Traditional PR professionals are doing a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to link building – without even realising it. This presentation reveals some practical tips on how to tweak ‘traditional’ PR practices, that will help supercharge securing those valuable links and show the SEO value of their work.

1. HowTo BeThe Ultimate
Link Builder!!
Isa Lavahun | Digital Marketing Consultant
@IsaLavs_
How to be the ultimate
double agent: PR and link
builder
Isa Lavahun | Freelance Digital Strategist
@ISALAVS_
SLIDESHARE.NET/ISALAVS
LINKEDIN.COM/IN/ILAVAHUN

2. #brightonSEO
If you’re a PR/media relations professional, by
default, you’re a link builder!
If you’re a PR/media relations
professional, by default,
you’re a link builder!

3. #brightonSEO
PR is high value link building

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@ISALAVS_
John Mueller, Google
Google agrees
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#BRIGHTONSEO

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Expert
Commentary
News Stories
Broadcast
Research Case Studies
Interviews
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#BRIGHTONSEO
Because PR tactics = Quality content

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So… if PR professionals/ agencies are already
link building, shouldn’t they be …well link
building?

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METRICS!
PR Vs Digital/SEO PR
What’s the difference?
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#BRIGHTONSEO
It’s all about the metrics

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Traditional PR metrics SEO/digital PR metrics
Awareness vs Online visibility
Reputation vs Site (domain) authority
Quality coverage vs Quality links
Share of voice/market vs Keyword rankings

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Aligned Objective
POWERFUL IMAGE
#BRIGHTONSEO
Aren’t they
the same
goals?
Online Visibility
Awareness
Coverage
Links
Reputation
Domain Authority
Share of Voice
Keyword Rankings
Traffic/Footfall + Sales!

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Research
How can you be the ultimate double agent?
@ISALAVS_
#BRIGHTONSEO

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Businesses:
How can you leverage your PR campaigns to
support your SEO strategy?
@ISALAVS_
@ISALAVS_
#BRIGHTONSEO

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PR agencies:
How can you secure more links, win
digital PR briefs and show the SEO value
of your work?
@ISALAVS_
#BRIGHTONSEO

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Research
1. Data Led Brainstorms

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@ISALAVS_
#BRIGHTONSEO
Persona insight
Market research
Competitor insight
Social Media listening
Google trends
Customer data
PR data and insight …

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Digital PR data and insight…
Competitor backlink audits
Keyword research
Content audits
Keyword gap analysis

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For example: Exploding Topics
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Let’s say you’re a hair brand…
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#BRIGHTONSEO

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Google Trends
Mullet isThe ClearWinner !
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@ISALAVS_
#BRIGHTONSEO

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@ISALAVS_
@ISALAVS_
#BRIGHTONSEO
Keyword tool (e.g., SEMrush)

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Existing content (SEMrush + Buzzsumo)
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#BRIGHTONSEO

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Answer The Public
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#BRIGHTONSEO

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#BRIGHTONSEO
Idea!
Then comes
the search
data-led
Idea!

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Example PR story: UK search for the mullet population!!
Example Research
Story and stat
Brighton has the
highest number of
people in the UK with
modern mullets!!
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@ISALAVS_
#BRIGHTONSEO

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v
Example content - Why should media add a link?
Advice feature : Which mullet
hairstyle is right for your face shape?
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#BRIGHTONSEO
Research highlights

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2. Find the Gaps

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Google is one of the best
persona insight tools...EVER!

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We’ve all done the 3 am Googling right?

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 Therapist
 Symptom checker
 Fact checker
 Embarrassing queries
is the..
Because

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Search insight can give us popular,
unknown (sometimes secret) queries
audiences want answers to!

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What’s the REAL problem?
How can you SOLVE it ?
What haven’t your COMPETITORS done
YET or done WELL?
To Find that Gap

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For example: Let’s talk dogs!!

32. Pos. 1
Pos. 2
Pos. 3
Pos. 4
Pos. 14
Page 2
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@ISALAVS_
#BRIGHTONSEO
What’s the gap between you
and the top 3/4 ranking pages?

33. Keyword gap analysis
WHAT DOG SHOULD I GET QUIZ?

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What can you bring to the table?
What’s your USP?

