One key question to address is "can you commit to developing pitches on your own and presenting them to us?" I've worked with agencies that are both proactive and reactive to the client's vision of a pitch or story angle or positioning in the press. But in my experience, when it comes to impressing the higher ups on an internal team, bringing constant new ideas and creative angles to core messaging themes is really critical in proving PR agency value. An example of this could be: once a month, the agency presents the client with 3-5 future story ideas, and then client input whittling the pitches to 1-2 in a live brainstorm session. This can set up the next quarter for tight messaging with creative storytelling approaches that the agency and client are on the same page about. At the end of the day, it's got to be a collaborative meeting of the minds -- because the agency knows the approach and strategy, but the client knows their industry.
You should always ask a PR agency if they have guarantees. The reason? Guarantees in public relations are a red flag. True public relations cannot make guarantees because results are always dependent on third party decision makers (the media) to generate wins. Instead, the public relations agency should offer case studies and media placement samples to show what results might look like. This is a much more honest approach and is an indicator that you are working with a credible public relations agency.
"When selecting a PR agency, it's crucial to understand their approach to link building. Ask them, 'How do you plan to earn high-quality backlinks for our website?' Their response will reveal their understanding of Digital PR and their ability to actually generate valuable media coverage that drives traffic and boosts your online visibility."
I would always advise you to ask what you should reasonably expect from hiring a digital PR agency. Different agencies have different areas of expertise. Some might focus on PR for SEO, others might focus on visibility, others might focus on connecting you with influencers and online reputation management. You need to make sure that, whatever the agency tells you they can achieve for you, is truly aligned with your specific goals for your business at that moment in time. Should you expect a measurable ROI? (Ideally, yes, but we all know that depends on the nature of the business, the website, and campaign.) Should you expect an increase in leads? An improvement in keyword ranking? An increase in traffic to your website? Just always make sure you're really clear on what they say they can deliver, and that it aligns with where you want the business to be heading.
"How will you measure and report on performance beyond the number of links earned, and how will your efforts align with and impact our bottom-line business goals?" This question encourages the agency to outline the metrics they will track, such as keyword rankings, organic traffic growth, and conversions, while also explaining how these tie into broader business outcomes. It also helps clarify whether their reporting will focus solely on coverage and engagement in a traditional PR sense or if it will incorporate data-driven insights that demonstrate tangible results.
One key question to ask before hiring a digital PR agency is: "How will you adapt your strategy to authentically amplify my brand's unique voice and resonate with my target audience's evolving needs?" This question cuts through generic pitches and probes the agency's ability to tailor their approach, demonstrating their understanding of your brand's essence and their grasp of audience behavior. It also reveals their commitment to building genuine connections rather than relying on cookie-cutter tactics. A great agency won't just promote your brand; they'll integrate your values into campaigns that feel both personal and impactful, ensuring long-term trust and relevance in the digital landscape.
When evaluating a digital PR agency, ask about their past experience and success with companies in your industry to align with your short-term and long-term goals. Reflect on previous PR engagements, noting what worked and what didn't, to share your expectations for a new partnership. Discuss available PR assets and the agency's capability to create necessary content, and understand the stakeholder involvement required. Finally, ensure their approach to KPIs is realistic and achievable, given their business objectives, such as media placements, share of voice, or website referral traffic increases.
One key question to ask before hiring a digital PR agency is, "How do you measure the effectiveness of your campaigns, and what metrics do you use to report success?" This question helps you gauge whether the agency takes a results-driven approach and aligns with your business goals. As a reputable agency, we will provide clear metrics such as media placements, website traffic, social media engagement, and overall brand visibility to show how their efforts are translating into tangible results. This ensures you're not just paying for visibility but also for meaningful outcomes that contribute to your business growth.
If there's one thing I believe you need to know before engaging with a digital PR agency, ask "Can you tell me a few examples of challenges you've solved for other clients and solutions that you've provided?" This will really be the starting point for talking to a digital PR agency about how well they are at solving problems and how responsive they are when things don't pan out. As a client, I think the best agencies are those that can tell you how they've done it, how they didn't, and what creative way did they do it? e.g. If they made a client better off after bad press or shifted a campaign in the middle of launch, this is a reflection of their ability to manage challenges. This is because you know how they work under stress and if they can be aligned to fit their solution with your objectives. And what I like about this methodology is it tells you about their thinking and willingness to stay on top of it. For me, it is always comforting to know what actually happened when an agency dealt with something like this-you know they're ready for anything less than a perfect case. You'll learn how they made up for a missed media placement or ran an over-subscribed campaign under extreme time pressure.
When hiring a Digital PR agency, one of the biggest things to look at is their previous work & case studies. The proof is really in the pudding when it comes to DPR, as it really is a hybrid of creative & SEO in general. THE biggest question to ask is to review some of the placements they have secured. There is a bit of an issue in the Digital PR space, where agencies will simply get their clients featured on pay to play platforms - which is not the aim of Digital PR. What you should be requesting, is examples of their earned media per client.
