The rise of digital media has had a dramatic impact on how we perceive and assess PR. A classic example of this is the industry’s ongoing debate about the relationship between PR and SEO. 

Digital agency Brands2Life discusses this subject on its website, presenting the issue this way: “Here’s a statement for discussion – a brand should be in the top five links that appear on Page One of Google if you search its category. If you’re in the communications field and you agree with this - then how do you achieve it?” 

Choosing search terms 

Answering its own question, Brands2Life continues: “The first step is to choose the Google search terms you want to promote. The most obvious ones are pretty competitive so it pays to choose less popular ones that reflect the company’s distinct expertise. So, for example, if a mobile phone manufacturer is particularly strong in navigation applications then it should choose ‘Mobile phone for navigation’ rather than, simply, ‘Mobile Phone’. 

Crucially, says Brands2Life, you then need to follow through by “making sure these terms are featured regularly in all media relations materials as well as all around the company website. Needless to say, you can’t over-do this or people get turned off.” 

Divide and conquer 

In terms of division of labour, Brands2Life says: “The PR team concentrates on its normal job of talking to all the media titles that have journalists writing the content. The SEO team takes the same content and works on the websites that rely purely on posted content. In this way the company can ensure that its web presence around those key search terms is maximised. We have seen some great results from integrated PR/SEO campaigns of this kind. One campaign took the client’s key search terms from Page Seven to Page One for the entire duration of the campaign.” 

Learning each others’ skills 

Brands2Life isn’t alone in addressing this area. Blogging on this very subject for Econsultancy, Michelle Goodall, an Online PR and Social Media Consultant, said the both sides of the PR SEO equation need to learn the other’s skills – or risk losing work: “As a PR agency or communications specialist you must have the skills to improve client search visibility, as well as being able to measure the ROI of your activity. Sane clients value Google visibility and the associated traffic that comes with high(er) rankings. Even your most loyal clients may drop you unless you wise up in this area. On the other side of the fence, there are search specialists with no PR skills potentially ruining their clients’ reputations online through highly dubious and clumsy link-building techniques.”