Search engine optimization, also known as SEO, has become a central part of creating and growing a presence in the digital age. Whether it be for YouTube, streaming platforms, social media accounts, or businesses, knowledge of SEO is essential. Another tool that is critical for success is data analytics, which are used to track progress and make website adjustments. While traditional Public Relations (PR) tactics such as media relations, pitching, and communications campaigns will remain important, PR in the coming years will also require a strong focus on SEO and data analytics.
What Are SEO and Data Analytics?
As mentioned before, SEO stands for search engine optimization. But what does that actually mean? In the words of this article by Search Engine Land, “simply put, SEO is the process of improving your website to increase its visibility on Google, Microsoft Bing, and other search engines.” More specifically, this process increases your visibility “whenever people search for products you sell, services you provide, or information on topics in which you have deep expertise or experience.” The idea is that, with more visibility, the chances of your page being found and clicked on increase, hopefully resulting in visitors becoming customers or clients.
But trying to optimize your site without data and feedback is like working in the dark, and this is where data analytics comes in. This article by Databox explains that data analytics as they relate to SEO “refers to the process of collecting, tracking, and analyzing your marketing data with the core aim of growing your website’s organic traffic.” It goes on to state that this information is especially useful because it allows you to “identify opportunities to improve, gain a deeper understanding of your website’s data, and maximize ROI on your SEO efforts.” While there are many tools for gathering this data, the article goes on to promote the benefits of Google Analytics, one of the most common tools for SEO analytics.
How Are They Applied to PR?
As this article from Entrepreneur points out, the two disciplines of PR and SEO are becoming more alike, leading to brands seeing the benefits of their integration. This is because both PR and SEO rely on an understanding of a brand’s audience to effectively reach out to them. The article also explains that PR professionals used to rely heavily on newspapers, magazines, and broadcast outlets to spread a brand’s message. Now SEO in the digital age allows these professionals to go online and reach audiences through various digital marketing channels such as social media, email, content, communications, and influencers. With the skills of a PR professional and the outreach potential of the internet, establishing and growing a brand’s presence has become that much easier.
How To Deploy SEO and Data Analytics in a Campaign
Using SEO and data analytics in a PR campaign comes in a few forms, as this article by Search Engine Journal gives further details. According to the author, there are four techniques that are “rarely written about, if at all” on integrating PR with SEO: Survey-first, where you gather primary research from surveys of an audience that reveal specific pain points of a campaign; Public data visual storytelling that involves an analyst deriving insights and providing commentary on public reports, studies, data sets, and website crawling; Market research and commentary where experts give their points of view on existing or new market research; and data newsjacking, which is identifying trends in data and insights from media sources to tell a deeper story. For more in-depth explanations of each technique, you can read further here.
After gathering data and insights, the Search Engine Journal author provides examples of how he used this information with his clients. With the data that reveals pain points in a market, you can create a map of a buyer’s journey and address issues at every step of the purchasing process and identify media trends around the buyer’s journey to find questions that typically go unasked. An example from the article that is especially relevant to PR professionals is using tools like One Pitch or Prowly to find relevant targets.
Powering PR with SEO and Data Analytics
SEO and data analytics are indispensable tools for navigating the realms of exposure and success in the digital age. By leveraging data insights, PR professionals can tailor campaigns to address specific market pain points, anticipate consumer needs, and capitalize on emerging trends. With the integration of PR methodologies and the tools of the digital age, creating effective campaigns has become that much more manageable.
#SEO #Data #Dataanalytics #PR #Success
