Dec 12, 2023

PR Backlinks 101: What, Why and How?

Vaishnavi Ramkumar
PR Backlinks 101: What, Why and How?
Vaishnavi Ramkumar
Dec 12, 2023

PR Backlinks 101: What, Why and How?

Looking to improve your website's visibility? PR backlinks are one of the best ways to go about it. Explore the benefits of using PR links and how to build one to boost your SEO performance.
PR Backlinks 101: What, Why and How?

Table of contents

Are you an SEO professional striving to enhance your website's visibility and rankings? 

Are you constantly seeking ways to build high-quality backlinks that can significantly impact your website's authority and search engine optimization? 

If so, you're in the right place. 

Building backlinks is crucial for improving your website's credibility, organic rankings, and overall online presence. 

PR backlinks are one of the best and foolproof ways to attract valuable links to your website. 

In this blog, we'll delve into PR backlink-building basics that can help you tap into new backlink opportunities. 

What are PR backlinks?

PR backlinks refer to links from high-authority websites, such as press, news sites, media, industry publications, etc. These links act as a vote of confidence for your site and content, helping you to rank higher in the SERP and generating brand awareness. 

Types of PR Backlinks 

There are four different types of PR backlinks

  • Traditional PR backlinks 
  • Digital PR backlinks 
  • White Hat PR 
  • Black Hat PR

1. Traditional PR Backlinks

Traditional PR backlinks are earned through traditional public relations efforts such as press releases, media coverage, TV, radio, and journalist outreach. 

While they may not directly impact SEO, they contribute to a brand presence and can lead to referral traffic and coverage from high-authority publications. 

2. Digital PR Backlinks

Digital PR backlinks are obtained through modern PR tactics aimed at earning editorial links from reputable online sources. 

These backlinks are instrumental in supporting SEO strategies by enhancing a website's link profile and domain authority. 

3. White Hat PR Backlinks

White hat PR backlinks are obtained through ethical and legitimate means, adhering to search engine guidelines. 

They are earned through genuine PR efforts and contribute to a brand's authority and trustworthiness, positively impacting SEO and overall online visibility.

4. Black Hat PR Backlinks

Black hat PR backlinks are acquired through unethical and manipulative practices that violate search engine guidelines and aim to artificially boost a website's ranking. 

These backlinks can harm a brand's online reputation and lead to penalties from search engines, potentially resulting in the removal of a website from search engine results. 

It is crucial to avoid black hat PR tactics as they can have detrimental effects on SEO and tarnish a brand's credibility and trustworthiness in the eyes of both search engines and the target audience. Instead, focus on acquiring high authority backlinks through ethical and legitimate practices.

Benefits of Using PR Backlinks

Obtaining PR backlinks is an extensive and time-consuming process. However, these SEO benefits can outweigh the burden of investing the required efforts. 

1. Enhanced Search Engine Rankings and Website Authority

PR backlinks from authoritative and relevant websites can significantly improve your search engine rankings. 

When high-quality websites link to your content, search engines perceive your site as a valuable resource, potentially leading to higher rankings. 

For example, if a reputable news outlet links to your website in an article, search engines like Google may view your site as more trustworthy and relevant, positively impacting your search rankings.

3. Amplified Organic Traffic

Quality PR backlinks can drive significant organic traffic to your website. When your content is featured on high-traffic websites, the chances of attracting new visitors increase. This can result in a surge of organic traffic as users click on the backlinks and land on your website. 

For instance, if a popular blog in your industry mentions and links to your content, their readers may be inclined to visit your site, leading to a notable increase in organic traffic.

4. Cultivated Trust and Credibility

PR backlinks from trusted and relevant sources can build trust and credibility for your brand. 

When users encounter your brand mentioned in reputable publications or websites, they are more likely to perceive your business as trustworthy and reliable. This can foster a positive impression of your brand, potentially increasing customer trust and loyalty.

5. Navigated the Competitive Landscape

Utilizing PR backlinks effectively can help you stand out in a competitive digital landscape. 

By securing quality backlinks from influential industry players, you can differentiate your brand from competitors, establish thought leadership, and gain a competitive edge. This can also lead to increased brand visibility and recognition, setting you apart as a leader in your industry.

How to Get PR Backlinks Step-by-step instructions?

If you’re wondering how to gain PR backlinks from authoritative websites, here are a few different approaches you can adopt right away. 

Creating and Distributing Relevant Content

Creating and distributing relevant content is a strategic approach to gaining editorial PR backlinking. Journalists are always on the lookout for innovative and helpful content. So, understanding the trend and creating read-worthy content can help you build backlinks and increase your brand visibility.

