How ‘piggybacking’ can add value to PR
When it comes to ‘piggybacking’ or ‘newsjacking’ when done well it can truly add value to a brand’s presence in a competitive marketplace.
So, what is Piggybacking?
Piggybacking is the art of elevating a brand’s awareness and audience engagement by harnessing what is happening in breaking news or Twitter trends on any given day.
The beauty is you can really position your brand as a leader or expert in the field, get people talking about you, and make a big impact, IF you have the right content to share at the right time and know how to turn it around in a speedy fashion.
Steps to piggybacking success
- Sign up to receive breaking news alerts on the top news network e.g., BBC, Sky News
- Ensure you have all the upcoming awareness days/campaigns to hand (there are several sites whereby you can download a UK or global calendar) so you can have ready-to-go content
- Get those media assets lined up (photos/videos/interviewees) to make jumping on the bandwagon easier
- Think about pulling a quick infographic or some stats together if a breaking news story or campaign is something you can lend an expert voice to (media LOVE a stat!)
- You need to be reasonably quick, but be savvy, think before you speak – know what to say before pushing something out too eagerly. Remember, you are trying to make your brand heard so you need to stand out from the noise
- Strengthen your social media content by cross-promoting on other communication channels, for example, if you have something a little wordier you would like to share, then consider adding to social media marketing by writing a blog, adding it to your website then signposting people to it
- Finally, just give it a go! As long as it’s done thoughtfully, piggybacking can really work wonders - what have you got to lose right?