There are over 7,500 PR agencies in the UK, which can make picking a PR agency feel overwhelming. All promise they’re the best PR agency. But how can you tell which one is right for you?
Whether you’re choosing your first agency or looking for a new one, we’ll share the key things you need to look for when deciding on your PR agency.
If you’re still working out what you can afford, you may also find our guide on how much a PR agency costs in the UK useful.
1. Make Sure They Understand Your Industry
An agency could be the world’s best agency, but if they know nothing about your industry, they’re not going to be the best one for you. Just because we’re experts at getting feel-good brands in the press, it doesn’t mean we can get press coverage for deep tech or blockchain companies.
This doesn’t mean an agency needs to have worked with exactly the same type of company as you, but they need to understand what you do, your audience and have relevant journalist contacts.
How can you tell if they do? Ask for relevant case studies and examples of their work. A good PR agency or freelancer should be able to share relevant credentials.
You can see examples of the industries, campaigns and results an agency has experience with by looking through its PR case studies.
2. Look Beyond Big Brand Logos
Big PR agencies often have experience working with big clients. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the best.
When finding the best talent for our team, we’re always far more impressed by candidates who have been able to get startups or clients in rogue industries in the press. It shows creativity, ingenuity and tenacity – three things that are essential for PR professionals.
It’s also a lot easier to secure press coverage for household names. Journalists are more likely to cover them because consumers want to read about recognisable brands. They can also be great for a publication’s SEO if it is an online outlet.
Always ask for case studies, whatever the size of the client.
3. Ask How They Generate Coverage
In 2026, it is harder than ever to secure press coverage. Journalist redundancies, huge competition and publication closures all contribute to the difficult PR landscape.
PRs can no longer simply rely on pitching a brand. They need to fit into the news agenda and use a variety of tools and tactics.
When asked how they generate press coverage, a good PR agency will talk about tactics such as data-led stories, founder profiling, product reviews, expert-led comments, reactive PR, creative campaigns and case studies.
Avoid agencies that simply answer: “We’ll send out a press release.”
If you’re unsure which stories your business could pitch, our free guide includes 30 PR hooks designed to land headlines.
4. Understand Who Will Actually Work on Your Account
During a new business call, you’ll usually speak to the leads at the agency. However, the majority of the work may be performed by more junior members of the team.
Ask a potential PR agency:
- Who will write the press releases?
- Who will pitch journalists?
- Who will be in our meetings?
The people working on your account matter more than the salesperson.
5. Check How They Measure Success
PR can be an outdated industry, and many agencies still measure success using traditional PR metrics, such as the number of pieces of coverage, estimated reach and AVE.
AVE is a PR calculation used to estimate how much the same coverage would have cost as advertising. However, it doesn’t provide a full picture of the value or business impact of PR.
As PR can be difficult to measure, some agencies rely on easier-to-find stats and figures.
However, you should be looking at the full picture: the PR and business impact.
When asking how an agency measures success, look out for mentions of:
- Coverage quality
- Relevant publications
- Backlinks
- Audience reach
- Website traffic
- Social media growth
- AI search visibility
- Leads and sales
A good agency will want to show you how its work is impacting your business.
Backlinks and online brand mentions can also support your long-term search visibility. We’ve explained this in more detail in our guide on why digital PR is key to your SEO strategy.
6. Ask About Communication
You would think communication agencies would all be good at communicating. However, some aren’t.
Ask how the agency will communicate with you and set clear expectations from the start.
You could ask:
- How often will we have calls?
- How will the agency report, and how often will we receive reports?
- What is your average response time?
- Who will our main point of contact be?
- What forms of communication do you use?
Without good and clear communication, even the best agencies can fail.
7. Be Wary of Coverage Guarantees
PR agencies can’t guarantee press coverage in specific publications without payment.
PR is earned by providing engaging and interesting stories that fit into the news agenda, without having to pay a publication to include them. However, at the end of the day, the journalist and their editor decide whether a story gets included.
Things that can impact whether your story gets picked up include the news agenda, how newsworthy it is, whether it is relevant to the publication’s readers, the experts involved and the imagery available.
If an agency guarantees they’ll get you in the BBC or The Sun, they aren’t being truthful.
