Digital PR is often presented as a powerful way to increase a brand's visibility, build authority and improve SEO. However, many customers do not realize that what they are paying for is not always what they get. From overpriced distributed services to paid media placements masquerading as organic PR, digital PR is filled with pitfalls that can cost businesses thousands without providing real value.

In this article, we'll look at some of the common pitfalls in the digital PR industry and why clients should be careful when investing in these services.

Related: Pro or claimant? How to choose a reliable PR agency in 6 steps

1. You pay for digital PR – you get syndication for the press release

One of the biggest problems with digital PR today is that many agencies claim to offer true digital PR services, but, in reality, they simply use third-party press release syndication services. The agency pays a few hundred dollars to a syndicate press releasethen charges the customer thousands of dollars. As a result, the client publishes their press release in major publications like Business Insider or CNN, but these publications are often buried in the PR section of the website, which brings zero value to the client's brand. Not only that, but these shared posts have no impact on SEO efforts. This approach seems like a scam, as customers are paying a premium for something that offers no real benefit.

One of my former clients, an entrepreneur, commissioned a digital PR campaign from a PR agency and later shared their report with me. It was filled with syndicated press releases, likely purchased by a third-party syndicated press release service and sold to him as high-value coverage. He ended up firing them after the first month and hired me instead.

2. Paid media placements masquerading as organic PR

Another common issue in Digital PR it's how agencies handle media placements. Agencies often promise an “organic PR campaign” that they claim will be picked up by the media. However, if journalists show no interest in the campaign, the agency must still send the client a form of success report. To do this, they buy media placements and present them as organic results from their campaign.

At the end of the day, the client gets some links to media placements that weren't really earned through organic efforts, but bought to meet the agency's bottom lines.

3. No guaranteed results, even with genuine campaigns

Even when a digital PR campaign is run properly, there is no guarantee that it will succeed. A customer can spend $5,000 to $15,000 in a campaign, but if the media doesn't get it, the result can be zero backlinks. This is particularly frustrating for customers, as they have no certainty of what they are getting for their money. It's a risky investment, and unfortunately, the result can sometimes be nothing.

Therefore, digital PR costs can vary widely, from $466 to $5,462 per linked mention, according to Getmelinkswhen the agency must create a story; for companies that already have a compelling track record, costs can be up to 60% lower.

Related: Why clients feel overwhelmed by marketing agencies and how to fix it for good

4. You can't target your SEO-relevant pages

Another drawback of digital PR is that you can't always target the most important pages on your website. Ideally, you would like to link back to your commercial pages, product pages or landing pages – the ones that drive customers and revenue. Instead, digital PR campaigns typically create content around new topics, surveys, or research. The links editors receive often go to these new pages, which don't add much value to the client's SEO strategy or overall business goals.

5. No control over anchor text

Lastly, with digital PR, you have no control over the anchor text used in the backlinks. Journalists will link to your website, but they will use whatever anchor text they choose. While this is not a big issue, it does reduce the value of the link to some extent. If you are paying for backlinks, the ideal situation would be to link to your target pages with your desired anchor text, which digital PR often does not allow.

Before investing in digital PR, it's important to understand the risks and how to spot potential pitfalls. First, ask your agency for details on how they plan to promote your brand. If they mention press release syndicates, be careful – this often leads to low-value placements in PR sections that don't benefit your brand or SEO.

Related: 6 things every brand needs to understand about PR

Second, when reviewing media placements, always check to see if they were actually earned or paid for. If the links look too convenient or come from unknown pages, they are likely to buy placement rather than organic coverage.

Finally, don't be afraid to ask for transparency about results. or good PR agency it should be first about the uncertainty of results and what happens if a campaign does not deliver results. Make sure they provide clear metrics for success, not just a list of links.

Asking the right questions and by paying attention to these details, you can protect yourself from wasting money on services that don't deliver the results you expect.