When it comes to building Google authority and increasing online visibility, marketers have relied on backlinks as the gold standard for years. Tried and true, but slow and tedious.
Achieve a more visible online profile with digital PR
With the advent of AI comes digital PR. It combines traditional public relations with online tactics like securing high-quality media coverage and mentions from authoritative sources and influencers. This strategy drives traffic and builds a brand’s authority and trustworthiness in the eyes of search engines and, ultimately, potential customers. Think it doesn’t work? Think about all of the “influencers” out there. It works.
Kansas City Chiefs Tight End Travis Kelce is everywhere, and it’s not a coincidence.
Travis Kelce seems to be everywhere these days. He’s been featured endorsing a diverse range of products and brands like Nike, Bud Light, State Farm, Experian, Pfizer, and DirecTV. It’s not a coincidence, and a recent Forbes article mapped out Kelce’s PR strategy. He’s a smart guy; while he’s making big bucks in the NFL, he knows he may be limping to his final end zone. Football is hard on athletes.
He hired a publicist to build his brand.
He hired a publicist–and that was only the beginning. They mapped out a comprehensive strategy and set goals over the period of a few years. The results have been wildly successful.
A romance with Taylor Swift, endorsements, a Super Bowl win, etc. Of course, it helps that he’s handsome, accessible, and eminently likable. This may be his last year in the NFL, and if it is, It will be interesting to see what life after the NFL looks like for Travis Kelce.
Understanding the difference: Backlinks vs. digital PR
Why digital PR is essential: Creating buzz with a touch of FOMO
Digital PR, or digital public relations, is an online marketing strategy that helps businesses increase their online presence and reputation through various digital platforms. It leverages the power of the internet and AI to connect with audiences worldwide and build brand awareness. Unlike standard SEO tactics that focus solely on optimizing your website for search engines, digital PR aims to create buzz around your brand. There’s a lot of room to include a more personal element. People are interested in the people behind the product. It’s the stories that they remember.
Improved authority and credibility
Digital PR builds authority by associating your brand with reputable publications and influencers. When you secure coverage in an online magazine or a popular blog, the positive association boosts your brand credibility and encourages potential customers to trust your services.
Targeted audience engagement
Digital PR enables targeted engagement with specific audiences interested in your industry. Sharing relevant stories attracts clients seeking customized marketing solutions that you may offer.
Enhanced visibility in digital media
Securing high-quality backlinks from news articles and blogs increases your agency’s online footprint. Digital PR ensures that your brand is featured in the right places, garnering attention from potential clients who might be searching for a digital marketing agency in their area.
Improved SEO and website traffic
Digital PR generates high-quality backlinks from reputable sites, boosting website credibility and authority. Authoritative links enhance visibility and search engine rankings. Securing placement on trusted platforms drives SEO improvements.
Backlinks vs. guest posts vs. digital PR: A definitive breakdown
Three digital PR applications that will build and nurture media relationships
Muck Rack
Muck Rack is a media database and monitoring platform that helps PR professionals connect with journalists, track media coverage, and manage campaigns efficiently.
Features
● Easily find journalists by location, beat, and recent articles, allowing precise targeting for PR campaigns relevant to your digital media agency.
● Track mentions of your brand or keywords across multiple platforms in real time, enabling swift responses to relevant news.
● Seamlessly share the news with journalists and media outlets, increasing opportunities for media coverage and valuable backlinks.
● Create and manage tailored media lists to track relevant journalists and contacts in the digital media sector, streamlining your outreach efforts.
● Access detailed analytics to evaluate PR campaign success by analyzing engagement metrics and media coverage, aiding strategy adjustments.
Pricing
Starter: $179/month (billed annually)
Pro: $299/month (billed annually)
Digital PR
This platform is unique in its focus on creating engaging content, pitching stories, and measuring the impact of digital PR efforts. Its targeted approach helps businesses connect with key media influencers.
Features
Digital PR enables targeted outreach to specific journalists and influencers, making it easier to secure media coverage that aligns with your industry niche.
● With customizable campaigns, digital PR allows users to tailor messages that resonate with their target audience. Stronger engagement and better connections.
● Digital PR supports high-quality content creation, assisting in crafting compelling press releases and stories that attract media attention.
● Performance tracking is a key feature of digital PR, providing detailed analytics to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns and refine strategies accordingly.
● Collaborating with influencers through digital PR amplifies brand messages, helping digital marketing agencies reach wider audiences and build trust with potential clients.
Pricing
Solo: $99/month (billed annually)
Team: $299/month (billed annually)
Meltwater
Meltwater provides media intelligence solutions that help businesses monitor media coverage, analyze brand sentiment, and track industry trends, making it a comprehensive PR tool.
