Want to rank higher on Google in 2025? Stop relying on keywords alone and start using Digital PR SEO. This approach focuses on building journalist relationships and securing media coverage to earn authoritative backlinks that boost your rankings and grow your brand credibility.
Take Preply, a language learning platform that ran creative digital PR campaigns, landing global media attention and even TV coverage. The result? A 48% boost in organic traffic, proving the power of Digital PR when done right.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to build a Digital PR strategy for SEO in seven simple steps and share real-world success stories to inspire your own. Ready to get started? Let’s go!
What is Digital PR SEO, and how is it Different from Regular SEO?
Digital PR SEO is a powerful mix of public relations and search engine optimization. It helps brands grow their online presence by improving their website’s ranking, visibility, and reinforcing a recognizable brand voice.
While traditional SEO mainly focuses on things like content, keywords, and fixing website issues, Digital PR SEO goes a step further by adding:
- Getting quality backlinks from trustworthy websites
- Mentioning your brand in the right online articles and blogs
- Creating content that’s newsworthy and attracts natural links
- Building connections with journalists, influencers, and industry experts
- Earning positions in top media and featured snippets
With search competition at an all-time high, businesses need more than keywords to stand out. Let’s explore why Digital PR is becoming a must-have growth engine.
Why Should Businesses Invest in Digital PR SEO Instead of just Traditional SEO?
In today’s fast-changing digital world, it’s harder to get noticed with just technical SEO. Here’s why Digital PR SEO is so important:
| Traditional SEO Approach | Digital PR SEO Approach | Impact Difference |
| Keyword optimization | Strategic brand storytelling | Builds stronger brand recognition |
| Basic link building | Earning links from top media | Increases authority over time |
| Content creation | Newsworthy content campaigns | Attracts natural links and social shares |
| Technical fixes | Building media relationships | Establishes your brand as a leader |
| Local citations | Mentions in relevant publications | Boosts credibility with Google |
What Are the Benefits of Digital PR?
Digital PR is like giving your brand a megaphone, but smarter. It helps your business grow online by building trust, driving traffic, and boosting your spot on Google. Here’s how it works:
- Better SEO (Search Engine Optimization): When trusted websites talk about your brand or link to your site, Google sees that as a thumbs-up. These high-quality backlinks can push your site higher in search results. The more “thumbs-ups” you get from top sources, more visible you become online.
- More Website Visitors: Articles or mentions in popular industry blogs and news outlets send curious readers to your site. This type of traffic is powerful because it’s not random. It comes from people already interested in what you offer.
- Stronger Brand Authority and Reputation: When respected media platforms feature your brand, it’s like getting a golden seal of approval. This kind of exposure builds trust with customers and partners. People tend to believe what others say about you more than what you say about yourself.
- Easy-to-Track Results: Digital PR isn’t a guessing game. You can measure what works using tools that track clicks through rates, traffic, and engagement. That means every campaign teaches you something and helps you get even better results next time.
- Long-Term Payoff: Here’s the best part. A single article or mention can keep working for you for months or even years. For example, a product launch story from a trusted tech site can keep sending traffic, boosting SEO, and reinforcing your brand long after the original post.
From higher rankings to trusted mentions, Digital PR does more than just get you noticed. It builds long-lasting authority. So how do top brands achieve these results?
What Are 5 Digital PR Tactics That Consistently Deliver Results? (Real-Life Case Study)
Looking to boost your digital PR performance? These five proven tactics can help you gain authority, generate backlinks, and secure media coverage. Each one is backed by real-world examples.
1. Conduct Data-Driven Research Studies
Publishing original research helps journalists build stories around real data, making your brand a reliable source.
Example: WalletHub’s “Best Summer Travel Destinations” index analyzed 100 U.S. cities based on factors like weather, activities, and travel costs. This data-driven approach garnered coverage from major outlets, enhancing WalletHub’s authority in the travel sector.
Why it worked: It offered original industry research, specific statistics on travel metrics, and explored multiple angles around summer travel planning.
2. Launch Creative Campaigns
Creative storytelling can take a brand viral when familiar themes are reimagined in unexpected formats.
Example: Oreo transformed the ubiquitous website hamburger menu into a playful “Oreo Menu,” turning the three lines into a stack of Oreo cookies. This clever twist on a common design element sparked conversations and media coverage.
Why it worked: They reimagined a familiar digital icon, created a unique brand experience, and engaged audiences through visual creativity.
3. Engage in Newsjacking
Reacting quickly to trending topics helps you ride the wave of real-time interest and visibility.
