PR Agencies Are Using VAs to Handle the Infrastructure Behind Media Relations
Public relations is a relationship-driven business. The most valuable thing a PR professional can do is build and maintain strong relationships with journalists, editors, and producers — and then use those relationships to secure coverage for clients. But running a PR agency involves substantial work that is not relationship work: building media lists, monitoring news coverage, compiling clip reports, drafting press release templates, managing database subscriptions, and handling client administrative requests.
Virtual assistants are being deployed by PR agencies to absorb this supporting infrastructure work, allowing account staff to spend more time on the relationship-driven activities that actually drive coverage results.
According to the 2025 PR Week Agency Business Report, PR agency account executives reported spending an average of 14 hours per week on administrative and research tasks that did not require direct client or media contact. At the average fully-loaded cost of a mid-level PR account executive, that represents a significant proportion of salary being allocated to work a skilled VA could handle.
Core VA Functions in PR Agency Operations
Media list research and maintenance. Accurate, current media lists are foundational to any PR campaign. Building them requires researching journalists' beats, recent coverage, and contact information across databases like Cision, Meltwater, and MuckRack — and then keeping those lists updated as journalists move between publications. VAs handle both the initial research and ongoing maintenance, ensuring that pitches reach the right people.
Press coverage monitoring and clip compilation. Clients expect regular coverage reports. VAs monitor news sources, collect coverage links, verify attribution, and compile monthly or campaign-specific clip reports — a predictable, repeatable task that consumes significant account staff time when done manually. Properly briefed VAs can maintain these reports on a consistent schedule without supervision.
Press release and content administration. PR firms produce high volumes of written content: press releases, media pitches, backgrounders, and executive bios. VAs assist with formatting, proofreading, distribution list preparation, and wire service submissions — handling the production logistics while senior staff focus on messaging and strategy.
Event and press tour coordination. Product launches, press dinners, trade show media programs, and executive speaking engagements require detailed logistical coordination. VAs manage invitation lists, track RSVPs, prepare briefing books, coordinate travel arrangements, and handle day-of logistics — allowing account teams to focus on spokesperson preparation and media engagement rather than event administration.
CRM and database management. Maintaining media databases, tracking outreach history, logging coverage, and updating contact records are ongoing administrative necessities. VAs maintain these records consistently, ensuring that the agency's media intelligence is current and accessible.
The Economics of PR Agency VA Support
PR agencies operate on retainer models that are sensitive to utilization. When account staff spend significant portions of their week on administrative tasks, the agency is effectively delivering less strategic value per retainer dollar — a dynamic that increases client turnover risk.
The 2024 Benchmarking Survey from the Rendle Group, which tracks financial performance among independent PR agencies, found that firms with higher utilization rates — measuring the percentage of account staff time spent on billable strategy and media relations — consistently achieved higher client retention rates. VA support is a direct lever for improving that ratio.
A PR agency that engages a VA for 20 hours per week at $14 per hour frees approximately that same block of account staff time for media relations and strategy — at a cost of roughly $14,560 annually, compared to the $60,000-plus annual cost of an additional account coordinator.
Structuring VA Work in a PR Context
PR agencies working with VAs for the first time often start with media list research and coverage monitoring — tasks with clear deliverables and easy quality verification. As the VA demonstrates reliability, agencies expand the scope to include content administration, event coordination, and CRM maintenance.
The agencies that get the most from VA relationships invest in brief, specific standard operating procedures for each task type and maintain weekly check-ins to review output and adjust priorities.
Stealth Agents provides virtual assistant services for PR agencies, with VAs experienced in media research, coverage monitoring, press release administration, and event coordination.
Sources
- PR Week. (2025). Agency Business Report.
- Rendle Group. (2024). Independent PR Agency Benchmark Survey.
- Cision. (2024). State of the Media Report.