A public relations agency helps an organisation earn attention, protect trust and build useful relationships with journalists and other stakeholders. It does this through strategy, evidence-led storytelling, media outreach, reputation management, executive positioning, crisis preparation, events, content and measurement.
The right agency does not promise headlines. It identifies credible stories, prepares the people and proof behind them, reaches relevant media and measures whether communication changed awareness, understanding, behaviour or business outcomes.
What does a public relations agency do?
A PR agency advises an organisation on how to communicate with journalists, customers, employees, investors, institutions and the wider public. Its core work usually includes PR strategy, media relations, press release writing, pitching, spokesperson preparation, crisis communication, reputation monitoring and campaign measurement. Unlike advertising, earned media coverage is not bought and cannot be guaranteed.
Image description: a professional communications team reviews campaign information, media targets and supporting material before approaching journalists and stakeholders.
Key takeaways
PR is not advertising
Advertising buys controlled space. Public relations seeks attention and trust through relevance, evidence and relationships. Editorial coverage remains the publisher’s decision.
Relevance beats volume
A small, well-researched media list and a credible angle usually outperform a mass email sent to contacts who do not cover the subject.
Measurement starts before outreach
Objectives, audiences, desired outcomes and baseline data must be agreed before the first pitch, not reconstructed after the campaign.
Field observation. Journalists do not need a “creative” message that hides the main fact. They need to understand within seconds what happened, why their audience may care, what evidence exists and who can answer questions.
What is a public relations agency?
The Public Relations Society of America defines public relations as “a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organisations and their publics”. A public relations agency is an external team hired to design and operate part or all of that process.
The term PR agency may cover corporate communications, public affairs, internal communication, crisis management, brand reputation, media relations, executive visibility, influencer relations and digital PR. A press relations agency has a narrower emphasis on journalists, newsrooms and editorial coverage.
| Provider | Main purpose | Typical outputs | Degree of message control | Primary success test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public relations agency | Build reputation and stakeholder relationships | Strategy, narratives, media relations, issues management, executive communication | Partial: third parties decide what they publish or say | Changes in awareness, understanding, trust, behaviour and business outcomes |
| Press relations agency | Earn relevant editorial attention | Press releases, pitches, media lists, interviews, press events, monitoring | Limited: editorial independence applies | Quality of coverage, message pickup, relationships and downstream effects |
| In-house press office | Manage day-to-day media enquiries and announcements | Statements, briefings, responses, newsroom content | High over owned material; limited over coverage | Speed, accuracy, consistency and media service |
| Marketing agency | Generate demand and support sales | Campaigns, content, email, landing pages, lead generation | High over owned channels | Pipeline, conversion, revenue and retention |
| Advertising agency | Deliver paid reach and controlled creative | Paid media, creative assets, targeting and optimisation | High within platform and legal constraints | Reach, response, conversion and return on ad spend |
From press agentry to strategic reputation management
Publicity and press agentry dominate. Organisations focus mainly on gaining attention through newspapers and public events.
Corporate communications, public information, research and planned stakeholder programmes become more formal.
Email, websites, online newsrooms and searchable media databases accelerate outreach and make communication more measurable.
Social media, creators, real-time monitoring and data dashboards broaden the scope of reputation management.
AI-assisted research, content workflows, misinformation risk and generative search make verification, entity clarity and source quality more important.
The strongest agencies combine human judgement, trusted relationships, data, workflow automation, cross-channel measurement and explicit AI governance.
Image description: a historical communications scene used to illustrate the transition from traditional publicity methods to modern, multi-channel public relations.
What services does a public relations agency offer?
Strategy and positioning
- communications audit and stakeholder mapping;
- reputation goals and measurable objectives;
- message architecture and proof points;
- issue, risk and opportunity analysis;
- campaign planning and editorial calendars.
Media relations
- media research and list building;
- press release writing and distribution;
- personalised pitches and follow-up;
- interview coordination and media briefings;
- newsroom and press kit management.
Reputation and crisis
- risk scenarios and crisis manuals;
- holding statements and response protocols;
- rapid monitoring and escalation;
- executive counsel and spokesperson support;
- post-crisis review and trust recovery.
