In the ever-evolving public relations landscape, staying ahead of the game and cutting through the clutter is crucial for building brand visibility and engaging with your target audience. In years past, the practice of ‘newsjacking’ gained popularity as a simple and cost-effective PR strategy. But is newsjacking still the right move for your brand?
Newsjacking involves interjecting your perspectives and viewpoints into unfolding news storylines, effectively hitching a ride on current trending news subjects to garner attention and visibility for your brand.
In this blog, I explore the pros and cons of newsjacking as a PR strategy, realizing that there are two sides to every coin when it comes to this topic. When executed properly, newsjacking can serve to gain publicity and enhance brand presence. However, if not carried out thoughtfully and ethically, it runs the risk of seeming out of touch, potentially resulting in negative consequences.
As PR consultant Michelle Garrett told us: “If you want to leverage newsjacking, use care. Think it ALL the way through and look at it from ALL angles. If there’s any chance it could appear insensitive, the potential damage you could do to your brand isn’t worth the risk. Next, ask yourself if it’s a fit. Think first about whether it’s something that would be related to your brand. Is it a stretch? If so, it may be better to move on and look for another opportunity.”
Pros of Newsjacking
This chart from David Meerman Scott (who literally wrote the book on newsjacking), helps explain the lifecycle of a news story.
Immediate Relevance
One of the most significant advantages of newsjacking is its ability to make your brand immediately relevant in the eyes of the public. By associating your brand with current events, you can tap into the collective consciousness and draw attention to your message. But you must strike fast within the news story lifecycle.
Social Media Involvement
Newsjacking primarily occurs on social media platforms, where real-time conversations are in progress. By actively joining these dialogues, businesses can interact with their audience, initiate discussions, and enhance social media engagement and sharing.
Boosted Visibility
Newsjacking can catapult your brand into the spotlight, generating media coverage and social media buzz. This increased visibility can be instrumental in expanding your reach and building brand recognition.
Cost-Effective
In contrast to conventional advertising or marketing initiatives, newsjacking can prove to be a budget-friendly tactic. Instead of allocating substantial resources to develop and market original content, companies can capitalize on existing news stories and ride the wave of public interest without requiring extensive financial commitments.
SEO Benefits
Newsjacking can also be a boon for your website’s search engine optimization (SEO). Creating content related to trending topics can increase your website’s search ranking and drive more organic traffic.
Cons of Newsjacking
Loss of Control
When brands utilize newsjacking, they surrender control over the storyline. While it provides a chance to be part of ongoing discussions, there’s always the possibility of unfavorable connections or misunderstandings. It’s crucial for organizations to keep an eye on how the public reacts and be ready to address any potential backlash.
Fickleness of Trends
The temporary nature of news trends is one of the most significant drawbacks of newsjacking. What’s popular today may be forgotten tomorrow, making it challenging to sustain the benefits of your PR efforts.
Risk of Insensitivity
Newsjacking often involves addressing sensitive or even tragic topics, which can backfire if not handled with utmost care and sensitivity. A single misstep can lead to a public relations nightmare, causing reputational damage. The ethical side of newsjacking needs to be considered at every turn.
Oversaturation
As more brands utilize newsjacking, the landscape can become oversaturated. Standing out amidst the noise can be increasingly challenging, and your message can get lost in the crowd.
Short-Term Gains
Newsjacking tends to yield short-term results. While it can be effective for generating immediate buzz, it might not be as effective for long-term brand building and customer loyalty.
Brands that are doing it right
Companies can benefit in big ways from newsjacking. A prime example was the global buzz surrounding the announcement in early 2020 that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would be stepping down as senior members of the royal family.
During that time, Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum seized the opportunity to news jack by promptly removing Harry and Meghan from their royal family wax display. This dynamic response demonstrated the power of newsjacking in capturing public attention and engaging with a trending narrative.
Perhaps the most famous newsjacking example for a brand involves Oreo cookies and Super Bowl XLVII. The game was thrust into an unexpected blackout for 34 minutes due to a power outage. This left sections of the Superdome in darkness and left television viewers wondering what caused the unforeseen disruption.
Oreo seized this opportunity by dropping this amazing tweet!
The Oreo newsjacking succeeded because it was quick, timely, witty, fun and extremely relevant. And because it was non-controversial, it was a no-brainer that effectively tied back to the brand and its messaging goals.
Why Media Monitoring is Crucial for Newsjacking
Newsjacking is a dynamic PR strategy that relies on the real-time flow of information. To harness newsjacking’s potential and succeed, organizations must integrate media monitoring into their approach. By doing so, they can not only remain agile and responsive but also ensure that their newsjacking efforts are both effective and well-received by their audience.
In the age of rapid information dissemination, media monitoring is the compass that guides successful newsjacking campaigns, helping brands navigate the ever-changing currents of the digital news cycle.
Given newsjacking’s reliance on real-time news, viral material, and trends, having the correct media monitoring (including social media) in place is essential. This allows you to keep an eye out for content that aligns with your brand.
Stories closely related to your industry stand out as prime candidates for successful newsjacking, so keeping tabs on such content is a logical step. Effective monitoring allows your brand to seek out stories that offer opportunities to convey your message positively and subtly.
Conclusion
Newsjacking still holds the potential for organizations to boost their visibility, interact with their audience, and showcase their relevance. However, finding the right balance between leveraging trends and upholding ethical standards when engaging with current events is vital.
By thoughtfully weighing factors like relevance, authenticity, timing, and ethical considerations, organizations can successfully navigate the realm of newsjacking, harnessing its advantages while preserving a responsible and considerate approach.
While this PR strategy may not be the answer for every brand, its potential for engagement should not be overlooked. It’s a tool that, when wielded thoughtfully and ethically, can help brands become part of the evolving news narrative, capturing the hearts and minds of their target audience.
