If you work in SEO, you already know two core truths: content matters and links still matter. Digital PR is the bit that ties those together. It builds stories and assets that real publications want to cover, and that coverage turns into links, mentions and, eventually, better keyword rankings.
StudioHawk treats digital PR as part of SEO, not as a separate PR vanity project. On their UK digital PR service page they describe it as earning “valuable backlinks, increased visibility, and stronger SEO for a more credible online presence”.
In this guide, we will:
- Define digital PR in an SEO context using StudioHawk and Search Engine Land
- Show why backlinks still matter, using data from Semrush and Backlinko
- Connect digital PR to AI search, entities and social search
- Walk through StudioHawk’s own examples
- Show how to plan and measure campaigns that actually move rankings
What Is Digital PR In SEO?
StudioHawk sums it up pretty cleanly in their article How Digital PR Can Supercharge Your SEO Strategy: digital PR is a modern version of PR that focuses on online channels and SEO goals, 'increasing your website’s visibility on search engines and in front of your audience” while earning high-quality backlinks.
Their companion post Understanding Digital PR: Benefits, Tools and Key Strategies says digital PR sits on:
- Online publications and blogs
- Social platforms
- Podcasts and digital magazines
Search Engine Land’s digital PR guide backs that up and frames digital PR as PR activity that specifically supports SEO, rankings and authority.
So, for SEO people in the UK, digital PR basically means:
Creating newsworthy or useful content, pitching it to the right online outlets, and earning coverage that includes links and mentions which support rankings.
Google’s John Mueller has called out digital PR directly, saying he likes what he sees from it and that it can be just as important as technical SEO in many cases.
Digital PR vs Traditional PR
In simple terms
- Traditional PR focuses on newspapers, magazines, TV and radio
- Digital PR focuses on online publications, blogs, podcasts, social and search
The goals overlap, but the outputs look different.
Traditional PR focus
- Offline coverage
- Brand perception
- Event and reputation management
Digital PR focus
- Online coverage that drives links
- Direct traffic and referral visits
- Brand mentions that feed into Google’s understanding of your business
- Measurable effects on keyword rankings and organic revenue
Plainly, digital PR is one of the best ways to earn links at scale from top-tier and niche publications.
Search Engine Journal also notes that actual PR work often delivers more long-term value than blunt link schemes, because it focuses on real audiences and real customers, not just raw link counts.
StudioHawk’s approach matches that. They partner digital PR with technical SEO, content and link acquisition to grow authority, not just hit a link target for the month.
Why Backlinks Still Matter In 2026
You can argue about how much links matter, but you cannot honestly say they do not.
What Google and major studies say
Google’s own link guidelines state that links help them discover new pages and act as a signal of relevance between pages.
Their public documentation on ranking systems confirms that multiple systems consider signals related to authority, relevance and user behaviour, not just on-page content.
Semrush’s ranking factor research found that 8 of the 20 factors most strongly correlated with high rankings are backlink-related.
Backlinko’s long-running ranking factors also show a clear pattern: the number of referring domains is strongly connected with higher positions.
Several 2026 studies conclude that:
- Pages in the first position have several times more backlinks than in lower positions
- Top pages continue to gain new dofollow links over time
- Most SEO professionals still rate backlinks as critical
A separate research from Semrush keeps landing in a similar place: backlinks still sit near the top of the ranking pile when quality and relevance are present.
Quality and relevance over raw volume
The nuance here matters.
- Google cares about topical relevance and context, not just raw link counts
- Modern studies and Google reps both stress that a few strong, relevant links beat large piles of useless ones.
That is why digital PR is a good fit:
- You aim for links from outlets your audience already trusts
- Those outlets usually publish content with editorial standards
- Links sit in the main body of the article, where they carry more weight
StudioHawk’s own wording on their digital PR page reflects this. They talk about “high-quality backlinks from reputable media” as the target, not just any link that happens to exist.
How Digital PR Improves Keyword Rankings
Let’s look at the actual mechanics. Digital PR helps rankings through four main paths.
1. Authoritative backlinks to key pages
Digital PR campaigns are built to earn coverage on domains with real trust: media sites, strong blogs, relevant trade outlets. That coverage often links to:
- Your homepage
- The campaign asset (report, tool, story)
- Product or service pages that match the topic
Semrush’s ranking factor study confirms that strong backlink profiles and referring domains are tied to better positions.
Backlinko’s link-building guide gives a concrete example: their own ranking factor study has earned tens of thousands of backlinks from sites quoting stats and charts.
StudioHawk follows the same logic, but through client campaigns:
- For PRESS Healthfoods, an eCommerce brand, their case study shows a 529% increase in organic revenue between June 2023 and June 2025 and a steep rise in first-page keywords.
