Common Questions We Get Asked About the ROI of PR
Question: What’s the best bang for your buck when it comes to hiring PR support?
My Take: It depends on whether you're hiring internally or externally (a freelance consultant or an agency). There are pros and cons to every path.
Obviously, with a part-time or full-time employee, you really need to have enough going on with your brand for the individual to focus all of their time on PR.
The cost of the two external options are usually based on time: they’re charging a flat rate that’s calculated based on who’s involved and the time it would take to complete the work.
So that’s why it is a nice option to outsource it. With freelancers, you get that single point of contact, but they might not have the reach and tech stack that an agency does.
The last point I’ll make about an agency is that you get access to a team of people. You don’t have to worry about one person being available, especially if something goes wrong. Or maybe something goes right and you experience a big boom.
In the last couple of years, we’ve helped clients who became sought-after sources about AI and drones. We fielded interview requests from NBC News, CBS and FOX News.
You can’t always predict when those moments will happen. So that’s another reason to bring in help from the outside
💼 Key Takeaways on Hiring PR Support
👥 You have multiple hiring options. You can hire in-house (full-time or part-time), bring on a freelancer, or work with an agency.
🔧 Freelancers offer individual support. They typically rely on relationships but may have limited availability.
🛠️ Agencies can scale with you. Between the larger team and tech stack, you will have full coverage.
📰 News cycles aren’t predictable. It’s also about having the right support in place when unexpected moments—good or bad—arise.
🔄 Flexible PR support gives you options. Whether navigating a crisis or responding to unexpected buzz, outside help can make all the difference.
Question: Are there any tools you find helpful for measuring PR impact?
My Take: I'm still waiting for the holy grail of PR measurement tools to be honest, especially given we’re in the age of AI solutions for every problem.
It’s still surprisingly hard to track if somebody actually read an article or heard you on a podcast and then engaged with your brand, even with tools like Google Analytics in place.
We use Muck Rack to track when coverage runs—which is a bigger investment and not something people typically use unless they’re appearing regularly in the media.
You get real-time alerts when stories are published, and then you can do competitive analysis—like, how your company’s coverage compares to similar or aspirational brands.
There are also a lot of companies out there that cater to large corporate clients with very advanced social listening tools, but they often require long-term contracts and don’t necessarily support agencies.
📊 Key Takeaways on PR Measurement, Tools & Media Strategy
🧭 The challenge of measuring PR is a tale as old as time. Even in the age of AI, it’s still difficult to track whether someone reading about you or hearing you on a podcast leads them to engage with your brand (unless they tell you).
💸 Muck Rack offers robust media monitoring. It’s a higher-cost tool ideal for brands with regular media appearances.
🗣️ Enterprise social listening tools are often out of reach for agencies. Most are built for large corporate clients, not teams managing multiple accounts.
Book some time with us, and let us help you make a splash! 🌊
