Table of contents
How we vet every listicle
Every agency featured on Web Tonic passes our 84-point editorial review before a single listicle goes live. This is how we vet each pick:
Verified client outcomes: We require real case studies with measurable KPIs — revenue, ROAS, CPA, retention — tied to the exact category being ranked. No cherry-picked wins, no unverifiable numbers.
Independent reputation: We cross-check Clutch, Google, G2, and Trustpilot ratings, and screen for review-bombing or suspicious patterns. Only operators with a consistent, verifiable track record make the cut.
Beyond that, every listing goes through a quarterly re-audit. We check 84 criteria across 6 pillars to make sure it still holds up — here are some of the checks we run:
A public relations agency buys nothing. It earns coverage: it works out what a business can credibly say, turns that into a story an editor or producer will run without payment, pitches the named journalists who cover that beat, and handles the awkward version of the same job when the story is unflattering.
Award badges and directory rankings counted for nothing here. We kept only firms whose own site sells public relations as a named service, read the address behind the Boston claim, and used each firm's own logo. Seventeen external firms survived that pass, seventeen describe media or press work on their own site, and none publishes a rate card.
What does a public relations agency in Boston actually deliver?
Coverage in the outlets your buyers already read, and the working relationships that keep producing it month after month. Seventeen external firms working Boston cleared our check, fifteen publish a local address, and twelve credit a client by name.
1. Web Tonic
About: Web Tonic treats earned coverage as part of the same growth plan as everything else, so the demand work, the assets a story needs and the reporting that traces coverage to pipeline answer to one team. Media lists, pitch records and creative files stay in the client’s name from the first week.
Key Services: Growth Marketing, Paid Social, PPC, Meta Ads, SEO, Google Ads, Snapchat Ads, Amazon Ads, Reddit Ads, TikTok Ads, TikTok Shop, GEO-AEO, Webflow Design, Shopify Design, WordPress Design, UGC, Social Media Management, Pay Per Click Management, Marketing Analytics, Analytics Implementation & CDPs, Performance Branding, Performance 360° Audit, Programmatic Ads, OOH Ads, HR Marketing
Industries Served: eCommerce, SaaS, B2B, Construction Professionals, Home Services, SMEs, Health Spa & Wellness, Retail, Legal & Judicial Services, Food & Beverages, Pets, Fitness, Family & Children, Finance & Insurance, Travel, Non-Profits & Organizations, Furniture & Decoration
Notable Clients: WorldRemit, Jack & Jones, Ardene, L’Oréal, Sendwave, Nestlé, Airbnb. Serve Fortune 500 companies and smaller fast-paced startups.
Locations: HQ in San Francisco with notable offices in New York, Chicago, Miami, Toronto, Montreal, Dubai, Singapore, Sydney and more. Offices on five continents.
Pricing: Starting at USD $3,000 per month. Flexible and scalable plans at any time according to your enterprise needs. Book a call to learn more.
Great For: Mid-market to enterprise-level businesses requiring ongoing, on-tap growth and performance marketing services.
Website: Web Tonic
2. SHIFT Communications
About: SHIFT Communications is an integrated public relations and performance communications agency with headquarters in Boston. For 20 years, they have built data-driven PR programs to help B2B tech, consumer, and healthcare brands build demand, credibility, and market visibility.
Key Services: Public Relations, Media Relations, Integrated Communications, Content Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Crisis Communications
Industries Served: B2B Technology, Consumer Brands, Healthcare
Notable Clients: Citrix, Cengage Group, Talkdesk, McDonald's, Tripadvisor, Wayfair, Rapid7
Locations: Boston
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need earned media coverage
Website: SHIFT Communications
3. Matter Communications
About: Matter is an award-winning public relations, marketing, and creative agency that partners with brands to drive earned media coverage and secure placements in top-tier and trade publications. With offices spanning North America including a major hub in Boston, the agency delivers integrated communications solutions tailored to technology, healthcare, and consumer markets.
Key Services: Public Relations, Media Relations, Marketing, Creative Services, Crisis Communications, Thought Leadership, Digital Marketing
Industries Served: B2B Technology, Consumer, Cybersecurity, Healthcare, Professional Services, Food and Beverage
Notable Clients: W.F. Young, Johnson Controls, HighByte, Welch's, Food Lion, Michaels, Clear Channel Outdoor Americas
Locations: Newburyport, Massachusetts
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need earned media coverage
Website: Matter Communications
4. Belfort Group
About: Belfort Group is a Boston-based integrated digital marketing, creative, and public relations agency that merges PR strategy with objective newsroom thinking. They specialize in earned and owned media, media relations, crisis communications, and community engagement for forward-thinking industries.
