Anna Julow Roolf
September 15, 2023 | 02:41:45
Since David Meerman Scott coined the term “newsjacking” in 2011, our team has written nearly 30 unique blogs on the subject — possibly more than any other topic.
So what is newsjacking? What makes it so important that we would write about it so often? And why should PR professionals care about it?
David defines newsjacking as “the art and science of injecting your ideas into a breaking news story so you and your ideas get noticed.” In doing so, he actually “newsjacked” something familiar to most PR people and packaged it with a clear label – something else PR people do well.
For PR professionals looking to secure earned media coverage, newsjacking provides the opportunity to generate media attention when the organization doesn’t have hard news to share, or when the product roadmap doesn’t contain any new launches or innovations to generate media coverage. Newsjacking can also tie a brand to timely topics that lend themselves to stories in top-tier media outlets that can otherwise be hard to crack with things like company news.
Want to learn more about newsjacking? Here are a few of our most popular posts on the topic:
How To Supercharge B2B PR With Newsjacking
Unlike traditional proactive approaches, newsjacking captures reactive media coverage by taking advantage of current news stories. This article outlines how to successfully implement this approach, from advance planning with subject experts to maintaining a library of quotable content. Read on to learn how to take advantage of newsjacking.
Opportunistic and insensitive attempts at newsjacking have given it a bad connotation in some circles, but newsjacking doesn’t have to be negative! Dorothy Crenshaw explores the simple tenets of ethical newsjacking in this blog — one of our first on the topic.
PR Tips For Taking Advantage Of Breaking News
When it comes to newsjacking a PR team needs to act fast, but how fast is too fast? How do you know if you’re fast enough? This post explores the timeliness required for newsjacking, as well as tips for how to anticipate trends.
How To Get Media Coverage When You Have No News
When big things are happening at a company, it makes the PR roadmap pretty clear. But how can you keep an organization relevant and visible in the absence of hard news? From newsjacking to creating your own news with research data, this blog entry explores different ways PR can generate media coverage when your company has no news.
Unique Ways PR Pros Can (and Should) Consume News
“One of the best and easiest ways to position executives as thought leaders,” says Colleen O’Connor, “is by taking advantage of relevant news stories as soon as they break.” However, successful newsjacking requires staying on top of what’s happening in the news. In this post, Colleen shares tips for how PR professionals — and others looking for the opportunity to newsjack — can stay on top of the 27/7 news game.
Looking for even more newsjacking resources? Check out our recent ebook: Newjacking in the Age of Cancel Culture.