If you want to optimize your Google rankings, who do you hire? An SEO, right?

If you need some web development stuff done, who do you pick? A web dev firm, right?

Now, if you want to implement an online public relations campaign, who do you turn to?

If you said a PR firm, you’d be wrong! And I can prove it with E-consultancy’s Online PR Industry Benchmarking report.

First, even PR firms don’t consider online PR to be their area of expertise–with 64% of UK PR firms confining online PR to a specialist division.

Maybe that lack of integration–and perhaps confidence– is why a whopping 49% of UK companies actually outsource their online PR to search marketing firms and web development companies.

Those that do outsource their online PR are anything but satisfied with the results–with only 48% of clients claiming to be either “very” or “moderately” satisfied.

If you’re interested in diving deeper into the data–and if you’re a PR professional, I’d suggest it be mandatory that you do–you can find the full report at the E-consultancy web site.