How links really work through PR
Most people get this backwards. They think getting links means you chase after them. But here’s the secret. You stop chasing and start being useful instead.
The real question isn’t “how do we get a link?” It’s “what does this story need?”
Think about it. A reporter is writing something. They have a deadline. They need someone who actually knows what they’re talking about. If that person is you, the link just happens. You don’t chase it. It comes because you helped.
The difference that actually matters
The old way of link building sounds like this. “Can you link to us?” Then a journalist deletes your email.
The right way sounds different. “I think your story is missing this part. Let me explain it.” Now they actually listen.
The old way
- You ask for a link
- You pitch about your company
- They ignore you
The right way
- You find what they need
- You give them real insight
- They link to you because you helped
How this actually happens
Step 1: A journalist is writing about something. They need someone smart to explain it.
Step 2: You show up with real knowledge. You fill in what’s missing from their story.
Step 3: They publish what you said and link back to you because you made the story better.
Step 4: Now you have a link. Your name is in a major publication. Real people searching for this topic find you.
Why this matters for search
When you Google “how does this work,” you read articles from big publications. If that article links to your site, people actually see you. That’s a real link. No one is forcing it. It’s there because you belonged.
And here’s why it matters. Someone searching for answers is way more valuable than someone just scrolling around. They actually care. They want what you have.
How to actually do this
Look for journalists writing about your topic. Ask yourself what they don’t know yet. Now be the person who answers that. Don’t think about links. Think about helping. The links happen later.
That’s the real shift. You stop trying to sell something. You start being helpful. And the links are just what happens when you actually help someone.
Real examples that worked
One pitch landed on four sites
A financial expert talked to GoBankingRates about Social Security. They didn’t just explain the rules. They showed the real money. What you get at 62. What you get at 67. What you get at 70. They talked about what happens if you’re sick. What happens if you have no savings. Real stuff people actually wonder about.
It ran on GoBankingRates first. Then Yahoo Finance wanted it. Then MSN. Then Nasdaq. One good answer. Four different sites. All because it was actually helpful.
Making the boring understandable
HubSpot was writing about business quarters. They needed someone to explain it to people who don’t work in business. Not just the definition. The reason it matters. One expert showed quarterly reporting as a tool. Why some places stopped using it. How companies match their quarters to their sales.
It ran exactly as written. With their name on it. With a link back to their site. Because they explained something you can’t just find on Google.
A simple test you can repeat
Forbes wrote about companies using too many software tools. One person told a real story about paying for five tools that all did the same thing. Then they gave three simple questions anyone can ask. Is this tool actually getting used? Does it do something no other tool does? What breaks if I cancel it?
Simple questions stick with reporters. Readers remember them too. That’s why it got published and linked.
Talking like a real person
Women’s World needed someone to explain insurance. Not like a manual. Like a person. One expert answered the questions people actually search for late at night. What makes your rate go up. Why your state matters. How to pay less right now.
The quote appeared twice in the same article. Once explaining insurance. Once showing how to save money. They didn’t have to rewrite it. Because it sounded like a friend giving advice, not a robot.
What all of these have in common is simple. None of them talked about their company. They all gave the reporter something real. A true story. Real numbers. A way to think about a problem. Something you can’t find by searching.
We have real case studies showing how this works. Want to see more? click below case studies