Given Google’s recent moves—like the Helpful Content updates, stricter email anti-spam requirements, and the growing influence of AI—the title of this post should come as no surprise.
Digital PR may not be a new concept, but it remains one of the most powerful ways to earn the links that Google prioritizes.
It shields you from algorithm penalties while boosting brand visibility and search rankings, outperforming traditional link-building strategies.
In this post, I’ll walk you through why digital PR is essential for link building and how to launch your first successful campaigns.
How is Digital PR Used for Link Building?
Digital PR is a powerful way to earn high-authority links from reputable publications that can boost your search rankings and drive more site traffic.
While digital PR can involve non-content approaches—like pitching expert commentary to journalists—it’s most often done through content creation, such as data-driven reports or studies. For example, a well-crafted city ranking study can attract media attention, and when journalists write about it, they often link back to your site. These high-quality links not only strengthen your SEO but also enhance brand visibility and organic traffic.
If you’re already doing something similar, you’re on the right track. You can stop reading here.
But if you’ve been relying on traditional methods like guest posts or link exchanges without seeing real results—or if an algorithm update has impacted your site—keep reading.
Before diving deeper, let’s clarify the difference between traditional link building and digital PR.
Traditional Link Building vs. Digital PR
Traditional white hat link building strategies have been around for a long time, whereas digital PR might still feel relatively new depending on where you’re located. For example, I recently spoke with someone from Australia who mentioned that digital PR has only gained traction as a tactic in the past few years.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how traditional link building compares to digital PR:
Traditional white hat link-building methods have been around for years, while digital PR may still feel relatively new depending on your location. For instance, I recently spoke with someone from Australia who said digital PR has only started gaining traction there in recent years. When comparing traditional link building with digital PR, there are key differences. Traditional link-building tactics like guest posting, link exchanges, directory submissions, and broken link building focus on direct outreach and securing backlinks through various placements. In contrast, digital PR involves pitching stories and content to journalists, earning links through newsworthy campaigns, providing expert commentary, and creating data-driven studies or interactive content that naturally attract links.
Unlinked mentions are used universally in both approaches, but they play a more prominent and consistent role in digital PR. While traditional link-building methods can still be useful, digital PR has proven to be more effective in generating high-quality, authoritative links that provide lasting SEO value. Now, let’s explore why traditional link-building techniques often fall short compared to the more modern, impactful approach of digital PR.
Why Is Traditional Link Building Not As Effective Anymore?
Let me start by saying: traditional link building isn’t dead.
In fact, I’ve covered in-depth on this blog how traditional methods like guest posting, broken link building, and resource pages can still be effective. But the reality is that these tactics aren’t as accessible, scalable, or impactful as they once were when it comes to earning high-quality links that boost your rankings.
Here’s why:
A More Knowledgeable Audience
Tactics like link insertions, resource page link building, and broken link building simply don’t work as well anymore because the audience—especially SEOs—has gotten smarter. With access to advanced tools like Ahrefs and Screaming Frog, identifying broken links or gaps in SEO takes minutes. No one needs someone else pitching a link to replace a broken one.
Additionally, website owners have become more savvy about monetizing their sites, which brings us to the next challenge.
The Proliferation of Marketplaces
Many traditional link-building tactics now come with a price tag. While not all of them involve payment, a lot do, which directly violates Google’s link spam policies. Yet, platforms like Reddit’s r/linkbuilding, Facebook, or Slack groups are full of people buying and selling backlinks under the guise of “guest posts” or link exchanges.
In the past, guest blogging was about finding niche sites to share valuable insights and position yourself as a thought leader. Today, entire databases of low-quality “guest post sites” exist, where content is created purely for link placement—and payment. This race for quick link acquisition has diluted the effectiveness of traditional tactics.
Google Values Quality Over Quantity
Google has been clear for years that quality matters far more than the sheer number of backlinks. In a 2021 interview, Google’s John Mueller emphasized this, saying, “I would tend not to focus on the total number of links to your site... there could be one really good link from a really good website that’s a significant signal to us.”
And in April 2024, Google stated, “We need very few links to rank pages… over the years we’ve made links less important.” While they later clarified their stance, it’s clear that spammy link-building practices are losing value, and quality links from trusted sources carry far more weight.
Google Is Getting Smarter About Spam
Google’s AI-powered SpamBrain, introduced in 2022, is designed to detect and downrank sites engaged in buying or selling links. Along with the Helpful Content System, it helps Google sift through low-quality link schemes and prioritize genuinely helpful, user-focused content.
The Helpful Content Update Took Down Low-Quality Sites
Since the Helpful Content Updates began rolling out in late 2022, Google has taken aim at sites that churn out low-quality, AI-generated content purely for rankings or link building. The March 2024 update was especially damaging for sites relying on these strategies, crushing the value of links from content mills and low-authority sites.
