A little over a decade ago, PR and SEO would have been considered two entirely distinct disciplines. After all, PR had existed far before digital marketing, and its goal only seldom relied on it. On the other hand, SEO had emerged as a direct response to digital marketing needs and cared little for PR; its goal was to satisfy search engines, not build public relations.
Fast forward only a few years, and the two had already joined hands in the early 2010s. Today, bracing for the bright future of digital marketing, the two have become indispensable allies. To explain this development and hopefully inspire you to follow suit, let us delve into how PR and SEO can work together.
The common goals of PR and SEO
Before we do, you may remain unconvinced regarding even the theoretical overlap between the two disciplines. To address this, an initial way to understand the overlap between the two lies in understanding their goals.
Chron (2019) identifies the ageless goals of PR as the following:
- Raising awareness;
- Generating interest;
- Promoting goodwill;
- Reinforcing/burnishing brand image;
- Providing information; and
- Creating demand.
In much the same way, Moz (2009) identifies the following goals of SEO:
- Generating online traffic;
- Driving eCommerce sales;
- Fueling mindshare and branding;
- Acquiring leads and marketing directly;
- Leveraging ideological influence; and, most notably in our context,
- Managing a brand’s reputation.
As you can see, the goals of the two are largely adjacent. They may approach said goals from different angles, but their intended benefits are essentially very similar.
This is an important note to make before starting a business, as it can affect how your respective teams collaborate. It can inform education processes, strategies, and so much more.
In brief, starting with the foresight to not keep the two siloed and isolated can offer immense benefits. From mutual education to effective collaboration, bridging the two disciplines early will be a valuable endeavor.
Ways PR and SEO can work together
To illustrate this further, let us now explore where exactly the two can synergize toward their shared goals. In no particular order, consider the three notable examples that follow.
#1 Trust signals
An umbrella term with different uses, we may consolidate "trust signals" down to the signals that incite audiences' trust.
In a broader sense, these will include web design elements that denote credibility, influencer content, and more. In the context of base content itself, however, those should consist of:
- Reviews. Whether to boost general or local SEO, reviews are crucial to content success. Audiences seek reassurance in their choices, and so does Google in its favor. Reviews can help with this, as they inspire trust in both – and can even serve as content for SEO.
- Comments. In much the same way, comments and a brand’s responses to them can both significantly inform trust. If they’re insightful and add value to the conversation, they can also serve to fuel SEO as well.
- Shares. Finally, shares also reassure audiences and search engines that content offers genuine value and inspires engagement. For marketers of both disciplines, shares also directly help increase brand awareness and boost traffic.
In brief, both disciplines can focus on these same signals to leverage them effectively. SEOs can polish content based on these metrics, while PR teams can take up and improve communications to fuel them.
#2 Backlinks and brand mentions
In addition, PR and SEO can work together as regards backlinks. Backlinks, or inbound links, from authoritative sources, directly serve the goals of both disciplines, as they expand a brand's reach and boost its trustworthiness.
Indeed, backlinks serve a wealth of purposes as regards content marketing and SEO:
- Traffic. Follow or NoFollow all backlinks generate traffic. The audiences they attract are typically more engaged in the brand's industry and offerings than general audiences.
- Credibility. Moreover, backlinks serve as effective endorsements in the eyes of audiences – and can significantly overlap with affiliate marketing, at that. Search engines treat them the same way, as backlinks are a key factor in gauging Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA)
- Public relations. Finally, link-building strategies inherently delve into public relations, as they rely on effective outreach. Such practices as Brian Dean’s Skyscraper technique don't just require stellar content but also strong PR to ensure consistency.
In this regard, too, the two disciplines can synergize very effectively. Where SEO can provide optimized, compelling content, PR can effectively pitch it to external outlets.
The two can serve their goals much more efficiently than if they remain in isolation. Arguably, overlooking this synergy may be among the most significant SEO mistakes one can make today.
#3 Social media marketing
Finally, PR and SEO can work together in regard to social media marketing. With 4.2 billion social media users around the globe today, very few marketers can afford to overlook this invaluable channel.
Social media marketing is such a broad subject it would likely require its own article to cover thoroughly. Still, in the context of SEO and PR, consider some of its primary challenges:
- Content and outreach. All social media strategies hinge on content, no less than on the subsequent interactions. Here, SEO teams can leverage audience insights to craft enticing content, while PR teams can handle engagement and outreach.
- Influencer marketing. An incredibly potent subtype of social media marketing, influencer marketing also considerably overlaps with the goals of both principles. Where SEO can inform content tone, format, and substance, PR can leverage influencer marketing for more effective brand messaging.
- Brand messaging and content experience. Finally, modern customer journeys call for holistic strategies that maintain a consistent brand experience. The two disciplines can also pool together their insights, delegate tasks, and ensure both the content itself and its distribution closely align with the intended experience.
This type of synergy is particularly notable, as social media marketing only continues to gain prominence. Such strategies as podcast marketing will continue to require more than either SEO or PR can offer by themselves, making synergies both essential and fruitful.
PR and SEO; a symbiotic relationship
In summary, PR and SEO can work together in many ways. Where one can offer audience insights, the other can fine-tune audience engagement. Where one can polish content for search engines and users, the other can establish business relations to promote said content. PR and SEO can consolidate content and content strategies alike, ultimately serving the same purposes. From inspiring trust to expanding reach, their symbiotic relationship will only continue to strengthen in years to come.
