Pick a digital PR agency on its headline alone and you can end up paying for general SEO work with little press coverage to show for it. The agencies worth a call turn a real story, study or data set into coverage that also earns links to your site. Decide first whether you want PR on its own or inside a wider search programme, because many sell it bundled.
The short answer on press-led link earning
If you want headlines in national or trade press, look first at agencies that build a study and pitch it. If you mainly want search growth and PR is a means to that end, a search agency that includes PR will give you one plan and one report. And if you sell software to businesses, a B2B-focused firm will know the trade titles your buyers read.
Below, I've sorted the agencies into camps, set out the questions that separate them, given you a quick test to run on a shortlist, then described each one from its own site.
Three camps: data studies, search bundles, B2B specialists
Data and survey-led PR is the first camp: Fractl builds a study before it pitches, while Page One Power and Reboot Online lead with survey or data-led campaigns. That approach tends to suit brands with interesting data or a strong point of view, and it fits well with pitching journalists with something worth writing about.
Multi-channel search agencies make up the second camp. Rise at Seven, Exposure Ninja, Impression and Digitaloft all sell PR as part of a wider programme, so the coverage is planned around search goals. You'll usually get one strategy across channels, which helps if you don't have a big in-house team.
The third camp is B2B and SaaS-focused: Siege Media, Foundation Marketing and Quoleady. All three pair PR with content for software and tech companies.
How to vet a PR team before signing
Digital PR is rarely sold on its own. One agency here says it does SEO only, another bundles PR with paid media and web work, and a third runs separate PR pages for six countries. That's fine, but it means two quotes for digital PR can cover very different amounts of work. Ask these questions of every agency on a shortlist:
- Is PR a stand-alone service, or does it come bundled with SEO, content or paid media?
- Who comes up with the story or study, and do I see the idea before it's pitched?
- Which publications or trade titles do you expect to reach for a business like mine?
- How do you report results: coverage, links, traffic, or mentions in AI answers?
- Can you run campaigns in other countries, and is that the same team?
A word on cost: most PR fees aren't published, and none of the agencies here lists a simple price for PR on its site. So ask each one for a written quote that splits out idea creation, any data or survey work, outreach and reporting, says whether it's a monthly retainer or a one-off campaign, and states how long the minimum term is. That's the only way to compare like with like.
If a team's answers mostly describe SEO work, that's not a problem in itself. It just means you're buying a search programme with PR inside it, so weigh it against how digital PR and SEO work together before you sign.
A one-hour test to run on your shortlist
Pick your top three and send each the same short email: one sentence on your business, one story or data point you could share, and two questions. Which three journalists or publications would you pitch this to, and why? Is the work you'd quote stand-alone PR or part of a bundle? Give yourself an hour to read the replies side by side. The team that names real titles your buyers read, explains its angle in plain words and is clear about what the fee covers has shown you how it'll work. If a reply only promises "reach", move it down the list.
Story material to gather before the first meeting
PR teams work faster when you can hand them something. Pull together any customer or product data you'd be happy to see published, a few spokespeople who can comment quickly, past coverage, and the sites and publications your buyers read. Note any topics that are off-limits. Even a rough list of story ideas gives the agency a head start and shows them how you think.
The ten PR teams, profile by profile
Digitaloft
A UK search-growth agency that treats digital PR as fuel for SEO, suiting brands that want coverage judged on commercial impact over vanity metrics.
Rise at Seven
Search-first content agency running digital PR alongside onsite SEO and social, with separate country pages that suit brands planning PR across several markets.
Fractl
Data-led agency that builds a study before pitching journalists, so it fits brands wanting research, expert comment and interactive tools behind their coverage.
Siege Media
Content-led US agency tying PR to research reports and GEO content, which may suit teams that already publish a lot.
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Exposure Ninja
Fully remote agency joining PR with technical SEO, content and paid media, aimed at mid-market and enterprise firms that want revenue reporting.
Reboot Online
Remote team focused on data-led campaigns and link building, with newsjacking on top, for brands competing in crowded markets worldwide.
Impression
For brands wanting PR measured inside a wider performance marketing team, this London and Nottingham agency pairs it with SEO, paid media and analytics.
Page One Power
Editorial link building paired with original survey campaigns, so its PR leans towards research that a journalist can quote.
Foundation Marketing
Philadelphia firm framing PR as a route to becoming the source buyers and AI systems trust, serving B2B tech and SaaS companies.
Quoleady
Aimed squarely at SaaS firms, it combines Forbes and Entrepreneur PR with link building, content and LLM visibility so software products get found and cited.
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Frequently asked questions
What does a digital PR agency do?
It creates stories, studies or assets and pitches them to journalists and publishers. The aim is coverage that builds brand awareness and earns links back to your site, which supports search visibility.
How is digital PR different from traditional PR?
Traditional PR focuses on reputation and media relations, often without measuring links. Digital PR is planned with online coverage and links in mind, so it's usually reported alongside search results.
How much do digital PR agencies cost?
Costs vary a lot by scope and country, and none of the agencies here publishes a simple price list for PR. Ask whether the quote covers idea creation, data work, outreach and reporting, as bundles differ.
Do I need data for a digital PR campaign?
It helps, but it's not essential. Some agencies run their own surveys or analyse public data, and others work from expert comment and reactive news. Ask which route they'd suggest for you.
Can digital PR help with AI search?
Several agencies here say their PR aims to make brands a trusted source for AI answers as well as Google. Coverage on respected sites is one way brands get mentioned, though results vary.
How long does a digital PR campaign take?
Most campaigns need time to research, create and pitch, then coverage builds over the following weeks. Ask each agency for a realistic timeline and what happens if a pitch doesn't land.