Content and leadership
- thought leadership and contributed articles;
- speeches, talking points and Q&As;
- research reports and data stories;
- case studies, press kits and biographies;
- executive social and public profiles.
Events and influence
- press conferences and media roundtables;
- trade show opportunities and on-site interviews;
- creator and influencer identification;
- partner and community engagement;
- event messaging and follow-up content.
Monitoring and evaluation
- media, web, broadcast and social monitoring;
- coverage qualification and message analysis;
- share of voice and competitor comparison;
- website, search and conversion analysis;
- management dashboards and recommendations.
Image description: a radio microphone symbolises broadcast media outreach, interview preparation and the operational role of an agency during live or recorded media appearances.
How a professional PR agency engagement works
- Discovery. The agency interviews decision-makers, reviews existing material and clarifies the business context.
- Research. It studies audiences, competitors, media agendas, past coverage, risks and available evidence.
- Objectives. It translates business needs into communication objectives with baselines and timeframes.
- Strategy. It defines audiences, messages, channels, editorial opportunities, responsibilities and measurement.
- Preparation. It creates press materials, proof points, spokesperson briefs, visuals and approval workflows.
- Targeting. It selects journalists and stakeholders by subject, geography, format and recent work.
- Outreach. It distributes news, sends personalised pitches, answers questions and coordinates interviews.
- Monitoring. It tracks coverage, reactions, inaccuracies, opportunities and risks in real time.
- Evaluation. It compares outputs and outcomes with the agreed objectives and baseline.
- Learning. It updates the media database, messages, tactics and next campaign based on evidence.
Expert advice. Agree approval deadlines before the campaign begins. Many opportunities are lost not because the story is weak, but because quotes, data, legal review or spokesperson availability arrive after the journalist’s deadline.
What types of public relations agency are available?
| Agency type | Typical strength | Best suited to | Question to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service PR agency | Strategy, media, content, reputation and integrated delivery | Organisations with several audiences and recurring needs | Which work is genuinely in-house? |
| Media relations specialist | Journalist research, pitching, press materials and interviews | Product launches, expertise campaigns and corporate news | How are media lists researched and updated? |
| Corporate and financial PR | Investor, transaction, governance and leadership communication | Listed companies, scale-ups, professional services and major transactions | What regulatory and sector experience exists? |
| Crisis and issues agency | Preparedness, rapid response, risk and reputation recovery | High-risk sectors and organisations facing scrutiny | What 24/7 response arrangements are contractual? |
| Public affairs consultancy | Policy, institutions, coalitions and stakeholder engagement | Regulated sectors and organisations affected by public policy | How are lobbying, ethics and disclosure rules handled? |
| Digital PR agency | Online authority, data-led stories, search visibility and digital outreach | Brands seeking editorial links, digital reach and discoverability | Are tactics editorially credible and compliant? |
| Boutique or sector agency | Senior attention and specialist market knowledge | Niche B2B, technology, healthcare, culture or luxury campaigns | Is capacity sufficient during peaks or crises? |
In-house team, freelancer, agency or platform?
| Model | Advantages | Limitations | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-house team | Deep organisational knowledge, constant access and long-term continuity | Recruitment cost, limited surge capacity and narrower external perspective | Organisations with continuous communication needs |
| Independent consultant | Direct senior contact, flexibility and lower overhead | Capacity and specialist coverage may be limited | Focused programmes and executive counsel |
| PR agency | Team depth, wider expertise, tools, networks and campaign capacity | Higher cost and a need for disciplined briefing | Complex, multi-market or recurring programmes |
| PR platform or distribution service | Speed, defined deliverables, scalability and accessible entry point | Less strategic integration unless advice is included | Press release publication, distribution and targeted campaigns |
| Hybrid model | Internal knowledge plus external expertise and capacity | Requires clear ownership and shared systems | Growing organisations and international teams |
When should a company hire a PR agency?
Strong reasons to hire
- a launch, expansion, funding round, acquisition or leadership change;
- a need to establish expert authority in a competitive market;
- weak internal media knowledge or insufficient campaign capacity;
- reputation risk, scrutiny or crisis preparedness requirements;
- international outreach requiring local adaptation;
- an event, study or data set with genuine editorial potential.
