4 Types of PR & SEO Funnels That Drive Results

The synergy between public relations (PR) and search engine optimization (SEO) has become increasingly important. By combining these two powerful strategies, businesses can create robust funnels that not only increase visibility but also drive conversions. In this blog post, we’ll explore four types of PR & SEO funnels that can significantly boost your digital marketing efforts.

The Branded Report Funnel

The branded report funnel is a powerful way to leverage your company’s expertise and data to generate media coverage, backlinks, and organic search traffic.

How it works:

1. Create a comprehensive, data-driven report on a topic relevant to your industry.
2. Brand the report with a catchy, memorable name.
3. Use digital PR tactics to secure media coverage and mentions of your report.
4. Optimize your website to rank for searches related to your report’s name and topic.

Example: HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report

HubSpot, a leader in inbound marketing and sales software, publishes an annual “State of Marketing” report. This report has become a go-to resource for marketers worldwide, generating significant media coverage and backlinks.

Key benefits:

• Establishes thought leadership in your industry
• Generates high-quality backlinks from authoritative sources
• Creates a recurring source of organic search traffic
• Provides valuable content for lead generation

Implementation tips:

• Choose a topic that aligns with your expertise and target audience’s interests
• Conduct original research or compile data from reputable sources
• Create visually appealing infographics and charts to make your data shareable
• Develop a dedicated landing page optimized for your report’s branded keywords
• Reach out to industry publications and influencers to promote your report

The Category Creation Funnel

The category creation funnel involves developing and owning a new market category or concept, then dominating the search results for that category.

How it works:

1. Identify a gap in the market or a new approach to solving an existing problem.
2. Create a name for this new category or concept.
3. Develop comprehensive content explaining the category and its benefits.
4. Use PR to generate buzz and media coverage around the new category.
5. Optimize your website to rank for searches related to the category name.

Example: Drift’s Conversational Marketing

Drift, a company that provides chatbot and live chat solutions, coined the term “conversational marketing” to describe their approach to customer engagement. By creating this category, they’ve positioned themselves as the go-to experts in this field.

Key benefits:

• Positions your company as an innovator in your industry
• Reduces direct competition by creating a unique space
• Generates organic search traffic for a term you “own”
• Provides a clear narrative for media outreach and PR efforts

Implementation tips:

• Ensure your category solves a real problem or addresses a genuine need
• Create a clear, easy-to-understand definition of your category
• Develop a comprehensive guide or whitepaper explaining the category in detail
• Secure speaking opportunities at industry events to promote your category
• Engage with industry analysts to gain recognition for your new category

The Feature Article Funnel

The feature article funnel leverages high-profile media coverage to drive brand searches and website traffic, which can then be converted through optimized landing pages.

How it works:

1. Develop newsworthy stories or angles related to your brand or industry.
2. Pitch these stories to high-profile publications and secure feature articles.
3. Optimize your website’s homepage and key landing pages for brand-related searches.
4. Monitor and capitalize on the resulting spike in brand searches and traffic.

Example: Sweetgreen’s Menu Evolution

When Sweetgreen, a fast-casual salad chain, added steak to its menu, it secured feature articles in publications like The New York Times. This coverage led to a significant increase in brand searches, which Sweetgreen capitalized on by updating their homepage to highlight the new menu item.

Key benefits:

• Generates high-quality, editorial backlinks from authoritative sources
• Increases brand awareness and search volume for your brand name
• Provides opportunities to shape your brand narrative
• Can lead to a surge in website traffic and potential conversions

Implementation tips:

• Identify unique or compelling angles about your brand or products
• Build relationships with journalists and editors in your industry
• Prepare your website for increased traffic by optimizing key pages
• Use Google Trends to monitor the impact of your media coverage on brand searches
• Consider creating dedicated landing pages for specific feature articles or topics

The Thought Leadership Funnel

The thought leadership funnel positions your company’s executives or experts as authoritative voices in your industry, driving both media coverage and organic search traffic.

How it works:

1. Identify key executives or subject matter experts within your organization.
2. Develop a content strategy showcasing their expertise and unique insights.
3. Secure guest posting opportunities, interviews, and speaking engagements.
4. Optimize your website’s team or about pages for executive names and expertise areas.

Example: Rand Fishkin in the SEO Industry

Rand Fishkin, founder of Moz and later SparkToro, has established himself as a thought leader in the SEO and digital marketing space. His personal brand drives significant traffic and links to the companies he’s associated with.

Key benefits:

• Builds trust and credibility for your brand
• Generates high-quality backlinks through guest posts and media mentions
• Creates opportunities for long-tail keyword rankings related to specific topics
• Enhances your company’s overall E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)

Implementation tips:

• Encourage executives to be active on social media and professional networks
• Create an editorial calendar for thought leadership content
• Develop relationships with industry publications for regular contributing opportunities
• Optimize executive bios and create dedicated pages for key thought leaders
• Use schema markup to enhance search visibility for your thought leaders

Measuring Success Across PR & SEO Funnels

To effectively gauge the performance of your PR & SEO funnels, it’s crucial to track a combination of metrics that span both disciplines. Here are some key performance indicators (KPIs) to consider:

1. Organic Search Metrics:

• Organic traffic growth
• Keyword rankings for target terms
• Click-through rates (CTR) from search results
• Non-branded vs. branded search traffic

2. PR and Link Building Metrics:

• Number of media mentions and features
• Quality and relevance of backlinks gained
• Domain Authority (DA) or Domain Rating (DR) growth
• Referral traffic from media coverage

3. Brand Awareness Metrics:

• Brand search volume trends
• Share of voice in your industry
• Social media mentions and engagement

4. Conversion Metrics:

• Conversion rates from organic traffic
• Lead quality from PR & SEO efforts
• Customer acquisition cost (CAC) for organic channels

5. Content Performance Metrics:

• Page views and time on page for key content pieces
• Social shares and engagement for published content
• Backlinks generated by specific content assets

By regularly analyzing these metrics, you can identify which funnels are performing best and where there’s room for improvement. Remember that PR & SEO efforts often have compounding effects over time, so it’s important to track trends over the long term.

Integrating PR & SEO for Maximum Impact

While each of these funnels can be effective on its own, the real power comes from integrating them into a cohesive PR & SEO strategy. Here are some tips for maximizing the impact of your efforts:

1. Align your PR and SEO teams: Ensure that your PR and SEO teams are working together closely, sharing goals, metrics, and strategies.
2. Develop a unified content strategy: Create content that serves both PR and SEO purposes, such as data-driven reports that can generate media coverage and rank for relevant keywords.
3. Leverage PR wins for SEO: When you secure media coverage, look for opportunities to build internal links to relevant pages on your website.
4. Use SEO insights to guide PR efforts: Analyze search trends and user intent to inform your PR pitches and content creation.
5. Build relationships with both journalists and webmasters: Cultivate connections that can lead to both media coverage and high-quality backlinks.
6. Focus on long-term value: While quick wins are great, prioritize strategies that build sustainable organic traffic and brand authority over time.

Conclusion

By implementing these four types of PR & SEO funnels – Branded Reports, Category Creation, Feature Articles, and Thought Leadership – you can create a powerful synergy between your public relations and search engine optimization efforts. This integrated approach not only improves your visibility in search engines but also builds credibility, drives high-quality traffic, and ultimately leads to more conversions.

Remember, the key to success lies in consistently producing high-quality, valuable content that serves both your audience and your business goals. By aligning your PR and SEO strategies, you can create a sustainable, long-term approach to digital marketing that positions your brand as a leader in your industry.