- For Grind, a coffee brand, they report a 386% increase in organic search revenue and 108% more organic users over two years.
Those lifts do not come from technical tweaks alone. Authority from links and mentions, earned through content and off-site work, plays a clear part in getting more commercial and informational keywords onto page one.
2. Brand and entity signals
Google’s public docs and countless industry analyses show that brand and entity signals now feed heavily into how search systems interpret and rank content.
Digital PR helps here because:
- Every mention of your brand in a relevant context strengthens the entity
- Brand searches and branded clicks rise after good campaigns
- Click behaviour and repeat visits tell Google users find the brand useful
StudioHawk’s case studies show this in practice:
- Dr Stretch, a London sports therapy clinic, saw a 367% increase in first page rankings in the UK within six months and a 248% increase in non-branded clicks.
- REFY Beauty saw a 537% increase in non-branded impressions and 188% growth in organic traffic after StudioHawk’s SEO work, which includes off-site authority building.
Non-branded growth is key. It shows that Google is treating these brands as relevant entities for their topics, not just for their names.
3. Topical authority
Domain authority, in practical terms, means that links to one page also lift the perceived strength of the domain as a whole. This helps other pages rank better too.
When digital PR earns links from content that is clearly related to your niche, those links:
- Reinforce what your site is “about”
- Help Google connect your brand to specific topics and intents
- Make it easier for new content in that topic to rank faster
Digital PR campaigns where the topic, host site and target site all line up thematically deliver much better SEO outcomes.
StudioHawk leans on this heavily. Their case studies for fashion brands like Damson Madder and RIXO focus on long tail and category terms such as “midi dress” or “small batch fashion”, then back those pages with authority. Damson Madder, for example, saw a 558% increase in clicks to product pages after a campaign that combined content and technical work with authority building.
4. AI search, news and social search
Search results in 2026 are not just 10 blue links. AI overviews, news carousels and social search habits all play a role.
- Google developers explain that helpful, well-cited content is more likely to appear in AI-driven results.
- Most specialists in the industry will say the same thing: strong brands with visible authority across multiple sites show up more often in AI surfaces.
- A recent article about discoverability in 2026 describes digital PR as the thing that gives social search “belief” something to lean on. Digital PR creates third-party validation at scale that both algorithms and users recognise.
In short, if you want a chance to appear in AI answers, news modules and social-to-search flows, you need traces of your brand across trustworthy sources. Digital PR is how you plant those traces.
How StudioHawk Uses Digital PR Inside SEO Campaigns
StudioHawk’s own content and case studies show a consistent pattern: digital PR is not a separate stunt. It is embedded in SEO strategy alongside technical, content and classic link acquisition.
Here are a few concrete examples.
PRESS Healthfoods: first-page growth and revenue
The PRESS Healthfoods case study describes how StudioHawk took over in late 2023 to refresh an eCommerce SEO plan that had stalled. Key results:
- 529% increase in organic revenue, June 2025 vs June 2023
- Large increase in first page keyword rankings
The case study emphasises content, technical fixes and category focus, but PRESS also sits in a niche (health and nutrition) where digital PR is very strong. Features in health, lifestyle and food media feed links to category pages and recipe content, which then rank more easily for juice, meal plan and nutrition terms.
Grind: competitive category lift
Grind’s case study and supporting blog references describe a similar story.
Results include:
- 386% increase in organic search revenue
- 108% growth in organic users
Grind competes in a busy coffee market. StudioHawk combined:
- Technical improvements
- Search-led content
- Authority building through links and mentions
For a coffee brand, digital PR tactics might include data on coffee habits, sustainable sourcing or home-brewing behaviour, pitched to lifestyle and environment desks. Each successful piece adds more authority behind Grind’s product and category pages.
Dr Stretch: local SEO plus authority
Dr Stretch is a London sports therapy clinic. StudioHawk explains in their case study and service pages that the brand had strong real-world expertise but struggled to get that across in search.
The results:
- 367% increase in first page rankings in the UK after six months
- 248% increase in non-branded clicks
- 154% year-on-year growth in global organic users
Local SEO work covered on-page content, site structure and internal links. Digital PR style activity (local features, niche mentions, expert commentary opportunities) helps Google see Dr Stretch as a trusted brand in that area and topic.
REFY Beauty and other fashion brands
REFY’s case study shows:
- 537% increase in non-branded impressions
- 188% increase in organic traffic
Fashion and beauty are link-friendly sectors when you have good visuals and stories. StudioHawk’s SEO work for brands like REFY, Damson Madder and RIXO leans on:
- Category and product content that matches search intent
- Authority building, often supported by PR-style placements in fashion and lifestyle media
The numbers show that when these pieces line up, both rankings and traffic grow.