Key Services: Public Relations, Media Relations, Digital Marketing, Crisis Communications, Social Media Marketing, Public Affairs, Community Engagement, Web Design, Creative Services
Industries Served: Higher Education, Life Sciences, Clean Energy, Real Estate, Senior Living, Not-for-Profit, Social Services
Notable Clients: Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, LCB Senior Living, Middlesex 3 Coalition
Locations: Boston
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need earned media coverage
Website: Belfort Group
5. In Good Company Public Relations LLC
About: In Good Company Public Relations LLC is a boutique public relations and strategic advisory firm specializing in luxury hospitality, wedding, and event brands. The agency delivers holistic programming, digital advertising, brand messaging, and media relations support designed to build brand legacy and drive long-term growth.
Key Services: Public Relations, Media Relations, Strategic Advisory, Content Marketing, Digital Advertising, Event Marketing
Industries Served: Hospitality, Luxury Weddings, Events, Lifestyle Brands, Tourism
Notable Clients:
Locations: Boston
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need earned media coverage
Website: In Good Company Public Relations LLC
6. Beantown Media Ventures (BMV)
About: Beantown Media Ventures (BMV) is a public relations and digital marketing agency headquartered in Boston. They specialize in integrated PR, content marketing, and media relations for tech startups, venture-backed companies, and high-growth enterprises.
Key Services: Public Relations, Content Marketing, Influencer Marketing, Social Media
Industries Served: Fintech, AI, Mobile, Climate Tech, SaaS, Deep Tech, Cybersecurity, Proptech, eCommerce
Notable Clients: Fidelity, Litecoin
Locations: Boston
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need earned media coverage
Website: Beantown Media Ventures (BMV)
7. The Castle Group
About: The Castle Group is an independent, women-owned public relations, marketing communications, crisis communications, and event management firm headquartered in Boston's Charlestown Navy Yard. Founded in 1996, the agency delivers strategic public relations programs, media relations, and full-scale event production for clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies.
Key Services: Public Relations, Media Relations, Event Management, Public Affairs, Crisis Communications, Social Media, Marketing Communications, Media Training
Industries Served: Education, Professional Services, Healthcare, Energy, Life Sciences, Technology, Financial Services, Nonprofit, Real Estate & Construction, Hospitality & Tourism, Consumer
Notable Clients: SHI International Corp., Boston Arts Academy, Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Boston
Locations: Boston
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need earned media coverage
Website: The Castle Group
8. DPA Communications
About: DPA Communications is a full-service public relations and marketing firm headquartered in Boston. The agency focuses on transforming business goals into effective public relations, media outreach, and strategic communication campaigns. They position themselves as brand extensions to help organizations build public perception and amplify their messaging.
Key Services: Public Relations, Media Relations, Marketing Strategy, Brand Development, Social Media Management, Event Publicity
Industries Served: Consumer brands
Notable Clients:
Locations: Boston
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need earned media coverage
Website: DPA Communications
9. Elevate Communications
About: Elevate Communications is a strategic communications and digital PR firm headquartered in Boston. They specialize in high-impact corporate communications, media relations, influencer engagement, and integrated public relations programs.
Key Services: Corporate Communications, Media Relations, Crisis Communications, Thought Leadership, Influencer Engagement, Event Marketing & PR
Industries Served: Corporate, Financial, Healthcare, Nonprofit, Sports
Notable Clients:
Locations: Boston
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need earned media coverage
Website: Elevate Communications
10. BIG FISH PR
About: BIG FISH PR is an award-winning boutique public relations and media relations agency headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1999, the agency specializes in driving earned media coverage, product launches, and strategic communications for consumer and enterprise technology brands.
Key Services: Public Relations, Media Relations, Corporate Communications, Crisis Communications, Executive Visibility & Thought Leadership, Product Launch PR, Reputation Management
Industries Served: Technology, Consumer Electronics, Travel & Tourism, Sustainability, Robotics & AI, Smart Home
Notable Clients: Ring, Amazon Blink, ASUS, Iceland Naturally, Formlabs, iOttie
Locations: Boston, Massachusetts
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need earned media coverage
Website: BIG FISH PR
11. marlo marketing
About: marlo marketing is a full-service integrated consumer marketing agency with offices in Boston and New York, specializing in public relations, branding, design, and digital marketing. They focus primarily on the hospitality, lifestyle, and consumer packaged goods (CPG) sectors to help brands get noticed and drive results.
Key Services: Public Relations, Social Media, Influencer Relations, Digital & Paid Media, Branding & Design, Outsourced Solutions
Industries Served: Hospitality, Lifestyle, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Food & Beverage
Notable Clients: Starbucks, bartaco, Moxy Hotels, Cape Cod Potato Chips, Narragansett Beer
Locations: Boston, Massachusetts
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need earned media coverage
Website: marlo marketing
12. Ellis Strategies
About: Ellis Strategies is a boutique public relations and communications firm based in the Greater Boston area, led by former journalists. The agency specializes in media relations, crisis management, executive coaching, and media training for organizations across New England.