Example: Surreal, the cereal brand, launched a witty campaign by placing their suited-up sales team in front of billboards that read,
“Our high protein cereal is now in Sainsbury’s. Here’s our sales team to tell you all about it.”
The stunt humorously mocked traditional advertising while reinforcing brand visibility in a memorable way.
Why it worked: It humorously tapped into a trending topic, connected naturally to the brand, and sparked public discussion.
4. Share Expert Insights and Thought Leadership
Positioning yourself as a subject-matter expert increases your visibility and credibility. Journalists often seek trusted voices to quote in their stories, and offering timely, relevant commentary can lead to high-quality media placements.
Example: Kathleen McCafferty, content strategist at JB Media, secured a feature in a regional magazine by crafting a personalized pitch tailored to a journalist’s interests. Her approach demonstrated that even without a media platform, thoughtful outreach can earn impactful exposure.
Why it works: Sharing insights journalists can use adds value to their story, positions you as a credible expert, and opens up backlink opportunities through interviews, quotes, and bylined contributions.
5. Promote Product or Service-Focused PR
Well-crafted press releases can still earn solid media attention when your news is genuinely useful or exciting.
Example: In 2023, CeraVe expanded its therapeutic skincare line by launching four new products. The announcement was picked up by major outlets like PR Newswire, highlighting the brand’s commitment to addressing specific skin concerns.
Why it works: It provides journalists with relevant story material, ties company updates to broader industry interest, and earns natural links from trusted outlets.
These five go-to tactics show how to turn creative ideas and data into viral campaigns. But is Digital PR just another name for link building?
How is digital PR different from link building? Link building focuses on getting links for SEO. Digital PR earns links by creating newsworthy content that builds trust, brand awareness, and long-term visibility.
You don’t need a massive budget. Just smart moves. Here are seven simple steps to build a Digital PR strategy that actually delivers results.
How to Easily Build a Digital PR Strategy for SEO in 2025?
Here are seven easy steps anyone can follow to build a strong digital PR strategy that gets results.
- Step 1: Set Clear Goals
- Step 2: Research Competitors
- Step 3: Create Great Content
- Step 4: Build a Media List
- Step 5: Craft Killer Pitches
- Step 6: Use Strong Visuals
- Step 7: Track and Improve
Step 1: Set Clear Goals Before Anything Else
Begin by identifying what success looks like for your brand. Define specific goals, pick measurable KPIs, and know exactly who your audience is. This helps shape your entire digital PR plan from content to outreach.
🎯 Example: “I want 15 backlinks from tech blogs with domain authority 80 or higher, a 25 percent increase in organic traffic, and 5 mentions in SaaS-focused media outlets by December 2025.”
Step 2: Research What Competitors Are Doing Right
Once your goals are in place, study your competitors. Find out where they are getting featured and which content types are working best. Use tools like Google Trends, BuzzSumo, and Ahrefs to spot what’s trending and where you can stand out.
🎯 Example: You own a fitness brand and notice your competitor just got featured in Men’s Health for a home workout trend. You pitch your own version titled “Top 10 AI Fitness Gadgets Changing Home Workouts in 2025” and tap into the same audience.
Step 3: Create Content Journalists Actually Want
Use your research to develop valuable and unique content. Focus on what your audience cares about and what the media finds interesting. Use formats like expert articles, infographics, podcasts, or data reports to add authority and originality.
🎯 Example: As a fintech brand, you launch a report titled “Where Gen Z is Spending Their Money in 2025” backed with research and custom visuals. Journalists covering personal finance find it useful and link to your data.
Step 4: Build a Targeted Media List
Make a list of media outlets that match your brand and content. Include niche blogs, relevant magazines, and journalists who frequently cover stories in your industry. Use Ahrefs or SEMrush to check their domain authority and traffic quality.
🎯 Example
A fashion startup creates a list with The Zoe Report and Who What Wear. They skip larger names like Vogue to focus on niche outlets with stronger relevance and high engagement, backed by solid domain metrics.
Step 5: Pitch the Right Journalists With Great Emails
Now that you have your media list, find the right people to contact. Look for editors or content leads on LinkedIn or the outlet’s website. Write a short email with a clear subject line, compelling hook, and quick value summary.
🎯 Example: Subject line reads “Why Remote Workers Are Choosing Lisbon Over Bali” and the email highlights three surprising stats. A journalist at Business Insider loves the angle and publishes your story with a link to your brand.
Step 6: Make Visuals Your Power Move
Add custom graphics, charts, or videos to your content. Journalists love content that is ready to publish and visually engaging. Visuals help your story get shared more, increase time spent on page, and attract more backlinks.
