This post originally appeared on InsideFMM.
On the first day of SXSW 2012, the editors of FMM attended a talk by author David Meerman Scott discussed his most recent book, Newsjacking, which is something every PR professional should learn how to do.
What is “newsjacking?” I know that it sounds dirty, but it’s really just being clever. The first example that Scott gave in his speech was Super Tuesday, the recent political hurdle for the Republican candidates, one day packed with primaries from various states. Also the day that President Obama chose to give his first press conference in six months. By choosing this one day to speak out, all of the Google results for political issues features both Republican candidates and President Obama. Well played, Mr. President. Well played.
Scott outlined how PR professionals can use the technique of newsjacking to promote their brand or service.
“You think of some news that’s happening or, in a serendipity way, you find it as it’s happening, and then you create a strategy for how you’re going to get your ideas into the marketplace around this particular piece of news, and then you instantly, and that’s the key, it’s quick, you instantly get your idea into the market,” said Scott. “The key is that speed. So few companies can do this because they are not geared to speed.”
Another great example of news jacking came from an Australian insurance company that awarded President Obama a free $50,000 life insurance policy payable in the even that he was eaten by crocodiles. According to Scott, the media loved the story, which got 4,969 media hits on Google that day.
All right, PR professionals, are your creative juices flowing? How are you going to use the news to get your brand to the top of Google search results organically? Let us know!
