The 6 Best PR Agencies For Link-Building Perfection
Stewart
Chief Link Building Strategist
Press releases, newsjacking, and reactive PR are some of today's most effective link-building techniques.
A good press release or some clever reactive PR can help you generate backlinks, build your brand awareness, and position you as an industry authority.
đĄ Press releases: This is written content, often about new developments within your business, that gets distributed to the media by your PR team. These press releases include links to your website so that if someone chooses to publish the press release on their news website, you gain backlinks.
đĄ Newsjacking: This is the process of leveraging a breaking news story or trending topic to garner attention for your own brand. It involves your PR firm creating content that is related to the story, that includes links to your website in the hope it gets picked up by the media. If the media use your content (or parts of it), they will likely link to your website.
đĄ Reactive PR: This is when your PR agency responds strategically to current events and news stories in a way that puts your brand front and center. Reactive PR can help you land links in major publications.
The thing about PR for link building is that itâs quite easy to get it wrong. A press release riddled with errors or keyword stuffingâwhich is when you overuse keywordsâisnât going to get you far.
This is why itâs important to have a public relations (PR) firm run these campaigns for you.
As they are experts in the world of online reputation management, you can trust a PR agency to ace your press release or reactive PR content and help you secure links from authoritative websites.
However, choosing the right PR agency for your business is not as easy as you think. Donât simply Google: âbest PR firmsâ and click on the first result you find.
Instead, choose a PR firm that not only offers link-building services, but that will get your public relations efforts right.
In this article, we will unpack:
- What a public relations firm is and what they do.
- The six top PR agencies we recommend for link building.
- How to choose the right PR firm for your business.
A simple explanation of public relations is the strategic management between a business and the public.
However, itâs a little more complex than this. PR is about managing communications between a brand and the public, media, employees, customers, and investors.
If you were to hire a PR agency, they would be the bridge between your brand and the rest of the world.
Public relations activities could include (but are not limited to):
- Media relations.
- Crisis management.
- Reputation management.
- Event planning.
- Community relations.
- Digital marketing.
- Link building services.
- Social media management and other digital marketing activities.
Itâs worth noting that not all PR agencies offer all of the above services.
Effective public relations involves your PR agency having a deep understanding of your brand and goals and taking action to create a positive image and reputation.
Of course, the service weâre most interested in here is their link-building services. But having your public relations agency handle other aspects of your brandâs reputation is great, too.
What do PR pros do?
PR professionals use various tactics and tools for the tasks listed below, including:
- Writing press releases.
- Pitching to the media.
- Speechwriting.
- Content creation.
- Search engine optimization.
- Monitoring the media for potential newsjacking or reactive PR opportunities.
They are skilled at communicating your brand's message, values, and objectives. They also focus on building relationships on behalf of your brand, such as with journalists in your industry.
What is the difference between a link-building agency and a PR agency?
Some link-building agencies offer press release writing servicesâamong other PR activities. But this doesnât make them a public relations firm.
A PR agency handles all aspects of your brand and building your reputation. In contrast, a link-building agency focuses only on using some core PR tactics to help your brand build links to bolster your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts.
You will need to use a link-building agency if youâre specifically focused on acquiring backlinks on a large scale. And the agency you choose may use press releases as one way to achieve this.
A public relations firm, on the other hand, will offer a bouquet of services, sometimes including link-building.
Either way, boosting your websiteâs authority through link-building signals to Google that your website is trustworthy, meaning it will rank higher in search resultsâwhich should be your ultimate priority.
How do I choose between a link-building agency and a PR agency?
When it comes to choosing which type of agency is best for you, youâll need to consider several factors:
- Your goals: Is your focus to build as many links as possible through varying tactics backed by a solid strategy? Or do you only need a few high-quality links built through a single press release?
- Strategy: Both types of agencies will use outreach and relationship-building strategies. But link-building agencies will focus on outreach specifically for building links, whereas PR agencies focus on building relationships with the media to create a content distribution network.
