Ronn Torossian
In today’s world, marketers should be aware of the fact that there are new ways to generate the attention of the media. A recent, popularized way is what is known as newsjacking. You’re probably thinking, “What is that?” Well, it is a process in which you take a breaking news story and insert your angles or ideas into the real-time, breaking news. This will generate coverage by the media for you and/or your business. In this way, you capitalize on the news story’s popularity and amplify the success of your marketing and sales. For marketers who are sharp-eyed, react quickly and skillful in communicating, newsjacking is a powerful tool that allows you to use to attach a branded message.
Targeted Social Media Develops Newsjacking Content in Real Time
In order to use the strategy of newsjacking and do it well, you absolutely must be quick. Since the speed the content is created is so important to be successful with newsjacking, marketers should be adept in finding the news breaking stories. Knowledge of the good channels for finding breaking news such as updates of Facebook, blog posts, Google+, tweets, and LinkedIn as well as the tools to find news’ stories is imperative.
You can find newsjacking opportunities using the following platforms as a Social Media listening tool:
• Google News – Marketers should monitor Google News daily. You should also create custom sections and follow selected keywords based on their companies, niches and terms.
• Google Alerts – With the use of Google Alerts, you can track keywords by putting quotes around the terms for searches, events and significant conferences, your competition, and the URL of your website.
• Twitter – For recent news on Twitter, follow companies, managers of products and writers. It would be a good idea to create lists and follow the leads. Creating and monitoring searches will provide you with options of who to follow. Trends that can be seen on the left sidebar should also be checked for news.
• Facebook – A search on Facebook will offer you both story ideas and sources. You will find both pages and experts on Facebook.
• RSS Reader – Your RSS Reader can make it possible for you to subscribe to important feeds of LinkedIn, YouTube or Facebook. Follow bloggers of your niche or industry, their publications and main new outlets will also keep you up-to-date on their latest news.
• YouTube – By finding and subscribing to your niche’s channels on YouTube, you will be able to follow both speakers and conferences for news.
• Quora – You can use Quora to subscribe to boards and topics for news.
• LinkedIn – Users of LinkedIn find news by participating in related groups, following and answering questions, reading updates on their feed, and following their niche’s company news.
Newsjacking Can Be Done in Six Easy Steps
Before you get started, remember that the key to successfully using the newsjacking tactic is to think and act fast. Even though there are six steps, you’ll see that the actual process goes rather quickly when you do it for the first time.
Step 1: Alerts
By using technology, you will be able to constantly monitor the news in order to find appropriate stories to newsjack. You can follow the above suggestions and industry publications. HubSpot offers a thirty day free trial of their tool for monitoring social media that can save you time.
Step 2: Research Keyword Search Volume
Before you begin writing the newsjacking content, you should be sure to research the various keyword phrases on your selected news topic. It is important to know the search volume of the many variations of your keyword phrase in order to select the variation with the highest search volume. Google’s algorithm rewards writers of news items, but a high search volume for your keyword phrase will give you a great boost.
Step 3: Accrue Knowledge about the News Story
Before you start writing your content and begin promoting, you have further research that must be done. In order to be original in your writing and preserve your credibility, you should read the primary source of the news story as well as what others have written about the news story.
Step 4: Be Accurate, But Quick
As soon as you are totally knowledgeable about the news breaking story, start writing and write fast! Don’t waste time looking for the best image to include in your post and experimenting with formatting. Remember, you need to be first in responding to the news story. Be sure to be accurate and interesting. It would be best to have a trusted colleague read your newsjacking post to make sure before publishing it.
Step 5: Create and Write Your Own Angle
If you expect many others to read your news, you must insert your own unique, but attention-grabbing, angle to the story. With newsjacking, people should prefer to reference your content over all the others out there. You must be clearer and more thorough and provide examples that are more meaningful.
Step 6: Market Your Marketing
You must get your spin on the news story you are using to newsjack out. You can extend the reach of your content by posting on social networks. In addition, it is important to build and maintain relationships with both journalists and partners who are willing to get the word out if it is relevant. They are most likely also looking for interesting content to keep the flowing of their web content. If you have a story that is unique and fascinating, you can count on getting your newsjacking the coverage you seek from them.
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