#FunFactFriday – The Newsjacking Tactic

Many times when a news story breaks or a new meme gains popularity, you are sure to see a brand insert themselves into the conversation to gain awareness or go viral – this is known as newsjacking.

Newsjacking was pioneered by David Meerman Scott, a marketing strategist and entrepreneur, back in 2011. With this tactic now recognized as a common part of brand content strategy, every company from Microsoft to Oreo is trying their best to become part of viral movements on social media, TV and more.

Because this tactic relies solely on trending topics, newsjacking is incredibly time sensitive and requires fast action to get attention. To get the most out of your newsjacking attempts, it is wise to set up Google Alerts for your industry to monitor trends before they peak. Also, newsjacking works best if you can insert your own brand voice into the conversation and remain consistent to what you normally post instead of jumping into a topic completely unrelated to your industry.

A recent example of newsjacking done right was the Calm meditation app and its 2020 election night sponsorship with CNN. With so many Americans stressed watching the results of the election unfold, the Calm app’s commercials reminded viewers to relax for 30 seconds as calming rain sounds played. Despite not using any election messaging in the ad, viewers understood Calm’s mission for the ad and commended it for its cleverness. This led to a rise in downloads and organic growth for the app.

If you’re looking for an opportunity to gain buzz and engagement, newsjacking might be the perfect tactic for you!