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ay’s world is extremely connected. When something big happens, it becomes a news story and generates a conversation almost immediately. As marketers, it’s extremely important that we monitor the conversations our audience is a part of and join them. Or, better yet, start a conversation by breaking news that you can relate to your industry or brand. These blogging tactics are labeled as “newsjacking.”
No, you’re not stealing a bunch of newspapers. You’re actually not doing anything illegal. Newsjacking has become a powerful tool in building your marketing strategy and generating buzz around your brand. To erase any confusion for those of you who are still feeling a tad bit criminal, here’s a formal definition:
Newsjacking is the process by which you inject your angles or ideas into breaking news in order to generate media coverage for your business.
While the term itself is new, the practice behind it has been a vital piece to any good public relations effort in recent history.
Many consumer brands have been successful with newsjacking, subtly inserting their brand into big events by commenting on the Oscars and the Super Bowl via tweets and blog posts. It’s not only B2C companies that can leverage this practice. While you may not benefit from writing a blog post about what Kim Kardashian ate for breakfast (which is news these days), there are still some great opportunities for you to add valuable insight into news-worthy happenings in your industry.
Here are 4 keys to leveraging newsjacking blogging tactics for B2B marketing:
- Prepare: You can’t predict what future events may make a splash in your industry, but you can prepare your marketing team to respond to them. By identifying newsjacking as a priority in your marketing mix, you are training your team to look for those opportunities.
- Monitor: Keep your eyes peeled on the latest news and social media trends within your industry (you better be doing this already). Oftentimes, a newsworthy story makes its splash in the social media world first. By following trending hashtags and Twitter accounts that provide breaking news, you’re giving yourself a great opportunity to jack some news and make it your own.
- Respond QUICKLY: This is arguably the most important aspect of newsjacking. When news breaks, you need to be the first one (or one of the first ones) to provide insight into it. Nobody wants to read a write-up on a basketball game that happened last week. Being quick (and writing well) will identify your brand as a reliable source for industry news and may even force other publications to cite your work.
- Share it with EVERYONE: Don’t be annoying about it, but what good is any post if nobody sees it? Use the power of your social media accounts (Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, etc.) to flood your audience with your breaking news. Identify it as something they NEED to know.
Create a conversation and be a part of it
If you can consistently newsjack with success, you will become a thought leader in your market. Use these posts as a benchmark for conversation with your audience. Encourage them to provide their thoughts and converse with other marketers who are writing about the same topics as you.
Final Thoughts on Blogging Tactics for Newsjacking
Gone are the days of following a step-by-step corporate marketing plan. Today’s marketing world is changing rapidly beneath our feet, and many brands end up falling face-first on their old treadmills. Strap on a pair of sneakers (leave the 1980s basketball shorts at home), tie them tight and prepare your marketing team to execute on the fly.