🎯 Example: You create a cyberbullying infographic showing updated 2025 stats by country. A reporter from Mashable uses it in their article and gives you a backlink for providing the visual.
Step 7: Track Everything You Do and Improve
Monitor your digital PR campaign with tools like Google Analytics and Ahrefs. Track key results like website traffic, backlinks, brand mentions, and engagement to see what worked and where to improve.
And if you’re using AI chat features or LLM-powered widgets on your site, be sure to track AI chatbot and LLM traffic separately, so you know exactly how those automated conversations feed into your overall performance.
🎯 Example: After launching your campaign, you notice a 40 percent spike in traffic, 8 new high-authority backlinks, and 3 unlinked brand mentions that you later convert into links. Your sales also jump by 20 percent within weeks.
Choosing the right tool can make or break your campaign. Let’s compare the top digital PR tools so you can pick the one that suits your strategy best.
Which Is the Best Digital PR SEO Tool in 2025?
Working at AllAboutAI, I’ve had the opportunity to test and compare a wide range of digital PR and SEO tools. From my experience, BuzzSumo consistently delivers the best mix of media monitoring, content research, and backlink discovery at an affordable price point.
BuzzSumo vs Prowly vs Muck Rack: Full Comparison
Here’s a quick comparison table to help you decide which tool fits your PR and SEO strategy best.
| Feature / Criteria | BuzzSumo | Prowly | Muck Rack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who is this best for? | SEO teams, content marketers, digital PR pros | PR agencies, in-house comms teams | Large brands, media agencies, crisis comms pros |
| Media Database Size | 700,000+ journalists & influencers | 1 million+ global media contacts | 300,000+ verified journalists |
| Content & Social Analytics | Advanced tools for trends, backlinks, and engagement | Basic SEO insights from newsroom | Article search only, limited engagement data |
| Press Release Tools | ❌ Not included | ✅ Built-in press release builder with SEO newsroom | ❌ Not included |
| PR CRM | Basic tagging and contact notes | Full CRM with history, segmentation, and journalist tracking | Basic contact management |
| AI Capabilities | AI content ideation and pitch suggestions | AI press release drafting and personalized pitching | Some automation, limited AI use |
| Media Monitoring | Real-time alerts on brand, competitors, and social mentions | Press hit monitoring with AI-based filtering | Real-time alerts, journalist activity, and media moves tracking |
| Social Platform Support | Facebook, Reddit, Pinterest, X | Facebook, Pinterest, X | Facebook, Pinterest, X (no Reddit) |
| Reporting Tools | Coverage reports, engagement metrics, trend tracking | Custom dashboards with visual PR insights | Basic reports, link tracking |
| Newsroom and SEO Tools | ❌ Not available | ✅ Dedicated SEO newsroom hosting | ❌ Not available |
| Starting Price (2025) | $239/month (annual plan, 5 seats) | ~$339/month (varies by features and access level) | $5,000–$10,000/year (flat fee per user, no public trial) |
| Free Trial | ✅ 30-day trial | ✅ Free trial available | ❌ No public free trial |
| Main Strengths | Strong content and backlink analytics, affordable for teams | All-in-one platform with the largest database and CRM built in | Real-time journalist tracking and media monitoring |
| Main Weaknesses | No press release builder, entry plan is limited | Less advanced analytics, pricing not transparent | Expensive for small teams, weak engagement analytics |
- Go for BuzzSumo if you want the best combination of SEO tools, influencer outreach, and content analysis without breaking the bank.
- Choose Prowly if you need a complete PR workflow with CRM and newsroom hosting.
- Pick Muck Rack only if your team requires real-time journalist tracking and has the budget to support it.
Why is My Digital PR SEO Campaign Not Earning Backlinks (And How to Fix It)
Launched Digital PR campaign for SEO, created content, pitched it… but no backlinks? Here are 10 common reasons and how to fix them:
- Lacks Newsworthiness or Uniqueness: Stand out by offering fresh insights, surprising data, or timely hooks.
- Targeting the Wrong People: Focus on journalists, bloggers, and influencers relevant to your topic with tailored messaging.
- Content Lacks Value: Evaluate your content’s value by ensuring it offers new data, expert input, or a unique takeaway.
- Weak Outreach Strategy: Personalize outreach, lead with value, and follow up politely (no spam).
- Missing Shareable Visuals: Add infographics or custom visuals to grab attention.
- Ignoring Timing and Trends: Tie your content to current events, seasonal trends, or industry conversations.
- Storytelling Doesn’t Land: Craft a compelling narrative that explains why your topic matters now.