Tactics: What Digital PR Looks Like Day To Day
Digital PR isn’t a one-off campaign or a single press release. It’s a consistent, hands-on process that blends research, creativity, media outreach, and analysis. Day to day, it focuses on turning data, stories, and expert insight into coverage and links that build authority over time.
1. Data-led campaigns
Semrush encourages SEO teams to use data for PR, pointing out that original stats and charts naturally attract links and mentions.
Backlinko uses their own studies as proof. Their ranking factors research has earned tens of thousands of backlinks, driven by charts that bloggers and journalists embed in their own content.
StudioHawk applies the same idea at a brand level:
- PRESS Healthfoods can share data on customer health habits and purchases
- Fashion clients can provide insight on trends, colours or fits
- Local service clients can highlight demand patterns or pain points in their area
The asset sits on the client site. PR outreach points journalists to it. When they cover it, they link back.
2. Expert commentary and myth-busting
Numerous experts stress the value of experts who can respond to news with clear, useful commentary.
StudioHawk has specialists in technical SEO, eCommerce, local and content, and they use that expertise for client campaigns too.
Typical uses:
- Reacting to algorithm updates that affect a client’s vertical
- Explaining search trends that touch a client’s market
- Clearing up misinformation in their niche
This creates articles where journalists quote and attribute ideas to a named expert and client brand. Mentions and links support both the expert and the client site.
3. Reactive and trend-driven PR
Weekly newsletter exists so SEOs do not miss key news or feature updates.
Digital PR teams use that kind of monitoring to:
- Spot stories where a client has something sharp to add
- Move quickly with short pitches and bite-sized data
- Land coverage while the topic is still hot
4. Visual content and interactive tools
Adding clear charts and visual elements to studies can double or triple link earnings, because so many writers embed those visuals.
Interactive tools and maps also work well for digital PR. They give other sites a strong reason to link to the original content instead of summarising everything. Others highlight interactive assets that continue to earn links long after launch.
StudioHawk’s content team use this approach when the budget and story allow it, for example:
- Simple calculators for eCommerce brands
- Visual how-to content for fashion or interiors clients
- Guides with strong layout for B2B brands
Planning A Digital PR Campaign Around Keyword Rankings
A very important thing to keep in mind is that digital PR only supports SEO when it is tied to real search goals. Coverage alone is not enough. The stories you pitch, the publications you target, and the links you earn should all reinforce the keywords, topics, and pages you actually want to rank for. When digital PR is aligned with search intent and commercial priorities, it strengthens topical authority, improves link relevance, and contributes to sustainable organic growth rather than vanity mentions that look good but move no meaningful metrics.
1. Start with the search data
StudioHawk’s SEO services always begin with research and goals.
For digital PR, that means:
- Identify target pages that are close to page one and need extra authority
- Map keywords that matter commercially and sit just outside the top positions
- Group supporting informational queries that can be tackled with content and PR together
2. Choose the right type of story
Match the campaign format to the topic and your resources:
- Data report for a complex topic that needs proof
- Expert Q&A or guide where your people have deep experience
- Reactive pieces for timely topics
- Visual content or tools for how-to searches
Quick tip: Use the assets you already have that others cannot easily copy.
3. Build a focused media list
StudioHawk’s digital PR service highlights media research as a core step.
For UK brands, your list might include:
- UK nationals with relevant sections
- Trade titles in your sector
- Local outlets around your locations
- Key podcasts, newsletters and creators
4. Combine PR pitches with on-site content
StudioHawk’s content writing and copy services make a point of fixing pages so they are clear, crawlable and ready to rank.
Before heavy outreach, you want:
- A strong landing page that deserves links
- Clean internal links pointing to that page
- A clear path for users from that page to conversion
Otherwise, you risk sending authority and readers to a page that cannot convert or support rankings properly.
5. Follow up on coverage and unlinked mentions
Semrush, Reboot and several respected link-building guides all recommend monitoring for unlinked brand mentions and politely asking for a link where it helps readers.
StudioHawk’s link acquisition services follow this approach:
- Track mentions and links
- Flag missed opportunities
- Request contextually useful links rather than forcing exact match anchors
This is where digital PR, classic outreach and technical SEO all meet.
Measuring SEO Gains From Digital PR
Our Australian team's blog on digital PR ROI, Semrush’s measurement posts and Search Engine Land’s “12 SEO metrics for digital PR” article point to very similar KPIs.
1. Links and referring domains
Track:
- New referring domains from each campaign
- Authority of those domains
- Topical relevance of the sites and articles
Use tools like Semrush or Ahrefs to see which links land, and Backlink Analytics to filter for the ones that matter most.
