Are PR and SEO Now One and the Same?
This article looks at the roles of PR and SEO people and how the demands for rankings and link building and the methodology is merging the two together.
Not so long ago the roles of the PR professional and SEO expert were clearly defined. The PR was out to get news into the media, create stories that the press would report on, show how clients had just completed a great job for their client, enter awards and, if memory serves me well mingle with the good and the great at parties. The SEO on the other hand was there to get your website high on search rankings, build links, ensure that your site was optimized, research keywords and keep your site fresh and up to date. These guys were rarely at parties because they were too busy looking at algorithms.
Today things are very different. Today’s PR person is still about all the things mentioned above , perhaps with the exception of the parties bit (although if there’s one going I’m always up for it). However PR has a new dimension and a new role to play. PR now includes content. Blogs, bylines, top tips and so on, all of which are designed not only to show that their client is an expert on their subject but also to build quality links from reputable sites. The byline may be retweeted or the blog referred out in another article with links back to the originators site. Then there are connections on social media, LinkedIn and so on. All of which are designed to extend a client’s reach and link back to them.
All of this keeps their content fresh and increases their rankings on search engines and it shows Google what you do. This is as much a role of the PR professional as anything else. But hang on a minute. Aren’t search rankings the job of the SEO?
Asking an SEO person to Optimize your website and build links is how it used to be done, but not today. If you are looking for more search-engine traffic, then you need a PR strategy to work alongside your SEO plan because what you do and what Google knows about you now requires the building of a strong online brand.
After optimising your website, when you develop a SEO strategy there are now two things to consider.
1. Link exchanges, e-mail requests and buying links, forums and anchor text.
2. Company partnerships, social-media, content marketing, blogging and community engagement,
The first doesn’t work anymore. The second will grow Google rankings now and into the future. Make sure you’re choosing the right one.