Updated 17 October 2026
A good PR agency protects and builds the most valuable thing an organisation has: its reputation. In Kenya’s fast media environment, where a story can move from X to television in hours, the right partner needs both strategic judgement and the speed to act. This guide walks through hiring one, from the brief to the first quarter of work.
Step 1: Decide what you need PR to do
- Launch a product, company or campaign.
- Build the profile of leaders and spokespeople.
- Manage relationships with media, regulators, donors or communities.
- Prepare for and respond to crises.
- Improve internal communications during change.
Write down two or three measurable goals. They shape the brief and how you judge the agency later.
Step 2: Write a clear brief
A brief should include background on your organisation, the goals, target audiences, key messages, known risks or sensitivities, budget range, timelines and how you will choose. Agencies give better, more comparable proposals when the brief is specific.
Step 3: Build a shortlist
Match agencies to your sector and situation. Development agencies and institutions may prefer firms experienced in stakeholder and donor communications; fintechs may need public-affairs experience; consumer brands need strong digital response. Our list of the best PR agencies in Kenya compares Ananke Digital, Reznick, Avant, Carlstic, UnchartedPR, Oxygène and FixitPR.
Step 4: Run a fair pitch
Invite three to five agencies, give everyone the same brief and time, and score proposals against agreed criteria: understanding of your goals, strategy, media relationships, crisis capability, team experience, reporting and value. Meet the people who will actually work on your account.
Step 5: Understand retainers and project fees
| Model | Typical scope | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly retainer | Plan, pitching, media relations, monitoring, reporting | Unclear limits on press releases or hours |
| Project fee | A launch, event or campaign | Extra charges for changes or media costs |
| Crisis support | On-call advice and rapid response | Response times and after-hours cover |
Ask for a written scope with outputs, response times and what is billed extra, such as events, travel, media monitoring tools and paid distribution.
Step 6: Agree how success is measured
Good measures include coverage in outlets your audience reads, accuracy of key messages, share of voice against competitors, stakeholder feedback and speed of response to negative stories. Avoid paying for clip counts or advertising value equivalents alone. Ananke Digital’s rule of honest numbers, saying so when something did not work, is a useful standard to ask for from any agency.
Step 7: Prepare for a crisis on day one
Ask the agency to help build a crisis protocol early: risk mapping, escalation rules, holding statements, spokesperson training and monitoring. Ananke’s guide on preparing your organisation for a communications crisis outlines the essentials. A plan written in calm times is far better than one improvised at 2am.
Red flags
- Guaranteed coverage in specific outlets.
- Offers to pay journalists for stories.
- No clear plan for digital and social response.
- A senior team in the pitch who disappear after signing.
- Reports that list clips with no analysis.
PR and digital together
Earned coverage now spreads mostly through social media and WhatsApp, and the comments shape perception as much as the article. Agencies that combine media relations with social listening, content and paid amplification get more from every story. Ananke Digital plans its communications and PR work with social media and content so messages match across channels. If you also need in-house communications staff, browse roles on JobInKenya.
The first 90 days
In the first month, a good agency audits your current reputation, media coverage and spokespeople, and agrees a communications plan with you. It builds a media list, drafts key messages and prepares a crisis protocol. In the second month, it starts pitching stories, places spokespeople in interviews or panels, and sets up monitoring. By the third month, you should see a first coverage report with analysis of what worked, what did not and what comes next.
Hold a short review at day 90. If the agency is delivering against the plan and reporting honestly, extend the relationship. If not, use the notice period agreed in the contract.
Working well with your PR agency
Give the agency access to decision-makers and approve statements quickly, because news does not wait. Share bad news early so it can be managed rather than discovered by journalists. Make spokespeople available for media training. And keep the agency informed about product launches, financial results, leadership changes and anything that could become a story.
Work with Ananke Digital
Ananke Digital is a Nairobi studio covering communications, marketing and technology, founded by Brian Muuo, who has more than eight years in Kenyan digital media and communications, including leading digital communications for a pan-African trade development programme across 14 countries. Its communications and PR service is planned alongside its other nine disciplines, with honest reporting and clients owning their accounts and data. Contact: phone/WhatsApp +254 790 939 404, email hello@anankedigital.co.ke, Nairobi.
Frequently asked questions
How do I hire a PR agency in Kenya?
Set clear goals, write a specific brief, shortlist agencies that fit your sector, run a fair pitch, agree a written scope and measures, and build a crisis protocol early.
What does a PR retainer include?
Usually a plan, story pitching, media relations, monitoring and monthly reporting. Events and crisis support are often extra.
Can a PR agency guarantee coverage?
No reputable agency guarantees earned coverage.
How should PR success be measured?
By coverage in relevant outlets, message accuracy, share of voice and response speed, not clip counts alone.
Does Ananke Digital handle crisis communications?
Yes, including risk mapping, holding statements, spokesperson training and monitoring. Contact phone/WhatsApp +254 790 939 404, email hello@anankedigital.co.ke, Nairobi.