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Problem solving insights
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#BRIGHTONSEO
Google trends growth:
Dog Mum
Dog Dad
Dog Parents

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Can I afford
to be
a dog
parent?
IDEA!

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Example content…..
Can I afford to own
a dog? Quiz based
on..
Lifestyle
Living Situation
Disposable income
Dog breed

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…And link building asset
Can you afford to own a dog?: Vets
calculator reveals affordability based
on annual salary, lifestyle and dog
breed
Thinking about owning a dog?Can you actually
afford to get one?Take this quiz to find out

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3. Pimp out your YODA Masters!

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@ISALAVS_
They’re your
experts and
untapped content!
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#BRIGHTONSEO

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Customer insight
Your specialists Historical content
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Company reports Founders Long-term employees
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#BRIGHTONSEO

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Get their knowledge online!!!
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Your website
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#BRIGHTONSEO

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@ISALAVS_
4. Coverage for Relevance

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“We try to understand what is relevant
for a website … the total number of
links doesn’t matter at all.”
John Mueller, GooGle
@ISALAVS_
@ISALAVS_
#BRIGHTONSEO

45. #brightonSEO
Reach & authority is important yes…
Food and Drink Beauty
But so is relevancy
Home and Living Fitness Travel

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@ISALAVS_
Example: SEMrush SEO content template
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#BRIGHTONSEO
e.g., Gluten-free pancakes
Keywords used
Backlinks

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5. Fix your Leaky Bucket

48. Unlinked brand mentions: Chase that link!
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#BRIGHTONSEO

49. Localise your linkable assets
DA 79, 1 link
Search Engine Land Feb 2022
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‘Near Me’
‘150%’
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#BRIGHTONSEO

50. Utilise your press page
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Press releases
Image library
Company research, insight and reports
Spokesperson profiles
Expert profiles
FAQ
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#BRIGHTONSEO

51. Build resource content hubs
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@ISALAVS_
#BRIGHTONSEO

52. Use competitor backlink data
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Pos. 1
Pos. 2
Pos. 3
Pos. 14
Page 2
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#BRIGHTONSEO

53. Create original assets in demand
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Can you do better?
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#BRIGHTONSEO
e.g., Chestnut Flour images

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6. Show The SEO Value of your work

55. How can you measure success above
coverage and links?
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@ISALAVS_
#BRIGHTONSEO @ISALAVS_
#BRIGHTONSEO

56. Track brand searches and direct traffic
DirectTraffic
GoogleTrends
BrandedTraffic
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@ISALAVS_
#BRIGHTONSEO

57. Referral traffic
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@ISALAVS_
#BRIGHTONSEO

58. July 2019
DA 30
September 2019
November 2019
DA 34
DA 38
March 2020
DA 40
December 2019
DA 45
Track domain authority growth
Website SEO Checker

59. Identify ‘low hanging fruit’
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Pos. 8
Page 1
Black Smock Dresses
Pos. 17
Page 2
Summer Smock Dresses
Pos. 14
Page 2
Ladies Smock Dresses
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#BRIGHTONSEO

60. Incorporate them to your PR campaigns
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61. Track them
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Key Takeaways

63. @ISALAVS_
Key takeaways
• Search data led brainstorms
• Find the content gaps
• Pimp out yourYoda masters AKA experts
• Target publications relevant to your USP
• Fix your leaky bucket (localised content, resource hubs, trending content)
• Show the SEO value of your work
@ISALAVS_
#BRIGHTONSEO

64. Useful tools
@ISALAVS_
@ISALAVS_
#BRIGHTONSEO
ahrefs
subscription
Semrush
Freemium (basic free
features or subscription
Similarweb
Free for 7 days
then subscription
AnswerThe Public
Free (limited daily
usage or subscription)
Ubersuggest
Free (limited daily
usage or
subscription)
ExplodingTopics
Freemium (basic free
features or subscription
GoogleTrends
Free
Coveragebook
Free 30-day trial
then subscription
Website SEO checker
Free
SEO Moz
Free 30-day trial
then subscription
but lots of free tools

65. #brightonSEO
• Freelance digital Strategist
• Specialising in digital strategy, PR,
content, social media and influencer
marketing
@isalavs_
info@isalavsmarketing.com
http://www.digiprcomms.com
LinkedIn/in/ilavahun

66. #brightonSEO
Thank You