#journorequest – newsjacking and the power of social media

If you’re new to the idea of digital PR, you may wonder how exactly we know who to pitch what stories and when to do it. A lot of it comes down purely to ardent research and staying on top of what’s going on in the news and the industries with which you are working.

If any digital PR could actually see what’s going on in the newsroom at any given time, it would certainly make our job a lot easier. But we can’t, and the work that we do is at the mercy of the changing news and journalist deadlines we can’t see. 

This means that trying to match a client’s campaign with the right journalists at the right time can often be difficult (see another blog we wrote on tips about how to pitch to journalists to see how we break through the noise). But there is actually a way to ensure that your client’s story meets the needs of the journalist – newsjacking. 

What is newsjacking? 

Newsjacking is essentially the art of finding journalists who are writing about a specific topic first, either through social media or by searching for recently published news stories. Newsjacking allows you to ride trends and daily news to deliver journalists a relevant story that they want to share. 

As a digital PR you always know what resources your client has that can be made available to journalists – the key is simply in being able to shape these to a news angle relevant to them. 

The digital PR team here at Embryo has seen a lot of success by newsjacking and getting quick wins for our clients – but how exactly is it done? 

#journorequest and jumping on news stories

A personal favourite of mine is #journorequest on Twitter – an absolute goldmine of reactive PR opportunities. 

Here, you’ll find journalists seeking specific experts, comments or data for a news story they are currently working on. This is a phenomenal resource for any digital PR because by simply keeping an eye on #journorequest each day, you will come across journalists writing for national publications that you can match your clients with.

This means staying reactive and moving quickly, as these journalists often have impending deadlines – which makes it important to remain communicative with your client too, ensuring that they are able to provide the commentary when you need it. 

This strategy can lead to your clients appearing in the news within days – without having an entire campaign behind it. The other big bonus here is that this is an excellent way to build relationships with journalists. You’re giving them what they need when they need it, and they will be grateful – opening up conversations and ensuring that they are more receptive next time you pitch to them. 

Get in touch

Want to find out more about how our digital PR team gets our clients links and coverage in national news publications? Get in touch with Embryo today – we are always around for a chat about how we can help boost your brand online.