Some days the world feels like it’s spinning out of control, doesn’t it? Recent news has been—still is—sensational and tragic and we’re inundated by updates on news stories, offered to us through myriad traditional and social media channels.
We’re also being bombarded by examples of poorly handled attempts at real time marketing communications (RTMC).
(RTMC), made famous by David Meerman Scott in his 2011 ebook, Newsjacking, refers to “…the art and science of injecting your ideas into a breaking news story and generating tons of media coverage and social media engagement.” Done well, it garners millions of dollars of traditional and social media coverage and generates stories and memes shared the world over.
Done poorly, it damages reputations, sours public opinion and torpedoes sales.
Done right, the benefits of RTMC are many. As David describes, today’s journalists are overworked, underpaid and often scrambling to find enough information to flesh out a breaking story and explain its implications. They need original content fast. RTMC can help a journalist find a unique angle and get the story filed by deadline. And, as the source of credible information and an original angle, your organization or your client, may well enjoy tremendous attention from traditional and social media.
Other benefits of successful RTMC can include:
- Positioning yourself, your organization or your client as an expert source
- Increasing reach and brand awareness
- Sharing your message with new audiences
- Staying relevant
Scott Barradell, of Ideagrove, posted about RTMC recently saying, “Whether you call it newsjacking or PR, whether you do it to get a magazine interview or a retweet, the principles are the same:
- Find a growing news topic that’s relevant to your brand
- Understand the needs and interests of the media outlet
- Contribute something valuable to the outlet that connects your brand to the topic.”
So how do you do RTMC right? Mark Sherbin, of the Content Marketing Institute, provides some valuable tips, including staying tuned into local, national and global news to watch for opportunities. However, he cautions, “Be very discerning: A military coup, the death of a celebrity, a natural disaster — these are not events of which you should take advantage. Newsjacking requires enhanced sensitivity — a characteristic that some major brands have demonstrated they don’t have.”
David Meerman Scott describes a simple process to start RTMC for your client or your organization. Begin by monitoring the news, keeping in mind that news breaks second-by-second, 24 hours a day.
Next, find news or a trend that’s relevant to your brand. Formulate a strategy in real-time, taking into consideration your goals and objectives, your organzation’s abilities to respond quickly, and how credible your link to the story is. Ask yourself why the media will care about the angle you’re about to run with.
After that, get your story angle out to the public. Possible vehicles for doing so can include blogging, tweeting using an established hashtag, updating your social networks, sending out a media alert and contacting journalists directly. Speed and responsiveness are critical in all this. You need to be available to answer any questions or provide additional information if the media picks up on it or if the topic generates conversation in social media.
Seems easy enough, right? Time-consuming, yes, but there are many ways to automate your news monitoring. Unfortunately, some efforts fall flat—or worse.
The Vocus solution monitors traditional and social media for you. Take a demo to see it in action!
Stories of RTMC gone wrong litter the web. Especially today. Each of them clearly lacks one essential ingredient: common sense. In a thoughtful and impassioned post for PRSA, Stephanie Cegielski cites a recent attempt to use tragedy as a hook for broader coverage. “In the wake of tragedy, it is often quite appropriate to raise awareness and draw attention to the matter – sometimes great things come from it. Making a sales pitch…is utterly and completely unacceptable,” she states.
Read David Meerman Scott’s book to get a better picture of how you can include RTMC in your PR toolbox. It’s a quick and engaging read, stuffed to the brim with examples of brands using the tactic effectively.
Newsjacking has become an essential tactic for today’s PR professionals. However, In today’s uber-connected and fast-paced world you need to be able to move quickly and think creatively. Successful RTMC follows a process that is simple but not necessarily easy for everyone.
And, you need that one essential ingredient. Don’t leave home without it. Common sense. Find it, learn it or borrow it—but don’t try newsjacking without it.
Allen Mireles is a strategist with an affinity for technology who lives/works at the intersection of social media and traditional marketing/public relations. Want to read more from Allen? Click here!
Image: karl frankowski, Anna Vignet (Creative Commons)