- Your timeline: How quickly do you want to build links? Link-building agencies often have the tools to build links relatively fast, while PR efforts might take longer to obtain links. If hiring a link-building agency sounds like the right fit, you can contact us via our website to learn more about our services. If youâve decided that hiring a PR agency best suits your needs, great! Weâre now going to tell you about some of the top PR agencies that offer link-building as part of their services.
The 6 Best PR Agencies for Successful Link Building
Weâve taken the time to find some of the best PR companies that offer services that could help you with link building.
This selection should also give you a clearer understanding of what you should look for when choosing a PR agency.
1) Stacker Studio
Founded in 2017, Stacker Studio is a storytelling newswire that partners with brands to create high-quality content which they can disseminate to their massive network of news websites across the U.S.
Stacker Studio promises to help their clients build brand authority, reach new audiences, and drive organic growth.
They achieve this by using data-driven, authoritative content which they optimize for distribution.
Stacker Studio can help you acquire links from some of the most credible news websites out there.
âĄď¸ Why theyâre good
As a digital PR firm, Stacker Studio specifically focuses on helping brands increase the authority of their websites through link building.
Some of their success stories include helping a brand called Pyn achieve a domain rating (DR) of over 50 on 80% of the links Stacker Studio earned for them.
đĄ What Is Domain Rating (DR) or Domain Authority (DA)?
Domain rating is a metric assigned to websites by an SEO tool called Ahrefs that shows the authority of a websiteâs backlink profile based on a 100-point scale.
Domain authority is also a 100-point score developed by another SEO tool called Moz. It describes the relevance of a website for a specific niche, which has an impact on search engine rankings.
Itâs a good idea to partner with a firm that has the experience, expertise, and resources to create high DA backlink profiles.
âĄď¸ Their link-building service
Stacker Studio promises brands hundreds of SEO-friendly media pickups, which is a proven way to increase brand awareness and boost the authority of your website.
âĄď¸ A noteworthy result
Stacker Studio worked with Pyn to increase their organic traffic by 168%.
Pyn wanted to grow their company and understood that off-site search engine optimization tactics like link building were essential to this growth.
Stacker Studio earned them over 1,600 media placements, resulting in 278 backlinks. And 72% of these links have a DR of over 50.
2) Ambitious
Since 2012, Ambitious has provided award-winning PR services to clients like the NHS and Deloitte.
The company works in many sectors, including business-to-business (B2B), education, sustainability, health care, and financial services.
Aside from strategic communications services, Ambitious also provides an SEO PR and link-building service.
âĄď¸ Why theyâre good
Ambitious was awarded the Best PR Agency at the Drum Recommends Awardsâan industry award based on client ratingsâin 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Theyâve also earned multiple awards for Best Campaign at the CIPR and PRCA awards.
In the world of PR, awards like these speak volumes about the companyâs ability to produce excellent results.
Additionally, the services that Ambitious offers are quite comprehensive, which is perfect for brands looking for a 360-degree solution.
âĄď¸ Their link-building service
This PR firm invests plenty of time not only in developing quality content for link-building purposes but also ensuring that their clientsâ exact target audience sees this content.
After all, thereâs no use creating excellent content if you donât get it in front of the right people.
Ambitiousâ digital PR team is well-versed in content creation that improves keyword rankings, giving brands an edge in the online space.
Their link-building services also include search engine optimization audits, keyword research, and paid strategies.
âĄď¸ A noteworthy result
Recently, Ambitious helped a brand called the Fair Cobalt Alliance (FCA) secure 25 mentions in the media by providing industry insights through commentary on 130 articles.
As we said earlier, getting your brand mentionedâand linked toâin major news publications is a powerful way to earn high-quality links and improve your authority.
News websites are typically high-authority and trusted sources of content for search engines.
Landing backlinks on authoritative websites like news outlets is something Ambitious can assist you with due to the extensive media network that theyâve built over many years.
