TL;DR
Digital PR isn’t just a box-ticking exercise anymore. It’s one of the most powerful tools you’ve got to increase your brand’s authority, visibility and trust online. But if you’ve ever wondered whether it’s better to land more links or chase higher-quality ones, you’re not alone.
This article strips back the noise and gives you a clear answer. You’ll learn what actually matters in digital PR – and how to build a strategy that works.
What does digital PR matter so much?
Digital PR is about earning coverage and backlinks on online publications, with the goal of boosting your search engine visibility and growing your brand’s online presence. Done well, it:
- Improves your SEO
- Builds brand trust
- Drives referral traffic
- Helps you stand out in your industry
But the method matters. A handful of powerful, well-placed links could outperform dozens of weak ones. That’s why the debate between quality and quantity still matters in 2025.
The argument for quantity: More links, faster growth?
Some brands still focus on building as many links as possible. The thinking is simple: more links mean more visibility.
The advantages
- You’ll likely see faster improvements in visibility, especially if you’ve had few links before.
- Google may crawl and index your site more often with increased linking activity.
- If the links are relevant – even if not high authority – you could still boost lower-priority keywords.
This approach often includes things like press release syndication, wide-reaching outreach campaigns, or contributing to mass news stories with quick quotes.
The problems with quantity-led PR ❌
When link building is done at scale without quality control, things can go south quickly:
- Links from low-authority or spammy sites can hurt your site’s performance.
- Google may spot unnatural link patterns and issue penalties.
- You could be wasting your budget on links that barely move the needle.
If you’re not careful, chasing quantity may leave you with a lot of noise—and very little actual value.
The argument for quality: Fewer links, bigger results?
The alternative is focusing on high-authority, high-relevance backlinks – even if it means landing fewer of them.
Why quality links make a difference
- They carry more SEO weight: A single link from a top-tier news outlet or a niche authority site can move the needle more than dozens of weaker ones.
- They improve trust and credibility: Being featured in respected publications builds your reputation.
- They deliver better referral traffic: Readers from these sites are more likely to engage with your brand.
- They last longer: Quality links are usually in editorial content that stays live.
This isn’t just theory, Google actively favours links from trusted, relevant sources. Their algorithm is designed to promote content that’s been endorsed by reputable sites, not ones that appear in spammy link farms or unrelated blogs.
So, what makes a link high quality?
Not all backlinks are created equal. Here’s what separates a high-value link from the rest:
- It comes from a site with a strong Domain Rating (DR)
- The publication is relevant to your industry or topic
- Your brand is mentioned in helpful, informative content
- The anchor text is natural and fits the flow
- It drives traffic from engaged readers, not bots
If a link ticks these boxes, it’s probably boosting both your SEO and your brand reputation.
Quantity might give you reach, but quality gives you results
Here’s the reality: a high number of low-value links won’t match the impact of a few strong ones. If your goal is short-term visibility, you might get away with volume. But if you’re serious about long-term growth, you need quality on your side.
You’re better off with five backlinks from respected sites in your industry than 30 from low-authority directories or generic blogs. Those strong links will:
- Keep working over time
- Attract better traffic
- Signal trust to both Google and real users
What does Google prioritise?
Google’s stance is clear: quality wins. Their most recent algorithm updates have cracked down on manipulative link building tactics. That means:
- Links must come from relevant and reputable sources
- Context matters – Google now analyses the quality of the page and surrounding content
- Spammy or irrelevant links can now lead to penalties.
If you’re still thinking about building links just for the sake of it, now’s the time to rethink that approach.
Can quantity still be useful?
In some cases, yes – but it depends how it’s done.
If the links are relevant, properly placed, and earned naturally, then higher volumes can work well. This might be the case for:
- Product launches
- Short-term campaigns
- Early-stage websites looking to get indexed.
But even then, you’ll want to make sure the links are from sites that make sense for your audience.
It’s not about avoiding quantity, it’s about avoiding poor quality at scale.
How to strike the right balance
The truth is, you don’t always have to choose between quality and quantity. Smart digital PR campaigns often blend both.
Here’s how you can do that:
🎯 Define your goal
Are you trying to build long-term authority, or do you need a quick boost for a product or seasonal event? Your answer shapes your approach.
🔗 Audit your current backlinks
If your site already has hundreds of low-impact links, now’s the time to focus on quality. If you’re just starting out, a mix of decent links can help lay the groundwork.
👋 Focus on relevance
A link from a niche publication with a lower DR is often more valuable than a general lifestyle blog with a higher DR. Think relevance first, numbers second.
📈 Track what actually matters
Don’t just measure link count. Monitor:
- Keyword rankings
- Organic traffic
- Referral traffic
- Conversions from linked pages
These tell you whether your PR strategy is doing its job.
Remember – quality always wins
Quantity might deliver a temporary bump. But if you’re building a brand that people trust (and that Google sees as authoritative), high-quality links will always be the better investment. You don’t need hundreds of backlinks to succeed. You just need the right ones.