Key Services: Public Relations, Media Relations, Crisis Management & Communications, Message Development, Press Releases & Media Kits, Executive Coaching, Media Training, Video Production
Industries Served: Education, Healthcare, Real Estate, Advocacy, Technology
Notable Clients: ULI Boston, The Edinburg Center, Boston Residential Group
Locations: Brookline, Massachusetts
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need earned media coverage
Website: Ellis Strategies
13. PAN Communications
About: PAN Communications is an integrated marketing and public relations agency headquartered in Boston. They specialize in creating data-driven campaigns, earned media strategy, and content marketing programs for B2B technology and healthcare brands.
Key Services: Public Relations, Media Relations, Content Marketing, Demand Generation, Creative & Branding, Social Media, B2B AI Optimization
Industries Served: B2B Technology, Healthcare, Life Sciences, Cybersecurity, Cloud & DevOps, Supply Chain & Logistics
Notable Clients:
Locations: Boston
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need earned media coverage
Website: PAN Communications
14. Racepoint Global
About: Racepoint Global is an earned-first creative communications agency that helps technology, healthcare, and consumer brands shape conversations that matter. Headquartered in Boston, the agency specializes in media relations, thought leadership, influencer programming, and multi-channel content strategies.
Key Services: Public Relations, Media Relations, Content Creation, Influencer Marketing, Social Media Strategy, Creative Services, Experiential Marketing
Industries Served: Technology, Healthcare, Life Sciences, Consumer Brands, Public Policy & Public Affairs, Corporate Communications
Notable Clients: RISC-V International, LG Electronics, Panasonic Connect, MediaTek, John Deere
Locations: Boston, Massachusetts
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need earned media coverage
Website: Racepoint Global
15. CM Communications
About: CM Communications is a full-service marketing and public relations agency based in Boston, Massachusetts, providing strategic PR counsel, earned media campaigns, and brand development. Founded in 1986, the firm integrates public relations, social media, and advertising to build brand awareness for clients across various industries.
Key Services: Public Relations, Media Relations, Integrated Marketing, Branding, Social Media Marketing, Advertising, Creative Services, Email Marketing
Industries Served: Travel & Hospitality, Restaurants & Dining, Consumer Packaged Goods, Retail, Arts & Entertainment, Real Estate Development
Notable Clients: Wahlburgers, Del Frisco's, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Smashburger, Marriott Vacation Club International
Locations: Boston
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need earned media coverage
Website: CM Communications
16. Ripple Effect Communications
About: Ripple Effect Communications is a B2B public relations and digital marketing agency founded in 2000 with a physical office presence in Boston. The firm specializes in tech-focused media relations, thought leadership, and integrated communications campaigns.
Key Services: Public Relations, Media Relations, Thought Leadership Campaigns, Content Marketing, Influencer Relations, Analyst Relations, Social Media Marketing, Creative Design
Industries Served: High Technology, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Medical Devices, Biotech, Fintech, Food & Beverage
Notable Clients:
Locations: Boston
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need earned media coverage
Website: Ripple Effect Communications
17. Colette Phillips Communications
About: Colette Phillips Communications, Inc. (CPC) is a pioneering public relations and marketing communications boutique firm located in the Charlestown District of Boston. They serve as trusted advisors and strategic partners providing strategic public relations, branding counsel, community and consumer engagement, and inclusive communications.
Key Services: Public Relations, Marketing Communications, Crisis Management, Celebrity & Personal Brand Management, Diverse Talent Recruitment, Community & Consumer Engagement, Special Events and Meetings, Business To Business Partnership, Social Media Campaign Management
Industries Served: Healthcare, Banking, Academia, Finance, Technology, Government, Non-Profit
Notable Clients: Reebok International Ltd.
Locations: Boston
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need earned media coverage
Website: Colette Phillips Communications
18. 360PR+
About: 360PR+ is an award-winning, creative, independent agency with the expertise and relationships to power earned media, executive thought leadership, influencer marketing, content marketing and experiential activations across a variety of B2C and B2B sectors. Headquartered in Boston with offices in New York and Philadelphia, the agency brings nearly 25 years of success representing innovative and admired brands.
