Cutting through the noise of the media and getting noticed by your target audience can sometimes be challenging.
Taking advantage of the stories which are already getting noticed is an excellent place to start.
Breaking news stories, the latest trends and current affairs are more likely to capture your target audience’s attention, generate social sharing and encourage engagement with your brand.
Seizing stories that are trending in the news and online, a concept known as ‘newsjacking’ is an excellent way to keep your business in the media, provide your expert opinion and build your thought leadership.
Here are some strategies to follow when looking to take advantage of trending news stories.
Choose the right news story
You need to be able to determine which stories are going to work for your business. Only leverage stories which would engage your audience and relate directly to your brand and business.
For example if you are an insurance company and you notice a lot of stories in the media about rising insurance premiums, you can pitch yourself to a relevant journalist as an expert to comment on these issues.
Be prepared
Be proactive and prepare for possible opportunities. Think about topics which relate to your area of expertise and brainstorm any possible news events that could be related to these topics. You can then reactively pitch to news outlets when a similar story emerges.
Monitor the media and social media
A big part of this process is monitoring the conversations in the media and on social media. By keeping up to date, you will be better able to pick up on stories that will work for you or your business.
Following journalists and news outlets on Twitter is an excellent way to keep informed of all breaking news stories and find media opportunities. Twitter allows you to organise your followers into separate lists which can make it easier to view recent tweets from journalists and news outlets.
Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have streams which showcase what news stories and topics are the most popular amongst users on their platforms.
Accessing these trending topics provides an insight into what your target audience are talking about and what content they are engaging with.
Be timely
Timeliness is very important in terms of capitalising on breaking news. It is important to be aware of what’s going on and to understand the potential relevance to your industry, if there is any.
When you do find something relevant to your industry and have something appropriate to respond with, express your opinions on social media or through a blog post, or reach out to the media.
Be resourceful
When responding to a trending news story, it is important to be as informative and resourceful as possible. Provide journalists with new material they haven’t directly written about before and ensure that you are offering an expert opinion or advice to back up your story.
Offering a different angle to the current trending stories is an excellent way to pique a journalist’s interest in your story.
It is important to remember that not every news story will be suitable for you or your business to respond to. You need to approach leveraging trending news stories ethically and sensitively. Think about the ways that you can use real time engagement authentically.
With the right approach, preparation and consideration you can leverage the latest new stories and trends to get your business noticed.
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Sydney Public Relations Agency, CP Communications provides specialist media, traditional and online PR strategies that get amazing results. Contact us today. For more great tips visit our website www.cpcommunications.com.au.
