What Is Digital PR? The 2025 Guide for Marketers
If you work in SEO or marketing right now, you’ll have noticed “digital PR” has become one of the industry’s most over-used phrases. But what does it actually mean? And why does it suddenly matter so much for search growth?
At Cupid PR, we spend every day turning brands into stories the media actually want to cover. This isn’t PR theatre or vanity mentions — it’s about securing online coverage that builds authority, shifts rankings, and increasingly, makes your brand visible to AI search platforms.
What is Digital PR?
Digital PR is the practice of using media coverage to influence online visibility. Where traditional PR chased column inches, digital PR is about winning links and brand mentions in the places that Google — and now ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini — look to for trusted information.
In plain terms: digital PR is PR built for the internet. It uses storytelling, data and expert voices to land coverage in online outlets that can move the dial on SEO.
How Digital PR Differs from Traditional PR
Traditional PR is built on reputation: press conferences, print features, broadcast interviews. The impact is usually measured in “reach” or vague brand sentiment.
Digital PR is different. It’s measurable. Every campaign is tied to an SEO outcome — whether that’s backlinks from authoritative domains, citations in national outlets, or brand mentions in content that feeds AI search engines. It also moves faster: campaigns can run in days, not months, because journalists are looking for instant stories, not long-term positioning.
Why Digital PR Matters for SEO in 2025
Google still relies heavily on authority signals. High-quality links remain one of the strongest ranking factors. But what’s changed is the arrival of large language models.
When someone asks ChatGPT or Perplexity a question about your sector, those platforms don’t scrape ads or low-level directories, they draw on trusted publications. If your brand is visible in those outlets, you’re more likely to surface in the answer. If you’re absent, you vanish.
That’s why digital PR is now an SEO essential, not an add-on. It strengthens rankings, builds credibility, and future-proofs your brand for the way people actually search.
Examples of Digital PR Campaigns
Strong campaigns aren’t built on spammy press releases — they’re built on stories that matter. Some examples:
Running a consumer survey that reveals a surprising trend and gets picked up by national news.
Reacting to a breaking story with an expert comment before anyone else.
Analysing government data in a new way that sparks conversation.
Creating a brand stunt or product launch that cuts through social media noise and attracts coverage.
The common thread? Each earns links, mentions, and authority that search engines recognise.
How to Get Started
If you’re new to digital PR, keep it simple. Start by defining what you want it to achieve: higher rankings, more traffic, or brand authority. Identify the people in your business who can speak credibly on trends in your industry. Build a calendar that balances predictable seasonal hooks with space for reactive opportunities.
Most importantly, track everything. Measure backlinks, referral traffic, and where your brand is mentioned, not just by journalists, but increasingly by AI-driven platforms.
Digital PR isn’t a nice-to-have anymore. It’s the discipline sitting between marketing, SEO and media relations, and it’s the reason some brands are everywhere while others struggle to be found.
Book a free discovery call with our team to get started!