Link building is the broad practice of earning links from other websites to support SEO, while digital PR is one particular way of earning those links, by creating stories and content that journalists and publishers want to cover. In short, digital PR is a type of link building, but not all link building is digital PR.
Both aim to build your reputation online, but they use different methods and suit different goals. Understanding the difference can help you decide where to spend your time and budget.
What Link Building Usually Involves
Link building covers many activities. It can include getting listed by relevant trade bodies and local business groups, building relationships with suppliers and partners, creating helpful resources that others reference, finding mentions of your business that are not yet linked and fixing broken links that once pointed to your site.
For many small businesses, these steady, practical methods form the backbone of a sensible link building plan. They are often focused on relevance, particularly within a specific industry or local area.
What Digital PR Involves
Digital PR borrows from traditional public relations. Instead of approaching websites one by one, it focuses on creating something newsworthy, such as a survey, a data study, an expert comment or a timely story, and sharing it with journalists.
If the story is picked up, it can lead to coverage on news sites and blogs, often with links back to the business. A Kent company might, for example, share expert commentary on a local issue or publish original findings about its industry.
Digital PR can also raise brand awareness and bring in referral visitors, not just links. However, coverage is never guaranteed, as journalists decide what to publish.
Which Approach Suits Your Business?
For many local and smaller businesses, traditional link building is a sensible starting point. Local listings, partnerships and community involvement tend to be achievable and highly relevant.
Digital PR suits businesses with interesting stories, data or expertise to share, and those looking to reach a wider audience. It can work very well, but it usually needs more planning, creativity and time.
Many businesses benefit from a mix. Everyday link building provides steady, relevant links, while occasional digital PR campaigns can bring bursts of wider coverage.
What Both Have in Common
Good link building and good digital PR both focus on earning links rather than buying them. Both work best when you have genuinely useful content, a credible business and something worth talking about.
Both should also follow Google’s guidelines. Paying for links that pass ranking value, or hiding paid placements as editorial content, can put your website at risk.
If you are unsure which approach would suit your business, our link building services page explains how we earn relevant links. Feel free to get in touch to talk it through.
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