- Limited Media List: Broaden outreach to include niche blogs, podcasts, and newsletters.
- Not Building Relationships: Engage with journalists early to build trust before asking for backlinks.
- Drowned Out by Competition: Ensure your campaign is unique, high-quality, and well-executed to stand out.
How Do Generative AI and Search Engines Understand Topical Authority?
The past year has revealed just how far generative AI and large language models (LLMs) have come in understanding not just content but context and reputation. What’s truly remarkable is how these systems now recognize expertise, whether it belongs to a website, a brand, or an individual.
LLMs like ChatGPT do not rely solely on backlinks to assess authority. Instead, they analyze vast networks of associations, patterns, and language use across platforms. This means your digital presence is being interpreted on a much deeper level.
That’s why Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is gaining traction. GEO-optimized content has shown 4.4x higher conversions and up to 40% better visibility compared to traditional SEO tactics.
With 78% of tech companies already adopting GEO and the market projected to reach $7.3B by 2030, it’s becoming a critical strategy for brands aiming to appear in AI-generated content and summaries.
Try this for yourself. Ask ChatGPT, “Who is Aleyda Solis in SEO?” It returns a detailed and accurate summary, identifying Aleyda as a respected international SEO consultant and speaker.
Search engines now assess your topical authority by looking at your content, how often you appear in relevant discussions, and how consistently you focus on a specific area of expertise.
AI and search engines now look beyond words. They judge your reputation. Tools like ChatGPT and Gemini can help you create campaigns that people want to share. Let’s see how.
How Can I Use AI Tools Like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini to Create PR Campaigns That Go Viral?
AI isn’t just a productivity boost. It’s a strategic advantage. Tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini can help you brainstorm ideas, discover trends, and craft viral-worthy pitches faster than ever. Here’s how to use them effectively:
How Can ChatGPT Help You Create a Digital PR Campaign?
Prompt: Act as a PR strategist for a tech startup. Suggest a 3-month digital PR plan including pitch topics, journalist segments, and media titles that accept contributed content.
This prompt gives you a complete campaign structure with pitch angles, timing, and target publications.
How Can Perplexity Help You Discover Trending Topics?
Prompt: What are the top digital PR trends in the finance sector in 2025?
A fast way to surface relevant, high-impact angles your competitors might be missing.
While it offers precision, tools like ChatGPT excel in creative ideation and storytelling. For a full comparison of how each tool supports different PR tasks, check the breakdown on Perplexity vs ChatGPT.
How Can Gemini Help You Auto-Draft Emails?
Prompt: Help me write an email pitch to a journalist about a cybersecurity infographic with 2025 data.
Gemini can generate sharp, professional outreach drafts ready for customization and send-off.
What Are the Top Digital PR Trends to Watch in 2025?
Before you scroll away, let me share a few powerful trends that are already shaping digital PR in 2025. If you’re serious about growing your brand, these are worth your attention.
Trend 1: AI is getting personal
AI isn’t just a tool anymore. I’ve seen how it helps you create smarter emails, tailor content, and understand your audience better. From product suggestions to custom campaigns, AI lets you add a personal touch without the heavy lifting. If you’re not using it yet, you’re missing a big edge.
Trend 2: Data builds trust
Fake news is everywhere and people can tell when something feels off. I always back my content with credible data because it builds real trust. When you show numbers that matter, your audience sees you as honest and reliable. That’s what gets attention in 2025.
Trend 3: Video still rules
Let me be honest nothing connects like video. People want to see you, hear your story, and feel your brand. With more users asking for video content, now is the time to record, post, and engage. Whether it’s a short clip or a behind-the-scenes look, video helps you stand out.
📝 Final Note: Digital PR isn’t just a link building trick. It is a strategy that positions your brand in front of the right audience, builds credibility over time, and earns links as a result, not as the goal.
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FAQs
How Does Digital PR Work for SEO?
How Does Digital PR Help with Backlinks?
Can I use ChatGPT or Perplexity to create a digital PR strategy?
Which tool is best for Digital PR SEO?
How do I measure the ROI of a Digital PR SEO campaign?
How do backlinks affect SEO?
What Is the Role of Content in Digital PR SEO?
Conclusion
Digital PR SEO is your shortcut to better rankings, stronger authority, and real brand visibility in 2025. When you mix SEO with smart media outreach, you get links that matter and traffic that sticks. This guide gave you the what, why, and how to get started with real results.
Now picture this. You get your brand featured on a top tech site and traffic starts rolling in overnight. Feels good right? Drop a comment and tell me what part of digital PR you’re ready to try first or what’s holding you back. I’m here to help.