Key Services: Affiliate Marketing, Brand Positioning, Brand Collaborations, Celebrity Engagements, Content Creation, Earned Media, Employee Communications, Experiential Events, Influencer Marketing, Issues Management, Research & Insights, Social Media Strategy & Activations, Spokesperson Training, Thought Leadership, Media Relations
Industries Served: Adult Beverage, Automotive, Edtech, Fashion + Beauty, Financial Services, Food + Beverage, Franchise Businesses, Health + Wellness, Home & Garden, Kids + Family, Luxury Goods, Media + Entertainment, Mobility, Outdoor + Recreation, Pets, Retail, Technology, Toys + Video Games, Travel
Notable Clients: Bob's Red Mill, CarGurus, Chicco USA, Harvest Hill Beverage, Hasbro, Nasoya, Nintendo, SimpliSafe, STIHL, Total Wine
Locations: Boston
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need earned media coverage
Website: 360PR+
Quick Comparison Table
| Agency | Key Specialty | Starting Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Web Tonic | Full-Service Performance Marketing | USD $3,000/mo | Mid-market to Enterprise |
| 2. SHIFT Communications | Public relations and media relations | Quote-based | Brands that need earned media coverage |
| 3. Matter Communications | Public relations and media relations | Quote-based | Brands that need earned media coverage |
| 4. Belfort Group | Public relations and media relations | Quote-based | Brands that need earned media coverage |
| 5. In Good Company Public Relations LLC | Public relations and media relations | Quote-based | Brands that need earned media coverage |
| 6. Beantown Media Ventures (BMV) | Public relations and media relations | Quote-based | Brands that need earned media coverage |
| 7. The Castle Group | Public relations and media relations | Quote-based | Brands that need earned media coverage |
| 8. DPA Communications | Public relations and media relations | Quote-based | Brands that need earned media coverage |
| 9. Elevate Communications | Public relations and media relations | Quote-based | Brands that need earned media coverage |
| 10. BIG FISH PR | Public relations and media relations | Quote-based | Brands that need earned media coverage |
| 11. marlo marketing | Public relations and media relations | Quote-based | Brands that need earned media coverage |
| 12. Ellis Strategies | Public relations and media relations | Quote-based | Brands that need earned media coverage |
| 13. PAN Communications | Public relations and media relations | Quote-based | Brands that need earned media coverage |
| 14. Racepoint Global | Public relations and media relations | Quote-based | Brands that need earned media coverage |
| 15. CM Communications | Public relations and media relations | Quote-based | Brands that need earned media coverage |
| 16. Ripple Effect Communications | Public relations and media relations | Quote-based | Brands that need earned media coverage |
| 17. Colette Phillips Communications | Public relations and media relations | Quote-based | Brands that need earned media coverage |
| 18. 360PR+ | Public relations and media relations | Quote-based | Brands that need earned media coverage |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a public relations agency do that a Boston marketing agency does not?
It works through people it does not control. A paid team buys placement and can guarantee it; a PR team persuades an editor, producer or podcast host to run a story for free, which means the pitch has to be genuinely interesting to that outlet's readers. The deliverable is a conversation, a relationship and a piece of coverage you cannot buy back if it goes wrong.
How should I judge a PR agency before I hire one?
Ask for the last three placements they secured for a client your size, in outlets you recognise, with dates. Then ask who wrote the pitch and who will write yours. Agencies win business with senior people and staff accounts with junior ones, so the honest question is which named person is on your account and how many other clients that person carries.
Which of these firms can I verify before a call?
Twelve of the seventeen. SHIFT Communications names Citrix and Cengage Group, Matter Communications names W.F. Young and Johnson Controls, and Belfort Group names Massachusetts Life Sciences Center and LCB Senior Living. The rest name nobody publicly, which in PR is often a client confidentiality clause rather than evasion. Move the burden to the call: ask for one client in your category, the outlets they landed, and what they pitched that did not run.
Why did two quotes for the same brief differ so much?
Because retainer covers different work. Ask whether media list building, spokesperson training, award entries, event support and crisis cover are inside the fee or billed on top, how many pitch hours a month you are buying, and what happens in a month when nothing lands. Those answers usually explain the entire gap.
Does the agency need to be based in Boston?
It helps more in PR than in most disciplines, because relationships with local editors, broadcast bookers and event press are built in person. Fifteen of the seventeen publish a Boston address and the rest work the market from elsewhere: Matter Communications (Newburyport, Massachusetts) and Ellis Strategies (Brookline, Massachusetts). Judge the media relationships and the named account lead before the postcode.
Choosing a Public Relations Partner in Boston
Fifteen of the seventeen external firms here publish a Boston address, so geography alone will not shorten this list. What separates them is whether coverage is pitched to outlets your buyers actually read or counted in impressions nobody can trace.
Twelve credit a client you can check, and not one publishes a fee, so every number you are quoted is quoted against scope. Settle pitch hours, spokesperson time and who owns the media list before you compare two proposals.
The clearest signal of a serious partner is how they talk about the story that did not run. Ask what they pitched last quarter that was rejected, why, and what they changed afterwards, because a firm that only reports wins is reporting half the work.
Whichever way the brief lands, keep the story, the assets and the reporting answerable to one owner, because coverage that nobody connects to pipeline tends to be renewed on faith rather than evidence. If you would rather have the demand plan, the assets a story needs and the reporting behind it owned by one team, read our latest analysis or see how we work in Boston.
