Blooming Publicity

Say: your book is in shops, your website is looking good and yet your name is nowhere on the first page of Google. Not because you have nothing to say, in fact you do. But Google and AI need proof. Evidence from others who refer to you, who cite you, who say: this is a resource worth having. That evidence is called a backlink. And as a knowledge entrepreneur and author, you have one of the most underrated ways to collect them and expand your link building: PR.

What does link building involve?

Link building is actively collecting links from other websites to your own site. These links are called backlinks, or inbound links. In the eyes of online search engines, such a backlink is a kind of recommendation: it tells another website that your content is worthwhile.

The more reliable websites link to you, the more authority they attribute to your website. More authority means a higher position in search results. And a higher position means more people find you. That is the essence of link building.

It sounds simple, but practice is more obstinate. Not every link is equally valuable. A link from an unknown little blog with no visitors does little for you. A link from an established news site or a leading trade magazine? That one counts more than dozens of weak links all together. Quality far outweighs quantity in 2026. That's what makes strategic link-building work so important, and that's exactly where PR comes in.

What are the four types of links?

Not every link works the same. For instance, there are dofollow links, which transfer SEO value directly to your website. These are the most coveted links. Then there are nofollow links, which originally instruct Google not to pass on SEO value. Yet they are not worthless: they contribute to a natural and credible link profile.

There are also internal links: references from one page on your own site to another. Good for structure and user experience, but not external backlinks.

Finally, there are external links, the outgoing links from your site to other websites. These do not strengthen your own authority directly, but can contribute to the relevance and reliability of your content in the eyes of Google. And help others increase their credibility.

Are backlinks still important in 2026?

Yes and in some ways more than ever. Search engines have gotten smarter, but have not abandoned their appreciation of quality backlinks. Research shows time and again that websites with strong backlinks consistently rank better than similar sites without them. Backlinks are still one of the most heavily weighted factors in the algorithm.

What has changed: AI systems also look at backlinks. If you are featured in a reputable news site or trade magazine, you increase the chances that AI tools like Claude or Google's AI Overviews will list you as a reliable source. So link building not only works for ranking and listings in search engines more, it builds your position as an authority in today's digital ecosystem.

How does link building contribute to SEO?

Imagine if Google rated your website like a new job applicant. Diplomas and work experience count, but references from people who vouch for you count at least as much. Backlinks are those references. They tell search engines and AI: "this website/entrepreneur has something to say. The more authoritative the referrer, the more credible that recommendation.

Practically speaking, link building contributes to your SEO in three ways. First, it improves your domain authority: the stronger your backlink profile, the more trust search engines give you as a whole.

Second, it helps you rank for specific keywords, especially if the link text is relevant to what you do. Third, backlinks create additional traffic: people who click through to your site via a news article or blog. That's direct visibility apart from your position in Google.

What are the best backlinks?

The best backlinks are links you earn, not buy. They come from websites relevant to your field, with real visitors and a strong reputation. Think links from trade magazines, news sites, industry associations and popular blogs in your niche. The more specific the link is to what you do, the more valuable.

What most knowledge entrepreneurs don't know is that media backlinks are among the most sought-after links out there. A link from nu.nl, the FD or a respected trade magazine has a domain authority that most other websites cannot match. And the beauty: those links are not for sale. They arise because you are worth writing about.

How can PR contribute to your link building (3 ways)?

1. Press releases picked up by news sites

When you send out a good press release about your book launch, a unique method or a current social issue, journalists write about it. And when they do, they link to your website. News sites don't just publish the article - they link to the source. That is a backlink with exceptionally high weight. One publication on a regional newspaper or a national website can do more for your SEO than a hundred self-published links.

2. Expert status and guest posts in magazines

Those who are visible as experts are more likely to be asked for guest posts. Trade journals, industry sites and online magazines are regularly looking for substantive voices in the form of columns, blogs or opinion pieces. If you take that spot, your name, including a link to your website, will appear on platforms with high domain authority. Good PR helps you achieve that position: it determines what story you tell, how you tell it and to whom.

3. Interviews, podcasts and online media

Every podcast episode, online interview and video conversation that appears about you or with you is a potential backlink. Podcasts sites, YouTube channels and newsletters with a website refer to their guests by default. Those who regularly guest post on relevant platforms thus organically build a solid backlink profile. And that without spending a euro on SEO agencies.

Why are backlinks from media valuable?

Media sites have something that most other websites do not: a long track record, great reach and the trust of search engines and AI. Those attributes translate into high domain authority, the measure that indicates how heavily a backlink from that site weighs.

If nu.nl or Het Financieele Dagblad links to your website, this sends a signal that is almost impossible to match using traditional link-building tactics. What’s more, media backlinks are earned through editorial coverage. Search engines are becoming increasingly adept at distinguishing between links you’ve bought, exchanged or placed yourself, and links that arose because someone thought you were worth mentioning.

The latter kind is what search engines and AI reward. The beauty for you as an author and knowledge entrepreneur: you have a story. You have expertise, insights and a book that is evidence of that knowledge. That makes you an interesting source for journalists and thus for backlinks.

How can you increase your backlinks for free through PR?

The key is in newsworthiness. Journalists don't write about you because you have a book, they write about you when you offer a story that touches their readers. That requires the right angle: link your expertise to what is going on in society right now.

• Is there a debate going on in your field?
• Have new figures been published that you can interpret?

By connecting with current events and increasing your chances of getting attention. A good press release is the basis for this, but not the only way and certainly not the end point.

You also need a clear media offer: who are you, what is your expertise, what can you say that others cannot? And you need the right contacts. Journalists and editors active in your niche. All this together makes you an interesting source and interlocutor for journalists.

As a former journalist and PR expert, I know how, as a knowledge entrepreneur, you bring your story in such a way that the media picks it up. And every time that happens, you build your online authority. Backlink by backlink.

Frequently asked questions about PR and link building