Traditional PR aims for coverage: a newspaper story, a TV segment, a quote in a magazine. Digital PR uses the same methods but focuses on online publications, where coverage usually comes with a link and is measured partly by its effect on search. It has become one of the most effective ways to earn high-quality backlinks, because the links are editorial: a journalist chose to cite you.
What digital PR looks like
- Expert comment. Journalists need quotes. Coastline Plumbing’s lead plumber explains what homeowners should do before a forecast freeze, and two local news sites quote him with a link.
- Original data. Bean & Barrel Coffee surveys 1,000 customers about home brewing habits and publishes the results with clear charts. Food and lifestyle writers cite the findings.
- Local stories. A business milestone, a community project, a new location, a charity partnership.
- Seasonal and reactive angles. Tying expertise to what’s already in the news: allergy season for a dentist, a price change for coffee drinkers.
- Useful tools and resources. A cost calculator or a well-made guide that writers link to as a reference.
Why it matters
Links from news sites and respected publications are hard for competitors to copy and carry real weight. Coverage also builds brand recognition, and mentions in trusted publications are the kind of signals that AI assistants draw on when deciding which businesses to name (see LLM citations). Even when a publication doesn’t link, being mentioned has value.
How to start small
- Build a list of local news sites, trade publications and bloggers in your area or industry.
- Prepare an expert. One person who can comment quickly and clearly on your topic.
- Watch for requests. Journalists post requests for sources on services such as Qwoted and Featured, and on social media.
- Pitch briefly. Two or three sentences on the story, why it matters to their readers, and what you can offer (data, quotes, photos).
- Make it easy. Provide high-resolution images, clear numbers and a contact who replies the same day.
- Follow up once, then move on.
Common mistakes
- Pitching news that isn’t news. “We redesigned our website” won’t get coverage.
- Data that doesn’t hold up. Tiny or biased surveys damage credibility.
- Mass emailing generic press releases to hundreds of journalists.
- Measuring only links. Coverage, referral traffic and brand searches count too.
- Paying for “guaranteed placement”. That’s advertising, and links should be marked
sponsored, which makes it closer to paid guest posting than PR.
How to track results
Record each piece of coverage, whether it links, and the traffic it sends. RankThat’s Backlinks feature shows new links as they’re picked up, so you can see which stories earned links and which only earned mentions.