PR and SEO - 2026’s power couple

In an increasingly digital world PR and SEO are often being seen as the power couple of marketing helping to build trust and visibility to build brand reputation and get results.

Neither SEO or PR are new terms. They have been long used to build visibility and credibility among businesses. However, over the last few years the way that they are being used is shifting and we are seeing the powerful effect of these two disciplines working together.

SEO was first coined in the 1990s and started at the dawn of the internet as a way to trick Google into getting its attention. Key words would be stuffed across footers and in content to highlight topics and get content noticed in website searches. 

Nowadays, these hacks are a distant memory, and SEO has advanced significantly relying on trust, expertise, and user experience. Gone are the days of simple keyword overload Google has got so much smarter and algorithms for how SEO benefits have become much more advanced valuing quality over quantity. If people find value in your content, behave well on your site, and talk about your brand online, you win.

It is about creating structure, relevance, and consistency in your content so that you get found in search engine results.

Rather than gaming the algorithm, it’s more about being genuinely helpful and organised.

This shift has also brought new opportunities, and we are seeing PR experts embrace the strengths of SEO in further boosting coverage. 

Strategic shift in SEO and PR

PR will always help businesses to get found as it builds back links and search engine terms. However, by joining SEO and PR together instead of working in silos you can create even stronger strategic links. You can target specific publications to align PR topics with key search engine demands and website content. You can be more targeted in your approach and build a strategy that not only focuses on industry topics but helps Google find the content on multiple levels.

Driving key search terms 

One of the easiest ways to see this in action is by looking at key search engine terms in your industry and then how you can use PR to build a campaign to get your content to the top of that search.

Is your target market looking for ‘ways to reduce waste in the kitchen’ or ‘satellite versus MDR solutions’. By understanding your target market’s goals and online habits you can then create the PR content which not only attracts relevant back links and messaging in key publications but also helps build your online presence.

Building an online presence

SEO is a digital tool so can be used to maximise PR’s online focus. If your customers Google before they buy, then SEO will help build a campaign that helps them get chosen.

The benefit of PR articles is that when people search for a particular business, they will often find third party coverage as well which boosts a business’ credibility and trust. High domain authority publications get businesses to the top of the searches and also by linking back build credibility on their websites.

SEO focused PR goes a step deeper. It means that when prospective clients search a particular term that is key in that area then your article will be found. They might not even have thought of your business, but your content is in the discussion building your reputation and credibility in the sector.

Power partnership

By working in this way good PR will spark interest and aligned SEO will catch it. The two work together and you drive a multi-strategic approach to content with the two feeding off one another. SEO needs good content to build credibility and PR needs to be found in the right places to increase reach.

A campaign which meets both these goals create a simple and consistent approach where qualified traffic doesn’t disappear when you stop paying for ads. Back links and content can be found over and over again compounding their benefit with the results being felt for many years to come.

PR and SEO aren’t new but by building SEO into all your activity and using PR campaigns alongside other marketing activities to drive a consistent message there is the huge potential to create a strong digital presence. 

In that respect SEO should be seen as the overarching guide rather than simply a tool in the dynamic duo. Filtering down measurable targets and key terms to boost existing activity.

As demand for greater online presence intensifies to stand out from the increasing digital noise, we are going to find that SEO strategies for good PR are going to become increasingly important.

Cheryl Morris is a PR and content specialist at Midlands based Creative Word PR. Andrea Warner is an SEO expert at Creative in Time.