A Must-Know for Brands That Want to Be Seen, Trusted, and Clicked
If you own a business, you’ve probably heard of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and PR as separate but necessary entities.
But what if we told you that they can merge and transform your business?
Welcome to SEO-Driven PR: where earned media isn’t just for brand awareness, but also a powerful engine for higher Google rankings.
In this blog, we’ll look into how you can have both, and why it matters.
But What Is Earned Media?
Earned media is publicity you don’t pay for. From the name, it’s earned publicity. Examples include:
- News features
- Blogger reviews
- Podcast guestings
- UNSPONSORED influencer shoutouts
- Word-of-mouth marketing through social media
It’s different from paid ads or branded content.
Filipino culture is people-oriented. When a trusted source talks about you voluntarily, you seem more credible and influential.
How Earned Media Affects SEO
1. Backlinks Boost Websites
If you’ve ever copied a link to an article about a cool hangout (say, planning a trip to Pinto Art Museum with your friends), you’re helping that article’s website gain more traction online.
Now, imagine thousands of people doing that to your business’ website. And imagine the news site to that same article linking your business in their article.
When a reputable news site (like Philstar, Spot.ph, or Inquirer) links to your website, Google sees that as a vote of trust.
These are called backlinks, and they:
- Improve your search engine ranking
- Help Google understand that your site is relevant
- Drive organic traffic to your product or content
Media coverage is SEO gold, and this is why so many influencers on TikTok and Instagram ask you to “copy my link.”
2. Mentions Build Keyword Relevance
If your brand is consistently mentioned in online articles that talk about things like:
- “Best place for instagrammable photos”
- “Nice cafes outside Metro Manila”
- “Best outing ideas 2025”
…even without trying too hard, you’ll start ranking for those keywords.
And yes, those phrases are considered a single keyword in the realm of SEO. When more of these keywords are linked to your brand, your online reputation soars.
Keywords can be for anything about anything (food, best skincare recommendations, etc.), but the key to keywords is relevance.
3. Earned Media Lives Beyond the Campaign
A good article can stay searchable for years. This Inquirer feature about Pinto Art Museum? Article’s dated 2014, but still getting clicks in 2025.
Pinto Art is a great example, too. The museum has been popular in waves (in 2010, 2016, and post-pandemic), and is a staple in many Filipino bucket lists, due to being talked about online.
They have earned media, and they use it well.
Unlike paid ads that disappear after the budget runs out, earned media fuels long-term SEO visibility.
Step-by-Step Guide on Earned Media and PR Work for SEO
1. Start with an SEO-Focused Angle
Develop stories for pitching, that naturally include:
- Your top keywords (“zero-waste refills in Quezon City”)
- Your product or campaign landing page
- An angle that’s helpful to readers (e.g. tips, trends, how-to guides)
Example:
Instead of “Brand X launches soap,” go with:
“Brand X leads Quezon City’s zero-waste soap refill movement.”
SEO Tip:
Your PR agency can help shape SEO-friendly pitches like this. Google sees the phrases as something to rank up, so a PR agency would definitely navigate the creativity around your SEO-focused pitches.
But if you want to do it yourself, remember that, no matter how awkward your SEO keywords are, you cannot reword or shorten them.
2. Get Featured in Local, Authoritative Sites
Here are some Filipino sites that offer solid backlink value:
- Inquirer.net
- Philstar.com
- Rappler.com
- Spot.ph
- Preview.ph
- Esquiremag.ph
- Local lifestyle blogs or niche verticals (like tech, food, travel)
A PR agency with media relationships can get you there more efficiently, but keep this list handy should you need more publicity. Carefully study their material before contacting them.
3. Ask for a Link—Politely and Strategically
Journalists don’t always add links, unless they have a good reason to.
It helps to:
- Include link suggestions in media kits you’ll send to publications
- Offer value (images, data, exclusive content) to sweeten your pitch
- Follow up with editors, professionally
The results? More links, higher rankings.
If you find this overwhelming, a PR agency can definitely help you.
4. Repurpose Your Earned Media
That feature in Rappler? That podcast you were in? Use it in your:
- Website’s “As Seen On” section
- Social media captions
- Email newsletter
Anywhere, really. But be strategic when you do.
This reinforces SEO through content relevance and authority. Google and Facebook will notice, then more people will.
Why You Need a PR Agency That Gets BOTH SEO and Earned Media
We’ve mentioned the help of a PR agency a lot of times, and that isn’t because of a shameless plus.
It’s not enough to get featured. You need the right media, the right messaging, and the right strategy to make SEO and earned media work.
A PR agency, that specializes in both traditional and digital media, makes the difference by:
1. Crafting PR Stories That Also Rank High
PR agencies understand how to:
- Weave keywords into your story–especially awkward ones
- Align press angles with search trends
- Write releases that appeal to both editors and algorithms
This means coverage that builds brand and boosts SEO, without force or inauthenticity.
2. Building Relationships for Backlinks
Don’t underestimate local connections. The more Google sees people copying the links to your articles, the more profit your business can reap.
A seasoned PR team can:
- Get your content in front of journalists and bloggers
- Negotiate for do-follow links
- Secure placements that would be difficult to access as a solo brand
These backlinks? They’re worth more than paid ads in the long run.
3. Tracking and Reporting Impact Across Channels
A good PR agency doesn’t stop at “we got you featured.” They help you track:
- SEO results, and understand traffic and trust gains
- Your campaigns, for even better results
- Keyword ranking improvements
- Referral traffic from media placements
They can also help get new backlinks (via tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush).That way, you can focus on the bigger reason why your popularity soars: quality service and/products.
This holistic strategy is where SEO and PR become inseparable.
Want to Stay Relevant? Strategize
Most SEO guides focus on metadata and content. But in 2025, we don’t believe that’s enough–especially when something goes wrong.
By pairing SEO goals with earned media placements, you don’t just get clicks. You organically grow trust, reputation, and long-term digital growth.
NGP IMC understands both digital optimization and traditional media influence, and has the portfolio to prove it. Contact NGP Today.
Kriztin Cruz is a recruitment and digital marketing professional, freelance writer, hobbyist painter, and frustrated sociologist–with too many things to want and too little time to spare. She graduated with a Psychology degree in 2019 at De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde Antipolo. When she’s not drafting a corporate letter or working on anything digital marketing, you can find her doing the following, but not in this order: reading a good book, scavenging for a good book, sketching, painting, journaling, junk journaling, obsessing over an obscure Czechoslovakian surrealist film (or anything by Miyazaki or Del Toro), cooking, finding a cafe to relax in, and creating new things while a nice documentary plays in the background.