There’s an ongoing clash between PR and SEO over how best to gain better search engine placements – and which approach works best, earned media placements created by public relations or search engine optimization of owned content.

The conflict arises because PR and SEO pros have very different backgrounds, training, skills and histories. They have also typically operated in separate and distinctive silos. SEO does its thing; PR does its thing. Never the twain shall meet, as Rudyard Kipling first said. [“Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet.” Barrack-room ballads, 1892. Kipling was lamenting the lack of understanding between the British and the people who inhabited the Indian subcontinent.] Many PR and digital marketing veterans now argue it’s time to set aside any hostility and make an effort to overcome the lack of understanding between PR and SEO.

Integrating the efforts of PR and SEO can vastly improve overall marketing efforts. The two disparate disciplines work better when they work together. The two sides can learn from each other. PR pros can learn more about keywords, link-building and other SEO tactics. SEO can benefit from the PR strategies of relationship-building and producing quality content.

Revamp the Corporate Marketing Department

Integrating PR and SEO in large corporations requires overhauling the structure of marketing departments, argues Brian Bennett, owner and president of STIR Advertising and Messaging.

Public relations is often classified as a staff function that reports directly to the CEO or another C-level executive. Sometimes PR falls under the traditional marketing function; SEO and social media generally work under digital marketing.

A flat organizational structure produces better results, proponents argue. In that structure, all marketing and corporate communications functions are housed under a single marketing department without separate traditional and digital marketing silos. “Strong marketing performance requires coordinating across platforms at a high level,” Bennett writes in a MarketingProfs article.

It isn’t actually necessary to merge the functions on the corporate organization chart. Integration only requires that PR and SEO communicate well with each other and cooperate on content development and digital tagging.

Bennett and other marketing experts offer the following tips to integrate the messaging of PR and the data of SEO.

Align goals. Determine common goals for PR, SEO and other marketing communications functions. PR relies on relationships to generate media coverage; SEO uses digital channels. While their strategies differ, goals should be the same.

Combine research. SEO uses audience research to create personas; PR conducts media research to uncover relevant media outlets. Combining that research can create an overall persona of the target audience.

Follow a keyword strategy. PR can use multiple variations of predetermined keywords in press releases, earned media and social media. Using keywords in press releases encourages reporters to use those targeted keywords when describing a brand, thus increasing the likelihood a brand appears in searches for those terms.

Coordinate content. Coordinating content and keywords across all areas –including website, social media, e-books, newsletters, press releases and advertising — can ensure a consistent voice across all channels.

Share contacts. A centralized list of media contacts and influencers with clear distinctions about who is handling what improves organization and results. “When SEO, PR, and social clash, it’s because there’s not enough distinction as to who does what,” says Daniel Yeo, content and online PR manager at Search Laboratory.

Optimize visuals for SEO. Optimizing visuals included in press releases and company websites in blogs helps improve search results. That includes using images that are quick-loading and relevant to the text, placing keywords in the alt attributes, title tags and image names, and avoiding multiple use of the same image, says Erik Newton, senior director at BrightEdge.

Build links. Links from press releases and other earned media placements back to the corporate website show the Google search algorithm how your press releases fit into the rest of your website. The links back also encourages readers to explore other parts of your corporate or brand website. Internal links from press releases and blog posts to other website content help visitors more easily navigate the website to desired information. Internal links also help the Google search algorithm to better understand website structure and content relationships.

Bottom Line: PR and SEO have traditionally employed different methods and sometimes come into conflict, but the two disciplines are more alike than many realize. They share essentially the same goals and, by working in concert, can improve marketing results and corporate reputation.

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William Comcowich

William J. Comcowich founded and served as CEO of CyberAlert LLC, the predecessor of Glean.info. He is currently serving as Interim CEO and member of the Board of Directors. Glean.info provides customized media monitoring, media measurement and analytics solutions across all types of traditional and social media.