As businesses review budgets for the year ahead, one question comes up again and again: who should actually handle our PR?
There are four main options, and each suits a different type of business: distribution service, agency, In-house pr and freelancer
Here is an honest look at all of them.
Option 1: In-house PR
Hiring a dedicated PR or communications person means having someone who knows your business inside out and is always available.
Pros: Deep company knowledge, quick turnaround, full control over messaging, and the ability to respond immediately to news or a crisis.
Cons: Salary and employment costs are significant, and one person cannot be an expert in every area. They also need existing media contacts and the tools to distribute stories widely.
Best for: Larger organisations with a constant stream of news and a sizeable budget.
Option 2: Freelancer
A freelance PR consultant offers flexibility and specialist experience without a full-time commitment.
Pros: Lower cost than a salaried hire, flexible hours, and often deep experience in a particular sector.
Cons: Limited capacity, dependency on one individual, and availability can vary. Quality also differs widely, so referrals and past work matter.
Best for: Small to medium businesses with regular but not constant PR needs and a specific project or sector focus.
Option 3: PR agency
A full-service agency brings a team of strategists, writers, media relations specialists and account managers.
Pros: A broad range of skills, established relationships with journalists, and the capacity to run large, multi-channel campaigns.
Cons: Retainers can be expensive, often with minimum contract terms. You may also find you are paying for services you do not need, and your account may not always get senior attention.
Best for: Businesses with a substantial budget, complex campaigns or reputational challenges that need strategic support.
Option 4: Press release distribution service
A distribution service focuses on one thing: getting your press release in front of journalists, publications and online platforms.
Pros: Cost-effective, often available on a pay-as-you-go basis, quick to set up, and no long-term commitment. Many services also offer guaranteed media placements, which gives you certainty about where your story will appear.
Cons: You usually provide the news and the story angle, so you need some ability to write or commission releases. It is not a replacement for ongoing strategic PR counsel.
Best for: Small and medium-sized businesses, start-ups, charities and anyone who has news to share but not the budget for a retained agency.
How to decide
Ask yourself four questions:
- What is my budget? Be realistic about what you can sustain over twelve months, not just for one campaign.
- How much news do I have? Frequent news may justify a retained relationship, while occasional news suits pay-as-you-go.
- What are my goals? Brand awareness, SEO and backlinks, reputation or lead generation each need a different approach.
- How much time can I give? Even with external support, someone within the business needs to provide information and approve the copy.
These choices are not mutually exclusive. Many businesses combine an in-house marketing team with a freelance writer and a distribution service, getting the benefits of each without the cost of a full agency retainer. Others use an agency for big campaigns and a distribution service for everyday news.
If you have news to share and want a cost-effective, flexible way to reach journalists and publications, PR Fire offers pay-as-you-go distribution and guaranteed media placements with no long-term contract.Â
 Submit your press release today and reach journalists, media outlets and online news networks across the UK and beyond.
OR for more information about how PR Fire can be the support your brand needs, book a discovery call.Â
Frequently Asked Questions About Startup PR
It can be, but many small businesses get better value from a freelancer or distribution service until they have regular, high-impact news.
A press release can support online visibility by making company news available through relevant publication and distribution channels. However, it does not automatically improve search rankings or guarantee valuable backlinks. Results depend on where and how the release is published, the quality of the content, and whether other websites independently reference your business. Focus on useful, newsworthy content rather than distributing releases solely to acquire links.
Some coverage can appear within days, but building brand awareness and search authority is a longer-term process.
Check the quality of their media network, whether they offer guaranteed placements, how they report results and whether pricing is transparent.
PR Fire is a UK press release service that helps businesses write and distribute press releases. It offers distribution to a targeted list of journalists and media contacts for organic pickup, as well as other Digital PR options for businesses wanting coverage in relevant regional and national outlets.
You can submit your press release to PR Fire here. If you’d like to talk through your options first, you can book a discovery call to find out how PR Fire can support your brand.