SEO and PR: A Guide to Using SEO in Public Relations and Digital PR Campaigns
The PR and communications industries are on the verge of change. Most customer-facing teams, including marketing and sales, have fully transformed into cross-functional data-driven ventures. In most cases, PR teams have stayed behind and still rely on using only traditional tactics to boost brand reputation or drive visibility.
How can PR professionals catch up with the changing trend? The first step to improving the brand's online presence would be to start thinking about SEO.
Public Relations and Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Traditional PR strategies that focus on press, TV, or radio visibility are insufficient today. While most markets still appreciate a well-placed expert comment on TV or an insight-rich event, the first touchpoint between your brand and your audience happens online.
Customers search for reviews about your brand. Potential employees try to understand your company's culture from clues on social media. Journalists double-check information about your brand from your website.
That's why SEO fundamentals are essential for PR pros. Effective digital presence is the first step toward building brand awareness, and with SEO, you will be able to:
Rank your brand on the first pages of each search engine
Get high-quality backlinks
Reach your target audience quicker
Create content and press releases that get results
Make use of the benefits that come with a highly-ranking website
So, how can public relations experts integrate SEO into their digital PR strategies?
How to improve SEO performance?
When it comes to SEO services, there are three key considerations for a PR professional:
Strategic Narratives: Each topic related to your brand shapes your brand story. The best way to break it down is by using relevant keywords. Utilizing keyword research tools helps define content creation priorities.
Digital Assets: Your brand image is shaped by your website, social media accounts, blogs, and other owned or shared online spaces. Ensure all bases are covered with content optimized for SEO health.
Link Building: Even the best keyword research and highly optimized assets will not rank highly without backlinks from reputable sources. Combining SEO tactics and PR strategies is essential, as both seek to feature their brand's expertise online.
So, which SEO strategies should every PR expert use without needing to learn technical skills?
Best practices to improve digital PR efforts
PR experts can easily integrate many SEO techniques into traditional public relations strategies.
Ideally, you would work with an SEO specialist to kick off the project, but even without one, there are several ways to fine-tune the content and improve your search rankings:
Optimize press releases. Before sending out a press release, double-check that your title, subtitles, and body contain your brand keywords. Always include pictures and videos in your articles—not only will they make your content more engaging, but the alt texts also help improve your SEO.
Track brand mentions. If you notice a mention that does not link back to your website, try to reach out to the site and get a backlink. Additionally, add the best mentions to your newsroom—over time, this will help drive traffic and improve the article's SERP position.
Look for guest appearance opportunities. Your team has experts whose insights can be shared with a wider audience. Keep an eye out for guest posting opportunities on major industry blogs or specialized portals. Seek to be included in industry events. Apply for competitions and awards. Every time your brand is mentioned online, your SERP position can improve. Most importantly – always ask for a backlink.
Upgrade your public profiles. Every shared media platform—from Wikipedia and Crunchbase to Glassdoor and LinkedIn—can become a powerful tool to boost your SERP position. Complete the details for each public profile, and always include a link to your website.
Review your website content. If you are working with professional copywriters, they will ensure that each page on your website is optimized for specific keywords. However, keep an eye on the details: check for internal links, mobile optimization, and complete meta titles and descriptions on each page.
Complete your Google Business profile. While there are many search engines available today, Google still holds the crown. Therefore, ensure your Google Business profile is robust—update descriptions, add images, encourage reviews, and respond promptly to customer queries.
Naturally, working with a professional SEO expert will unlock many strategies to improve your search positioning, as they will handle on-site, off-site, and technical SEO. However, by starting with your main brand keyword (brand name) and building from there, you can lay a solid foundation as a PR expert.
Search engine optimization is a long-term investment, and starting early will set you up for success.
In today's digital landscape, integrating SEO into your PR strategy is no longer optional; it's essential. By embracing SEO practices, PR professionals can amplify their brand's visibility, enhance credibility, and ensure that their messages reach the right audience at the right time. The combination of traditional PR expertise with modern SEO tactics creates a powerful content machine that drives more traffic, generates quality leads, and builds a stronger brand presence online.
How to bring your SEO and PR strategies together?
Remember: SEO isn't just about keywords. It's about creating content that resonates with your audience and meets their needs. As a PR specialist, look at SEO as an amplifier that can bring significant rewards with consistent efforts.
While there are many steps you can take here, most experts would recommend starting with online reputation tracking. Repsense provides world-class service that combines traditional media and online reputation monitoring. We cover all the key channels and 100M+ websites and provide you a clear overview of your brand.
Let’s have a quick chat and see how our AI-driven tool can help you improve your brand reputation:
