There’s More to Digital PR Than Link Building.

Digital public relations can be one of the most effective ways for a business to increase its online presence. Whether working with a digital PR agency or flying solo, a firm’s digital PR strategy typically involves networking with journalists, bloggers and online influencers to gain high-quality backlinks, mentions on social media, and improved Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Too much jargon for one sentence? Let’s rewind a little.

Online PR campaigns are often measured in terms of links earned as a result of outreach efforts. A truly successful PR campaign, however, should focus on much more than just earning new links for a site or brand platform. Here are three other advantages of digital PR that often go unappreciated.

1. Generate Social Engagement

The main reason SEO professionals will work to earn links is that they are a ranking factor on all main search engines; when brainstorming concepts for a campaign, linkability is never far from the top of the priority list.

A good digital PR campaign, however, should also be used to drive engagement on social media and facilitate conversations between a brand and its audience. It goes without saying that the best social engagements come when brands really know their audiences; a campaign that generates discussions amongst followers is a great way to open this pandora’s box, educate a brand’s leadership team, and drive long-term engagement.

• Credibility Through Placement

Links aside, running a campaign that gets featured in major publications is a huge win for a brand. This is especially true in industries where trust plays a major part in the consumer decision-making process, or for brands who are just starting out.

Being able to declare “as featured in” adds major kudos to any marketing team; being covered by top-tier press might sound like a goal belonging to traditional media, but the fact remains that it still boosts a brand’s credibility is undeniable.

• Reach New Audiences

The online world gets more and more competitive by the day, and it can often seem an expensive task to get a brand in front of new and relevant audiences - especially if those audiences are already highly sought after.

Brand awareness is one of the greatest gifts a good PR campaign can bestow on a company; if a brand is able to get good coverage that places it in front of relevant audiences, it will reap the benefits long after the campaign has finished.

A key to doing this is to determine which content a target audience wants to consume, and map a way of getting involved in those conversations. Relevancy is a core part of any successful PR campaign.

There can be no doubt that link building is an important part of building and boosting a brand’s online presence, but this is just one puzzle piece in the world of digital PR. Businesses need to focus on the bigger picture and determine how to use a digital marketing campaign that adds value beyond link building. This is the true knack of good PR.