Wednesday, September 02. 2009
10 Yetis Ponders the Great Public Relations V SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) Debate and Why We Know PR is Best!
As we head towards the second instance where we have been asked to pitch for a contract against traditional PR Agencies and also Search Engine Optimisation (SEO companies) I thought it was about time I shared my own thoughts on the PR Agency relationship with SEO companies and where the two areas cross.
Right now I see there being two types of PR Agency, traditional ones who don't dabble with online media in any way, and then the new breed of PR agency* that understands online media and have their own "specialists" in various fields tech and online fields.
We were really lucky in that early on in our existence we worked with several clients who really opened our eyes to the value of understanding SEO and how PR can work brilliantly alongside campaigns.
As we progressed as an agency we kept coming up against the SEO conversation time and time again, and how we can prove that we can deliver similar value and returns if not better... and so Ps3PriceCompare was born!
Ps3 Price Compare Website
As anyone who has had to sit through one of my PR talks or a 10Yetis pitch will know, we set up this site and optimised it as best we could and then the only marketing we gave it was EXCLUSIVELY PR.
We chose PS3's because it is a saturated market, meaning it would be tough to rank highly for key terms, and also more importantly because the commission levels for a Ps3 sale is quite good.
Oh yeah, revenue is based on traditional affiliate model, i.e sale = commission payment.
So, we launched the site with a Press Release about something scandalous (think it was about blokes wanting to play games more than they want to have sexy-time with their better half) and it immediately got coverage, including valuable in bound links.
Within 2 months the site was mid way up page one of google for the term "Cheap PS3" - a key phrase researched from using Hitwise.
We have continued PR'ing it every 2 months or so and the site is now in the top 5/6 page one of google and more importantly delivering a very health revenue stream that we never really anticipated.
So, nothing other than some on-site SEO from our own tech peeps and a good dollop of PR to build some valuable authority links.
We now use the site as a good example to demonstrate to people that we know about the modern basic needs that a PR agency needs to deliver and more importantly how it can compliment existing SEO campaigns, oh yeah and it has also inspired me to set up a few other sideline sites that are only promoted via PR.
I guess that I am trying to say that I think finding a PR agency that understands and can contribute to your existing SEO activity is what people should be looking for and this does not mean one or the other, SEO's and PR's should be working in tandem.
End of Wednesday ramble...
*shameless plug!
Right now I see there being two types of PR Agency, traditional ones who don't dabble with online media in any way, and then the new breed of PR agency* that understands online media and have their own "specialists" in various fields tech and online fields.
We were really lucky in that early on in our existence we worked with several clients who really opened our eyes to the value of understanding SEO and how PR can work brilliantly alongside campaigns.
As we progressed as an agency we kept coming up against the SEO conversation time and time again, and how we can prove that we can deliver similar value and returns if not better... and so Ps3PriceCompare was born!
Ps3 Price Compare Website
As anyone who has had to sit through one of my PR talks or a 10Yetis pitch will know, we set up this site and optimised it as best we could and then the only marketing we gave it was EXCLUSIVELY PR.
We chose PS3's because it is a saturated market, meaning it would be tough to rank highly for key terms, and also more importantly because the commission levels for a Ps3 sale is quite good.
Oh yeah, revenue is based on traditional affiliate model, i.e sale = commission payment.
So, we launched the site with a Press Release about something scandalous (think it was about blokes wanting to play games more than they want to have sexy-time with their better half) and it immediately got coverage, including valuable in bound links.
Within 2 months the site was mid way up page one of google for the term "Cheap PS3" - a key phrase researched from using Hitwise.
We have continued PR'ing it every 2 months or so and the site is now in the top 5/6 page one of google and more importantly delivering a very health revenue stream that we never really anticipated.
So, nothing other than some on-site SEO from our own tech peeps and a good dollop of PR to build some valuable authority links.
We now use the site as a good example to demonstrate to people that we know about the modern basic needs that a PR agency needs to deliver and more importantly how it can compliment existing SEO campaigns, oh yeah and it has also inspired me to set up a few other sideline sites that are only promoted via PR.
I guess that I am trying to say that I think finding a PR agency that understands and can contribute to your existing SEO activity is what people should be looking for and this does not mean one or the other, SEO's and PR's should be working in tandem.
End of Wednesday ramble...
*shameless plug!
It seems to me that the reason the marriage of PR and SEO has been slow to take off has been because of a lack of understanding all round. Quite a few PRs don't appreciate that placement in the national press could be worth more to the client in terms of the link value than the actual coverage it brings - especially for a site like your PS3 effort, above, where probably 95% of custom would come from search.
Likewise, quite a few SEOs (particular the off-site brigade) don't appreciate how powerful PR can be for link building.
Maybe this is a culture thing? The only SEO I know really well is our mutual mate Ray Field of Tin Soldier, and he's a very relaxed, easygoing bloke. However, based on one or two others I've met, it strikes me that plenty of SEOs are fairly geeky, self-effacing types.
PRs, as we know, don't get very far in their careers by being geeky and self-effacing. The two groups, therefore, are perhaps not natural bedfellows - which is why some have been slow to realise the potential of cooperation.
[Ah, there's nothing like advancing dubious, off-the-top-of-my-little-bald-head sociological theories on a Wednesday afternoon...]
I think the culture thing is the major issue and posts like mine (well, the title anyway) don't help bring harmony between SEO's and PR's.
I think there is room for us to all work together but it is really tought when some SEO's keep banging the drum that they can deliver better ROI than PR Activity (Not Ray, he is fricking awesome).
We should all work hand in hand... imagine the results, Global Domination and Affiliate Wizardry ahoy mwahahahahahaha
But if it weren't for PR, chances are that nobody would have heard of some of these products in the first place. SEO might flog the PS3s, but it's the PR guys who create the buzz that makes people want to buy them in the first place.
Mind you, I'm all in favour of global domination. Gentlemen, construct your underground lairs!
Just thought I would weigh in with the view from an SEO's perspective and say that to my mind the best campaign is to deploy both PR and SEO as a joint attack and when used together gives the best bang for the buck.
Why limit yourself to just one medium when you can create greater leverage with them working in tandem.
How's that for "self-effacing" and thanks for the kind comments. Don't know about the hand in hand stuff Andy, people will talk but don't mind a bit of Global Domination!