At Lem-uhn, while we can’t and don’t guarantee press coverage, we do share that we have never failed to secure press coverage for a client.
PR is only one part of a wider marketing strategy. You can learn more about where it fits in our guide to the difference between PR and marketing.
8. Consider Agency Size Carefully
When choosing a PR agency, one thing to consider is the size of the agency.
Larger agencies
Large agencies have bigger teams, household-name brand experience and sometimes greater access to expensive PR and media tools.
However, this can come with higher prices, more staff turnover and sometimes less attention and care.
Smaller agencies
Boutique PR agencies usually offer more flexibility and closer relationships with clients.
Due to their lower overheads, their prices are also usually lower and they can often provide more value for money.
However, smaller agencies have smaller teams and may have less access to expensive media and analytics platforms.
We would recommend asking the necessary questions to ensure the size of your agency doesn’t impact the quality of the results.
You can find more detail about typical freelancer, boutique and large-agency pricing in our guide to PR agency costs in the UK.
9. Choose the Agency You Trust
Above all else, choose the agency that feels right for you.
You will be working very closely with the agency and they’ll become an extension of your team, so it’s important that they’re a cultural fit.
Some questions to ask yourself when deciding whether they feel like the right agency for you include:
- Do their values and ethics align with ours?
- Do I want this agency to represent my business and become an extension of my team?
- Is this the type of agency I want to communicate with and build a strong working relationship with?
- Have they been honest and transparent with us throughout the process?
PR works best when everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet and working towards a long and fruitful relationship.
Key Questions to Ask Before Hiring a PR Agency
- How will you generate coverage?
- Who will work on my account?
- What results have you achieved for similar businesses?
- How often will we communicate?
- How do you measure success?
- What happens if a story doesn’t land?
Is Lem-uhn the Right PR Agency for You?
At Lem-uhn, we believe PR works best when there is a genuine partnership between the agency and client.
We’ve been known to decline clients who we don’t feel we could support in the best way. We only want to work with clients where we believe we can deliver exceptional results and who are aligned with our mission to build a happier world.
We provide support across digital and traditional PR, influencer marketing and organic social media.
You can also explore our recent work and client results to get a better idea of the brands and campaigns we support.
If you’d like to know more, contact us or book a free PR strategy consultation. We’re flexible in our approach and offer both PR retainers and projects.
FAQs
How do I know if a PR agency is good?
A good PR agency should be able to share relevant case studies, explain how it generates coverage and clearly outline how it measures success.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions or challenge what you’re being told. Any agency worth working with should be happy to explain its approach, introduce you to the people who will work on your account and show examples of its results.
You should also look at how honest the agency is. A good PR agency won’t promise results it can’t control or tell you that every idea will land.
Should I hire a PR agency or a freelancer?
It depends on your goals, budget and the level of support you need.
Freelancers can be a great option for businesses with smaller budgets or those looking for support with a specific project. PR agencies usually offer access to a broader range of skills, more team capacity and additional support across different areas.
Neither option is automatically better. The most important thing is finding someone who understands your business, has relevant experience and can show a proven track record of results.
How much should I spend on PR?
There isn’t one budget that is right for every business.
The amount you should spend will depend on your goals, industry, the level of support you need and how quickly you want to grow.
PR retainers can start from around £1,500 per month and rise to tens of thousands of pounds for larger agencies and more complex campaigns.
Our full guide to how much PR agencies charge in the UK explains typical retainers, project costs and what you can expect for your investment.
Before setting a budget, think about what you want PR to achieve and whether the proposed level of activity is realistic for that investment.
Do PR agencies guarantee media coverage?
No legitimate PR agency should guarantee coverage in specific publications.
Journalists and editors make the final decision about what gets published, and PR agencies can’t control the news agenda.
A good agency can improve your chances by creating strong stories, providing useful expert insight and pitching the right journalists at the right time. However, nobody can truthfully guarantee that a particular publication will cover your business.
When should I hire a PR agency?
You’re usually ready to hire a PR agency when you have a clear product or service, a website you’re happy to send people to and the capacity to handle new interest and enquiries.
You should also have a good understanding of your target audience, business goals and what you want PR to achieve.
If you’re still making major changes to your offer or your website and wider marketing isn’t ready, it may be worth putting those foundations in place before investing in PR.