3) Search Intelligence
Having worked with clients like Wix, CoinGecko, and A-Plan Insurance, Search Intelligence is a PR company thatâs highly focused on digital services such as link building, reactive PR, newsjacking, and data-driven campaigns.
Their overall promise is to help their clients build 100% white-hat backlinks from reputable publications, including MSN, Yahoo, Forbes, and Bloomberg.
Theyâve worked with over 150 clients worldwide, providing them with the backlinks they need for as little as $5,000 per month.
âĄď¸ Why theyâre good
Working with a PR company that mainly focuses on link building and search engine optimization means youâre likely to get good results.
Search Intelligence use reactive PR, newsjacking, and data-driven content to build links.
Additionally, Seach Intelligence has generated some fantastic results for its clients in the past.
âĄď¸ Their link-building service
This agency aims to help heads of search engine optimization, heads of digital marketing, SEO influencers, and enterprise companies with PR link-building.
Through data-driven campaigns, reactive PR, and content centered around expert commentary, Search Intelligence helps brands boost their search rankings and organic traffic.
âĄď¸ A noteworthy result
Search Intelligence helped one of the U.K.âs largest franchises to achieve a 100% increase in organic traffic to their website through backlinks.
Google quickly picked up all the backlinks they built, and the retailerâs website rapidly started to rank on page one of the search results.
4) Rise at Seven
With offices located all over the UK and soon even New York, Rise at Seven is a PR agency that offers everything from technical search engine optimization to content marketing and even paid media marketing.
When founded in 2019, Rise at Sevenâs team was only two people. Now with over 100 employees and 60 awards under the belt, Rise at Seven can proudly say that they have built over 500,000 links for their clients.
They call themselves the âsearch-first creative agencyâ with the promise to create brands that land a number one spot in search rankings.
âĄď¸ Why theyâre good
Having worked with global brands like PlayStation, Revolution Beauty, and XBOX, Rise at Seven doesnât only focus on the link-building aspect of search engine optimization but rather the bigger picture.
They start by getting your website ready to smash search rankings.
This is a far better strategy than trying to build links to a low-quality website with poor contentâthis is why Rise at Seven starts by improving your website before building links.
âĄď¸ Their link-building service
Rise at Seven works closely with their digital PR team to build links in the right places. Acquiring links is great, but if theyâre not placed on the right websites, youâre wasting your time as Google prioritizes link relevance over the number of your backlinks.
This is why Rise at Seven focuses on targeting reputable, authoritative websites and news sources so that you get links in all the right places.
âĄď¸ A note-worthy result
Rise at Seven used newsjacking to help a brand called AskTraders land over 300 links in the press, with a 329% increase in organic traffic and an average domain authority of 71.
They assisted AskTraders by providing expert commentary on trending topics in the media and created data-led content for other websites to link to.
Rise at Seven was given a year to reach the results AskTraders wanted, but they achieved them in just five months.
5) Fractl
Fractl is a digital PR agency with a bouquet of services ideal for businesses looking to achieve organic growth through link building.
They specialize in increasing their clientsâ organic search rankings, brand engagement, and authority.
They do this through technical search engine optimization, content marketing, and digital PR strategies.
Their goal is to help brands earn media mentions and links that drive traffic to your website from top publishers.
âĄď¸ Why theyâre good
Having worked with brands like UpWork, Joblist, and Paysa, Fractl has managed to achieve recommendations from Forbes, Moz, and Clutchâa pretty big deal.
Importantly, Fractl doesnât just offer link building; they offer technical search engine optimization services, too.
This means they have the necessary in-depth understanding of the SEO landscape and where link building fits into it.
âĄď¸ Their link-building services
Fractl focus on creating valuable, data-based content, which they then pitch to publishers to generate media coverage.
They ensure this media coverage results in quality backlinks pointing to your website.
Their technical search engine optimization offering means that your website will be in good shape before you start driving organic traffic to it.
âĄď¸ A noteworthy result
In just six months, Fractl was able to drive a 1,100% increase in organic traffic for one of their clients, Fanatics, using a mix of publisher-focused link acquisition campaigns and valuable on-site content.
