Digital PR vs. Classic Link Building: When to Use Which
Two disciplines that increasingly overlap. We explain the differences, the strengths of both and how to combine them.
Link building
Link building with prices upfront and no monthly retainer
You do not need an agency to buy a link. You need to know where to buy it, what to pay and what to expect. That is what this page is for.
Three ways to get links
Earn them
With content people link to on their own. The cheapest and slowest route – and it cannot be scheduled.
Pitch for them
By pitching newsrooms a topic they care about. It works, but it eats time and contacts.
Buy the placement
A PR article in a medium you choose, at a price you see upfront. Fast and predictable.
What matters more than the number of links
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Who gives the linkTen mentions in media people read beat a hundred directory links.
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The context it sits inA link inside relevant copy weighs differently than one in a partner list.
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A natural anchor profileWhen every link points at the same phrase, it shows immediately.
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TimeFirst results come after three to five months. Evaluating sooner is not possible.
Read more on the topic
Anchor Texts in Practice: How to Build a Natural Profile
Over-optimized anchor text is one of the most common risks in link building. We show how to choose anchors so they look natural.
Link Building in the AI Era: Quality of Mentions over Quantity
Links still work, but the rules have changed. We show which mentions have value in the AI era and which to avoid.
Toxic Links and Disavow in 2026
When it makes sense to address harmful links and when it is better to leave them be. A practical view of link-profile audits and the disavow tool.
Frequently asked questions
What is link building?
The work of getting other sites to link to yours. A link acts as a recommendation – the more trustworthy the site giving it, the more it weighs.
How many links do I need?
The count matters less than the source. Ten mentions in media people actually read beat a hundred directory links.
Do I need an agency?
No. You pick the media in the catalogue yourself and see the price upfront. An agency makes sense when you also want strategy and copy.
How does link building differ from digital PR?
Digital PR aims at the mention and its reach, link building at the link. In practice they overlap – a good mention usually carries a link.
Does link building help visibility in AI answers?
A mention on someone else's site is more verifiable to a language model than a claim on your own. The link alone guarantees nothing, though – what matters more is where and in what context your name is spoken.
You know what you want. Now pick the media.
Buying backlinks →On the other side and want to earn from your site? For publishers →