Four PR Strategies Any SEO Agency Can Benefit From
Too many companies have been relying solely on press releases for link building and public relations for too long. While publishing press releases is still important for any SEO agency’s online marketing campaign, you shouldn’t rely on it as a quick PR solution to improve your link profile or online visibility. There are other PR strategies you can use to improve your brand’s reputation, earn links, and get better exposure.
Contribute to Online Publications
Have your company’s thought leaders contribute to respected online publications regularly. These contributions should not be about pitching your services or products, nor is it about linking it to your website. Google frowns upon large-scale guest posting that involves unnatural linking schemes, and advises publishers that “the best way to get other sites to create high-quality, relevant links to yours is to create unique, relevant content that can naturally gain popularity in the Internet community.” Creating unique and valuable content written specifically for an online publication’s audience will encourage readers to share it.
Attend Conferences and Events
Does your company attend any industry-specific conferences or events regularly? Having your thought leaders deliver speeches at these events helps establish your brand as an industry authority, and could spark online discussions about the topics they covered. Your company can also sponsor or host these conferences to gain exposure and links without having to speak at the event.
Give Back to the Community
Every successful company should make time to do good for their community. You should never focus solely on gaining popularity and improving PR when making charitable contributions, but you can consider them added benefits to helping those in need.
Original images taken from the onedayoff Project Facebook page
TBWA/SMP makes sure their employees give back to the community through their onedayoff Project. They give everyone in the company an extra day off for charity work, and they even provide a brochure with a list of different ways they can help their community. They don’t even promote their company directly – all they do is wear a shirt that says “onedayoff”.
Genuinely reaching out to your community, without even thinking about SEO or promotion or marketing, can earn help you earn links and nurture goodwill.
Host Contests
Hosting contests and giveaways is a great way to earn positive press. While larger-scale contests like Pillsbury’s Bake-Off Contest can earn mentions in bigger online publications like CNN and BBC News, smaller contests can still earn high-quality links and social sharing links.
Our own internal Holiday Photo Contest on Facebook earned us a lot of new fans and links.
Promoting your brand online isn’t just about SEO – it’s also about establishing your brand’s authority and embodying your company’s culture and values. Contact us if you want to develop an online campaign with the perfect combination of search engine optimization services, link building, content marketing, and PR.