Page Contents
- 1 A campaign that provided user data as a reference point
- 2 Why This Campaign Generates Backlinks
- 3 A campaign that feeds into existing coverage
- 4 Related Posts
- 5 How Journalists Create Backlinks Through Digital PR
- 6 How to Get Media Mentions That Turn into Backlinks
- 7 What Is Digital PR in SEO?
- 8 How Digital PR Helps in Earning High Authority Backlinks
- 9 Why this leads to repeated backlinks
- 10 A campaign that moves between different contexts
- 11 Why this increases the potential for backlinks
- 12 What this reveals about the process of backlinks
- 13 Where this is commonly misinterpreted
There are a number of examples of successful Digital PR campaigns for backlinks. These campaigns tend to have a similar pattern. They tend to provide something that a journalist can use within the context of a news article. This backlink appears further on, not because it was requested, but because it is useful as a reference.
A campaign that provided user data as a reference point
The Spotify ‘Wrapped’ campaign is often talked about as a cultural phenomenon. However, the way it is structured helps to explain its ability to secure backlinks.
The way it works is that the data provided to the user is contextualized further with more general data on global trends. This turns the data into something that can be discussed publicly and written about from a number of different angles.
The publications that write about it are not just mentioning it. They are using it to construct the basis of the argument. This could be for a number of different topics, such as music trends, user behavior, and the like.
Why This Campaign Generates Backlinks
The way the campaign works is that:
- The data can be quoted directly without the need for further context
- The data can be used to inform a number of different types of articles
- The source of the data is clear, and therefore it can be attributed easily
When a journalist uses the data to inform a point that they are making, the backlink to the source is the most obvious way to anchor it. This is not a backlink that is provided for visibility. It is provided because the article would not make sense without it.
A campaign that feeds into existing coverage
The Zillow campaign for backlinks takes a different form.
Instead of a one-time event, Zillow provides data that can be connected to a conversation already in progress. This is a constant discussion, not a singular event.
This allows the data to be used right away. The journalist does not need to change the direction of the story to include it. It fits into the story they are already writing.
Why this leads to repeated backlinks
These reports will earn backlinks because:
- They fit into the conversation that is already in motion
- They provide data to support the current discussion
- They will remain relevant as the story continues to evolve over time
The same data can be used in multiple stories over the course of a week or a month. Each of these stories will be another opportunity for the source to be referenced and a link to be created.
A campaign that moves between different contexts
Survey-style campaigns have a different way of working.
When the data represents a common behavior, it can be used in a variety of different contexts. A single data set on spending habits, for example, can be used in financial discussions, lifestyle discussions, and industry-specific discussions.
Why this increases the potential for backlinks
These campaigns increase the potential for backlinks because:
- The same data can be used to support different narratives
- The data can be interpreted differently depending on the context
- Each of these interpretations will provide a reason to include the source
As the story changes and the context shifts, the campaign will adapt and move with it. Each new iteration of the story will be a new opportunity for a backlink to be created.
What this reveals about the process of backlinks
Looking at these examples, a pattern begins to emerge.
Backlinks don’t magically appear because something is visible. Backlinks appear because something is being used as part of how another piece of content is created.
That generally happens when something is introduced that:
- Is a clear reference point
- Contains information that supports something else
- Can be reused without explanation
When those three things exist within the campaign, no changes need to be made to the content. A journalist can take it and use it as they see fit. It is then that backlinks start to appear.
Where this is commonly misinterpreted
Creativity and scope are commonly thought to have something to do with this. While they can help get attention for the campaign, they have nothing to do with how backlinks appear.
A campaign that is having trouble generating backlinks is likely because it:
- contains ideas that are intriguing but difficult to use as reference material
- requires interpretation to use
- lacks clear connection to other content that is currently being discussed
Even if the campaign has good visibility, it still may not have been used.
The difference between those that work and those that don’t is that it is clear how the content can be used within another article.
A successful Digital PR campaign for generating backlinks is not something that is seen or discussed. It is something that is used.
