I’ve all the time stated crafting thought management and earned media via completely different channels is a good way to construct a model — and that’s nonetheless true in 2025.
PR will get you high-authority backlinks, which helps you present up within the SERPs and AI search results. It additionally goes a good distance in constructing belief and credibility by getting your organization’s identify on the market on third-party websites. Each repost or decide up is one other vote that your management and model are worthy of consideration.
One complicated PR pattern that may be tough to line up together with your PR technique is “newsjacking.”
Let’s take a look at the ability of newsjacking as a PR technique software. I additionally wish to level out some newsjacking examples that present how a considerate, respectful method to this fascinating PR tactic generally is a method to create a viral advertising technique that delivers actual outcomes.
Understanding Newsjacking
Newsjacking is the idea of promoting a model utilizing viral information tales. It leans on hype and momentary consideration to grab headlines and appeal to audiences.
It’s meant to construct high quality conversations round concepts and themes that encompass (relatively than instantly promote) your merchandise. This may make it arduous to see how newsjacking may issue into a very good PR technique.
At Relevance, we’ve discovered that newsjacking finished proper may be a good way to benefit from well timed hooks and present occasions. This doesn’t occur as the start line of your PR technique, however as a method to make your present PR plans extra related.
Use Newsjacking: Staying Moral (and Profitable)
Let’s begin with the apparent. Newsjacking ought to by no means be finished at somebody’s expense. Leaping on developments that defame, belittle, or in any other case cross moral boundaries is off limits. Nonetheless, there are numerous methods the information cycle obsesses over completely innocent or mundane issues, too — and that’s the place you should utilize newsjacking to your benefit. Listed here are 4 suggestions that we’ve used at Relevance to verify we’re taking advantage of every trending story.
1. Take Timing Significantly
Newsjacking is real-time advertising. Consider the old-school journalism idea of a “breaking story.” Everyone seems to be racing to beat everybody else to the punch. That’s the form of power you want if you wish to use newsjacking.
If a narrative breaks, we’ve discovered the simplest method to put it to use in your PR is to put up associated content material inside the first few hours. You wish to catch that first wave of early commentary, if potential, to get essentially the most visibility.
How are you going to do this? Through the use of instruments like Google Trends and Trending Topics on X to see what tales are within the information proper now. It’s also possible to arrange Google Alerts to ship you notifications when particular subjects pop up on-line.
The media cycle is quick and relentless. If you wish to use newsjacking, you need to transfer rapidly each time.
2. Select the Proper Information Tales
We’re a digital advertising company that selected the identify Relevance for a cause. Relevance is a crucial piece of the advertising puzzle.
Each story should suit your model’s narrative and messaging. As an example, we have been working with a consumer who had an automotive AI software. When the information about tariffs impacting the auto trade broke, the celebrities aligned. We used the apparent connection to rapidly construct some momentum and assist them acquire traction and a focus for the model.
If the information isn’t related, your message will fall flat. Even worse, with newsjacking, it’ll look obviously apparent that you simply tried to warp the information to suit your message simply so you possibly can get a couple of clicks. Efficient newsjacking means selecting tales which might be:
- Related: This may be to your model, product, or trade. The connection simply must be clear to anybody who engages together with your content material.
- Strategic angles: Search for angles that align with trending subjects or well timed conversations—however in a means that is sensible in your model. A terrific instance is once we have been working with a dentist, and we advised the sudden rise in consideration on Ozempic as a method to speak about smile reconstruction in reference to drastic weight reduction.
- Well timed: Keep in mind, the primary few hours are greatest. In the event you can’t make that timeline, ideally get content material out inside the first 24 to 48 hours of the information breaking.
Trending subjects advertising works greatest once you add worth to the dialog. In the event you can’t do this, when you can’t discover these connecting factors between the information and your model, you’re simply including to the noise.
3. Craft a Strategic Response
Newsjacking could also be spur of the second, however that doesn’t imply you need to go into it unprepared. There are many methods you’ll be able to set the stage beforehand.
One in every of these is to establish the kind of newsjacked content material you’ll be able to create. What are your choices? Frequent codecs we use at Relevance embrace:
- A weblog put up or op-ed with knowledgeable commentary. (Integrate your subject matter experts each time!)
- A press launch providing official statements on a bit of stories.
- A brief-form video or social put up with fast takeaways and bullet factors.
- An X or LinkedIn put up with skilled insights that add dimension or understanding.
- A media pitch providing a certified spokesperson for interviews.
Together with the form of content material, be sure you have a well-oiled machine that may execute rapidly. Listed here are a couple of inquiries to audit your newsjacking readiness:
- Who is allowed to touch upon a scenario? Establish your SMEs early and be sure you have pre-defined spokesperson roles within the occasion of a breaking information story.
- Do you may have acceptable codecs and templates? Pre-approved press launch and put up constructions velocity issues up and keep away from pointless rounds of edits in time-sensitive conditions.
- Do you may have a proper branded voice? Tone, wording, character — your model’s voice issues, even via the lens of an SME. Keep constant together with your messaging.
4. Construct a Repeatable System
Lastly, use the earlier three sections to construct a newsjacking infrastructure that may run in your sleep. Each system will look a bit completely different, however listed below are a couple of options to be sure you’re constructing processes that work in any state of affairs:
- Set metrics to measure success: backlinks, media pickups, social attain, referral site visitors — you get the concept.
- Take notes of what works with processes, responses, outcomes, all the pieces.
- Keep in mind the names of people who find themselves prepared to interact with or reshare your newsjacking. Alert or tag essential or related ones in future posts.
- Have a folder with all the knowledge and templates you may want for subsequent time.
- Search for methods to mix newsjacking with proactive campaigns and evergreen content material.
Programs and processes are why press shops can reply to information so rapidly. Construct these ideas into your personal workflows, too.
Integrating Newsjacking Into Your PR Technique
Newsjacking may be an efficient addition to your progress advertising plan. However you wish to use it the appropriate means. Use these tricks to experiment and search for one of the best methods to attach trending information to your model’s message.
In the event you want assist in that course of, Relevance is a companion that may make it easier to benefit from each information story. Reach out and set up a FREE consultation. We will stroll alongside your model as you get your PR up and operating, craft methods, create content material, and discover newsworthy developments that may immediately and exponentially amplify your message.
