The crucial role of link building in digital PR

Here, Ewan Burkinshaw, digital marketing manager at our sister agency The Bigger Boat, explains why building backlinks should be a cornerstone of your digital PR strategy.

What is link building? A fundamental aspect of digital PR, this process involves acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to your own. These links serve as pathways that not only drive traffic to your site but also signal the credibility and relevance of your content to search engines. Building backlinks benefits your digital PR strategy in several ways:

Enhanced search engine visibility

Search engines like Google consider backlinks a vote of confidence from other websites. But exactly what are backlinks? Just as the name suggests, a backlink is a hyperlink pointing back to your website from another. And, the more high-quality backlinks your site has, the more authority and credibility it gains in the eyes of search engines. As a result, your website is more likely to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), leading to increased organic traffic.

Establishing authority and trust

When reputable websites link back to your content, it not only drives traffic but also enhances your brand's authority and trustworthiness – two essential factors of Google’s E-E-A-T principles. For example, if a reputable fire trade publication links to your online fire trade supply store, search engines may view your blog as more trustworthy and relevant in the fire trade industry. Likewise, users are more likely to trust information from websites endorsed by other credible sources. Earning backlinks from reputable websites can significantly boost your brand's reputation and credibility in your industry.

Expanding your reach

Link building allows you to tap into new audiences and expand your reach beyond your existing network. When your content is linked to by other websites, their audience becomes aware of your brand and may visit your site to learn more. This exposure can lead to increased brand recognition, engagement, and potential conversions.

Fostering relationships

Building backlinks often involves reaching out to other websites and forging relationships with influencers, bloggers, journalists, and industry experts. These relationships not only help you secure valuable backlinks but also open doors to potential collaborations, partnerships, and media coverage. By fostering mutually beneficial relationships, you can amplify your brand's industry credibility and reach.

Staying ahead of the competition

In today's competitive digital landscape, every advantage counts. Implementing a strategic link building strategy gives you an edge over competitors that neglect this aspect of digital PR. By consistently earning high-quality backlinks, you can strengthen your position in SERPs, attract more organic traffic, and outperform competitors in online visibility and authority.

Where to start building backlinks

The quality of your backlinks is crucial. It’s better to have a few high-quality, relevant backlinks than many low-quality ones. But it can be tricky knowing where to start with your strategy. Here are three ways to start link building successfully:

• Create useful content. We’d always recommend starting with high-quality content: genuinely informative, unique resources that your target publication (and its audience) might find useful. This can be in-depth guides, infographics, videos, or other shareable content.

• Try guest blogging. You can also look for suitable and reputable sites in your industry and approach them about guest posts. This content shouldn’t be salesy, but must include your backlink in a way that’s organic or adds value: adding it to your author bio is a great way to do this.

• Collaborate with other businesses. Creating co-authored content is a powerful way of boosting your digital PR presence that’s mutually beneficial to both businesses. For example, if you were a luxury spa, you could work with a spa directory to create a unique campaign for Christmas – both creating landing pages that link to each other. See which industry websites or businesses share the same values and ask if they’re interested in working together.

Link building is an indispensable component of digital PR that offers numerous benefits, including enhanced search engine visibility, increased brand authority, expanded reach, relationship building opportunities, and a competitive edge. By incorporating link building into your digital PR strategy, you can elevate your online presence, attract more qualified traffic, and achieve long-term success in the digital realm.

Interested in exploring how your business could benefit from link building and other digital PR strategies? If you’re an existing client, reach out to your account manager, who’ll be happy to kick start the conversation. Alternatively, drop us a line and mention you’d like to be added to our newsletter mailing list and we’ll keep you up to date with the latest industry news and insights.