Newsjacking: How to Inject your Ideas into a Breaking News Story and Generate Tons of Media Coverage

by David Meerman Scott

IN A 24/7/365, SECOND-BY-SECOND NEWS ENVIRONMENT, SAVVY OPERATERS REALIZE THERE ARE NEW WAYS TO GENERATE MEDIA ATTENTION. The rules have changed. The traditional PR model—sticking closely to a preset script and campaign timeline—no longer works the way it used to.  Public discourse now moves so fast and so dynamically that all it takes is a single afternoon to blast the wheels off someone’s laboriously crafted narrative.

Enter the process by which you inject your ideas or angles into breaking news, in real-time, in order to generate media coverage for yourself or your business. It creates a level playing field—literally anyone can newsjack—but, that new level favors players who are observant, quick to react, and skilled at communicating. It’s a powerful tool that can be used to throw an opponent or simply draft off the news momentum to further your own ends.

In Newsjacking, marketing and PR expert and bestselling author David Meerman Scott offers a quick and punchy read that prepares you to launch your business ahead of the competition and attract the attention of highly-engaged audiences by taking advantage of breaking news.

Newsjacking will provide you

Tools that you can use to monitor the news Case studies and examples that demonstrate how to strike at the right time Information on how to make your content available online for journalists to find The potential risks of newsjacking Keys to developing the real-time mindset required to succeed with the strategies presented in the book Newsjacking is powerful, but only when executed in real-time. It is about taking advantage of opportunities that pop up for a fleeting moment then disappear. In that instant, if you are clever enough to add a new dimension to the story in real-time, the news media will write about you.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Buisness

60 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 7, 2011

About the author

Our always-on, Web-driven world has new rules for competing and growing business. Advance planning is out – agile is IN! Those who embrace new ways will be far more successful than those who stay who stay stuck and afraid to change. No one knows more about using the new Real-Time tools and strategies to spread ideas, influence minds and build business than David Meerman Scott. It’s his specialty.

He’s a sales and marketing strategist who has spoken on all seven continents and in 40 countries to audiences of the most respected firms, organizations and associations.

David is author or co-author of ten books - three are international bestsellers. He is best known for The New Rules of Marketing & PR, now in its 6th edition, which has been translated into 29 languages and is a modern business classic with over 400,000 copies sold so far. David also authored Real-Time Marketing & PR, a Wall Street Journal bestseller. He is co-author of Marketing the Moon (with Rich Jurek) and Marketing Lessons from The Grateful Dead (with HubSpot CEO Brian Halligan).

Reviews

[Walter Adamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical advice which can be put into action immediately. Over time some of these tactics wear thin because too many people put them into practice. But that doesn't negate the practical value of the book when it was published.

[Enrique · Rating 2 out of 5]

El newsjacking consiste sencillamente en hacer palanca con un tema de actualidad para que la gente le preste atención a tu contenido. Me gusta el gráfico Life of a news story que el autor incluye en el libro, aunque cualquiera puede encontrarlo ya en Google Images, y me temo que es lo único que vale la pena de este libro.

Me encantaría encontrar algún libro más que trate con mayor profundidad el tema de forma teórica .
Me parece una cuestión muy interesante, por lo que si alguien tiene alguna sugerencia, se lo agradecería mucho.
Supongo que La distinción. Criterios y bases sociales del gusto de Pierre Bourdieu podría ser un buen complemento para este libro, pero me gustaría un libro específico de la cuestión del newsjacking.

[Orianne Stern · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple read that feels outdated. While the short boom provides certain pointer aboutnewjacking, it feels like an introduction to the subject that skims in what otherwise authors have covered in depth.

It is practical adivise that lets you get started, but it lacks structure to the tactics even more so nowadays. But it does outline a good strategy for a basic media coverage and how to stared for yourself, as well as some mild tips on how to upkeep you reputation online (but sI believe there are better books out there that cover this topics at length)

[Rob Y · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was probably ground breaking when it was first written but it’s pretty dated at this point. The theory is spot on but there are newer books that go into greater depth in both understanding and tactics. If I were reading this when it came out, I’d probably be giving it more stars.

[b ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

New media

Colleges need to catch up. This is the reality of PR and marketing. Read it and try to catch up.

