Loupa PR

When it comes to managing public relations, businesses often face a critical decision: hire a PR agency or work with a freelancer. Following our previous #FridayPR101Day post on budgets and planning for 2025, this is the next big decision for companies to make so they can ensure PR – and overall business – success in the new year and beyond.

What’s Right for Your Needs?

Both have their strengths, and challenges, but the right choice depends on your goals, budget, and the type of support you need. I’ve unpacked below the key differences between PR agencies and freelancers to consider before making a choice, and help you decide which option best fits your business:

– Skillset and Resources: Agencies come equipped with teams covering everything from media outreach to social media and crisis management. Freelancers tend to have niche expertise and rely on personal industry contacts, but can also support with all activity depending on the budget.

– Budget: Agencies typically charge higher fees due to their comprehensive services, while freelancers are often a more cost-effective choice for smaller businesses or targeted needs.

– Adaptability: Agencies can handle large-scale projects and adjust resources quickly, making them ideal for complex campaigns. Freelancers are better suited to smaller, focused projects that can scale up gradually, and grow as you grow. It’s no coincidence that those freelancers tend to eventually become in house PR hires.

– Collaboration Style: Freelancers provide direct, one-on-one communication and a tailored approach. Agencies, on the other hand, often work through account managers, which can streamline coordination but might feel less personal. Of course, there are many PR agencies which also have great senior teams heavily involved in the campaigns – usually a freelancer, as the emerging trend of recent years. The right freelancer is more likely to provide direct feedback and strategic advice due to the lack of complexity/ layers of approval sometimes mandated by larger agencies.

– Best Fit: Agencies excel in delivering multi-layered campaigns with broad scope, while freelancers are perfect for specialised tasks like messaging, drafting content or pitching stories.

Usually, most companies try both before they truly finds what fits them – or use a combination of the two, depending on which part of the journey’s growth they are on. Ultimately, the decision depends on your goals and resources—whether you need a team of experts for a wide-ranging strategy or a hands-on partner for targeted support whenever you need them. Both can deliver results if aligned with your objectives!

Hit me up if you have any questions or want to discuss your PR plans for 2025!

*** I am a Tech B2B PR Specialist with +13years of experience, working freelance but also with agencies to deliver a full suite of comms services. ***