PR vs SEO, or is it?

The update has put the quality of links pointing to your site under the microscope more than ever. For a PR company that sends out press releases and dabbles in the social media space, the commentators are right in saying they are probably doing more harm than good for your SEO.

So what now? How do PR agencies reinvent themselves?

I believe one has to look at the skill traits of PR companies and individuals, rather than focusing on the things they are currently doing wrong.

The PR individual tends to fall into one of two categories and the best of the best have skills in both:

1. Idea generator: Like a good creative director this person generates ideas that can lead to buzz and talkability. They can then put the mechanics together to create an implementable strategy.

2. Obsessive compulsive (in a good way): They have a great network of people and follow systems that ensure any noise (however newsworthy) gets picked up and shared.
   

If one was then to look at what traditional SEO companies lack, rather than what PR agencies currently do, a match made in heaven starts to become apparent.

Many SEO companies are currently struggling to...

- Create noise-generating ideas that work in the offline and online space.
- Network with people in the offline world, developing long lasting relationships.
- Implement ideas in the offline world that can cause noise in the online world.

And in some cases...

- The ability to produce real user-centred copy

These are the exact skills a PR individual has.

A company should no longer focus all their efforts on recruiting SEO experts to join the SEO team, but rather PR specialists. SEO can be learnt but there are certain human traits that a PR expert has, that are more difficult to come by, but that are hugely needed within the SEO world.

In my opinion PR companies need to stop worrying about Google and join forces with the SEO companies who can do that worrying for them. They can then focus on idea generation, networking and activation, stuff the SEO companies tend to lack.

So my prediction for the next year will see a shift of individuals swapping the "PR" industry for the "SEO" industry and the merging of traditional PR companies with traditional SEO companies to create a real tour-de-force in the industry.