Why PR and SEO are Inherently Connected!
Yes! PR and SEO are and will forever remain connected.
Google continues to apply many ranking factors to organic search rankings. But backlinks remain one of the most fundamental aspects of SEO. And not only are these links still vital, but getting the “right kind” of backlink has become harder than ever. Why? Because you have to reach for backlinks from high authority sites and sites within your niche.
These are backlinks that are “editorially placed.” Which means specific links were placed in specific content because they offered value to the reader. This is earning, rather than simply winning a back link. And you have to work hard to earn media, as most public relations professionals attest to! Backlinks on high authority websites are, in my opinion, SEO GOLD for public relations professionals and the companies they represent.
Content is King, and so are Backlinks from High Authority Websites.
It’s all about the art of PR! After all, it is the job of PR to win or EARN media coverage, and that includes digital publications. We are finally attributing digital media publication placement as earned media! It’s about time! When you win a piece of earned media, the article usually includes a backlink to your website. These are your most valuable backlinks, because they’re editorially placed and in high authority or industry niche publication websites. Remember, “Content is King” as they say.
In this post “rank brain” world, Google places more emphasis on the quality of content than ever before. Let’s say you invest in creating a few core pages on your website. If you earn some high authority backlinks, you could be successful in ranking for a few broad keyword terms. And to rank for as many keywords as possible to onboard organic traffic, you must invest in even more content. Meanwhile, public relations can continue to pump out quality content to win earned digital media placement. This means you can actually get way more value from combining your PR and SEO content efforts!
The Importance of a Digital Footprint.
A digital footprint is what a user finds on the first page of Google when they enter your brand name. That’s important, because it’s the first impression you make with the vast majority of people who engage with your brand! You always want your website to be in the top spot, and your social profiles should also occupy some results. But to make a good impression, the average user will want to see more than just a nice website. For maximum credibility, people need to find mentions of your brand on high authority sites, i.e. publications or review sites. This can propel you from an unknown entity into a credible business. This is what PR delivers!
While your digital footprint isn’t always quite the same thing as the SEO of your own websites, it’s all linked! The more earned media you win, the more backlinks you win, and the more our website ranking improves. Furthermore, the more articles mentioning your brand online, the more users can find you. And that equates to the exceptional personal or business brand visibility and credibility!