In this interview series by Website Planet, executives from leading companies in web development, AI, SaaS, cloud, web hosting, cybersecurity, online marketing, e-commerce, and more reveal the industry trends and pain points that inspired their companies, the unique way they are solving these challenges, and the future trends and technologies that will reshape their industry.
Brandon Schroth is the Founder of Reporter Outreach, a digital PR linkbuilding agency. Under his leadership, Reporter Outreach has gained recognition for its data-driven approach to digital PR, assisting 100+ clients like CloudZero, BloomsyBox, and Healthy Life Recovery being featured on top publications such as Business Insider and Forbes.
Before founding Reporter Outreach, he also co-founded Nomad SEO, further establishing his credentials in the SEO and digital marketing industry. His work focuses on creating effective outreach strategies that connect clients with media opportunities, leveraging relationships built over years in the field.
What gaps or trends in your industry led to the founding of your company, and what are your biggest milestones so far in terms of customers, revenue team, etc.?
When I founded Reporter Outreach, I saw a clear gap between traditional PR methods and the growing need for an authoritative digital presence that includes the SEO benefits of backlinks. Businesses struggle to secure high-quality backlinks from reputable sources, which is crucial for SEO and credibility. Many rely on outdated outreach strategies or low-quality linkbuilding services, which don’t provide sustainable or impactful results.
Having previously co-founded Nomad SEO, a boutique agency offering full-scale SEO campaigns, I noticed that a lot of clients would come to us needing only backlink support, as they were already handling their on-site SEO projects in-house, or with another agency. They would always have the same problem – either they didn’t have the expertise to build links themselves, or they didn’t have the time, or they had already been burned by a low-quality link agency in the past.
I started Reporter Outreach 3 years ago, and we’ve surpassed 100 clients, working with enterprise SaaS clients like CloudZero, mid-size eCommerce businesses like BloomsyBox, and local businesses like Healthy Life Recovery.
Our biggest milestone has been carving out a niche for link building in healthcare, particularly mental health clinics and addiction rehab centers. We’ve worked with major players in the industry, helping them not just with link building but also in establishing thought leadership by being featured as expert sources in top-tier publications like Healthline and PsychCentral.
Our focus on quality over quantity has helped us consistently grow, both in terms of clients and revenue. We’ve doubled our client base in the past year and expanded our team to match that growth.
What are currently the most pressing pain points that you solve, and what makes them more urgent now than in the past?
The digital landscape is more competitive than ever, and businesses are realizing that low-quality backlinks can do more harm than good. In fact, with Google’s ever-evolving algorithms, poor-quality backlinks can damage a site’s reputation. The pressing pain point we address is helping businesses secure backlinks that not only boost their SEO but also position them as credible experts in their field.
The urgency comes from increased competition in most industries, where simply having a good product or service is no longer enough. Companies need to be visible, trusted, and ranked highly on search engines. With the rise of misinformation online, credibility is more important than ever, and that’s where authoritative backlinks play a crucial role.
“Reporter Outreach is quick and delivers maximum impact for the money spent. If you want high-quality backlinks, no other provider can deliver on this quality and scale.” Darren Shafae, Founder of ResumeBlaze
How are people usually trying to fix these problems, and what’s wrong with these solutions?
Many businesses resort to mass outreach, spammy link building practices, or paying for low-quality backlinks. These methods can lead to temporary boosts in rankings but are unsustainable and risky. Google’s algorithms have become more adept at penalizing sites that use manipulative link building tactics, and businesses that rely on such practices often find themselves in worse positions when those penalties hit.
Another common approach is to use PR agencies that focus solely on media placements without considering the SEO benefits, or vice versa. But in today’s digital-first environment, businesses need a balance of both PR and SEO to truly thrive.
What unique features or approaches help you solve them in a better way, and how has that helped you make an impact? Can you share metrics or stories that show the difference you’re making?
What sets Reporter Outreach apart is our hybrid approach to digital PR and link building. We don’t just chase backlinks—we build relationships with authoritative media outlets and industry-leading publications. Our clients get featured as expert sources in high-quality articles, which not only helps their SEO but also positions them as thought leaders in their industries.
For example, one of our clients, Qooper Mentoring & Learning Software, saw a 2203% increase in organic traffic within six months of working with us. This was a result of building 57 backlinks, using a healthy mix of Digital PR and link insertion. The links from the Digital PR campaign provided them with branded home page links, and link insertion provided them with specific anchor text links for keywords they were trying to rank for, like “mentorship” and “mentoring programs.”
Beyond that, their credibility grew as they were featured in major publications discussing industry trends, which also helped them attract new customers. Our approach ensures long-term growth, not just a quick fix.
How Qooper Mentoring & Learning Software Analytics looks like after starting Digital PR
What exciting new projects or updates are you working on right now? What made you decide to focus on them, and how are they going to benefit your customers?
We can now publish complete articles about our clients on prestigious sites like USA Today, LA Times, VentureBeat, and many others. This is a significant step up from simply getting our clients quoted in articles. With this service, we have full editorial control, meaning we can craft a narrative that aligns perfectly with the client’s brand and goals.
We added this service because many of our clients expressed a desire for deeper, more personalized media exposure. While being quoted as an expert is valuable, having an entire article dedicated to their story gives them a much greater platform to showcase their expertise, achievements, and vision. It also builds more credibility and authority, particularly in highly competitive industries.
This service will benefit our clients by positioning them as thought leaders, boosting their SEO with backlinks from high-authority domains, and providing them with content they can use in their marketing efforts. It’s a holistic solution that elevates their brand visibility and credibility far beyond standard PR tactics.
“The team at Reporter Outreach did a fantastic job getting my company in publications with high authority and traffic! Brandon was easy to work with and is a true professional. Highly recommend!” Kevin Bazazzadeh, Founder at Brilliant Day Homes
What trends and technologies are you keeping an eye on? What kind of impact do you expect them to have on your industry?
AI is one of the biggest trends reshaping the PR and link building industries. From automating outreach to analyzing data for personalized strategies, AI is revolutionizing the way we approach digital PR.
Another trend we’re watching closely is the increasing importance of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) in Google’s ranking algorithm. As businesses look to establish trust online, the demand for quality backlinks from reputable sources will continue to grow.
I also expect more integration between PR and content marketing as businesses realize that media placements and thought leadership pieces are essential for both brand awareness and SEO. The companies that can adapt to this holistic approach will see the most success.
Roberto has spent over a decade helping affiliate blogs and cybersecurity companies increase revenue through Digital PR and conversion-focused content marketing. Somehow he’s still able to live the digital nomad life in between linkbuilding campaigns, content audits and SEO strategy calls.
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