Reactive PR vs Expert Quote Link Building: Which is Better and Why?
Listen on your favourite platform
| Platform | Link |
|---|---|
| YouTube | Listen on YouTube → |
What Does “Reactive PR vs Expert Quote Link Building: Which is Better and Why?” Talk About?
This episode of the James Dooley Podcast dives into the practical differences between reactive PR and expert quote link building, featuring a focused conversation between James Dooley and Chris Pantelli, founder of Linkify. The episode clarifies a common point of confusion in the SEO and digital PR world: while both strategies earn high-authority backlinks, they operate on fundamentally different models. Expert quote link building is described as inbound, where journalists actively seek expert commentary to support articles they are already writing, whereas PR campaigns are outbound, requiring agencies to pitch story ideas and build media relationships over time.
The discussion goes deeper into the nuances of each method, including geographic tendencies, with Chris noting a stronger US slant on the expert quote side and a more prominent UK presence in digital PR. The conversation also addresses the importance of niche suitability and client flexibility, using examples like gardening and technology to illustrate how certain industries lend themselves better to one approach over the other. Chris emphasizes that some publications simply do not accept outbound PR pitches, meaning expert quote link building is the only viable route to earning links from those outlets. The episode concludes with a strong recommendation to combine both strategies for a well-rounded, sustainable approach to building link authority and brand visibility.
“Expert quote link building is inbound. Journalists are sourcing experts and you can view those sources and make your decisions on which journalist you'll reply to and which publication you may receive a link from.”
— Chris Pantelli
Who Are the Guests on “Reactive PR vs Expert Quote Link Building: Which is Better and Why?”?
James Dooley is a well-known figure in the SEO industry and the host of the James Dooley Podcast, where he regularly breaks down practical digital marketing strategies for business owners, marketers, and SEO professionals. Known for his straightforward approach, James distills complex topics into actionable insights and frequently brings in specialists to add depth to the conversation.
Chris Pantelli is the founder of Linkify, a link building agency that specializes in both digital PR campaigns and expert quote link building. With hands-on experience running both inbound and outbound strategies for clients across multiple niches, Chris brings a grounded, practitioner-level perspective to the episode. His work at Linkify gives him direct insight into what works in real campaigns, making his guidance on journalist relationships, client expectations, and niche suitability particularly credible and specific.
What Are the Key Takeaways From “Reactive PR vs Expert Quote Link Building: Which is Better and Why?”?
Here are the key points discussed in this episode:
- Expert quote link building is inbound and allows you to earn backlinks from publications that do not accept outbound PR campaigns, making it an essential strategy for reaching otherwise inaccessible high-authority outlets.
- Reactive PR campaigns give brands much greater control over their narrative since the agency creates the story idea and the client becomes the featured subject, whether through data, newsjacking, or expert commentary.
- Geographic tendencies matter in digital PR, with expert quote link building being more prevalent in the US market and traditional digital PR campaigns being more dominant in the UK.
- Client flexibility is critical to campaign success because journalists will not publish content that is purely promotional, and agencies need the freedom to develop genuinely interesting ideas on behalf of their clients.
- Combining both reactive PR and expert quote link building builds a stronger and more diverse referring domain profile, which compounds authority over time rather than producing short-term SEO spikes.
“The best thing to do is both because you want different referring domains and to be featured as an expert in as many variations as possible.”
— Chris Pantelli
Is “Reactive PR vs Expert Quote Link Building: Which is Better and Why?” Worth Listening To?
This episode is worth listening to for anyone who has ever wondered whether to invest in PR campaigns or expert quote outreach, and has struggled to find a clear, practical answer. Rather than giving a vague both are good response, James and Chris walk through the actual mechanics of each method, explain the structural differences between inbound and outbound link building, and give real-world examples from niches like gardening and technology to make the concepts concrete and actionable.
What makes this episode particularly valuable is Chris Pantelli's firsthand experience running both strategies at Linkify. His insights on journalist relationships, the importance of client mindset, and the reality that certain publications only respond to expert quote requests are the kind of hard-won knowledge that is difficult to find elsewhere. The episode is concise and avoids filler, delivering a clear framework that listeners can apply to their own SEO strategies immediately.
Who Should Listen to “Reactive PR vs Expert Quote Link Building: Which is Better and Why?”?
This episode is ideal for:
- SEO professionals looking to diversify their link building strategies beyond traditional outreach
- Business owners who want to understand how digital PR and expert commentary can build long-term brand authority
- Digital marketing agency owners who manage link building campaigns and need to guide client expectations
- Content marketers and PR professionals exploring how journalist relationships can be leveraged for SEO value
Where Can You Listen to James Dooley Podcast?