Reasons to wait
- there is no clear news, evidence or spokesperson;
- leaders expect guaranteed articles or immediate sales;
- the organisation cannot answer journalists quickly;
- product, legal or operational claims are not verified;
- there is no budget for sustained work or measurement;
- internal teams cannot approve material within realistic deadlines.
Decision tree: do you need an agency?
Do you have a verifiable story that matters outside your organisation?
No → strengthen the news, evidence or audience value first. Yes → continue.
Can your team research media, write materials, respond quickly and measure results?
Yes → an in-house or platform-led campaign may be sufficient. No → continue.
Is the work high-risk, multi-market, strategically important or ongoing?
Yes → an agency or hybrid model is usually appropriate. No → a specialist consultant or project service may be enough.
PR agency budgets, fees and pricing models
There is no universal PR agency price because the workload depends on the objective, risk, markets, languages, research, seniority, content volume, media monitoring, travel, events and reporting. A useful budget discussion therefore starts with scope and expected outcomes, not a headline monthly figure.
| Pricing model | How it works | Good for | Budget risk to control |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly retainer | A recurring fee covers an agreed team, scope and service level | Ongoing media relations and reputation programmes | Unclear hours, rollover rules or deliverables |
| Project fee | A fixed price covers a defined launch, report, event or campaign | Time-bound work with clear outputs | Scope changes and excluded third-party costs |
| Day rate or hourly rate | Time is billed according to consultant seniority | Advisory, training, workshops and variable assignments | Open-ended work without a cap |
| Distribution fee | Pricing is linked to a press release, geography, language or circuit | Publication and targeted distribution | Word, multimedia, translation and market surcharges |
| Hybrid fee | A base fee plus defined project or performance components | Programmes combining ongoing counsel and campaign peaks | Metrics that reward volume rather than quality |
What should be included in a PR budget?
| Cost category | Examples | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Agency time | Strategy, account management, research, writing, pitching and reporting | Which seniority levels are assigned and how much time is included? |
| Tools and data | Media database, monitoring, social listening, transcription and analytics | Are licences included, shared or recharged? |
| Distribution | Newswire, targeted email, localisation and multilingual circuits | Which countries, sectors and media types are covered? |
| Content production | Research, design, photography, video, reports and microsites | Who owns source files and usage rights? |
| Events and travel | Venue, production, transport, accommodation and hospitality | What requires prior written approval? |
| Monitoring and licensing | Press clipping, broadcast monitoring and copyright licences | Are content reuse rights included? |
| Contingency | Unplanned opportunities, urgent work and crisis support | What is the out-of-hours or rush rate? |
Budget rule. Compare agencies using the same written scenario: markets, languages, campaign volume, expected seniority, monitoring sources, reporting frequency, approval process and contract length. A lower fee may exclude the work that determines success.
24Presse publishes information about press release distribution pricing and provides tailored proposals through its PR agency quote page.
Media relations: the operational core of many PR agencies
Media relations means supplying journalists with relevant, accurate and usable information while respecting editorial independence. It is not a licence to send every announcement to every contact.
How to build a targeted media list
- Define the audience and the decision you want to influence.
- Identify the media formats and geographies that reach that audience.
- Find journalists who have recently covered the subject or adjacent issues.
- Check their role, publication, contact route, deadlines and stated preferences.
- Segment the list by relevance and adapt the angle for each group.
- Record previous contact, response, corrections and opt-out requests.
- Review the list before every campaign rather than reusing it unchanged.
How to choose an editorial angle
An angle is the reason the story matters to a specific audience now. It may be based on original data, a measurable change, a useful case study, a local consequence, a counter-intuitive finding, expert interpretation, a public-interest issue or timely access to a spokesperson.
The existing guide on finding a story angle offers a general editorial perspective. For PR work, the angle must also withstand fact-checking and connect directly to the journalist’s beat.
| Weak formulation | Why it fails | Stronger formulation |
|---|---|---|
| “Our company is delighted to announce…” | Starts with emotion rather than information | State the new fact, date, location and consequence |
| “A revolutionary solution” | Unsupported superlative | Explain the measurable difference and provide evidence |
| “This will change the industry” | Future claim without proof | Show current adoption, tested results or independent validation |
| “For immediate release” sent to everyone | No relevance to the recipient | Personalise the reason the story fits that journalist’s audience |
Read 24Presse’s practical guide on how to contact journalists and the media.
