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When it comes to digital marketing, tracking the success of your link-building and digital PR campaigns has never been more important. Whether you’re aiming for higher search engine result rankings or boosting your brand visibility, the metrics you choose to measure can make or break your strategy. And let’s be honest, SEO and digital PR aren’t the most exciting topics on their own, but they’re necessary if you want to stay ahead of the competition.
Now, link building and digital PR are a little like peanut butter and jelly. While they can stand alone, they work best when combined. Link building has been around for ages, but digital PR has emerged as a more refined, savvy way to get those high-quality backlinks you need, all while improving your brand’s reputation. But, as with any digital marketing tactic, not all metrics are equal.
So, in this guide, we’re going to take you through the key metrics for both link building and digital PR—because tracking the right data is how you’ll know if your campaigns are hitting the mark. No more guesswork; it’s time to break down the numbers that matter.
What’s Link Building, Anyway?
Link building is all about earning backlinks from other websites. In the SEO world, backlinks are like votes of confidence for your content. The more quality links you get from authoritative sites, the more Google trusts your site. And, if Google trusts you, you’re more likely to show up at the top of search results.
But don’t be fooled—it’s not just about the quantity of links. The quality of those backlinks plays a huge role. In fact, the relationship between SEO and link building has evolved so much that we now know even a few high-quality links can outperform hundreds of low-quality ones. No need for a link farm here!
What Is Digital PR?
Now, digital PR is where things get interesting. It’s the modern-day version of traditional PR, but with an added focus on SEO. Digital PR is the practice of managing a brand’s online presence and reputation.
Digital PR doesn’t just try to get your name in lights on news sites; it’s about earning backlinks through media placements, influencer mentions, and even good ol’ fashioned storytelling.
Think about it: every time a journalist mentions your brand in an article or a well-known influencer shouts you out on social media, it’s like free marketing. But here’s the kicker—it’s also good for your SEO. Digital PR helps boost your brand’s credibility, build relationships with high-authority sites, and yes, earn those coveted backlinks.
The Link Building Metrics You Need to Track
Alright, let’s dive into the metrics that matter most when it comes to link building campaigns.
1. Link Quality
This is the big one. When it comes to backlinks, quality always trumps quantity. If you want to boost your SEO rankings, focus on the Domain Authority (DA) or Domain Rating (DR) of the sites linking back to you.
- High DA/DR Links: Links from top-tier sites (think news outlets or respected industry blogs) pass more link equity (or link juice) to your website. These links will not only drive more traffic to your site but also signal to Google that your site is trustworthy and relevant.
- Low DA/DR Links: These links come from smaller, less authoritative sites. While they might still send some traffic your way, they won’t have the same SEO impact. So, if you’ve been collecting low-quality backlinks, it might be time to rethink your strategy.
Reporting on the referring domain is essential in link building strategies, as it provides insight into the quality and diversity of the websites linking to your content.
A referring domain is a unique website that links to your page, and tracking this metric helps identify how well-distributed your backlinks are across different sources – and you can also check if those sources are relevant to your industry, niche, or target audience.
2. Number & Type of Backlinks
Tracking the number of links pointing back to your domain is a common link building metric. This metric measures the total quantity of backlinks gained through outreach, content marketing, or organic means, helping to assess the effectiveness of your link building efforts.
But, backlinks aren’t all created equal—there are a few different types you should know about:
- Built links: These are the ones you earn through outreach efforts. Whether you’re reaching out to journalists or pitching your content to blogs, these links are a direct result of your hard work.
- Organic links: When a website links to your content without you asking, it’s a sign that your content is valuable. And because it’s earned organically, it’s a strong signal to Google that your content is worth ranking. My advice? Try to create link-building content magnets.
- Syndicated links: These come from media outlets that republish your content across various platforms. While they can generate some referral traffic, syndicated links aren’t as powerful as built or organic links, but they still help boost brand awareness.
3. Referral Traffic
Yes, you can track the organic traffic, but one of the most direct ways to measure the effectiveness of your link-building efforts is by tracking referral traffic. This metric shows how many visitors are coming to your site from the links you’ve earned. Tools like Google Analytics make it easy to track these visitors and see how long they stay on your site.
So, when your link-building campaign earns you those 50 backlinks across multiple platforms, check your referral traffic. How many people actually clicked through to your site? If the number’s high, your campaign is likely working well. If not, maybe it’s time to reassess your approach.
4. Keyword Rankings
It’s no secret that backlinks play a key role in improving keyword rankings. A solid backlink profile can help your website climb the ranks for your target keywords. So, it’s essential to keep an eye on how your keywords are performing after you’ve earned those backlinks.
SEO tools like Semrush, Moz, or Ahrefs let you monitor keyword rankings and track improvements over time. So, if you see your rankings steadily improving after you’ve built a solid backlink profile, you’re on the right track.
