One of the most effective ways to position yourself as an expert, generate media coverage and increase your social media engagement is a technique known as newsjacking. It’s a process by which you inject yourself into breaking news in real-time.

Have you ever wondered where media outlets find the sources they quote? In most cases, those expert sources have mastered the art and science of newsjacking. They identified the story early, got out in front of it with a combination of facts and opinion, provided a unique perspective and made sure their audience saw it.

Of course, it’s not enough to simply have an opinion, your thoughts must add value to the discussion. An article or blog post using the newsjacking strategy would follow a structure similar to this:

  • Headline naming the issue/event and promising more information
  • A more detailed description of the event and why it matters to your audience
  • Analysis that includes your opinion
  • Advice or predictions, such as what steps your readers can take to avoid problems or take advantage of opportunities, or the impact the situation will have on your audience or another defined group
  • A brief bio with your photo and credentials

Voila! A thought leader is born.

Once you create the content, you must let your target audience know it’s there by applying a sound keyword strategy so that journalists and others looking for information on the story can find you, using your social media network to further increase your exposure, and capitalizing on your existing news media connections.

Establishing yourself as an authority is just one way to use the newsjacking strategy. You can also use it for general exposure, promoting brand awareness, increasing fan loyalty and more.

Have you used newsjacking? What techniques did you try and how did they work?

Jacquelyn Lynn
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