Why PR pros should be part of your SEO and social media teams

Digital marketing is a puzzle that brands continue trying to solve.

Under that umbrella, they know they need to have a strong search marketing game—and of course, there’s social media marketing that always needs tending. They’re sinking more money into paid search and social media isn’t always the answer. However, all too often, they’re ignoring their secret weapon: the PR pro.

“PR is, in youth speak, a search and social marketing hack,” says Chris Bartley, managing director of Havas Life Medicom, one of Europe’s biggest health care creative, medical education, and PR agencies (@cambartley).

 It’s no secret that much of search marketing equates to link building. It’s not enough for a PR or search marketing pro to secure an earned media mention. To make a real impact on a brand’s SEO, a link has to accompany the media placement.

“While the benefit of a press mention boosts a brand, it may be short-lived. The spike in referral traffic may be brief,” says Andy Crestodina, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Orbit Media (@crestodina). “But, when you’re able to get a journalist or blogger to link to a piece of content on your site, that link is likely to last. It’s rare that sites delete pages and links. And, this will increase your SEO.”