Image description: an expansive landscape represents strategic scanning of sectors, audiences and media opportunities before narrowing the campaign to a relevant target list.
How a PR agency prepares a press release
A press release is a source document for journalists and other information professionals. It should make the new fact easy to understand, verify and use. For full guidance, see professional press release writing, the press release writing service, the press release guide and 24Presse’s page on press relations.
Rule 1: write a factual headline
Use a precise verb and identify the actual development. Avoid generic praise, unexplained acronyms and claims the body cannot prove.
Rule 2: lead with the news
The first paragraph should answer who, what, where, when, why and how, with the most important fact first.
Rule 3: include useful quotes
A quote should add interpretation, accountability, consequence or expert context rather than repeat the headline.
Rule 4: provide proof and context
Link claims to data, methodology, documentation, examples or a qualified source who can explain them.
Rule 5: make follow-up easy
Provide a responsive press contact, spokesperson availability, image rights, company information and relevant links.
Rule 6: distribute selectively
Combine targeted outreach with broader distribution when the announcement, geography and budget justify both.
Additional 24Presse resources include online press release examples, press release examples and models, 15 press release examples and free templates, send a press release, targeted media distribution and how to send press releases.
Image description: a fountain pen and editorial workspace illustrate drafting, revision, fact-checking and approval of a press release before distribution.
Crisis communication, events, influencer relations and media training
Crisis and issues management
A crisis team should know who decides, who speaks, how facts are verified, how stakeholders are contacted and how inaccurate information is corrected. The agency’s job is not to make a serious issue disappear; it is to help the organisation communicate accurately, promptly and responsibly while operational teams address the underlying problem.
Trade shows and events
At a trade show, a PR agency can identify media opportunities, arrange interviews, prepare stand teams, write announcements, coordinate visuals and follow up after the event. The best results usually come from scheduling priority interviews before the doors open while preserving capacity for unplanned opportunities.
Influencer and creator relations
Creator relations require the same discipline as media relations plus clear disclosure, audience-quality checks, usage rights and commercial terms. Influencer activity should not be reported as earned editorial coverage when payment or another material benefit is involved.
Media training
Media training prepares spokespeople to answer difficult questions, bridge to accurate messages, avoid speculation, communicate uncertainty and remain useful under time pressure. It should include realistic interviews, playback, corrections and role-specific scenarios.
Image description: a strong structural surface symbolises the processes and governance that support an organisation during reputation risk or public scrutiny.
How to choose a public relations agency
- Define the business problem. Describe what must change, for whom and by when.
- Set communication objectives. Separate awareness, understanding, trust, behaviour and commercial outcomes.
- Write a comparable brief. Include markets, audiences, risks, deliverables, data access, timing and budget boundaries.
- Shortlist by fit. Review relevant experience, methods, senior team access, ethics and capacity.
- Request a working session. Ask agencies to diagnose the challenge, not just present credentials.
- Test their media thinking. Request example targets and angles without demanding speculative free campaign work.
- Examine measurement. The proposed metrics must connect to the objective and baseline.
- Check references. Speak to clients with comparable complexity, not only the agency’s largest logo.
- Review the contract. Clarify scope, team, expenses, data ownership, renewal, termination and conflicts.
- Assess chemistry and candour. Choose advisers who will challenge weak claims and explain uncertainty.
Expert advice. Do not select an agency on the promise of a specific publication. Select it on the quality of its diagnosis, evidence, targeting, editorial judgement, risk awareness, operating process and reporting.
Twenty questions to ask a PR agency before signing
Experience and strategy
- Which sectors and situations do you understand best?
- What do you think is genuinely newsworthy in our brief?
- Which assumptions would you challenge?
- How will you research our audiences and reputation?
- How will the strategy connect to business objectives?
Team and operations
- Who will lead and deliver the day-to-day work?
- How much senior time is included?
- What response times and meeting rhythm do you propose?
- How do approvals and urgent work operate?
- Which work is outsourced?
Media and content
- How are media contacts researched and updated?
- How will you tailor pitches for different journalists?
- How do you distinguish syndication from original coverage?
