and how to ensure your message stands out in a crowded media landscape.

Whether your business needs a sharp press release or strategic long-term storytelling, experienced PR pros are masters at navigating nuance and driving visibility. Hiring seasoned professionals who understand the media landscape and possess strong communication skills can significantly enhance your PR outcomes.

Final Thoughts: Finding the Right PR Firm Near You (or Nationwide)

Investing in a PR firm isn’t just about cost—it’s about value. Whether you’re looking for a PR agency near you or a remote firm with national capabilities, find a team that understands your business and your goals.

Don’t be afraid to ask detailed questions. Knowing what questions to ask is as important as knowing what questions not to ask when hiring a PR agency. Your company’s reputation is on the line. Hiring the right PR partner will act as an extension of your team—and could become your most powerful growth asset.

💬 Need Help Choosing a PR Firm?

Whether you need local market expertise or national reach, Avaans Media can help you evaluate the best path forward. Contact us to learn more about our PR services tailored to your business goals.

 

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Worst Questions to Ask Your Agency and What to Ask Instead

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Key Takeaways

  • Focus on Engagement Over Experience: Instead of asking if an agency has industry experience, inquire about how their team learns about new industries.
  • Consider Company Size and Dynamics: Discuss their experience with businesses of your size and stage.
  • Evaluate Contribution to Business Goals: Ask how the agency aligns PR strategies with your business objectives.

Want to know the advice I give colleagues when they ask me what they should know about hiring an agency?

I tell them something they haven’t thought about: throw out all your old questions when you’re hiring any agency.

This advice surprises people, but let me explain. It’s important when you’re hiring an agency to ask questions that point to your needs, not some random checklist. What to look for in a PR firm should be specific to you.

Here are the worst questions to ask your agency—and what to ask instead.

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How Does Your Team Learn About New Industries?

Instead of asking: Do You Have Industry Experience?

This is the default question everyone asks. The reality is that whether an agency has worked within your industry isn’t a success indicator.

The more important indicator is how engaged your PR team is with the world and how they approach learning something new. What you want to know is how intellectually curious your team is because that actually matters more.

Agencies with narrow niches are valuable in highly regulated industries, like cannabis, where laws vary by state. But for most industries, narrow niches don’t give you much of an advantage—even in PR, which is famous for relationships.

Even if working in a particular niche is important, it’s still more important that the team be naturally curious.

Some of the best ideas come from exposure to other industries and customers. And while it may seem helpful for an agency to work closely with your competitors, what matters more is whether they can predict trends and identify opportunities for your company to make or comment on news.

—

Have You Worked with Companies of Our Size?

Instead of asking: What Companies Have You Worked With?

It’s easy to be impressed by the logos of major brands on a PR firm’s website. But ask yourself what that actually means to you.

Working with large international firms is its own skill because of the layers of stakeholders involved. But those companies move slower, and their challenges differ from a startup, a challenger brand, or a hypergrowth company preparing for an IPO.

You can define size by revenue, employee count, or stage—but the reality is that hiring an agency depends heavily on how your company operates.

A company with multiple marketing leaders has more resources, but also more complexity. A company doing $10–$30 million in revenue may have fewer layers, but a CEO who is deeply involved in PR decisions.

That difference matters. Working directly with a CEO is very different from working through layers of marketing management.

There’s also the question of budget. A $250,000 annual PR budget may be significant for a growth-stage company, but relatively small for a large enterprise.

You want to work with an agency that sees your budget as meaningful—not as a minor account.

So find an agency that understands companies of your size and stage. That matters far more than a list of recognizable logos.

—

How Do You Contribute to Business Goals?

Instead of asking: What Do You Cost?

This question gets to the heart of the relationship. What matters is not just cost, but return.

Does your agency understand how to support VC funding? Pre-IPO positioning? Talent acquisition before a merger or acquisition?

PR supports cross-functional business outcomes. When it’s treated as a siloed effort, it underperforms. When it’s aligned with business goals, it becomes far more effective.

PR is also a long-term investment. Unlike advertising, it doesn’t turn on instantly—but it also doesn’t turn off. The impact remains long after the engagement ends.

That’s why PR should be evaluated as a strategic investment, not a short-term expense.

—

How Seasoned Is the Team?

Instead of asking: Who Is on the Team?

This is one of the most important questions you can ask.

Experienced PR professionals have navigated crises, economic shifts, recalls, and competitive environments. That experience matters.

Many agencies rely heavily on junior staff for day-to-day execution. While that can work, it often leads to missed nuance.

PR is often about reading between the lines—understanding tone, identifying the right angle, and spotting opportunities others miss.

An experienced team can move faster, require less oversight, and avoid mistakes before they happen.

Emotional intelligence plays a major role here. It often comes with experience, and it directly impacts how effectively a PR program performs.

—

How Do You Approach Trends?

Instead of asking: Do You Use AI?

Rather than focusing on a specific trend, ask how your agency evaluates trends overall.

This reveals more about their thinking, their process, and how they prioritize opportunities for clients.

PR is full of trends that appear quickly and disappear just as fast. A strong agency understands when a trend matters—and when it doesn’t.

They should be able to evaluate whether something like AI, the metaverse, or influencer marketing is actually relevant to your business.

This requires understanding not just the trend itself, but your market, your strategy, and your budget.

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Final Thought

There is always a shift happening—whether in content, SEO, advertising, or PR. Agencies are built to understand those shifts.

But there are more agencies than ever before, and even the best ones aren’t always easy to identify.

Agencies provide more value today than ever—but that also means choosing the right one matters more.

The stakes are higher. The expectations are higher. And the difference between a good fit and a bad one is significant.

Please join us in celebrating our inclusion in this year’s Inc. Magazine Power Partners Awards—read more about how we qualified. Here’s a hint: our clients.

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