The #1 Way to Build Backlinks at Scale

Why It Matters

Digital PR transforms data into high‑authority backlinks, delivering sustainable SEO growth and brand credibility without costly link‑building campaigns.

Key Takeaways

• Digital PR earns backlinks by providing original, news‑worthy research.
• Journalists prioritize data-driven stories over product promotion pitches.
• Preply’s survey generated 74 referring domains from reputable outlets.
• Earned links from editorial coverage compound over time.
• Simple surveys can become scalable backlink engines for any brand.

Summary

The video argues that the most effective way to build backlinks at scale is through digital PR—creating and pitching original, news‑worthy research rather than traditional product pitches. By delivering proprietary data or expert insights, brands generate genuine editorial coverage that naturally includes inbound links.

Key insights include the journalist’s appetite for data‑driven stories, the ease of producing simple surveys, and the compounding effect of earned links. Preply’s approach—surveying 1,549 Americans about swearing habits—produced a headline‑worthy finding (Columbus, Ohio, 36 swears per day) that secured coverage from The Hill, Yahoo News, and dozens of local outlets, resulting in 74 unique referring domains.

The presenter highlights that these links point to the research landing page, not product pages, yet they still boost domain authority. The example demonstrates how a single, well‑crafted study can generate a cascade of high‑quality backlinks without ongoing outreach.

For marketers, this model offers a scalable, repeatable engine: create original data, distribute to journalists, and let the backlinks accrue over time, strengthening SEO and brand credibility while minimizing paid link costs.

Original Description

Preply built one of the cleanest digital PR engines in their space by running simple, original surveys.

One study asked 1,549 Americans across the 30 biggest US cities how often they swear (Columbus topped the list at 36 times a day, btw).

That one URL earned 74 unique referring domains — including coverage from The Hill, Yahoo News, and dozens of local newsrooms.

Original research is the easiest backlink hack you're not using.

If you're into:

Digital PR strategy

Backlink building

SEO with original research

AI marketing workflows

What survey could YOUR brand run? Drop your ideas below.

Topics covered: Preply's digital PR strategy explained, how original surveys earn editorial backlinks, why journalists prefer linking to research over product pages.