Digital PR can be a game changer for driving brand awareness, reputation, and traffic. Securing high-profile media coverage and online features helps elevate authority and trust. However, the impact diminishes without an integrated link-building strategy.
The hordes of information competing for attention online means even the most glowing coverage can get drowned out. That’s why link building remains essential for amplifying digital PR and sending meaningful volumes of visitors to your site.
This requires pursuing strategic earned links integrated with core PR efforts. With the right approach, securing authoritative backlinks from trustworthy online publications can bring your content directly to target audiences and boost measurable ROI.
Digital PR Link Building 101
Before detailing tactics and best practices, let’s review some core link-building concepts relevant to PR:
1. Follow Versus NoFollow Links
Links either “follow” or “nofollow” web crawling rules that dictate the flow of authority. Follow links fully pass on SEO value making them ideal PR link targets.
2. Anchor Text- Digital PR Success
Anchor text is the visible, clickable text of a link. Strategic anchor phrases help associate your brand with key topics. For PR, branded and contextual anchor text strikes the right balance.
3. Link Authoritativeness
The authority of the linking site itself determines how much ranking power gets passed on. High-domain authority media sites should be prioritized link targets.
4. Link Context- Digital PR Success
Links naturally embedded in high-value content as references tend to carry more weight versus forced, off-topic placements. Relevance is key.
Utilizing Different Strategies for Link-Building
With those fundamentals covered, what are some proven ways to effectively incorporate link-building into digital PR activities?
1. Pitch Persuasively With Link Benefits
Earning great links starts with PR pitches. Persuasively convey why your content assets would provide value to publishers and readers. Specifically highlight the SEO benefits publishers can gain from quality embedding links. Demonstrate how featured content would enhance existing articles on their site. Many journalists and editors now grasp the value of strategic links. Pitch accordingly.
2. Develop Compelling Link-Worthy Assets
Don’t expect great links without offering great content. Develop authoritative, relevant assets with link-earning potential. Trending topics, original research, timely data studies, rankings or review articles tend to attract natural linking and sharing. Ensure content is optimized for on-page engagement and SEO discoverability.
3. Highlight Your Link-Building Successes
Leveraging your existing high-profile links and PR coverage can generate further interest. Maintain and share an online “link portfolio” or “as seen in” media coverage section. Journalists want to know if their publication would be in good company by linking to you.
4. Build Reporter Relationships- Digital PR Success
Cultivating ongoing rapport with reporters leads to repeat coverage and exclusive opportunities. Follow reporter’s social media accounts to understand the topics and content angles they gravitate toward. Personalized pitches and sharing their work help strengthen mutually beneficial relationships. Offer to provide quotes or expertise to a reporter’s stories to make securing future links in return easier.
5. Follow Up Relentlessly But Respectfully
The reality is most initial outreach goes unanswered. Don’t be deterred. Well-crafted follow-up emails reiterate why your content deserves coverage. But avoid excessively pestering reporters. If no response after 3-4 attempts, redirect efforts elsewhere.
6. Meet Link Building Metrics- Digital PR Success
Set measurable link-building goals around targets like referral traffic driven, domains acquired, and securing links within priority articles related to core SEO keywords. Use third-party tools to track link metrics and gauge the ROI of PR link efforts.
Integrating strategic link-building with core PR activities amplifies reach and measurable impact. Approaching link earning systematically as part of your digital PR workflow is essential for success.
Link-Focused Content Distribution
Beyond traditional PR, bolster link-building efforts by proactively distributing your content assets through channels like:
1. Relevant Online Communities
Join and share killer content in LinkedIn Groups, Reddit, and Quora aligned with your brand and buyers. Highly targeted for earning contextually relevant links. You can even partner up with different platforms offering PR solutions, such as MeUP.
2. HARO Sourcing Requests
Expert comments on trending news stories pitched through Help a Reporter Out can secure valuable backlinks from major news sites.
Also Read: Pros of Influencer Marketing and PR for CBD Brands
3. Influencer Marketing- Digital PR Success
Influential individuals with loyal audiences can provide credibility. But ensure their site and content justify a coveted link.
3. Link Roundups- Digital PR Success
Roundup articles on reputable sites organize themed links enabling contextual inclusion related to your niche and content.
4. Industry Directories
Featured listings on well-ranked directories like Crunchbase further diversify backlinks while enhancing brand visibility.
Distributing content through channels frequented by quality link sources supplements PR outreach.
Also Read: Advertorials: Pros and Cons for PR professionals and Digital Marketing Specialists
Best Practices For Optimizing PR Links
What good are high-profile PR links if nobody engages with them? Optimize your earned links for maximum impact by:
1. Securing Brand Anchor Text
Branded anchor text links directly to your domain or specific content. But avoid over-optimizing with excessively exact match anchor text.
2. Publishing At Peak Times
Coordinate with publishers to ensure your content and links go live during peak traffic periods for that site.
3. Promoting The Links- Digital PR Success
Further, amplify digital PR wins by sharing achieved links across your owned social media channels. Encourage stakeholders to share socially as well.
4. Updating Site Content Pages
Don’t silo PR content in press release sections. Embed links within relevant pages people are already visiting.
5. Linking Internally
Where appropriate, place internal links pointing back to the PR content from related pages on your site. This distributes link equity.
Conclusion on Digital PR Success
Link building should never be an afterthought for digital PR. It’s truly the key to elevating content, connecting with core audiences, and driving measurable ROI from earned media opportunities. Adopt a strategic approach rooted in building brand visibility and authority—not just chasing quick SEO wins.
Equipped with the right tactics and mindset, securing high-value links from reputable publications will become a pillar of PR success.
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