PR pros should write for search engines

Four keys to knowing why and how to optimize your client’s online presence

Search is the new “earned media placement,” Kary Delaria wrote on her blog post. She drives home the point that PR professionals need to develop a skill set in SEO, or search engine optimization.

The best content in the world is useless if people can’t find it. It’s well documented that the first place that people—journalists, bloggers, prospects and customers—turn to find content is search engines. Brian Solis describes this as “findability.”

Every press release, white paper, contributed article, guest blog post—all content I produce—is reviewed by SEO experts. The exception is news pitches; no one but the recipient sees those.

Here are four points I’ve learned from SEO folks.