For Instance: Connor Gillivan recently highlighted in one of his LinkedIn posts how Fery Kaszoni is leveraging trends and SMEs of his clients to build link-worthy expert quotes.

Frey Kaszoni analyzed the common topic discussed by fitness journalists and found that most of them focus on featuring domain experts' insights into their content. So, he connected with his fitness clients and gathered relevant quotes. Later, it was distributed among the journalists to gain backlinks from those sites. 

Use HARO

Utilizing platforms like HARO (Help a Reporter Out), Terkle, Help a B2B Writer Out, etc., is a common practice to generate backlinks from reputed sites. 

These platforms connect journalists with sources, providing an excellent way for businesses to earn valuable media coverage and backlinks. 

Craft compelling pitches that showcase your expertise, targeting relevant media outlets and journalists to increase the chances of earning backlinks.

Additionally, do not forget to add value to your input, as journalists do not prefer generic and vague insights to be featured on their websites. Make sure to showcase your expertise and back up your points with proof. 

Get Creative With Data and Insights 

The data or content you create for digital PR campaigns should pique the interest of the readers as well as the journalist. It does not necessarily mean your insights should be in relation to the trend; however, they should resonate, educate or entertain the target readers. 

For Instance: Fery Kaszoni curated data about the salaries of video game characters and put together a press release. This landed him backlinks 20+ backlinks from websites with high domain ratings. Connor Gillivan recently broke down this process in his recent LinkedIn post. 

Curate Relevant Data 

Journalists and the press are always on the lookout to get their hands on interesting data to back up their arguments. So, analyze your niche trend and conduct a survey to gather unique data. 

Alternatively, you can collate existing data together, make interpretations and back them up with relevant expert sources to send out solid press releases that can quickly get the journalist's attention. 

With that Said…

PR backlinks outperform other link-building methods due to their high quality and authoritative nature. 

With higher domain authority and page authority, PR backlinks enhance your site's credibility in the eyes of search engines. However, obtaining PR backlinks requires effort and strong relationships with your network.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Backlinks?

Backlinks (or inbound links) are links that point from other websites to your website. They play a crucial role in improving search engine rankings and increasing website traffic. It's important to focus on high-quality backlinks from authoritative sites, as they carry more value. 

What Are Internal Links?

Internal links refer to hyperlinks that connect one page of your website to another page on the same website. They establish a hierarchy of information and improve user navigation. Additionally, internal links help distribute link equity and boost SEO rankings.

How to Get Quality Backlinks? 

  • Focus on creating valuable content that other websites would want to link to. 
  • Reach out to relevant websites for guest posting or collaboration opportunities. 
  • Leverage social media and online communities to promote your content and attract backlinks. 
  • Consider contacting industry influencers, content creators, or journalists for potential coverage and backlinks.

Why Backlinks Are Important? 

Backlinks help search engines understand your site's credibility and improve your rankings on SERPs. Additionally, quality backlinks generate referral traffic from reputable sources. Focus on earning natural, high-quality backlinks rather than buying or manipulating them.

How to Check Competitor Backlinks?

Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz to check your competitor's backlinks. Analyze the quality of these links based on metrics like domain authority and page authority. This information will help you improve your PR backlinking strategy and boost your website's search engine rankings.

What is the Difference between White Hat PR vs. Black Hat PR?

White Hat PR and Black Hat PR are two contrasting approaches to building backlinks. White Hat PR focuses on ethical methods that abide by search engine guidelines, such as creating valuable content and building relationships with journalists. On the other hand, Black Hat PR employs manipulative tactics like buying links and using link farms, which can lead to penalties and damage your reputation.



Vaishnavi Ramkumar
Content Marketer
ABout the AUTHOR
Vaishnavi Ramkumar
Content Marketer

Vaishnavi Ramkumar is a content marketer specializing in creating BOFU content for SaaS brands. She believes reader-centric content is the sure-shot way to generate high-quality leads through content marketing. As part of the Scalenut team, Vaishnavi curates content that drives brand awareness and boosts signups. When she's not crafting content, you can find her immersed in the pages of a good book or a course.

View all articles by this Author -->
Thank you!
Our Product Specialist will connect with you shortly. In the meanwhile, please explore Scalenut
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Free content strategy call with expert
Free content strategy call with expert
Strategy with an all-in-one SEO solution
Get a personalized demo of Scalenut’s features
Showcase practical business use cases your whole team can use.
Learn about pricing options for your use case
Schedule Demo
Create SEO-Ready Blog with Scalenut
Try Scalenut for Free
Boost Your SEO Game