The marketing world is a constant battle for attention, and you work hard to create campaigns that will get your business or brand noticed and remembered. But marketing and sales strategist David Meerman Scott says marketers have another tool at their disposal that can minimize this need to compete for readers.
What is it? Newsjacking. When a marketer injects the ideas and expertise of their business into a breaking news story, that’s newsjacking. You can quickly present advice, opinions, or a different take on a popular or high-profile story. The result can lead to free publicity from local or national news stations or, at the very least, a boost in your website traffic.
So, how do you turn this concept into practice? Scott, who literally wrote the book on newsjacking, walked Ebyline through the process. He also provided the helpful graphic below for quick reference.
Find the right news
If you plan to newsjack, you have to be a bit of a news junkie. That doesn’t mean you have to watch hours upon hours of news, but you do have to monitor what’s going on in your area and in your industry. To help, set up Google alerts so you’re notified about news that’s of interest to your business. There are also a variety of apps to help you consume news from multiple outlets in one place; Feedly is one good example.
Make sure it’s relevant
When you newsjack a story, there needs to be a connection to your business or brand, however indirect. For instance, let’s say you own a small business in New York that sells identity theft protection software, or perhaps you run a private investigation agency. When a story about an identity theft ring like this one makes headlines, it’s the perfect topic to newsjack. And rather than wait for a journalist to come to you, you can make your knowledge of the situation public on your own timeline.
Speed is key
News cycles have short life spans. To get noticed, you have to act quickly. Once the identify theft story breaks, for example, the marketing team should create a blog post that offers advice on how to protect people against identity theft. Then, send the post out on social media and share it with reporters.
Get noticed
When news breaks, reporters are scrambling to find a source to discuss the hot topic. Your unique take on the issue can make you a viable interview for a reporter, which can turn into a large amount of publicity. And the only cost to you is time. At the very least, you’ll see increased website traffic as the public looks to gather more information on that topic.
Need another real-life example? Long-time Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling made headlines when he was accused of making a series of racist remarks in recorded conversations with his mistress. But how is it possible to newsjack a high profile story that’s already being scrutinized by every major media outlet? California lawyer Mitch Jackson found a way. He wrote a blog post about the legalities of phone taps. That’s the right way to do it, says David Meerman Scott. Jackson kept an eye on the news, took a breaking story that was relevant to his business and within his realm of knowledge, and quickly wrote a blog post with his expertise showcased online.
A few other tips on newsjacking:
Avoid offending your audience
It’s not a good idea to newjack stories that are connected to death or destruction. For instance, American Apparel, a clothing retailer, tried to newsjack Hurricane Sandy coverage by offering a sale to during the storm. The public blasted the company for being insensitive. You have to be smart about the stories you newsjack, Scott says.
Think local
If your revenue comes from local clients, newsjack local news. Getting a mention in a local paper or on a local television station will get your business in front of your target audience.
Build relationships with reporters
When you newsjack a story, your odds of getting coverage will increase if a reporter knows you. Learn who covers your business beat and follow those reporters on social media and keep tabs on their stories.
Have you newsjacked a story? Tell us about your experience in the comment section below.
