Digital PR Services: What They Include and What They Cost

Digital PR services earn your company coverage, mentions and links on online news sites and publications, and back that up with search-optimized content, an online media room and coverage monitoring. What they cost depends on scope: how much content is written, how many pitches go out and how much reporting you need.

What is digital PR?

Digital PR is public relations aimed at online outcomes. The goal is the same as any PR program, which the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) describes as building "mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics" ( PRSA). The difference is where the results show up: in online articles, search results, links back to your site and social shares.

That's where digital PR and SEO overlap. Google says that "one of the factors used to determine quality is understanding if other prominent websites link or refer to the content" ( Google). Earned coverage on a respected site can give you that kind of reference.

Digital PR vs. traditional PR

• Main targets: Traditional PR: Print, TV and radio outlets. Digital PR: Online publications, trade sites, blogs, newsletters.
• Typical outcomes: Traditional PR: Articles, segments, interviews. Digital PR: Online articles, links, mentions, social shares.
• Owned assets: Traditional PR: Press kits, fact sheets. Digital PR: Search-optimized releases, blog posts, an online media room.
• Measurement: Traditional PR: Coverage counts and clippings. Digital PR: Coverage, links, referral clicks and search visibility.

The two overlap. A single announcement can earn a print article and an online one, and both can be tracked.

What digital PR services include

Search-optimized press releases

Writing press releases is the first duty the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists for PR specialists ( BLS). Digital PR adds search optimization: a clear headline, the words your audience actually searches for and a useful page someone would want to read and share.

One caution: Google lists "links with optimized anchor text in articles, guest posts, or press releases distributed on other sites" as an example of link spam ( Google spam policies). The search value of digital PR comes from coverage journalists choose to write, not from stuffing links into releases.

Blog content

Blog posts give each announcement more context and give journalists and searchers something useful to land on. They also keep your site active between big announcements.

An online media room

An online media room, or newsroom, is the page on your site where journalists find your releases, company facts, images and media contacts. In Muck Rack's State of Journalism survey, 37% of journalists said high-resolution images were among the most valuable parts of a pitch, and 40% valued original data or research ( University of Minnesota summary). A media room keeps those assets in one place.

Media targeting and pitching

Digital PR depends on reaching the right online journalists and editors. The same survey found that 62% of journalists prefer to be pitched in a one-to-one email, 69% prefer pitches under 200 words and 70% most value clear relevance to their beat. Good targeting comes before good pitching.

Social amplification

Sharing earned coverage and announcements on your own social channels extends their reach. If you also work with influencers, the Federal Trade Commission says endorsements must disclose any "material connection" to the brand, including payment or free products ( FTC).

Monitoring and reporting

Monitoring tracks where your company is mentioned and which coverage includes links. Reporting turns that into something you can act on: what ran, where, what it linked to and what it drove to your site.

Digital PR and SEO: what it can and can't do

What it can do:

• Earn coverage on sites your audience trusts
• Earn editorial links and references that Google says are one factor in judging quality
• Drive referral clicks from coverage to your site
• Build owned content, such as releases, blogs and a media room, that can be found in search

What it can't do:

• Guarantee rankings. Google's ranking systems look at "many factors and signals," and links are only one of them ( Google).
• Buy links safely. Google treats "buying or selling links for ranking purposes" as link spam. Paid links need to be marked rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow" ( Google).
• Work instantly. Google notes that "it may take several days after publishing a page for Google to find and crawl it" ( Google), and earned coverage depends on journalists' own schedules.

Here's what that looks like when it works. The CE Shop earned 34 high-value SEO backlinks through earned media, which Liz Meitus, SVP of Corporate Communications, described as "...equivalent to the output we previously needed a full-time employee to achieve." The company also saw a 160% increase in PR-driven clicks.

What digital PR services cost

Providers package and price digital PR in different ways, so the useful question is what drives cost and what you get for it.

What drives the price

• Content volume: How many releases, blog posts and media room updates are included
• Outreach volume: How many pitches go out each month, and to how many targeted outlets
• Tools: Whether media databases and monitoring are included
• Strategy: Whether planning and a press release calendar are part of the package
• Reporting: How detailed reports are and how often you get them

The in-house benchmark

If you're comparing an outside provider with hiring, start with salary data. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual wage for public relations specialists at $74,750. The lowest 10% earned less than $44,110, and the highest 10% earned more than $135,150 ( BLS). Those figures are wages only. They don't include benefits, tools such as media databases or any extra content support.

Pricing questions to ask

• Is this a monthly program, a one-time project or something else?
• Exactly which deliverables are included each month?
• Are media database and monitoring costs included?
• What happens if a pitch doesn't earn coverage?
• Are any placements paid? If so, they're advertising and should be labeled.

Red flags

• Guaranteed placements in named outlets for a fee, presented as earned coverage
• "Link packages" or paid links that pass ranking credit, which Google treats as link spam
• Reports that count activity, such as emails sent, but not results

How to evaluate a digital PR provider

Before you sign, ask to see:

1. A sample plan or press release calendar
2. Writing samples, including an optimized release and a blog post
3. How the provider builds media lists for your industry
4. A sample report showing coverage, links and referral traffic
5. Results for clients like you, with named outlets where possible

Where Newswire PRO fits

Newswire PRO is a boutique PR team for companies that lack the resources, time or know-how to get media visibility. Its packages include several of the services described above:

• CONTENT PRO: press release calendar, 12 written press releases, SEO optimization, 1 blog a month, an online media room and reporting. Social posting (1 post per press release) is an optional add-on.
• MEDIA PRO: custom media targeting, media pitching (up to 10 pitches per month), media monitoring, media databases and reporting.
• TOTAL PRO: both together, an outsourced PR team at a fraction of the cost of a traditional agency.

Turnaround is approximately 3–5 days. Pricing depends on the package, so contact us for pricing. PRO clients have earned 42+ media placements, including Forbes, PEOPLE and US News & World Report.

See Newswire PRO's press release writing and media pitching services, or explore the full range of PR services.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between digital PR and SEO?

SEO covers everything that helps your site appear in search, from content to technical setup. Digital PR is one input: it earns coverage and links from other sites, which Google says is one factor in judging quality.

Do digital PR services guarantee backlinks?

No provider can guarantee earned links, because journalists decide what to publish and whether to link. Paid links aren't a safe substitute; Google treats buying links for ranking purposes as link spam.

How much do digital PR services cost?

It depends on scope: content volume, pitch volume, tools and reporting. As a benchmark, the BLS reports a median annual wage of $74,750 for PR specialists, before benefits or tools.

How long does digital PR take to show results?

It varies. Coverage depends on journalists' schedules, and Google says it may take several days after a page is published for Google to find and crawl it.

Is digital PR worth it for a small company?

It can be, if you have news worth sharing and a way to produce and pitch it consistently. See PR services for small business for where to start.