SEO & PR in 2025: Why Brand Mentions Are the Next Big Thing in Search Strategy
As AI-driven search continues to reshape how content is surfaced, SEO professionals are facing new challenges and opportunities in understanding how earned media impacts organic performance. This week, we’re unpacking how PR and brand mentions influence search, how to track their impact, and what SEO teams need to know as AI overviews and user behaviors evolve.
How to Track PR & Brand Mentions in SEO (And Why You Should)
While SEO and PR often operate in separate lanes, the reality is that press coverage and brand mentions directly affect search performance. Whether your client lands in the New York Times or gets a shoutout in a state press conference, these events can spike traffic, shift keyword rankings, and create anomalies in analytics.
Why This Matters
- Clients expect answers: They want to know if PR efforts are impacting traffic, leads, or revenue.
- PR agencies don’t have the tools: Most PR firms can report on pickup volume but not web behavior.
- SEO data tells the full story: Your GA4 and Search Console skills can bridge this gap and deliver major value.
Metrics to Track After a Brand Mention or Press Release
Brand Mentions
These can come from influencers, podcasts, news segments, or surprise social virality, and they often lack a trackable UTM or referral source.
What to track the day of (and 2-3 days after):
- Spikes in organic, direct, or social traffic
- Changes in bounce rate or engagement time
- Top landing pages
- Keyword trends in Search Console (e.g., new branded or related terms)
- Any new backlinks, especially from high-authority sources
Press Releases
Unlike surprise brand mentions, press releases are planned and often distributed through networks like PRWeb. They generate short-term traffic (usually 3–7 days) but can have long-term benefits if the release is well-optimized.
Metrics to monitor:
- Performance of UTM-tagged URLs
- Lift in referral traffic from pickup sites
- Changes in organic keyword positions
- Spike in direct or branded search
- Backlink growth (look for follow vs. nofollow links)
Tip: Be sure to tag major PR events in GA4 or maintain a PR log to help explain traffic anomalies during quarterly reviews.
What Makes a Press Release “SEO-Worthy”?
- Timeliness: Is it tied to a current event or cultural moment?
- Niche relevance: Does it shift your client’s standing in their vertical?
- Emotion or conflict: Human interest and controversy drive traffic.
- Novelty: If it’s surprising, new, or unusual — you may get more lift.
SEO & PR: The Unexpected Partnership
Want to stand out as an SEO team or agency? Collaborate with your client’s PR firm. When you align efforts, like sharing traffic, keyword, and engagement data, you prove the ROI of PR while opening doors for link building, brand authority, and even strategic content ideas.
Final Takeaway
In 2025, PR and SEO are no longer separate strategies. As AI overviews increase volatility in rankings and user trust in big search declines, earned media becomes more valuable than ever. Tracking brand mentions and press releases isn’t just smart, it’s essential.
Need help setting up PR tracking dashboards or reporting templates? We’ve got you covered.