- How do you prepare and protect spokespeople?
- Can we review relevant work and client references?
Measurement, AI and contract
- Which baselines, outputs, outcomes and impacts will you measure?
- How do you use AI and protect confidential information?
- Who owns the media lists, data and source files?
- What is excluded from the fee?
- What are the renewal, termination and conflict rules?
Red flags
| Red flag | Possible problem | Safer response |
|---|---|---|
| Guaranteed editorial coverage | Confusion between earned and paid media | Ask which placements are paid, syndicated or editorially independent |
| A huge media list presented as the main advantage | Volume-based outreach and weak relevance | Request a small sample showing recent, subject-specific research |
| No discussion of evidence or risks | Promotion is being prioritised over credibility | Ask how claims will be verified and challenged |
| Only impressions and AVE in the report | Weak connection to outcomes | Require objectives, baselines, quality analysis and business indicators |
| Senior team in the pitch, junior team in delivery | Expectation gap | Name the actual team and minimum senior involvement in the contract |
| Unclear AI policy | Confidentiality, accuracy and copyright risk | Request written governance, approved tools and human review requirements |
How should PR agency performance be measured?
AMEC’s Integrated Evaluation Framework provides a structured route from objectives and inputs to activities, outputs, outtakes, outcomes and organisational impact. Measurement should tell a meaningful story, not merely produce a large number.
| Level | What it asks | Example indicators |
|---|---|---|
| Inputs | What resources and evidence were available? | Budget, people, research, data, tools and baseline |
| Activities | What did the agency do? | Research, content, pitches, briefings, training and events |
| Outputs | What was produced or published? | Coverage, interviews, message inclusion, content and reach estimates |
| Outtakes | What did audiences notice or understand? | Awareness, recall, comprehension, sentiment and engagement |
| Outcomes | What changed in attitudes or behaviour? | Preference, enquiries, advocacy, event participation and search behaviour |
| Impact | What changed for the organisation or society? | Revenue contribution, retention, policy, reputation resilience or licence to operate |
Metrics that require caution
- Advertising Value Equivalency: CIPR and AMEC reject AVE as a valid substitute for communication outcomes.
- Potential reach: the full audience of a publication did not necessarily see the coverage.
- Raw mention count: a mention may be irrelevant, duplicated, syndicated or negative.
- Automated sentiment: sarcasm, technical language and context often require human review.
- Backlinks alone: a link may be useful, neutral, sponsored, nofollowed or unrelated to reputation goals.
For press-clipping and reporting workflows, the original page links to press coverage review guidance, a press clipping tool guide, a press review tool guide and the Bookizer registration page.
Public relations and media relations data for 2026
| Finding | Practical implication | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cision’s 2026 research surveyed more than 1,800 journalists across 19 markets. | Journalist preferences can be studied at scale, but local and sector differences still matter. | Cision, State of the Media 2026 |
| 66% of journalists said they rely on PR-provided content for story ideas. | Press releases, pitches and media kits remain useful when they provide credible facts, research and access. | Cision, May 2026 |
| 53% opposed AI-generated pitches because of accuracy and personalisation concerns. | Automation without human research and review can damage relevance and trust. | Cision, 2026 |
| 50% named misinformation as a leading challenge; 49% cited resource constraints. | PR teams should reduce newsroom workload with verification, concise material and responsive experts. | Cision, 2026 analysis |
| 97% of journalists reported using social media for professional purposes. | Social platforms matter for research and relationship context, but do not replace a relevant pitch. | Cision, 2026 |
| Muck Rack’s 2026 State of PR surveyed 1,115 PR professionals. | AI, GEO, earned media and measurement are now mainstream operational questions for PR teams. | Muck Rack, State of PR 2026 |
| Three out of four PR professionals used generative AI in the 2025 State of AI in PR study. | Agencies need explicit rules for confidentiality, fact-checking, copyright, disclosure and approval. | Muck Rack, 2025 |
| Reuters Institute’s 2026 Digital News Report covered 97,520 respondents in 48 markets and recorded overall news trust at 37%. | PR material enters a low-trust information environment, so claims, sourcing and transparency matter. | Reuters Institute, 2026 |
Original 24Presse data
A 24Presse internal extract covering 1,914 press releases found that 1,385 were in French (72.29%) and 383 in English (19.99%), with smaller volumes in Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch and other languages. The operational lesson is simple: international reach requires localisation, not merely translation or a larger distribution list.