5. Link Velocity
“Link velocity” might sound like the name of a sci-fi movie, but it’s actually a crucial metric link building compaigns. It refers to how fast you’re acquiring new backlinks. A sudden spike in link velocity could raise a red flag with Google, signalling that you might be engaging in shady link-building practices. The goal is to build links consistently over time, without sudden surges.
So, if you’re seeing your link velocity skyrocket, it might be time to slow down a bit to avoid triggering any penalties.
6. Anchor Text
While most of the focus in link-building campaigns tends to be on the number and quality of backlinks, one crucial metric that deserves more attention is anchor text. Think of anchor text as the clickable text in a hyperlink—it’s not just a random string of words, but a powerful signal for both search engines and users.
Types of Anchor Text
There are several types of anchor text that you should be mindful of when it comes to link placements:
- Exact match: This is when the anchor text exactly matches the keyword you’re trying to rank for (e.g., “SEO services”). While exact match anchor text can be powerful, overusing it can look make them look like spammy backlinks to Google.
- Partial match: This type of anchor text includes a variation of your target keyword (e.g., “affordable SEO services”). It’s safer than an exact match and still gives Google a clue about your page’s relevance.
- Branded anchor text: Using your brand name as the anchor text (e.g., “Digivate SEO services”) is another important strategy. This type of anchor text can help improve your brand visibility and online recognition.
- Naked URL: This is simply the URL of your site used as the anchor text (e.g., “www.yourwebsite.com“). It doesn’t provide any keyword context, but it’s still valuable, especially for building a natural, diverse link profile.
- Generic anchor text: Phrases like “click here” or “read more” are considered generic anchor text. While they don’t provide specific keyword value, they can still be a part of a natural linking strategy.
Many link builders will try to maintain diversity in your anchor text. A natural link profile includes a mix of exact match, partial match, branded, and generic anchor texts. Over-optimisation, like using too many exact match anchor texts, can lead to Google penalties for keyword stuffing. On the flip side, a lack of varied anchor text might signal to Google that your link-building strategy isn’t diverse enough.
The Digital PR Metrics You Need To Keep An Eye On
Let’s shift gears away from link metrics and talk about digital PR. This is where things get fun—because digital PR isn’t just about SEO; it’s about building your brand.
1. Media Placements and Coverage
Media placements are the backbone of digital PR. These are the mentions your brand gets in media outlets—whether it’s a local news site, a major publication, or an influencer’s blog. The quantity of placements matters, but so does the quality.
A feature in Forbes? Amazing for your brand (and your SEO). A shout-out from a micro-blogger with low traffic? Not so much. Quality placements can drive traffic, build brand awareness, and earn you high-authority backlinks that will boost your SEO in the long run.
2. Referral Traffic from PR Placements
Just like with link building, referral traffic is a key metric for digital PR. When your brand gets coverage on a major site, you want to track how many people click through to your website. If the coverage is helping to generate a steady stream of visitors, you know your digital PR efforts are paying off.
Use Google Analytics to monitor traffic from media placements, so you can assess which outlets are driving the most traffic. The more traffic you get, the more likely you are to see a positive impact on your SEO rankings.
3. Leads and Conversions from PR Campaigns
What’s the point of all that media coverage if it doesn’t result in actual leads or conversions? The real success of any digital PR campaign is when that media coverage translates into real business value—whether it’s new sign-ups, product purchases, or inquiries.
Tracking leads and conversions helps you measure the ROI of your digital PR efforts. You might get thousands of media placements, but if they don’t convert into leads, it’s time to rethink your approach.
4. Brand Sentiment and Social Mentions
One of the more indirect—but still valuable—metrics is brand sentiment. Social media is a powerful tool for measuring how people are reacting to your digital PR efforts. Are they excited about your brand? Are they talking about you in a positive light?
Social mentions and sentiment analysis tools can help you track how your audience is responding to your PR campaigns. Positive brand sentiment can improve your reputation and also indirectly benefit your SEO, as Google takes social signals into account.
5. Social Media Engagement
Finally, let’s talk about social media engagement. Social platforms are where conversations happen. Whether it’s likes, shares, comments, or retweets, social media engagement can tell you how well your digital PR campaign is resonating with your audience.
If your PR campaign is getting a lot of traction on social media, it’s a clear sign that your message is hitting home—and that could translate into even more backlinks and better SEO.
Link Building and Digital PR Metrics—Two Sides of the Same Coin
So, there you have it: the metrics you need to track for both link building and digital PR. It’s all about understanding which data points matter and why they matter. After all, without the right metrics, how will you know if your link builders are doing a good job?
The key takeaway? Link building and digital PR aren’t just about chasing backlinks—they’re about creating meaningful connections with your audience and getting recognised by high-authority platforms. By tracking the right metrics, you’ll ensure your campaigns are driving real, measurable results.
Article by
Samantha Hops
