If you thought PR was all about writing, you are wrong! With the ever changing digital marketplace, it is important for those who are in the field of PR to learn basic SEO skills.
For those wondering “what is SEO,” Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic search engine results.
As PR professionals we need to incorporate SEO into our skill set to make the content we produce worthy enough for Google’s first page. This can be done through quality software tracking elements such as, Google AdWords, SEMrush, and Pardot. These platforms allow you to build links and optimize keywords in coordination to the content within your article or press release, which will generate more traffic than pitching hundreds of reporters. It also saves time and money for companies while driving profits upwards.
Now, I’m not saying to stop pitching. I mean, that’s one of our main pivots in getting our story into the media. But, in other words, be smart about pitching and utilize resources such as SEO so a news reporter can get to your story or article with a simple google search.
“But, I thought that was advertising and marketing?”
PR pros wear many hats, and SEO is one to consider wearing to better represent yourself and your brand. PR specialists create exceptional content, keeping their client’s brand a high priority while also appealing to quality publications.
This all starts to build into content marketing. Did you know we now produce as much data in two days as we did from the dawn of civilization until 2003? With all of the content out there now, it is like fishing in the ocean for one fish out of three million. So, how do we combat this? We start by combining the digital world with the PR world.
“Why do PR professionals have an advantage”
PR professionals are at an advantage because content is key with delivering a higher ROI. So, let’s say you’re reaching out to a blogger or influencer. It is important to make sure you are specific about what pages should show up first on your client’s site when someone searches a particular keyword on a search engine. Why? The links will drive active engagement back to your client.
This blog post was written by Account Executive Caroline Bardo.
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