The same internal work showed broad sector diversity, with enterprise, culture, technology and health among the most represented themes. This reinforces the need to segment media outreach by subject and journalist specialism. Methodology and current analyses are available in the 24Presse Press Release Observatory.
AI, SEO, GEO and the modern PR agency
Generative engine optimisation does not replace public relations. It adds a new visibility layer: organisations want accurate information about their people, products, expertise and evidence to be understandable across search engines and AI answer systems.
Useful AI applications
- research assistance and topic clustering;
- transcription and first-pass summarisation;
- coverage classification and anomaly detection;
- draft variants for human editorial review;
- entity, claim and source consistency checks;
- reporting workflow automation.
Controls that remain essential
- approved tools and data-handling rules;
- human verification of every factual claim;
- copyright and confidentiality checks;
- clear attribution and source links;
- bias, hallucination and context review;
- final approval by an accountable person.
How PR supports SEO and GEO
- earning authoritative mentions and editorial links;
- creating consistent facts about organisations and experts;
- publishing primary-source material with dates, authors and evidence;
- stimulating branded search and independent corroboration;
- making research, quotes and definitions easy to extract and cite;
- correcting outdated or inaccurate public information.
These effects are indirect. A press release distribution does not guarantee rankings, backlinks, inclusion in an AI answer or coverage in a news product.
Google Discover and Google News considerations
Google recommends relevant, representative images of at least 1,200 pixels wide for large Discover previews. The featured image on this page is 1,536 pixels wide, and the site already permits max-image-preview:large. Editorial credibility still depends on accurate headlines, visible authorship, dates, sourcing and content that serves the reader rather than a ranking formula.
See Google Search Central’s Discover guidance and its guidance on helpful, reliable, people-first content.
AI governance principle. Do not place confidential client information, unreleased financial data, personal data or sensitive crisis material into an AI system unless the contractual, technical and legal safeguards have been approved.
What 24Presse has learned from practical media outreach
24Presse has worked in press release publication, distribution and media relations since 2009. Across sectors and campaign sizes, the same operational patterns recur.
What improves a campaign
- a real development rather than a disguised sales message;
- one clear angle supported by evidence;
- a short priority media list before broader distribution;
- a spokesperson who can respond within the news cycle;
- usable images with rights and captions;
- follow-up that adds information rather than pressure.
What commonly weakens it
- approval chains longer than the journalist’s deadline;
- claims that legal, product and communications teams interpret differently;
- reusing old lists without checking current roles;
- reporting every syndicated copy as a separate editorial success;
- measuring output without examining audience response;
- promising coverage that no ethical agency can control.
Three realistic use cases
| Situation | Priority work | Evidence required | Relevant outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| B2B software launch | Sector positioning, customer problem, demonstrations, expert briefings and targeted technology media | Product availability, use case, customer proof, security and integration detail | Qualified coverage, demo interest, branded search and analyst conversations |
| International expansion | Localisation, market relevance, local spokespersons and country-specific media research | Legal entity, investment, hiring, customers, partnerships and local impact | Credible local visibility, stakeholder recognition and recruitment support |
| Reputation issue | Fact verification, stakeholder sequence, holding statement, monitoring and executive counsel | Confirmed timeline, actions taken, accountable owner and update process | Reduced uncertainty, accurate coverage and preserved stakeholder confidence |
24Presse also maintains guides about PR agencies, PR agency selection, press release guidelines and all press releases.
Related 24Presse resources and original embedded guides
The original page included four embedded 24Presse resources. They are retained below with short descriptions so readers can continue from agency strategy to press release writing, examples and distribution.
Use these guides as a sequence: clarify the news, write the source material, review practical examples, select distribution and then measure the resulting coverage and audience response.