2. Rankings for target clusters
Measure:
- Positions for target commercial terms
- Supporting informational queries tied to the campaign
- Visibility across the full cluster, not just a single keyword
StudioHawk’s case studies quote changes in:
- Top 10 keyword counts
- First page keyword counts
- Positions in spots 1 to 3 for core terms
Those are the types of graphs you want to see trending up.
3. Organic traffic and non-branded clicks
Look at:
- Organic users overall
- Organic users to specific landing pages
- Non-branded clicks in Search Console
StudioHawk highlights non-branded improvements for clients such as Dr Stretch because they show new customer discovery, not just brand loyalty.
4. Revenue, leads and other commercial metrics
Ultimately, StudioHawk frames success in terms of:
- 529% increase in organic revenue for PRESS Healthfoods
- 386% increase in organic search revenue for Grind
- 537% increase in organic traffic for certain brands and big jumps in leads for others
Digital PR that does not align with commercial goals is just vanity traffic. When campaigns, content and technical work move together, you see both rankings and revenue rise.
UK-Specific Tips For Digital PR That Help Rankings
A few points for a UK-focused SEO plan.
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Blend national, niche and local outlets
- National coverage is great for authority and reach
- Trade publications drive relevant visitors who convert
- Local sites help local SEO, which StudioHawk shows in Dr Stretch and other location-based case studies
-
Use UK search data for planning
- Semrush, Ahrefs and Search Console give country-level views
- StudioHawk’s UK team writes specifically about what Google wants from content in 2025 and beyond, which helps shape topics.
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Align PR with local SEO work
- Local landing pages, Google Business Profiles and reviews all benefit from the extra authority that comes with PR coverage
- Local SEO services and local case studies show that linking content, maps, reviews and PR together creates strong results for service businesses.
FAQs
Does digital PR really improve SEO rankings?
Yes. Google uses links as a signal and treats digital PR as a valid way to earn them.
Semrush, Backlinko and several fresh studies agree that backlinks, referring domains and branded behaviour correlate strongly with high rankings.
StudioHawk’s case studies show real-world results where SEO strategies that include authority building have grown first-page keywords, traffic and revenue for UK brands.
How long does it take to see results from digital PR?
Rough pattern, based on our timelines and industry guidance:
- Links and coverage: days to weeks after launch
- Early keyword movement: within 4 to 8 weeks for some terms
- Bigger changes in keyword coverage, traffic and revenue: 3 to 12 months, especially in competitive niches
Is one big link from a top site enough?
Sometimes a single strong link can help a specific page for a long-tail term, but all major sources stress that consistent link earning and brand mentions are safer and more durable.
StudioHawk’s best results come from ongoing campaigns where authority builds month after month, not from a single feature. (studiohawk.co.uk)
Do PR links need exact-match anchor text?
No. Google’s link guidance encourages descriptive, natural anchors.
Most digital PR coverage uses:
- Brand names
- Branded phrases with light keyword context
- Plain URLs
Should PR links go to the homepage or deep pages?
Both help in different ways:
- Homepage links contribute to domain authority
- Deep links help specific pages rank for their own target terms
StudioHawk’s results for PRESS Healthfoods show broad lifts in keyword counts and traffic, which hints at a mix of authority at the domain and page level.
A good rule: make sure every campaign includes at least one strong internal target page that clearly matches the story and can receive the link.
How to Decide: Is Digital PR Worth It for You?
Before you commit, it’s worth asking yourself a few direct questions.
Do you have the budget and patience to invest over several months, knowing results build gradually rather than overnight? Are you prepared to support campaigns with data, insights, or internal sign-off when journalists come calling? Does your team lack the media relationships, storytelling skills, or strategic experience needed to consistently earn high-quality coverage and links? And finally, how does the long-term SEO and brand impact of digital PR compare to your other marketing channels?
If you can confidently answer yes, investing in digital PR could be the right move, as long as you choose an agency that is transparent, accountable, and genuinely connected to the media landscape.
Conclusion
So, is hiring a digital PR agency worth it for you?
For many businesses, the answer is yes, but only if you work with a legitimate one. A credible digital PR agency can drive sustainable growth, strengthen brand authority, and deliver expertise that is hard to replicate with a single in-house hire.
The real risk lies in choosing the wrong partner. An illegitimate agency can burn budget on low-quality links, damage your reputation, and set your SEO efforts back months. The question isn’t just whether digital PR is worth paying for. It’s whether the agency you choose is trustworthy enough to represent your brand and earn coverage on your behalf.
Still unsure? Get in touch with us, and we’ll help you assess whether a Digital PR agency is the right fit for you.
