What is Digital PR and how do you get started?
- Will Tombs
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Contents
What is digital PR?
Digital PR is an online growth strategy that uses newsworthy content and media outreach to earn high-quality links, brand mentions, and authority. This elevates brand awareness online, as well as organic search visibility.
Let’s break digital PR down.
What does “PR” mean in digital PR?
PR (Public Relations) is about shaping how a brand is seen by the public through trusted third parties.
In practice, PR involves:
Creating newsworthy stories
Getting those stories featured in publications people already trust
Building credibility through independent coverage, not paid ads
What makes it digital PR?
Digital PR adds search and performance to PR. It is led by digital marketing for SEO and GEO benefits.
It ensures:
Stories are supported by link-worthy content on your website
Coverage includes editorial links*, not just mentions
Campaigns are planned using SEO insight right from the start, not added later
*Editorial links are natural links given by publishers when they reference your content as a trusted source, not paid or self-placed.
What is the difference between digital PR and traditional PR?
Digital PR and traditional PR both aim to build brand awareness and credibility, but they differ in approach, channels, and measurable outcomes.
Traditional PR
Traditional PR focuses on shaping public opinion and reputation through offline and mainstream media such as TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines.
Its success is usually measured by coverage, reach, and sentiment, and it works well for broad audience awareness and reputation management in established channels.
Digital PR
Digital PR brings PR into the online world, using niche websites, blogs and publications, and digital news outlets.
Unlike traditional PR, it is designed to be measurable and performance-led, securing editorial links and online mentions that directly support SEO and GEO efforts.
Examples
Traditional PR: A business launches a new product and secures a feature story on national TV and in print magazines. The brand gets wide recognition, but there’s no link back to its website and no direct measurable impact on search visibility.
Digital PR: Now, the same business publishes an original data report on consumer trends and pitches it to relevant online publications. Multiple reputable sites link back to the report, improving the brand’s SEO rankings and AI search visibility by boosting its authority.
Why is digital PR important for SEO and GEO success?
Digital PR is important for SEO and GEO because it builds authoritative links and trusted brand mentions across credible websites.
48.6% of SEO professionals consider digital PR the most effective tactic for building high-authority links that boost search rankings and visibility, underscoring its role in modern SEO and AI search success.
Search engines use these signals to judge a website’s trustworthiness, relevance, and authority, which directly influences rankings. The more high-quality, editorial links a brand earns, the stronger its organic visibility becomes over time.
For GEO, Digital PR plays an even bigger role. Mentions and links from reputable sources help AI systems recognise brand authority during retrieval and citation, increasing the likelihood of being referenced in AI-generated answers.
In short, digital PR is one of the most effective and future-proof link-building approaches for improving organic and AI search visibility.
How to get started with digital PR (Actionable steps)
Define clear goals for the campaign
Start by deciding what success looks like for your business. This could be earning authoritative links, building brand authority, generating leads, or improving GEO visibility.
Clear goals keep campaigns focused and measurable.
Use strategy and planning to find opportunities
Digital PR begins with planning, not pitching.
SEO research is used to understand what people search for, what journalists cover, and where competitors earn links. This shapes campaign ideas that align with real demand.
Create a PR-able asset
PR-able content gives journalists a reason to link. This content is hosted on your website and adds value to their story. This could be a data study, comparison report, calculator, or interactive tool.
For example, a finance brand might publish a cost-of-living calculator that shows how expenses vary across UK cities. This gives publications a credible resource to reference and link to.
Develop newsworthy angles and headlines
Turn the asset into a story. Create clear angles based on industries, regions, or current trends to make it relevant to specific publications.
Storytelling and angle development turn information into headlines that journalists care about.
Build a targeted media list
Identify journalists and publications that closely match your topic and audience. Relevance matters more than volume.
Pitch with personalised outreach
Send tailored pitches that explain why the story matters to that journalist’s audience. Reference why the story is relevant now and how it adds value to their readers.
Avoid mass emails. Personalisation is the key to outreach success.
Link acquisition and brand mentions
In digital PR, links and mentions are earned through editorial coverage, not manual placement. Journalists naturally link to PR-able content because it supports their story.
This is important because editorial links signal trust and authority to search engines.
Keep SEO and GEO aligned throughout the campaign
SEO and GEO strategies are built into Digital PR at every step of the way.
Consistent brand mentions and links across trusted sources help search engines and AI models understand what your brand represents.
Track performance and capture demand
Unlike traditional PR, digital PR is measurable.
You can track performance through links earned, domain authority growth, referral traffic, ranking uplift, and AI search visibility across platforms like ChatGPT.
Finally, support the coverage you have earned with landing pages or exciting offers to convert interest. For example, a SaaS brand earning coverage from an industry report might link it to a free audit page, turning PR visibility into qualified leads and revenue.
Your digital PR journey starts here!
Digital PR works best when it is planned strategically, executed with purpose, and measured for performance. When SEO, storytelling, and media outreach work together, Digital PR becomes a long-term growth channel, and not just a one-off campaign.
At Buried, we deliver performance-led digital PR that builds authority, improves overall organic search visibility through SEO and GEO, and drives real commercial outcomes.
If you’re ready to turn PR into measurable growth, explore our digital PR services or speak to our team today.
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