Recent press releases retained from the original page
- Théa and Unither Pharmaceuticals announce an industrial partnership
- Made-in-US.com launches a vehicle purchasing platform
- ADVANS Group accelerates growth in Europe
- Cercare Medical receives FDA clearance for AI-powered brain tumour segmentation
- The Samurai and the Prisoner original soundtrack
- ADVANS Group expands into Italy
- Ricardo Kaufmann joins Lior Global Partners
- “Princesse Emma” by Stéphane Sassi
- Cercare Medical receives FDA clearance for cone-beam CT perfusion
- Siemens Healthineers and Cercare Medical announce a global collaboration
Public relations glossary
- Earned media
- Attention or coverage granted through an independent editorial or public decision rather than purchased placement.
- Owned media
- Channels controlled by an organisation, such as its website, newsroom, newsletter or social accounts.
- Paid media
- Advertising, sponsorship or promoted distribution purchased by an organisation.
- Media pitch
- A concise, tailored message explaining why a story is relevant to a particular journalist and audience.
- Press release
- A structured primary-source announcement intended to help journalists understand and verify a development.
- Press kit
- A collection of background information, biographies, images, facts, contacts and supporting documents.
- Holding statement
- A verified initial statement used while a fast-moving issue is still being investigated.
- Share of voice
- An organisation’s proportion of relevant visibility within a defined competitive or thematic set.
- Sentiment
- An assessment of whether coverage or discussion is positive, neutral, mixed or negative in context.
- GEO
- Generative engine optimisation: improving the clarity, credibility and discoverability of information for AI answer systems.
- Syndication
- Automated or licensed republication of the same press release across several sites or feeds.
- AVE
- Advertising Value Equivalency, a discredited attempt to price editorial coverage as if it were advertising space.
Editorial methodology and transparency
This guide separates definitions, external research, professional recommendations and 24Presse field observations. External statistics are linked to the organisation that published the research. Claims about media outcomes are deliberately qualified because no agency controls independent editorial decisions.
24Presse has a commercial interest in press release writing, publication, distribution and PR support. That interest is disclosed rather than hidden. The page was prepared from the original content, official professional guidance, current industry research and operational experience accumulated since the platform’s foundation in 2009.
Editorial responsibility is associated with François Marsteau. The original page also links to his English author profile, LinkedIn profile, 24Presse account on X, GitHub profile and YouTube channel. Editorial review is associated with Antoine Cassagne-Latute.
Frequently asked questions about public relations agencies
What is a PR agency?
A PR agency advises organisations on reputation, stakeholder communication, media relations, content, crises and measurement. Its purpose is to build useful, credible relationships rather than buy advertising space.
What is the difference between public relations and press relations?
Public relations covers relationships with many stakeholder groups. Press relations focuses specifically on journalists, newsrooms and editorial coverage.
What services does a public relations agency provide?
Typical services include strategy, media relations, press releases, thought leadership, crisis communication, events, media training, monitoring and evaluation.
How much does a PR agency cost?
Cost depends on scope, markets, seniority, risk, languages, content volume, tools and duration. Agencies commonly use retainers, project fees, day rates or hybrid models.
Can a PR agency guarantee media coverage?
No ethical agency can guarantee independent editorial coverage. It can guarantee agreed work such as research, writing, outreach, distribution and reporting.
How long does PR take to work?
A strong announcement can generate quick interest, but reputation and journalist relationships usually require sustained work over several months.
When should a startup hire a PR agency?
When it has a clear market story, verified evidence, responsive leaders and a business objective that media or stakeholder communication can realistically support.
Should a company use an agency or hire in-house?
In-house teams offer continuity and internal knowledge. Agencies add specialist skills, external perspective, tools and surge capacity. Many organisations use a hybrid model.
What is a digital PR agency?
A digital PR agency focuses on online media, creators, data-led content, search visibility, editorial links and digital reputation while applying normal PR standards of relevance and evidence.
How does a PR agency choose journalists?
It matches the story to a journalist’s beat, recent coverage, audience, geography, format and contact preferences, then checks the information before outreach.
Which editorial angle should a PR agency choose?
The angle should explain why a verified development matters to a specific audience now. Original data, expert access and concrete consequences are often useful.
How should a PR agency approach journalists?
With a concise, personalised and relevant message that states the news, evidence, audience value, available assets and contact route without exaggeration or pressure.
How can an agency manage trade-show opportunities?
It can identify attending media, schedule interviews, prepare spokespeople, create event news, support the stand team and follow up with useful material.
