Chapter 6: SEO Fundamentals & The AEO Thread
Key Takeaways - Backlinks are the currency of SEO: Earning high-quality backlinks from reputable websites remains the primary way Digital PR improves search visibility. - Content must be link-worthy: To earn links, content needs to be valuable, original, and better than what exists. - SEO is evolving into AEO: Answer Engine Optimization is the practice of optimizing for AI-generated answers, not just search rankings. - Entity Authority is the new Domain Authority: AI systems evaluate brands based on how they are cited across the information ecosystem.
Why SEO Matters for Digital PR
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of making your content more visible. For Digital PR, SEO turns media coverage into lasting business value. The core loop is: Media coverage leads to Backlinks, which improve Rankings, driving Organic Traffic and business outcomes.
The Most Important SEO Concept for PR: Backlinks
A backlink is a link from one website to another. Search engines interpret these as votes of confidence. The goal of many Digital PR campaigns is to create content so valuable that other websites will link to it.
Link Quality Over Quantity
One backlink from a high-authority news site is worth more than dozens of links from low-quality blogs. Focus on top-tier news, national publications, and respected industry sites.
The AEO Shift: From Rankings to Answers
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the most significant shift in search since mobile optimization.
AI assistants like ChatGPT and Google's AI Overviews now provide direct answers to user queries. Being ranked number one is no longer enough if an AI summary satisfies the user's intent. Your content must be structured for AI extraction.
Entity Authority
AI systems perceive your brand based on Entity Authority. This is measured by how often you are cited in credible publications and the consistency of information about your brand across the web. While Domain Authority measures your website, Entity Authority measures your brand's credibility across the entire ecosystem.
SEO in 2026: What Works and What is Dying
What Works: - High-authority backlinks. - Original research and data. - Structured data that helps AI systems understand content. - Clear headings and AI-friendly formatting.
What is Dying: - Keyword stuffing. - Low-quality guest posts for links. - Content written for search engines rather than humans.
Link Building Through PR: Tactics
| Tactic | Effectiveness | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Original research/surveys | Very High | High |
| Data visualization/tools | Very High | High |
| Expert commentary | Medium | Low |
| Newsjacking trends | Medium | Medium |
The Link-Worthy Checklist: Is the content useful to a journalist's audience? Does it contain original data? Is it better than what currently exists? Can you explain why it matters in one sentence?
DPRI Integration: SEO Outcomes
| PR Activity | SEO Outcomes to Track |
|---|---|
| Media Relations | Backlinks, Domain Authority, Referral Traffic |
| Content Marketing | Organic Traffic, Keyword Rankings |
| Thought Leadership | Citation Authority, Entity Authority |
| Crisis Communications | Sentiment in Search Results |
Chapter 6 Toolkit: SEO for PR Professionals
Exercise: Keyword and AEO Audit
Find five questions people ask about your topic. Outline a piece of content that answers one of those questions. Then, ask an AI assistant about your industry and see if your brand is mentioned. If not, identify what content you could create to earn that citation.
Exercise: On-Page SEO Audit
Score a page on your website based on keywords in titles, clear headings, internal links, and mobile-friendliness.
DPRI CONNECTION
Media Relations, Content Marketing, and Thought Leadership all produce critical SEO outcomes. The shift to AEO adds new terms to our framework: Citation Authority and Entity Authority.
Next: If SEO and AEO are the goals, Media Relations is the primary engine. Chapter 7 explores how to pitch and build relationships in the digital age.