A successful SEO strategy needs PR. Why?
As we all know, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the practice of improving and increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to specific websites through organic (non-paid) search engine results.
To increase these search results and work around SEO, several factors come into play, like blogging or website design, but other — and lesser-known — way to increase SEO is through Public Relations.
How do these two worlds collide?
PR is the main channel to increase brand awareness organically and to build a reputation, which has a considerable impact on a long-term SEO strategy.
Every time a company/brand/individual gets media coverage through media relations, those interviews or press releases contain backlinks (the links from a page on one website to another). These backlinks help the website´s ranks on search engines, discoverability, and referral traffic.
In other words, SEO is all about backlinks.
Depending on the size and credibility of where those backlinks come from, (Forbes, National Geographic, CNN, for example), the more credibility is added to your backlinks, and the more credibility is added to your website.
More media coverage equals more backlinks which then equals a stronger and more complete SEO strategy.
Simple enough, right?
Another advantage PR brings to SEO strategies is that let’s say there’s a campaign on-going from X to Y dates alongside other paid media approaches for a product launch, for example, earned media stays online and in customers’ eyes long-term and constantly directing backlinks. In addition, having a PR strategy for company leaders and founders positioning them as thought leaders in a specific industry or sector through media relations will create additional credibility and redirect consumers to your website.
After generating and creating coverage through media relations, it is crucial to add these references to your website to create social proof, which is the seal of approval and validity potential customers look for when comparing different options for your service or product.
In other words, SEO loves PR.
To create a long-term and solid SEO strategy, it is paramount to create a PR strategy simultaneously to get the best results when creating a strong digital footprint.