How should an agency handle influencer relations?
It should assess audience quality, relevance, disclosure, brand safety, usage rights and commercial terms, and report paid activity separately from earned coverage.
What is media training?
Media training uses realistic interviews and feedback to prepare spokespeople for clear, accurate and composed responses, including difficult or uncertain situations.
What should a PR brief contain?
Business context, objectives, audiences, markets, timing, evidence, risks, approvals, available spokespeople, deliverables, budget boundaries and measurement requirements.
What questions should I ask a PR agency?
Ask about relevant experience, diagnosis, team, research, media-list quality, AI policy, measurement, fees, exclusions, data ownership, references and termination terms.
How is PR success measured?
Measure activities and coverage, but also audience understanding, trust, behaviour and business impact against a baseline and defined objectives.
Is AVE a valid PR metric?
No. Major measurement bodies reject Advertising Value Equivalency because editorial communication is not equivalent to purchased advertising space.
Can public relations improve SEO?
Indirectly. Credible coverage can produce mentions, links, branded search and authoritative corroboration. None of these results is guaranteed.
Can PR improve visibility in ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity?
It can help create clear, corroborated public information that AI systems may discover, but no agency can guarantee inclusion or a particular answer.
Should a PR agency use generative AI?
AI can assist research, drafting and analysis, but agencies need approved tools, confidentiality controls, source checking and accountable human review.
What is the difference between earned, owned and paid media?
Earned media is independently granted attention, owned media is controlled by the organisation, and paid media is purchased placement or promotion.
How often should a PR agency report?
Operational updates may be weekly during active campaigns, while strategic reports are often monthly or quarterly. Crisis monitoring may require real-time alerts.
What makes a press release newsworthy?
A real change, public relevance, timeliness, credible evidence, identifiable consequences and access to informed sources.
How many journalists should receive a pitch?
There is no ideal number. A small relevant list is preferable to a large untargeted database that damages trust and deliverability.
Should journalists be followed up?
A limited, respectful follow-up can be appropriate when it adds information or clarifies relevance. Repeated pressure is counterproductive.
How does a PR agency prepare for a crisis?
By mapping risks, roles, escalation, facts, stakeholder order, monitoring, spokespersons, holding statements and decision protocols before a crisis occurs.
Who owns a media list created by an agency?
Ownership and permitted use depend on the contract, database licence and data-protection rules. Clarify access, export and retention before engagement.
How can I compare PR agency proposals fairly?
Give each agency the same brief and compare strategy, actual team, scope, exclusions, evidence, measurement, contract terms and total cost.
Sources and further reading
- Public Relations Society of America — About Public Relations.
- PRSA/PRSSA — What public relations professionals do.
- Cision — 2026 State of the Media Report.
- Cision — PR as a source of journalists’ story ideas, 2026.
- Cision — 2026 media-relations lessons.
- Muck Rack — State of PR 2026.
- Muck Rack — State of AI in PR 2025.
- Muck Rack — State of PR Measurement 2025.
- AMEC — Integrated Evaluation Framework.
- AMEC — Barcelona Principles 4.0.
- CIPR — position on AVE.
- Reuters Institute — Digital News Report 2026 executive summary.
- Google Search Central — Google Discover guidance.
- Google Search Central — helpful, reliable, people-first content.
Conclusion: choose judgement, process and trust—not promises
A public relations agency is most valuable when it helps an organisation make better communication decisions: which facts matter, which audiences need them, which risks must be addressed, which journalists are relevant, how spokespeople should respond and how the result will be evaluated.
The agency should be able to explain what it controls and what it does not. It controls research, preparation, targeting, service quality, follow-up, monitoring and reporting. It does not control independent editorial decisions, search rankings or the output of an AI system.
The strongest partnership combines a candid brief, verified evidence, responsive internal experts, a clear approval process, disciplined outreach and measurement linked to business goals.
Plan your next PR campaign with 24Presse
24Presse supports organisations with press release writing, publication, distribution, targeted media outreach and practical PR guidance.
Send a press release Request a PR agency quoteUpdate policy: this guide is reviewed when major industry research, search guidance or 24Presse services change, and at least once a year. Factual corrections can be submitted through the contact page.