You can listen to James Dooley Podcast on all major podcast platforms:
- Apple Podcasts – Search for “James Dooley Podcast” in the Podcasts app
- Spotify – Available on Spotify for free
- Amazon Music / Audible – Listen through your Amazon account
- Overcast – For iOS users who prefer a dedicated podcast app
- Pocket Casts – Cross-platform podcast player
You can also subscribe using the RSS feed: https://feeds.transistor.fm/james-dooley-podcast
What Are Listeners Saying About This Episode?
“This episode finally cleared up the difference between digital PR and expert quote link building for me. Chris's explanation of why some publications only respond to inbound expert requests was something I hadn't considered before. Short, sharp, and genuinely useful.”
“I loved how Chris broke down the US versus UK slant on each strategy. That geographic nuance is something I've noticed in practice but never heard articulated so clearly. Definitely reshaping how I approach my clients' link profiles.”
“The point about client flexibility being essential for PR campaigns really resonated with me. I've lost campaigns because clients wanted too much control over the narrative. Hearing Chris explain why journalists won't publish promotional content is exactly what I needed to share with my team.”
James Dooley: Hi, so I'm joined today with Chris Pantelli from Linkify. Today's question is about reactive PR versus expert quote link building. Which is better and why? They’re both different and you can do both, but there are some differences and nuances between the two.
Chris Pantelli: Expert quote link building is inbound. Journalists are sourcing experts and you can view those sources and make your decisions on which journalist you’ll reply to and which publication you may receive a link from. Oftentimes these won’t be holistically about your brand or message. You’re enhancing the point the journalist is making in their article. It’s a great SEO play and you can win links from amazing publications that aren’t receptive to PR campaigns. Many of those publications either work with freelance writers or simply don’t accept outbound PR. The only way to win those links is to answer expert commentary requests. PR campaigns, however, are outbound. You need to come up with an idea or story that will resonate with the journalists. You need a media list. You need your story idea. Then you send your idea to the journalist. It’s kind of like cold outreach, but not really, because journalists expect these emails from PRs daily. Over time you also develop relationships, so you can say things like, “Hey Judy, it’s me again, we’ve got another idea.” That helps massively. You also have much more control over the narrative because you’re creating the idea on behalf of the client and the client becomes the feature, whether it’s data, expert commentary, newsjacking or a reactive piece. There are more nuances. You’ll find much more of a US slant on the expert quote side. You’ll find much more of a UK slant on the digital PR side. The best thing to do is both because you want different referring domains and to be featured as an expert in as many variations as possible. A great approach is to start with expert quote commentary, build journalist relationships, then learn what works well from a PR campaign perspective. You can then leverage the expert quote network to deliver PR campaigns.
James Dooley: To simplify it, a reactive PR campaign is where you reach out to journalists with a story or trending topic and pitch it to them. It’s outbound. Expert quote link building is inbound. The journalist is already writing the article. You may or may not be included, but they want expert opinions to validate what they’re saying. You hope to place a snippet of content and earn a backlink. Both have strong SEO value. You own Linkify and do both. From your point of view, is either easier than the other for getting placements?
Chris Pantelli: Great summary and great question. It boils down to a few things. First, the niche of the website you’re building links for. Some niches are very PR friendly. With reactive campaigns you’re saying, “Hey journalist, this story will be good for your readers.” That means you need something interesting. Gardening is a good example. Publications always write about it and seasonality helps. If you’re an expert in a niche like technology, you can run reactive campaigns on things like data leaks or tips to stay safe on public WiFi. It all depends on the niche. Second, you need to consider the client's mentality. Reactive campaigns give more control over narrative and the client can sign off. But the client needs to know we can't just run a PR campaign promoting their company directly because nobody will publish it. They must give us freedom to come up with something interesting for journalists. Expert quote commentary is different. We know the article topic but still need freedom to pitch as the expert and provide something that leverages your expertise. Two different paths with the same aim, which is links, but the client's expectations and flexibility matter.
James Dooley: To summarise, people always ask what is better: reactive PR or expert quote link building. What I took from your explanation is that some websites don’t allow PR campaigns. If the site doesn’t accept outbound PR, you need expert quote link building. If you want a strong referring domain profile, which matters for ranking well in Google, you should do both because they earn different types of links. Chris, you're doing this day in and day out at Linkify. Where can people get hold of you and can you do both reactive PR campaigns and expert quote link building?
Chris Pantelli: Yes, we do both. We run PR campaigns and expert quote link building. We love to chat with clients if they need guidance on which path to take. We normally recommend doing both. Start with one. After running PR campaigns and earning links, you can always earn more. It’s always valuable to keep getting new signals. People can find us at Linkify.io, on X at Linkify or book a call through our Calendly on the website. It’s a holistic approach. Do as much as you can, but don’t overdo it. Pick one place to start then progress.
James Dooley: Good advice. Anyone watching, leave a comment on what you feel is better in reactive PR versus expert quote link building. Are you doing either as part of your SEO strategy? If not, I strongly recommend doing both. Let us know which you feel is better and why.
Creators & Guests
Host
James Dooley is a UK entrepreneur.