Agency vs. in-house PR: What’s right for your eCommerce brand in 2025?

The PR landscape is changing, especially for modern eCommerce brands. As consumer behaviour shifts and social media continues to transform, brands are rethinking their PR strategies.

PR remains a vital part of brand growth in 2025, but to stay ahead you need to adapt to the changes. In this post, we’ll explore the difference between agency vs. in-house PR, offering insights to help you determine which approach aligns best with your brand’s goals and resources in the coming year.

The traditional agency model

Traditionally, PR was seen as an exclusive service reserved for large brands with equally large budgets. Media coverage was believed to be achievable only by outsourcing to external PR firms, who managed everything from strategy to press outreach. This model positioned PR as a luxury rather than a necessity, making it inaccessible to smaller or emerging brands. However, as the PR landscape evolves, more businesses are challenging this approach, exploring alternatives that offer greater flexibility and control over their brand messaging.

Pros of working with an agency:

• Expertise: Agencies bring experience across industries and established press relationships.

• Scalability: Ideal for managing large-scale or complex campaigns.

• Time-saving: They handle daily PR tasks, though you’ll need someone internally to manage the agency and provide updates, assets, and feedback.

Things to consider:

• Cost: Agencies can be pricey, often starting at £2K+ per month.

• Brand familiarity: They might not fully grasp your brand’s story and values.

• Communication challenges: Remote collaboration can lead to delays or miscommunication.

• Divided attention: You might not always receive priority if other clients are paying more.

• In-house support: You'll need a dedicated team member to coordinate with the agency, providing assets, quotes, and updates as needed. This ensures the agency can deliver the best results for your brand.

The in-house PR model

In-house PR involves building an internal team or team member dedicated to managing your brand’s public relations, media outreach, and communications strategy. Many eCommerce brands allocate the PR responsibility to a team member within the marketing department - or depending on the size of the business and scale of PR activities, they might have a dedicated PR team. 

What are the pros of in-house PR?

Brand familiarity
In-house teams are immersed in your brand’s culture and daily activities. This deep understanding of your brand’s mission and values allows them to craft messaging that feels authentic and consistent across all media channels. They are better equipped to represent your brand accurately and maintain its tone, building a stronger connection with your audience.

Direct control
Having an in-house team means you have full oversight over your PR strategy, allowing for immediate decision-making and alignment with your brand’s vision. You can easily adjust messaging, campaigns, and media outreach to ensure everything stays on track without relying on third-party communication or waiting for approvals from an external agency.

Cost-effective for long-term
While the initial cost of hiring an in-house team may seem high, over time, it can be more cost-effective than relying on an agency. Especially for brands with consistent, ongoing PR needs, an in-house team can provide continuous support without the high monthly fees associated with agencies.

Agility
In-house teams are embedded within the company, meaning they can react quickly to industry changes, media opportunities, or trends. With the flexibility to act in real-time, your brand can take advantage of breaking news or emerging trends, positioning itself as timely and relevant in the marketplace.

Upskilling team
Integrating PR into your in-house team allows for cross-department collaboration, particularly with marketing teams. This synergy can help develop new skills, allowing team members to grow their expertise in areas like media relations, brand strategy, and digital PR, all of which can benefit your brand in the long run.

Agency vs. in-house PR: Which one is right for your eCommerce brand in 2025?

As we head into 2025, PR continues to be a vital tool for brand growth - but how do you know which approach is best for you? eCommerce brands, in particular, face unique challenges when it comes to balancing visibility and budget.

Deciding between agency and in-house PR requires an evaluation of your brand’s needs and goals. Here are a few key questions to help you determine the best fit:

Budget considerations: Can you commit to the long game?
Whether you manage PR in-house or outsource it to an agency, building momentum takes time. PR isn’t a quick fix - it requires consistency to land good results. A stop-and-start approach often leads to missed opportunities and wasted effort.

With agencies typically charging £2K or more per month, it’s important to assess whether your brand can commit to at least 6 months or longer. If a long-term partnership isn’t feasible, an internal PR strategy could be the ideal PR solution.
 

PR goals: What are you trying to achieve?

Are you looking for ongoing, consistent media exposure to build long-term brand awareness? Or is your focus on short-term, large-scale campaigns with specific objectives, such as a product launch or seasonal push? Identifying your goals can help determine the best PR approach.

Control: How involved do you want to be?

Do you prefer having full oversight and control over your PR strategy, messaging, and press outreach? Or would you rather delegate these tasks to agencies?

Industry needs: Does your sector influence your PR approach?

Does your industry require specialised PR knowledge or niche media connections? For example, highly regulated industries or fast-moving sectors like eCommerce might benefit from either in-house teams for agility and brand knowledge or agencies with industry-specific expertise.

Hybrid model: A new approach for 2025?

Some eCommerce businesses are opting for a ‘hybrid’ approach, mixing agency expertise with in-house PR. This model allows brands to outsource specific campaigns to agencies while maintaining control over ongoing, brand-focused press outreach. 

Whether for a specific one-off campaign or long-term strategy, this flexibility lets brands scale PR efforts up or down as needed. The hybrid model can be particularly useful for larger businesses or those in growth stages, offering a balance between external expertise and internal brand control. 

Making the right decision for your brand

When deciding between agency and in-house PR, it's crucial to evaluate your brand's specific needs. Consider your brand's goals, whether you're aiming for a broad, long-term strategy or a more focused campaign. Assess the resources you have, like your internal team's capacity and expertise. 

Think about the long-term vision for PR - do you want full control over messaging, or are you willing to collaborate with experts for certain campaigns? Choose the path that best aligns with your brand’s overall goals and resources.

Want to discover how in-house PR can deliver agency-level results?
Join us for our free workshop on January 14th at 12pm. Learn how you can implement PR strategies in-house and get the roadmap to drive big PR results without the agency fees. Book your spot now and get ready to take control of your PR in 2025.