Social Media Agency vs PR Agency
Compare the community-building power of social media with the credibility-building power of PR to decide where your marketing budget delivers more value.
Social media and public relations both shape how people perceive your brand, but they operate through fundamentally different channels and produce different types of results. If your budget allows only one, understanding these differences is critical to making the right investment.
A social media agency manages your brand presence across platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Facebook, and X. They create content, manage community engagement, run paid campaigns, and grow your audience through platform-native strategies. Their work is highly visible, measurable in real time, and directly connected to your audience through daily interactions.
A PR agency builds your brand through earned media coverage in publications, broadcasts, and industry outlets that your audience already trusts. They pitch journalists, secure interviews and features, manage press events, and handle crisis communications. Their work creates third-party endorsements that carry a level of credibility that branded content cannot replicate.
The strategic difference comes down to owned versus earned attention. Social media is a channel you own: you control the message, the timing, and the audience targeting. PR generates earned coverage through channels you do not own: a journalist decides to write about you, an editor features you in a roundup, or a podcast host invites you on as a guest. That lack of control is exactly what gives PR its credibility.
From a cost perspective, social media agencies typically charge $3,000 to $15,000 per month for content creation, community management, and paid campaign management. PR agencies range from $5,000 to $25,000 per month depending on scope and media targets. Social media tends to show faster, more measurable short-term results, while PR builds authority and credibility that compounds over time.
Your industry also shapes this decision. B2B companies that need to establish thought leadership and win enterprise deals often benefit more from PR coverage in trade publications. B2C brands that need to build community and drive daily engagement typically get more value from social media. Most businesses eventually need both, but knowing where to start matters.
This comparison breaks down the strengths, costs, and ideal use cases for each service so you can allocate your marketing budget where it will have the greatest impact on your business goals.
What You'll Learn
- How social media and PR serve different stages of the buyer journey
- Which investment delivers better ROI for your business model
- Cost and timeline comparisons for each service
- How to integrate both for maximum brand impact
Social Media Agency vs PR Agency
A detailed look at each option to help you make the right choice
Social Media Agency
$3,000 - $15,000/month
A social media agency creates and manages your brand presence across social platforms. They produce content, engage with your community, run paid campaigns, and use data-driven strategies to grow your audience and drive business results.
Social media agencies bring creative talent, platform expertise, and analytics tools that maximize your impact on the channels where your audience spends their time daily.
This option is ideal when building an engaged online community, driving website traffic, and generating leads through social channels are your top priorities.
Strengths
- + Direct daily connection with your target audience
- + Highly measurable results through platform analytics and conversion tracking
- + Faster feedback loop — you see engagement and results in real time
- + Precise audience targeting through paid social campaigns
- + Builds an owned audience asset you control and can reach directly
Considerations
- ! Requires consistent content production to maintain momentum
- ! Algorithm changes can dramatically affect reach and performance
- ! Social proof is less credible than third-party media coverage
- ! Organic reach continues to decline across most major platforms
Best For:
PR Agency
$5,000 - $25,000/month
A PR agency secures media coverage in publications, broadcasts, and digital outlets that your target audience trusts. They leverage journalist relationships, craft compelling narratives, and manage your brand reputation in the media landscape.
PR agencies provide strategic communications expertise, crisis management capabilities, and the media relationships needed to place your brand in front of influential audiences through trusted third parties.
This option works best when third-party credibility, industry authority, and media presence are essential to your business growth.
Strengths
- + Third-party credibility that branded content cannot replicate
- + Media coverage creates permanent, searchable brand assets
- + Positions executives as thought leaders in your industry
- + Crisis management expertise to protect brand reputation
- + Influence extends to decision-makers who avoid social media
Considerations
- ! Less control over messaging — editors and journalists have final say
- ! Results take longer to materialize and are harder to predict
- ! No guaranteed coverage from any specific outlet or journalist
- ! Requires newsworthy content or angles to sustain media interest
Best For:
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Social Media Agency | PR Agency |
|---|---|---|
| Channel Type | Owned — you control the platforms and content | Earned — media coverage through trusted outlets |
| Content Approach | Daily posts, stories, reels, and paid ads | Press releases, media pitches, and interview placement |
| Measurability | Highly measurable — likes, clicks, conversions, ROAS | Harder to measure — media impressions, placements, share of voice |
| Monthly Cost | $3,000 - $15,000 | $5,000 - $25,000 |
| Speed to Results | Days to weeks for engagement and leads | Weeks to months for media coverage |
| Credibility | Brand-created content has lower trust signals | Third-party editorial coverage has high trust value |
| Audience Reach | Limited to platform users who follow or are targeted | Reaches publication audiences including non-social users |
| Long-term Asset | Followers list and content library | Press archive and media relationships |
How to Choose the Right Option
A Choose Social Media Agency When...
- Your customers are active on social media and engage with brands online
- You need measurable lead generation and direct response campaigns
- Daily community engagement is important for customer retention
- Your content is visual and performs well in social media formats
- You want precise targeting to reach specific demographics
- Speed matters and you need results within weeks, not months
B Choose PR Agency When...
- Third-party credibility is essential for your sales process
- Your target audience reads industry publications and trusts media coverage
- You need to establish executives as recognized thought leaders
- Your business has newsworthy stories, milestones, or innovations to share
- You operate in a B2B market where social media has limited influence
- Long-term brand authority and reputation are more important than short-term metrics
The Hybrid Approach
The most effective modern marketing strategies treat social media and PR as complementary forces rather than competing investments. When coordinated, they create a flywheel effect where each channel amplifies the other and accelerates brand growth.
Here is how the flywheel works: PR secures a feature article in an industry publication. Your social media team turns that coverage into a week of content including quote graphics, behind-the-scenes stories about the interview, and a carousel breaking down the article's key insights. The social content drives traffic back to the article, which increases its online visibility and signals to other journalists that your brand generates audience interest.
In the other direction, social media generates data and audience insights that make PR more effective. When a social post goes viral or sparks conversation, the PR team uses that as a pitch angle for media coverage. Journalists increasingly monitor social media for trending stories, so a strong social presence makes your brand more attractive for coverage.
Budget allocation in the hybrid model depends on your primary business objective. Companies focused on lead generation and sales might allocate 60 percent to social media and 40 percent to PR. Companies focused on industry positioning and enterprise sales might reverse that ratio, investing 60 percent in PR and 40 percent in social media to support and amplify the coverage.
The integration point matters most. Both agencies should be briefed on each other's work, share content calendars, and coordinate timing around major announcements. When a PR agency secures a TV interview, the social team should be ready with supporting content. When social media launches a campaign, the PR team should pitch the campaign's story to relevant media.
Businesses that run social media and PR in silos miss the compounding effect of integration. The most successful brands use PR for credibility and authority while using social media for community, engagement, and measurable conversion. Together, these create a brand presence that is both trusted and accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a social media agency also do PR?
How much should I spend on social media management?
Is PR still relevant in the social media age?
How do I measure the ROI of PR compared to social media?
Which service is better for a product launch?
Do I need both a social media agency and a PR agency?
How long before I see results from a PR agency?
What social media platforms should my business prioritize?
Can PR coverage improve my social media performance?
What is the difference between a social media manager and a social media agency?
Need Help Deciding?
Our experts can help you evaluate both options for your specific situation and recommend the best approach for your goals.