In my course this week, I listened to an episode of the Perpetual Traffic. Ralph Burns and Lauren Petrullo discussed the recent Microsoft outage caused by the Crowdstrike update and how marketing can take advantage of current events, spinning them to promote products and enhance engagement.
In this week’s episode of Perpetual Traffic, Ralph and Lauren discuss how to leverage current events to boost brand visibility and engage customers, which is a strategy called “newsjacking.” Newsjacking was first introduced by David Meerman Scott in 2011. Businesses use current events as part of their advertising, showing support or referencing timely needs or values such as Virgin Atlantic’s advertising honeymoon vacation services when the same sex marriage bill passed. Perpetual Traffic specifically references how negative events, specifically the software issues due to the Microsoft outage caused by the Crowdstrike update, can be used to increase visibility, enhance engagement, and provide SEO benefits by tying promotions into highly searched topics.
Both Lauren and Ralph expressed an interest in having Bill Gates on the show, but it was interesting to see how the second name they brought up in association to newsjacking was Ryan Reynolds. While the former is the affected party, and likely in need of a good marketing campaign to recover trust lost by their users in the wake of the outage, Ryan Reynolds has an excellent track record for trendjacking and newsjacking.
While newsjacking appears simple, it requires a high level of preparation and flexibility. Setting up Google Alerts, marketers can automate at least a portion of their search. Trends come and go, and current event news cycles move even faster, so there is a key period during the initial growth but before too much is published that Scott suggests individuals’ target. This period is short-lived. Additionally, there’s a risk that a rush to hit the right timing will lead to backlash from a poorly researched campaign.
Google Alerts and tracking trends through search terms like on X/Twitter and Instagram allows marketers to keep a close eye on their competition both on the brand level and the personal. Lauren mentions following information on leadership in competitors, so she can find useful conferences.
Newsjacking is a spontaneous way to reach out to customers, and when facing a widely negative situation that is causing problems for a wide audience, offering something positive as a brand allows businesses to transform the narrative. Flash sales can offer solutions which promote products, find new customers, and create good will.
That being said, I would’ve liked some discussion from Ralph and Lauren about how hitting the wrong note can be problematic, but they didn’t go into great detail on how newsjacking can go wrong.
Overall Takeaway
If there is one thing you take away from this, set up Google Alerts. For authors, you should first make a list of publishers and other authors who either release work similar to your own (i.e. your competitors) or who have a keen eye for social media marketing. Of course, make sure you aren’t copying, but trends are public. Use your competitors to get ideas.
Though it will likely be late when this post goes live, offering sales can also work for self-published authors. Personally, this is a bit too tight of a tightrope to wake in my mind, but offering those trapped waiting for flights books to read could work if done with care and consideration.
Featured Image: Perpetual Traffic
Additional Readings:
- Jonker, J. (2024, June 26). Newsjacking: the Guide. Definitions, examples, and all you need to know. PR Lab. https://prlab.co/blog/guide-newsjacking-with-examples/
- Loktionova, M. (2024, February 8). What is Newsjacking? 10 POwerful Examples + a How-to Guide. Semrush Blog. https://www.semrush.com/blog/how-to-leverage-newsjacking/
- Scott, D.M. (2012). How to Newsjack Your Way Into The Media. HubSpot. https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/2011/11/newsjacking.html
Eli Celata 
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