Digital PR earns links by producing something a publication wants to write about. The link is a consequence of the coverage rather than the thing being negotiated, which is what separates it from paid placement and from outreach that asks for a link directly.
Three formats do most of the work. Original data, where a survey or an analysis of proprietary numbers gives a journalist a statistic nobody else has. Expert commentary, where a specialist responds quickly to a developing story. And reactive newsjacking, where a brand supplies context on something already in the news cycle within the hours it stays relevant.
The links tend to be strong because they come from editorially selected placements on sites that do not sell links. Coverage also compounds: one story in a trade publication is frequently picked up by smaller outlets that cite the original.
The measurement discipline is worth setting early. Track referring domains rather than raw links, keep an eye on whether coverage includes a link at all, since many outlets mention brands without linking, and count branded search volume alongside it.