The agency was also able to help Fanatics earn a 230% increase in their total number of ranking keywords.
6) Siege Media
Since 2012, Siege Media has been offering a comprehensive range of services to businesses in just about every industry.
Theyâve worked with some of the worldâs biggest brands, including TripAdvisor, Airbnb, and Audible.
Their services include everything from content marketing to search engine optimization consulting andâmost importantlyâlink building.
âĄď¸ Why theyâre good
Siege Media is committed to getting their clients traffic, backlinks, and rankings that drive exponential growth.
Whatâs great about working with Siege Media is that you can access a range of services to enhance your link-building, such as content marketing and blog design.
Certain elements must be in place for link building to be effective. Working with Siege Media means youâre nailing those elements and building links that get you the growth you deserve.
âĄď¸ Their link-building services
Siege Media believe that links should do more than simply help their clients reach the upper ranks.
They help you build links by creating valuable content and growing your links consistently rather than in one burst.
Often, this agency earns links for under $250 per link.
âĄď¸ A noteworthy result
The company helped their client, Embroker, rank first place for the term âstartup insuranceâ in just six months.
Besides their page-one ranking, Siege Media also helped this client see a $185,000 increase in monthly traffic value, with a whopping 3,129 links generated.
How to Choose the Best PR Agency for Building Links
Now that you know who the top PR companies that offer link-building services are, itâs time to figure out who would be the best match for your brand.
Here are some tips on choosing the right PR agency to help take your link building to the next level:
- Check their case studies: A good place to start when choosing a PR agency for link building is to read their case studies. Any agency worth its weight in gold will have evidence on its website that explains how it achieved tangible results.
- Check their reviews: Donât rely solely on the client testimonials on the agencyâs website. Of course, they will only publish the good reviews theyâve received. Be sure to check third-party websites like Trustpilot, for example, for reviews from the agencyâs clients.
- Check for experience in your industry: You want to ensure that the PR agency you choose has at least some experience in your industry or a related industry. While itâs not imperative that the firm has experience in your exact field, you want them to have some expertise dealing with a brand like yours.
- Service offering: Ensure that the PR agency that you choose offers the services that you require. Simply choosing an agency because theyâve won several awards isnât enough. Their service offering should align with your specific needs.
- Keep your budget in mind: Of course, budget will be a consideration for you. Itâs a good idea to research what various agencies charge. Fees for large global agencies can be expensive, so it might be worth going local if your budget is limited.
- Ask about strategy: If you have a discovery call with an agencyâwhich we suggest you doâask them what their strategy for your brand would entail and how they would achieve your goals.
- Search engine optimization experience: Itâs not enough for an agency to offer link-building services. They also need to understand the search engine optimization landscape in general. Link building is just one piece of a much larger pie, and you need an agency that understands the bigger picture.
- Expect transparency: Any work that you do with a PR firm should be based on transparent communication. Itâs not enough that an agency says theyâre transparent on their website. You want to work with an agency that will be transparent about what they are doing for your brand and the results they achieve.
Wrapping up on PR Agencies for Link Building
Press releases, newsjacking, and reactive PR are some of the most effective link-building tactics. Hiring a PR agency to implement these techniques for you is a wise investment, as doing it yourself can be time-consuming and risky.
On the other hand, link-building companies not only understand the broader search engine optimization picture, but they also have extensive expertise in the multitude of link-building tactics that exist.
From reporter outreach to guest blogging, the best link-building agencies can offer you a comprehensive solution to build backlinks.
However, not many link-building companies can offer services like reactive PR, newsjacking, media relations, and press releases. They also donât typically have the extensive network of relationships with the media that PR agencies do.
Ultimately, itâs up to you whether you choose to work with a public relations firm or a link-building company. However, your priority should always be to secure high-quality links from authoritative websites.
If youâd like to learn more about the link-building services we offer, feel free to browse our website. We use over 20 different link-building techniques to help our clients show search engines whoâs boss.