Ready to earn big links with digital PR? Here's James' deck from Oxford Digital Worker's Union in May 2019 looking at how to build links your competitors can't steal.

1. James Brockbank, Managing Director & Founder
HOW TO BUILD LINKS YOUR
COMPETITORS CAN’T STEAL...
Big Links with Digital PR

2. Link building often starts with
competitor analysis...

3. “Who links to my competitors?”

4. “Who links to my competitors?”

5. “Who links to my competitors?”

6. This is often looking for quick wins to
build links which competitors have but
you don’t...

7. Guest posting
opportunities...
Resource link
opportunities...
Niche directories
& listings...

8. They’re usually quick wins because
your competitor has done the hard
work for you...

9. And if you’re spying on your
competitors links, you can bet they’re
also spying on yours!

10. Don’t be an
SEO sheep...

11. Digital PR can give you
a competitive advantage...

12. ... and solve the problem of how to earn
links your competitors can’t steal.

13. Tonight, I want to teach you how to
earn big links...

14. and prove that you don’t need to be a
huge brand to earn top-tier coverage.

15. Let me show some evidence that links
contribute to SEO success...

16. A new brand in the insurance sector...

17. A clear correlation with link
acquisition...

18. Over 500 unique referring domains
earned in 9 months...

19. Examples of coverage & links...

20. Examples of coverage & links...

21. Examples of coverage & links...

22. Examples of coverage & links...

23. Examples of coverage & links...

24. Examples of coverage & links...

25. Examples of coverage & links...

26. Examples of coverage & links...

27. Our client wasn’t a big name brand but
a newly launched short term insurance
provider.

28. Results don’t lie.

29. Results don’t lie.
+340% organic clicks YoY

30. Results don’t lie.
+340% organic clicks YoY
+380% organic impressions YoY

31. Results don’t lie.
+340% organic clicks YoY
+380% organic impressions YoY
+134 top 3 rankings

32. Results don’t lie.
+340% organic clicks YoY
+380% organic impressions YoY
+134 top 3 rankings
+ 354 page 1 rankings

33. Ready to learn how to earn
top-tier links?

34. STEP 1
Come Up With A Great Story

35. Journalists cover stories, not content.

36. Think story first, then format...

37. Great stories start with great ideas.

38. But how do you have great ideas?!

39. Start with solo ideation before refining
ideas as a group...

40. Try different approaches to research to
spark a great idea...

41. Take inspiration from other
successful campaigns...

42. Links from
over 300
top-tier
publications

43. Build up your own bank of successful
campaigns...
Ahrefs > Pages > Best by links

44. Build up your own bank of successful
campaigns...
Ahrefs > Pages > Best by links PRexamples.com

45. Build up your own bank of successful
campaigns...
Ahrefs > Pages > Best by links PRexamples.com
Twitter

46. Find questions which people are asking
and provide an answer...

47. Links from
over 50
top-tier
publications

48. Tools to help you find the questions
being asked...
Buzzsumo Content Analyzer

49. Tools to help you find the questions
being asked...
Buzzsumo Content Analyzer Answerthepublic.com

50. Tools to help you find the questions
being asked...
Buzzsumo Content Analyzer Answerthepublic.com
Google Autocomplete

51. Hook into hot and trending topics...

52. Links from
over 100
top-tier
publications

53. How to find what’s trending in an
industry...
Buzzsumo Trending Now

54. How to find what’s trending in an
industry...
Buzzsumo Trending Now Google News

55. How to find what’s trending in an
industry...
Buzzsumo Trending Now Google News
Target Publications

56. Bonus Tip:
Need ideas at speed?

57. Credit: @staceycav

58. Opt for evergreen over
seasonal ideas...

59. Once you’ve got your concepts, you
need to validate these with 6 quick
questions...

60. 1. What’s the main headline?

61. 1. What’s the main headline?
2. Is it topically relevant?

62. 1. What’s the main headline?
2. Is it topically relevant?
3. Has it been done before?

63. 1. What’s the main headline?
2. Is it topically relevant?
3. Has it been done before?
4. Where will we get the data?

64. 1. What’s the main headline?
2. Is it topically relevant?
3. Has it been done before?
4. Where will we get the data?
5. Who would cover it?

65. 1. What’s the main headline?
2. Is it topically relevant?
3. Has it been done before?
4. Where will we get the data?
5. Who would cover it?
6. What makes it linkable?

66. If an idea doesn’t make it through
validation, scrap it or refine it...

67. STEP 2
Launching A Linkable Asset

68. To earn links, you need something
linkable...

69. Make the link a key part of the story

70. There needs to be something of value
on the other end of a link...

71. An interactive
tool or calculator...
Additional stories
& headlines...
A resource...

72. It’s all about maximising links and
minimising unlinked brand mentions

73. “Can a journalist cover the campaign
without linking to it?”

74. You don’t need a fancy interactive
asset to earn links, however...

75. A great story can earn coverage
regardless of the format you choose.

76. You just need to choose the most
effective way to present your
campaign...

77. And that can absolutely be a static
visual...

78. Over 420
links earned
to date...

79. Don’t overcomplicate campaigns
simple for the sake of it...

80. Over 50
links earned
to date...

81. Examples of coverage & links...

82. Remember... story first, then format!

83. STEP 3
Pitching To The Press

84. Once your campaign launches, the
hard work begins.

85. It’s time to pitch to the press...

86. 1. Build a media list

87. 1. Build a media list
2. Write your outreach email

88. 1. Build a media list
2. Write your outreach email
3. Send your campaign

89. 1. Build a media list
2. Write your outreach email
3. Send your campaign
4. Follow up

90. 1. Build a media list...
Who writes about the topic?

91. 1. Build a media list...
Who writes about the topic? Use a media database...

92. 2. Write your outreach email...
Headlines for subject lines...

93. 2. Write your outreach email...
Headlines for subject lines...
Use emojis in subject lines for a better open rate...

94. 2. Write your outreach email...
Headlines for subject lines... Simple to the point emails...
Use emojis in subject lines for a better open rate...

95. 3. Send your campaign...
Track opens and clicks...

96. 3. Send your campaign...
Track opens and clicks...
Optimal send time is before 9am...

97. 3. Send your campaign...
Track opens and clicks... Monitor Google News...
Optimal send time is before 9am...

98. 4. Follow up...
Follow up all emails after
3 working days.

99. 4. Follow up...
We typically see most coverage on
follow up vs first send.

100. 4. Follow up...
Open with a simple “Did you have
chance to check out the below...”

102. Wait, there more...

103. It’s not uncommon to get coverage
which mentions your brand but
doesn’t link...

104. Remember the importance of
linkability?

105. Reach out to the publication, highlight
the value on the link and politely
request it’s added in...

106. You won’t win every time, but can pick
up extra links which you’ve already put
in the hard work to land...

107. Digital PR remains the most effective
way to earn links your competitors will
struggle to steal...

108. THANK YOU
james@digitaloft.co.uk @BrockbankJames