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Digital PR is often considered an effective way to increase brand awareness, build authority, and increase brand awareness. Improve search engine optimization. However, many customers don’t realize that what they pay for isn’t always what they get. From overpriced syndicated services to paid media placements masquerading as organic PR, digital PR is full of pitfalls that can cost businesses thousands of dollars without delivering real value.
In this article, we’ll explore some common questions about the digital PR industry and why clients should be cautious when investing in these services.
Related: Advantage or pretender? How to choose a reliable PR agency in 6 steps
1. You pay for digital PR – you get press release syndication
One of the biggest problems with digital PR today is that many agencies claim to offer true digital PR services, but in reality, they are just using third-party press release syndication services. The agency pays hundreds of dollars to co-host Press releaseand then bill clients thousands of dollars. As a result, clients’ press releases are published in large publications like Business Insider or CNN, but these releases are often buried in the PR section of the website, which adds zero value to the client’s brand. Not only that, these syndicated releases have no impact on SEO efforts. This approach feels like a scam because customers pay a premium for something that offers no real benefit.
One of my former clients, an entrepreneur, ordered a digital PR campaign from a PR firm and later shared their report with me. It was filled with syndicated press releases, likely purchased from a third-party press release syndication service and resold to him as high-value reports. He ended up firing them after the first month and hiring me.
2. Paid media placement disguised as organic PR
Another common question is Digital PR This is how agencies handle media placement. Agencies often promise to run “organic PR campaigns” which they claim will be covered by the media. However, if the reporter is not interested in the event, the agency is still required to send some form of success report to the client. To do this, they buy media placement and present them as organic results of the activity.
Ultimately, clients receive links to media placements that were not truly earned through organic efforts but purchased to meet the agency’s deliverables.
3. Even with real activities, results are not guaranteed
Even if a digital PR campaign is run properly, there’s no guarantee it will be successful. Customers may spend US$5,000 to US$15,000 in a campaign, but if the media doesn’t pick up on it, the result could be zero backlinks. This is especially frustrating for customers because they are unsure of what they are getting for their money. It’s a risky investment, and unfortunately, sometimes the result can be nothing.
As a result, digital PR costs vary widely, from $466 to $5,462 per link mention. get my linkwhen agencies need to create stories; costs can be reduced by up to 60% for companies that already have a compelling story ready.
Related: Why clients feel like marketing agencies charge too much and how to fix it
4. Unable to perform SEO on important pages
Another disadvantage of digital PR is that you can’t always target the most important pages on your website. Ideally, you want to link back to your business page, product page Or landing pages – those that generate leads and revenue. Instead, digital PR campaigns often create content around new topics, surveys, or research. Editor-selected links often go to these new pages, which don’t add much value to the client’s SEO strategy or overall business goals.
5. No control over anchor text
Finally, with digital PR, you have no control over the anchor text used in backlink. Journalists will link to your site, but they will use whatever anchor text they choose. While this isn’t a huge problem, it does reduce the value of the link somewhat. If you pay for backlinks, ideally you would link to the target page using the required anchor text, which digital PR often does not allow.
Before investing in digital PR, it’s important to understand the risks and how to spot potential pitfalls. First, ask your agency for details on how they plan to promote your brand. Be careful if they mention press release syndication – this often results in low-value placements in the PR section, which is not good for your brand or SEO.
Related: 6 things every brand should know
Second, when reviewing media placements, be sure to check whether they are truly earned or paid for. If the links look too convenient or come from an obscure website, they are likely purchased placements rather than organic reach.
Finally, don’t be afraid to demand transparency about your results. one Good PR agency There should be a frank understanding of the uncertainty of the outcome and what will happen if the campaign fails to deliver. Make sure they provide clear success metrics and not just a list of links.
by asking right question And by paying attention to these details, you can avoid wasting money on a service that doesn’t deliver the results you expect.
