Every once in a while, I have the pleasure of speaking to public relations students.
Talking about PR and communication theory are topics I never tire of discussing. It's something I am still fascinated with, but also because it lends itself well into other marketing disciplines, specifically SEO.
Understandably, PR students want to know where to start with SEO and how it can benefit their studies. As PR students function first as writers, I start with the concept of copy, specifically keywords.
Unfortunately, that usually begins and ends with two equations.
SEO = keyword stuffing; Keyword stuffing = SEO success
Unfortunately, it's also usually the same two equations used by many in the marketing communications world, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies.
So many PR practitioners get can't past SEO as it existed in 2001, and therefore never fully benefit from how it can be implemented within existing processes.
SEO is a method of making your content more relevant, not about gaming the system. It does not exist in a vacuum, and works well with other marketing disciplines. So if you think that stuffing keywords everywhere is going to accomplish your SEO goals, it will fail. Every time. If you think merely checking the SEO-ification box on your news release distribution of choice will accomplish these goals, it will fail. Every time.
While it's infinitely more complicated, understanding the keyword universe is paramount to any type of tracking, let alone success.
Keyword research is about making a commitment.
It's about knowing how your prospective customers search. It's also about understanding the competitive nature of that terminology and its relevance to your larger goals. Your keyword universe is influenced by your analytics, and what is currently working and what is not.
Suddenly, if you start understanding that universe, and have a deep understanding of how you want to be found, SEO starts sounding a lot less like some nebulous acronym and more like an important part of the strategic marketing process. In fact, once you've done it, why would you ever leave it out?
PR therefore cannot exist as part of a strategic marketing strategy without SEO. And practitioners that do leave far too many opportunities on the table.
I hope this isn't you.
If you're curious how we meld the ideas of online PR, SEO, content marketing and such, let us know.