What is Newsjacking?
Newsjacking is a PR tactic in which a brand utilizes a trending new story to promote itself. The idea is to hijack the media and social media publicity and divert attention to your brand. When done right, it can generate a lot of good exposure and encourage people to interact more with your brand. Doing wrong can cause significant backlash and boycotts from prospective customers.
How Do I Start Newsjacking?
Newsjacking is like magic for your business—if you can pull it off successfully. Getting newsjacking to a tee is essential when you include it in your marketing campaign, as it can make or break you. You need to ensure you’re having it assessed by different target audiences, conducting thorough research for your campaign, choosing relevant news stories for your business, and following the tips and tricks below. We can help you with your content marketing as your Orange County marketing company.
Stay on Top of Trending Topics
Trending topics are your best bet for newsjacking. They’re news stories that everybody and their mothers are talking about, and it’s essential to capitalize on them when the buzz is at an all-time high. People will discuss you and the news story if the timing is right. It doesn’t have to be serious topics, either. Even memes are a great opportunity for newsjacking! Take, for example, the viral Facebook event, Storm Area 51. During this time, people joked about “storming” the famed Area 51 and even planned music events and concerts in the surrounding area. While the storming never actually happened, people had loads of fun imagining what could be behind Area 51’s closed doors, including Oreo: It’s fun and lighthearted and certainly brought a smile to people’s faces.
Choose Topics Carefully
Not everything is an opportunity for newsjacking. There are just as many bad happenings in the world today as there are good, and you need to avoid controversial and severe topics, especially if it’s something you’re not overly familiar with and can hit a nerve.A 2017 McDonald’s advertisement caught a lot of flak from viewers for being insensitive. It had a son asking his mother what his dead father was like, and the only thing they seemed to share was a love for Filet-o-Fish sandwiches. In the same way, specific topics may be equivalent to beating a dead horse—meaning, it’s been overdone so much that it’s nothing special. Holidays like Valentine’s Day and Christmas fall under these categories. While nothing stops you from newsjacking these, you need to create something unique to stand out.
Get On with the Times
News stories come and go, and so should your marketing campaigns. As mentioned earlier, newsjacking works best with trending topics and stops being as effective the older a news story gets. Trust us; you don’t want to be seen as outdated or out-of-touch by your customers! A good marketing rule is to start just as a news story hits. That way, your campaign gains traction at the same time a story does. Discard the campaign once the level has peaked and other businesses have already news-jacked it to oblivion—you’re better off waiting for the following headline to hit.
Be Genuine and Thoughtful
Everyone’s more intelligent and sharper these days and instantly recognizes a blatant marketing ploy. Suppose you’ve chosen a controversial and sensitive topic to news jack and are using it to promote your brand rather than spread awareness. In that case, you’re inviting a backlash from people who take these topics seriously. Always plan out your marketing campaigns thoughtfully lest you offend many people. A particularly bad example of newsjacking is Pepsi’s advert with Kendall Jenner, which featured a protest, unlike the Black Lives Movement. Many criticized the ad for being in bad taste as it trivialized racial discrimination and police brutality. While Pepsi described the ad as an attempt to promote world peace and unity, their customers have yet to see it that way, and it was pulled off the air within 24 hours.
Remember Your Brand Image
If you’re promoting specific ideas with your products and services, you need to back them up. Actions speak louder than words, and you risk ruining your reputation if you’re caught doing something unbefitting to your brand. One notable marketing failure is TV show host Ellen DeGeneres. Unlike her catchphrase, “Be kind to one another,” she saw a massive fall from grace after being wrapped up in allegations of verbal abuse and toxic work environments. Her show took an enormous hit in ratings and ended in May 2022 with little fanfare. Simply put, don’t just hop on the bandwagon because it’s the popular thing to do—do it because you believe in it as well. Be mindful of supporting any causes that will damage your image.
Conclusion
Newsjacking is a great way of reaching new audiences and bringing exposure to your business. Just remember to be mindful of what you’re saying and what you’re newsjacking, as it can easily do more harm than good otherwise. Additionally, you want to stay true to your brand and only news jack stories that will amplify your brand’s message, not defy it.