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.
- 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.