You need to ask a digital PR agency the question "How do you connect with media outlets in my industry?" That way you know whether the agency can get your brand in front of the right audiences. I believe that a significant aspect of having good media relations is what makes the agency have a high success rate in getting effective coverage. For instance, if you're a retailer, you want them to have relationships with lifestyle magazines or bloggers that are speaking directly to your customers. In my experience, asking this question usually gets you some details on their network and business model, which will help you understand if they're the kind of person who can provide value for your needs. What I like about this question is that it invites the conversation of their history and outreach style. For me personally, I want to know what some actual stories they've placed or partnerships they've secured that have resulted in metrics for clients. You also know if they're looking for things themselves or just rely on generic outreach.
Before hiring a digital PR agency, an important question to ask is: "How do you ensure your strategies align with our overall goals?" It's essential to make sure the agency understands what your business stands for and can create campaigns that connect with your audience and deliver clear results. This alignment helps ensure that their efforts contribute directly to the success of your business. You should also ask how they measure success and track progress. Understanding the metrics they use to evaluate campaigns can provide insight into their effectiveness. A good agency will be able to demonstrate how their work contributes to your business, helping you ensure the partnership is valuable and supports your long-term objectives.
One key question to ask before hiring a digital PR agency is, "How do you measure the success of your campaigns?" This question helps determine if their approach aligns with your business goals, whether it's increasing brand visibility, improving search rankings, or driving conversions. Understanding their metrics, such as earned media value, backlinks generated, or audience reach, gives clarity on how they define success. Additionally, it reveals their analytical capabilities and how they adapt strategies based on performance data. An agency that prioritizes measurable outcomes and transparent reporting demonstrates a results-driven mindset, ensuring your investment directly supports your marketing objectives.
A question you should ask before you hire a digital PR agency is "How do you measure success for the campaigns that you have?," this will let you know what the agency means by success and if they are on the right track with your objectives. I think when an agency describes things such as media placements, backlinks, and engagement it shows how thorough and honest they are. I personally would prefer to hear a concrete case study, like how they were able to gain brand mentions in key media or increase organic traffic via earned media for a client. It's a good way to test if their ROI commitments align with what you care about for your company. I think that's the most valuable part of this question, because it initiates more conversation about the agency process and their capacity to adapt. I personally have noticed that the best agencies don't rely on general metrics, but specific ones. They may be focused on regional press mentions or local SEO traffic, for example if you want to increase local traffic. Asking for success measurement also communicates expectations and lets both parties know exactly what progress looks like. Whenever I do this, it cements a relationship of trust and mutual aspirations.
Before hiring a digital PR agency, ask, "What is your strategy for securing high-authority backlinks?" This question is vital because backlinks from reputable sources significantly impact your website's domain authority and search engine ranking. As an SEO agency owner, I've seen businesses miss out on PR's potential when agencies focus only on brand mentions without aligning efforts with SEO strategies. A good PR agency should highlight a clear plan to pitch stories to relevant industry blogs or online publications with a strong digital presence. Additionally, ask for examples of how they've previously combined PR and SEO efforts to deliver measurable results, such as traffic growth or keyword ranking improvements. If their process shows they understand this synergy, they're likely to bring value to both your brand and your online visibility.
One key question to ask before hiring a digital PR agency is, "Can you provide examples of measurable results from past campaigns, and how do you define success for your clients?" This question helps you understand their track record, approach to analytics, and whether their definition of success aligns with your business goals. It also allows you to gauge their ability to deliver tangible outcomes, such as increased brand mentions, backlinks, or improved online visibility, rather than just surface-level promises. Prioritising measurable results ensures you are partnering with an agency that values accountability and transparency.
Before hiring a digital PR agency, I always ask them what their results are and how they measure them, and what results they expect to achieve for my business. The reason we would hire a digital PR agency is not because we cannot learn the skills or perform the tasks associated with PR ourselves, but because we think they can do it more effectively than we can using fewer resources. If the agency cannot provide information about the results, then I have reason to doubt that they will be effective.
"Can you provide case studies or examples of measurable results you've achieved for clients in a similar industry or with similar goals?" This question helps you evaluate the agency's track record, industry expertise, and ability to deliver tangible outcomes. It also ensures they understand your specific objectives, whether that's improving SEO rankings, increasing media coverage, or driving brand awareness. Look for clear metrics like publication quality, or campaign ROI in their answers.
One key question to ask before hiring a digital PR agency is: How do you measure and report the ROI of your digital PR campaigns? Understanding how an agency tracks and quantifies the success of their efforts ensures alignment with your business goals. A transparent and measurable approach will give you insight into how your investment contributes to your overall marketing and business objectives. Furthermore, asking about ROI measurement demonstrates the agency's focus on results rather than just outputs. An effective digital PR agency should utilize tools and metrics that track media coverage, engagement, and conversion rates, providing you with concrete data on the value their services bring. This question helps you determine if the agency's strategy will drive tangible growth for your brand, making it a vital step in the selection process.
One key question to ask before hiring a digital PR agency is: "Can you provide examples of past campaigns that have successfully increased brand visibility and engagement in my industry?" This question helps assess the agency's experience and expertise in your specific niche. It allows you to evaluate whether they have a proven track record of achieving measurable results, such as media coverage, social media engagement, or improved website traffic. Additionally, it gives you insight into their approach, creativity, and understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in your industry.