Good SEO can counteract bad PR, says expert

An effective search engine optimisation (SEO) strategy can aid firms when they are faced with a negative public relations (PR) situation, according to an expert.

In an interview with Brand Republic, Richard Gregory, chief operations officer at Latitude Group, states if a company has advanced knowledge of an issue over a period of weeks, it can take steps to counter it in advance.

He explains a firm can start to create bespoke pages and optimise them for relevant terms that they anticipate users will search for.

In order for this to work in the most effective manner possible, the site notes, it is "crucial" for the firm not to wait for the crisis to break.

"Natural search results take longer to achieve - typically three to six months - so using it on the back foot is rarely effective. Brands need to think about their SEO programme in advance of any issue happening," it concludes.

In recent days, a survey carried out by TopRank saw SEO placed ahead of blogging and pay per click as the top strategy to be given the most attention by marketers over the next six months.