How to turn press mentions into real SEO wins (without chasing backlinks)
SEO and PR aren’t enemies. Here’s how to align them with shared goals, better communication, and campaigns that perform.
SEO and PR aren’t enemies—they just don’t always speak the same language. Let’s fix that.
Getting SEO and PR to work together should be a no-brainer. Both are about visibility—PR gets people talking, and SEO makes sure they find you when they search. But when these teams don’t sync, it’s like a band playing out of tune.
Media coverage brings traffic, but there’s nowhere optimized to send those visitors. Or SEO churns out keyword-packed content, but PR doesn’t amplify it. That’s wasted effort—and nobody has time for that.
When SEO and PR are on the same page, magic happens. PR draws the crowd, SEO keeps them engaged, and both teams get better results.
💡 Pressed for time? Here’s what matters:
- PR creates trust, SEO ensures people find you. When your name appears in the media, people search for you—SEO makes sure they land on the right page.
- Leadership needs to push for collaboration. If CMOs, marketing directors, and team leads don’t connect the dots, PR and SEO stay in silos, missing big opportunities.
- Sync PR and SEO efforts with the “Cycle” Framework. Align on objectives, craft stories that matter, distribute content effectively, and analyze the results together.
- People search for what they see in the news. A strong PR push drives brand searches and social mentions—SEO should be ready to catch that momentum.
- SEO insights make PR pitches smarter. Use tools like Google Trends, Ahrefs, or Semrush to find what’s trending and shape PR angles that journalists care about.
- Track the right impact. Brand mentions, direct searches, and engagement tell a stronger success story than backlinks alone—visibility and reputation drive real growth.
1. Get leadership buy-in to break the silos
One big reason SEO and PR don’t align? They’re treated as separate efforts. That often happens because leadership doesn’t push for integration. Whether it’s the CMO, marketing director, or team leads, making sure these teams collaborate can seriously boost brand visibility.
Many decision-makers still see SEO and PR as two different jobs—one builds media presence, the other ranks in search. But together? They amplify each other and make marketing work harder.
Solution:
- Show leadership how SEO and PR working together leads to better business results—higher rankings, stronger authority, and more conversions.
- Use real case studies of brands that aligned SEO and PR and saw major wins.
- Set up regular check-ins between SEO and PR teams to keep everyone aligned.
2. Align goals, define roles, and use a shared marketing calendar
SEO and PR teams often assume the other side will handle something—leading to missed opportunities. PR might secure big media wins, but SEO isn’t ready with optimized content. Without a shared marketing calendar, their efforts don’t sync up, and it shows.
SEO isn’t just about stuffing keywords into content—it’s about making sure the right people find and engage with your brand. And PR isn’t just about getting media hits—it’s about telling stories that matter and giving them a place to live long-term.
One way to align PR and SEO efforts is through Tommy Young’s “Cycle” Framework, developed by the team at Content Collision (C2). This structured approach ensures PR and SEO move in sync by focusing on:
- Setting clear objectives before launching campaigns.
- Crafting stories that connect with both media and target audiences.
- Distributing content effectively across channels to maximize exposure.
- Analyzing results to refine future campaigns and optimize performance.
By using this cycle, PR and SEO teams can avoid duplication of work and ensure their efforts support the broader marketing strategy.
Solution:
- Create a responsibility matrix outlining who handles keyword research, media pitching, and content updates.
- Set up a workflow where PR alerts SEO about upcoming campaigns and SEO preps landing pages in advance.
- Use a marketing calendar to sync PR campaigns, product launches, and SEO efforts so everything works together.
Atikah Amalia
3. Create high-quality content that serves both PR and SEO
Great content fuels both SEO and PR. Journalists want compelling stories, and search engines reward content that provides real value. The best campaigns use digital PR SEO, meaning PR-driven content that ranks well and keeps driving traffic long after the media buzz fades.
Solution:
- Use data-driven storytelling to make your content interesting to both media and search engines.
- Create newsworthy, engaging content that naturally includes SEO best practices without forcing keywords.
- Repurpose PR-driven content into blog posts, landing pages, and long-form guides to keep the momentum going.
4. Case study: How a brand made SEO & PR work together
OneLittleWeb shared a case study about a client that nailed the SEO + PR mix. Their strategy? Secure high-quality media placements, boost brand credibility, and ensure PR efforts aligned with SEO-optimized content.
Key results:
- 130+ media placements, increasing brand trust and visibility.
- A big spike in organic traffic, as more people searched for the brand after seeing it in the media.
- Improved brand recognition and reputation, leading to more direct website visits and organic mentions.
This case study proves that earned media and organic search work best together—it’s not PR vs. SEO, it’s PR + SEO.
5. Use SEO insights to make PR pitches stronger
Journalists look for trending stories, just like people search for trending topics. PR teams can use SEO insights to craft better media pitches that actually get picked up.
Solution:
- Use Google Trends, Ahrefs, or Semrush to find topics that are already gaining traction.
- Instead of generic pitches, build angles based on high-ranking search queries (e.g., "How AI is changing banking" instead of "New fintech product launched").
- Optimize press releases with smart internal links to ensure that media coverage helps reinforce brand visibility.
6. Measure success with shared SEO & PR metrics
SEO and PR teams track different things, but at the end of the day, both want to know: Did our efforts bring more people in?
PR efforts build brand recognition and trust, which often leads to more people searching for the company directly or mentioning it on social media. Some of these mentions may turn into backlinks, but that’s a bonus—not the goal. The real impact is that people see the brand in trusted media and seek it out themselves.
Solution:
- Use Google Analytics and Similarweb to track direct search volume and brand mentions.
- Define shared KPIs (e.g., brand searches, engagement, and conversions) so both teams see the real impact of their work.
- Regularly check performance data to adjust and optimize future strategies.
If SEO and PR teams work in silos, results will always be limited. But when they team up? The impact lasts.
SEO folks, make sure PR knows what keywords and content themes are trending. PR teams, think about how your media coverage can support long-term search visibility.
When both sides collaborate, marketing campaigns don’t just make noise—they actually move the needle.
