Digital PR

Digital PR is the practice of placing brand messages in online media, with the goal of reach, credibility, and visibility in search and AI answers. Unlike classic PR it is measured in published placements rather than in press contacts, and the results stay online and findable.

How it differs from classic PR

Classic PR pitches a newsroom and hopes for coverage. The outcome is uncertain, the timing is uncertain, and the message is whatever the editor makes of it. Digital PR books a defined format in a defined outlet, with the message agreed beforehand. The trade-off is that a booked placement carries less journalistic weight than coverage a newsroom chose to write on its own.

How it differs from link building

Link building optimises for the link. Digital PR optimises for the mention, and the link is a by-product. That distinction matters more since AI systems entered the picture: according to an Ahrefs study of 75,000 brands (2025), brand mentions correlate roughly three times more strongly with AI visibility than backlinks do.

The common formats

Sponsored articles, testimonials, press releases, listicles, brand mentions, and community mentions. Each serves a different goal, from launching a product to appearing in a comparison where buyers and AI systems look for recommendations.

The honest limitation

Digital PR does not create demand. It makes an existing brand findable and quotable. A product nobody is looking for does not become one through placements.

How this works in practice: Digital PR at Linkbroker.

Related: brand mention · press release · reviews · brand building · AI visibility