Everything PR News
Editorial

How to Use Newsjacking in PR

Ronn TorossianBy Ronn Torossian2 min read
How to Use Newsjacking in PR
Share
Newsjacking at its most basic is using current news that’s garnering a lot of interest and injecting your views and product information into the storyline. Successful newsjacking is not just about the content, original story, and you creating a connection, though. It’s also about getting all of that into the public view at the right time. Timing for newsjacking is not everything, but if the timing isn’t right, your attempt will fizzle and die without accomplishing any of your grand designs.

So what is the right time?

There is a very brief window when you can get the maximum impact from newsjacking. That time is right after breaking news hits. Because almost immediately after the news hits, journalists and others start scrambling for any additional news and related stories to hitch their news wagon to. If you time it right, your hitch will be right there waiting for them to hook on and go. If you post after the scrambling is done – only the late comers will be looking, and they’ll have a host of other stories to look at in addition to the one you’ve shared.

How to prepare in advance...

With the growth of the internet, there is a voracious appetite for new news. So you know already that breaking news is going to happen – but you are looking for the big stories first. You may need to do a bit of visionary speculation and realize much of your prep work may never see the digital light of day. Whatever area your company serves for marketing, there are big names. So take a look at those big names. What do you think they may be developing? If the CEO is nearing retirement age, who do you think will be the most likely candidates? What kind of scandal could break things wide open for any of those companies?

Make a list...

As you contemplate all those possible stories, create a list of articles for writing. Now, here’s how to be ready as soon as news breaks – write those stories in advance. You don’t have to know the details of who, what, where, why, when, and how to write the stories.

Write a template...

Create templates with blanks for each type of story you think might become breaking news. When you do that, you’ll have articles that are 90-95% complete. They just need a few details plugged in and you’re ready to publish. News agencies do this type of thing all the time, turning their interns loose to write obits on prominent citizens who are still alive and kicking up a storm.

Publish...

Now, wait for the breaking news, plug in the particulars and hit publish immediately when something happens. Do not delay. Get your story out there including information about your product and relate it to the breaking news. You’ll be a winner at newsjacking. You will also be amazed at how many people become aware of you simply by following these steps.
TagsEditorialPR NewsPR Perspectives
Ronn Torossian
Written by
Ronn Torossian

Ronn Torossian is the founder and chairman of 5W AI Communications, the AI Communications Firm. He is the publisher of Everything-PR and the author of two best-selling editions of For Immediate Release.

Other news

See all
Reddit Is Now the Real Sportsbook Ranking Engine
Ronn Torossian · 05/29/2026

Reddit Is Now the Real Sportsbook Ranking Engine

Reddit has become the dominant signal for AI engines when evaluating sportsbooks. Community sentiment, active resolution of complaints, and transparent customer service on subreddits now determine how AI models rank and recommend gambling operators.

The Comparison Page Model Is Breaking
Ronn Torossian · 05/29/2026

The Comparison Page Model Is Breaking

AI is collapsing the sportsbook affiliate funnel. The intermediate layer that built gambling marketing for twenty years is being compressed out of existence. The gambling affiliate economy is built on one structural assumption: customers searching for a sportsbook will land on a comparison page before they land on an operator. That assumption is breaking.

Why Gambling Companies Are Becoming Invisible in AI Search
EPR Editorial Team · 05/29/2026

Why Gambling Companies Are Becoming Invisible in AI Search

The gambling industry spent two decades optimizing for Google, but AI and answer engines are breaking that discovery infrastructure. This article explains how AI is restructuring gambling discovery, making many companies effectively invisible, and what operators need to do to adapt.

Never Miss a Headline

Daily PR headlines, weekly long-form analysis, and our proprietary research drops — straight to your inbox.