The answer is no, Google didn’t just kill PR agencies, it rewarded them for sticking to their knitting

Tom Foremski asks this question in a recent blog as a result of updates to Google’s Webmaster rules.  If you are a PR agency that focuses on SEO rather than influencing the influencers then yes, you may well be going the way of the dodo.   However, for the rest of us who see our jobs as communicating our client’s messages via high credibility authors, i.e. journalists, that in turn improves their search engine rankings; it can only be good news.

For us sticking to our knitting means the following:

• SEO will happen naturally if you get a mention or a link from a journalist
• Remembering that free newswires never counted as coverage and still don’t.  At Spark we’ve always measured results on value not volume.   Did it appear in a quality publication as a result of the PR campaign?  If the answer is yes it ticks both our and Google’s measurement criteria
• Knowing who our top media targets are.  Quality counts over quantity and this is why we get so excited when it is a piece in the national or international business press.  It ranks highly on Google, as does coverage in a highly respected trade publication
• Focusing on the quality of the content not the keywords.  Good content ensures organic links.  Google advises us all to "Create unique, relevant content that can naturally gain popularity in the Internet community."

Journalists generally view PRs as a necessary evil (or in some cases unnecessary evil) and it’s all too easy to sigh with relief if a campaign will achieve the client’s objectives without having to be shot down by a journalist having a bad day or one who doesn’t always hold PR in a high regard.   However, successfully selling a story to the media is a sign that you have created something of value and as Charley says once you practice a little it becomes relatively easy and even enjoyable to spar with a journalist on why your story is worthwhile.  Luckily for Spark, we were voted number one by journalists for creating quality content so bring it on Google - what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger!   The PR agency has been fighting its territory with SEO agencies for some time.  Google is now saying good press coverage will drive your page rank whereas keyword stuffing and follow links will see you sink to somewhere around page ten.   

If your definition of PR is spamming journalists and the web with keyword-filled nonsense then R.I.P, but for the rest of us it is business as usual and a confirmation from Google that PR plays a key role in successful inbound marketing.

(Image: via Wikimedia Commons)