Features
● Track mentions of your brand across news outlets, blogs, and social media in real-time to manage your online reputation effectively.
● Analyze public sentiment surrounding your brand and industry trends, helping you gauge audience perceptions and adjust strategies accordingly.
● Generate detailed reports that illustrate media coverage, engagement metrics, and campaign performance for strategic evaluations.
● Gain insights into social media trends and engagement levels to refine your digital media PR strategies and enhance brand visibility.
Pricing
Starter: $300/month (billed annually)
Pro: $600/month (billed annually)
Key differentiator: What sets these applications apart
● Muck Rack focuses on journalist outreach and media tracking
● Digital PR offers a comprehensive platform for digital PR, SEO, and content marketing
● Meltwater emphasizes media intelligence and analytics
How to get featured by journalists in digital media
Leverage current trends
Journalists seek timely, relevant stories, so use current studies or data to craft compelling pitches. By aligning your insights with industry trends, you can capture their attention and showcase your expertise.
Sign up for HARO (Help a Reporter Out)
HARO is a valuable resource that connects journalists with experts who can provide insights for their stories. Sign up as a source and monitor daily queries that align with your expertise. When responding, ensure your answers are concise and provide value. This increases your chances of being quoted or featured in relevant articles.
HARO can be tough to penetrate
I’ve had good luck with Help a B2B Writer, and Quoted is another source. Create an account and identify yourself as an expert and check the emails that hit your inbox every day. Most of what you’ll receive is not relevant for you. Every once in a while you’ll get a query that has your name on it. Respond as concisely as possible–no philosophizing or noodling around. Get to the point with the details.
Build relationships with journalists.
Take the time to develop genuine relationships with journalists in your industry niche. Follow them on social media, engage with their content by commenting and sharing, and send personalized emails to introduce yourself. By establishing a rapport, you increase the likelihood of their considering you as a source for future stories.
Offer unique insights
Offer unique insights, expertise, and perspectives to enhance stories rather than just pitching a typical press release. This adds value and makes the story more engaging.
Craft compelling pitches
When reaching out to journalists, craft a concise pitch that highlights your story’s digital media newsworthiness. These guys are generally on a deadline, so keep it brief. Begin with a strong hook and emphasize why your insights matter to their readership.
Success story: How digital PR boosted a clothing boutique’s visibility
Emily had always dreamed of owning an online boutique, “Chic Styles.” After launching her e-commerce site, she faced the challenges of a limited budget and ineffective marketing strategies.
Frustrated, she began researching digital PR strategies and decided to try Muck Rack. An important part of Muck Rack’s strategy includes building relationships with journalists. By crafting engaging stories and press releases, Emily gained valuable media exposure and began building her online brand.
Muck Rack’s insights taught her to leverage current fashion trends to attract attention. Within three months, her website traffic surged by 25%, social media engagement increased, and sales began to grow. Customers began sharing their experiences, establishing “Chic Styles” as a trusted name in fun fashion and a go-to boutique for trendy apparel.
She began using Vidnoz to create short videos.
Emily knew that she couldn’t take any of this for granted. She needed to keep her customers engaged and aware of new trends and inventory. She expanded her marketing efforts and began creating short videos using Vidnoz, a turnkey video app that creates videos in minutes. Emily used these on her social media sites and posted them to her blog. She wanted to make sure these were shareable because she knew that some of her customers were sharing these.
She encouraged her customers to send her photos or video clips of them in their Chic Style apparel, and she’d share these on her website and on social media. She made sure she forwarded these to the journalists with whom she had built relationships. She also sent cards/gift cards for holidays.
Some final thoughts
We’re obsessed with keywords, SEO, and getting more backlinks. Ignoring digital PR in favor of focusing exclusively on backlinks is a shortsighted strategy for any marketer. Digital PR enhances your online presence, builds relationships, and leads to more significant engagement and Google authority. By incorporating digital PR into your overall strategy, you’ll raise your visibility and maintain a competitive edge in the digital marketing space.
5 Reasons Why Toxic Relationships Affect Your Financial Decisions(Opens in a new browser tab)
FAQs
How does digital PR enhance my agency’s SEO?
Digital PR boosts SEO by gaining high-authority backlinks and driving organic traffic to your site.
What types of businesses benefit most from digital PR?
All businesses benefit, especially those seeking to build brand awareness and authority.
How is digital PR different from social media marketing?
Digital PR targets media coverage and journalists, whereas social media marketing centers on follower engagement.
Janet Peischel is a writer and SEO specialist, the owner of Top of Mind Marketing. She’s helping her clients develop sustainable SEO strategies. She lives in Sonoma, CA. Contact Janet for a free SEO audit. Jumpstart your SEO strategy today! 510.292.1843.
Discussion about this post