The Rise of Digital PR in 2024 and Beyond
So where does this leave us? Enter digital PR, which has become even more powerful in 2024. The two key benefits of digital PR for link building are brand awareness and SEO:
- SEO: High-authority links from respected news outlets directly correlate with higher rankings, improved visibility in search engine results, and better site authority.
- Brand Awareness: Digital PR not only boosts your SEO but also gets your brand mentioned in highly trafficked media outlets, helping you reach wider audiences.
In fact, we’ve seen digital PR campaigns generate hundreds of backlinks and press mentions. And thanks to Google’s focus on helpful content, quality-driven digital PR campaigns align perfectly with its goals.
Helpful Content Rewards Digital PR Campaigns
Google’s Helpful Content System is all about promoting sites that offer unique, helpful information—exactly what digital PR delivers. Whether it’s a survey, a data-driven study, or expert commentary, digital PR focuses on creating high-quality content that news outlets want to share, which naturally leads to valuable backlinks.
AI Tools Thrive on Digital PR Campaigns
With the rise of AI search tools like ChatGPT and Google’s own AI Overviews, fresh, original content—especially data studies and surveys—is more valuable than ever. These tools prioritize new, unique insights, making digital PR campaigns a prime source for the “information gain” they crave.
Google Prefers Links from High-End News Sources
Leaked information from Google’s API has confirmed what many SEOs already suspected: the algorithm favors links from authoritative, frequently updated, and highly visible news sites. This makes digital PR an ideal link-building strategy, as it targets exactly the kind of high-quality links Google values most.
How to Get Started With Digital PR
Digital PR is a powerful tool that works for businesses of all sizes and at any stage of growth. If you’re looking to leverage it for your brand, here are the top steps to get started. Along the way, you’ll find links to more detailed blog posts on each topic to maximize your campaign’s impact.
1. Determine Your Focus Area
For a successful digital PR campaign, it’s crucial to stay relevant to your core industry or product focus. While you can create campaigns or pitch expert commentary outside your main niche, the further you stray from your industry, the less impactful the earned links will be for your SEO.
James Brockbank of Digitaloft offers a helpful perspective: “What have you earned the right to talk about and be seen as an expert?” For example, if you sell headphones, it makes sense to talk about topics related to hearing and music. However, venturing into unrelated topics like the benefits of running—even though people may use headphones while running—would dilute your message.
This approach naturally aligns your campaigns with relevant keywords your audience may search for, helping your efforts resonate with both of the search engines and users. To further refine your focus, ask yourself, “If Google didn’t exist, would I still want this link?” If the answer is no—such as pursuing a backlink from a barbecue grill site when you sell headphones—then it’s probably best to avoid that content angle.
2. Identify Target Publications
Having a clear list of publications where you’d like to earn coverage will help guide your strategy. Knowing your target outlets from the start allows you to craft content or tailor your email outreach to align with the interests of those specific media outlets.
3. Develop Your Digital PR Assets or Expert Quotes
One of the easiest ways to break into digital PR is through expert commentary, also known as reactive PR. Journalists often seek out expert quotes to add value to their stories. By offering thoughtful, relevant insights, you can earn mentions and backlinks from reputable publications.
4. Build a Media List
Some prefer to create their media list before developing content, allowing them to assess audience size and publication reach. However, I recommend creating your content first and then developing your media list. Journalists frequently switch industries and jobs, so building a media list too early may result in outdated contacts by the time you start outreach.
You can use a media database to help build your list, but keep in mind that these databases are often outdated. Regularly reviewing and updating your list is key to ensuring you reach the right contacts.
5. Pitch to Journalists
The final step—and one of the most critical—is pitching your story or commentary to journalists. There are two main types of pitches: expert commentary and content-driven pitches.
To increase your chances of success, make the journalist’s job as easy as possible by providing all the necessary details upfront. Be concise, provide value, and ensure your pitch is personalized for the journalist you’re reaching out to. For more tips on crafting effective pitches, check out our post on email personalization.
By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to launching a successful digital PR campaign that boosts both your brand awareness and SEO.
Digital PR is the Bright Future of Link Building as well as Branding
Every move Google makes reinforces the idea that digital PR is the key to success—not just in link building but in overall branding. But even if Google didn’t exist, the true value of digital PR would remain in its ability to elevate your brand.
As I write this, Google is fighting accusations in court that it operates as a monopoly. If these rulings don’t go in its favor, Google could face being broken up or losing its dominance over the search industry. Alternatively, an emerging search engine, like ChatGPT’s SearchGPT, could disrupt the market.
No matter the outcome, digital PR ensures your brand is visible to your audience and potential customers through high-authority news outlets and media. With strong digital PR strategies, you wouldn’t need to rely solely on Google—you’d already be in front of the right people through major publications.
And if navigating digital PR still feels overwhelming, check out our monthly SEO packages, where our team of experts can help you take the guesswork out of it.