[Mitch · Rating 2 out of 5]

More of a long article than a book. So much potential, but so little meat.

[JG · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the book was interesting and gave some excellent point to use for the future.

[Kundan Sarraf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am new to the term Newsjacking. After reading, I can say I got the idea for the point from where I can start.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Makes great points but could have been a pamphlet.

[Sandeep · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short 53 page book a lot. If you ever wanted to know how some people are able to attach their name to big story or headline and get publicity from it, this book will tell you why.

David Meerman Scott introduces the reader to the concept of "newsjacking." To newsjack is to inject your ideas into breaking news to generate media coverage. Scott argues that newsjacking works best when a story is breaking, as journalists scramble for additional information to add to fast-developing news. Newsjacking must be done in real time. This is a interesting concept because essentially anyone can newsjack and Scott gives specific ways on how to jack the news.

Scott says to find news to jack, the reader needs to: be open to serendipity (happy accidents), monitor keywords and phrases important to your business, trac journalists and media properties you know, and follow Twitter hashtags related to your area of expertise. This book endorses the power of Twitter and Scott is right because Twitter is the first place that journalists turn to hear about what's going on in a 24/7 basis.

The most interesting part of the book is when Scott tells the reader how they can insert the news into the news frenzy. He states the reader can blog their take on the story using appropriate keywords and phrases so the post is found via search engines, tweet it using an established hashtag, send a real-time media alert, talk about it in a speech, hold a live or virtual news conference, or directly contact a journalist who might be interested. Scott's case study of Larry Flynt and how Flynt was able to newsjack the news is worth reading this book.

At the end I like how Scott said to be "careful to exercise good judgement and good taste" when newsjacking because it can cause a negative effect on someone's company, brand or identity.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in public relations and how the media landscape has changed dramatically with the advent of Twitter and how anyone can newsjack given the criteria Scott presents. This is fun, short read.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly strong book, filled with insights on contemporary PR. I say surprisingly because typically these small e-book things are quite worthless, repackaging one idea over and over, yet this book supports its central thesis with numerous examples and really triggered my creativity.

Not 5 stars because I think the author oversimplifies at times and it would have been nice to see more examples of newsjacking from "the Davids" rather than the well known like Rick Perry and Larry Flynt who already have a major advantage at convincing reporters their stuff is newsworthy.

Overall, a great and quick read for anyone in the PR industry.

[Peggy Dekay]

If you are an author and want to know about how to writer a GOOD and NEWSWORTHY press release this is a must-read. One of the best books I have read on the art of "newsjacking." A friend of mine had a press release written for a charity concert event she was organizing. Most of the artists that were performing at her event were "Elvis Presley tribute artists. The dance was scheduled for Halloween night. The PR person titled the press release "Channeling Elvis". The release got a half-page, below the fold, front page on "Neighborhood News." Quite a feat and a great example of "newsjacking."

[Abdulaziz Alzain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book! Most organizations plan for the future and learn from the past, but they ignore the present(now) and they don't check what's happening right now! Many good and bad things happens right now and they don't take the opportunity to participate and put their name on the front page news! Many interesting examples inside the book. I suggest to read it right now!

[Sanket Nadhani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great examples on how to hijack a major news event and get tons of coverage for yourself. Oakley, Larry Flynt and more. But the rest of it is pretty common knowledge, things you are well aware of with even a little experience in PR.

[Constantin Kaplinsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth reading for sure. Note that it's a very short book, with just one concept which is not always easy to follow. However, you probably want to know about this technique if you are interested in low-cost marketing and PR.

[Maria Mcdavis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short. Practical. Useful for all businesses, nonprofits and ministries, large and small. Great.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're in marketing, read this book. Simple, instructional, and informative. It makes a great companion to Ryan Holiday's "Trust Me, I'm Lying"

[Alex Pieger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite intuitive conventional wisdom bloated to a nearly book-length text

[Allison Mayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pros: Good practical book with examples and insight. Saves you the time of figuring it out.

Cons: not groundbreaking, mostly information you could probably learn on your own.

[Graham Mumm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing new here. MUCH better off reading "Trust Me I'm Lying" by Ryan Holiday.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

To the point, concise. Great cases.

Negative: too much repeat.

[Mark Nutting · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting concept, newsjacking.