• 19 May 2021
• 6 Min read

5 newsjacking success stories from the Glass Digital outreach team

• by Polly Kirkup

Outreaching is all about timing. If you can give a journalist added value to a topical news story with a quick turnaround, this a great way to gain exposure.

This link acquisition method is known as newsjacking, which involves using breaking news stories, trends, and current affairs to enhance content and gain placement in publications with a wider reach and higher domain authority (DA).

We’ve recently added this tactic to our outreach strategy, enabling us to land a range of high-quality links for clients, with a quicker link speed than other traditional techniques.

Our success stories

Some of our best reactive pieces have gained between 20 to 40 links for one idea. When newsjacking, we look to use our client’s expertise to send commentary or advice on a newsworthy topic. Journalists can then use this information in a story of their own, meaning we are able to get our clients featured across unlimited publications.

When working on newsjacking, our aim is to create broad, relevant, and unique stories that national publications will see as worthy of a feature, therefore landing links on websites whose domain authorities are typically between 70 to 90. Read about some of our most successful campaigns below.

5 things to do with uneaten pancake batter

The methodology for this was simple; we knew that Pancake Day was coming up and wanted to try something a little different. We checked that this idea wasn’t already saturated and then began to research, using recipes and ideas that were unique and unusual.

We found stats showing how much pancake batter is wasted every year and used this as a hook that tied in with our client, a waste expert.

We then sent this to national, regional, and food publications. The story was a huge hit, gaining 39 links in places such as Yahoo (DA 76), MSN (DA 95), and Metro (DA 93), with the campaign even appearing on the Google Trends daily report.

Escape from the UK: 5 alternative destinations to avoid other Brits

On noticing the amount of advice there was on emigrating to popular destinations such as Australia and Spain, we thought it could be a unique spin to give tips on moving to countries less known for British expats.

The title chosen was a great way to draw people in and contributed hugely to the 28 links it gained. The publications were extremely targeted to the idea, such as Expat Network (DA 41), proving the idea was a fresh outlook on the expat industry.

5 unique ways to use leftover Guinness

Put together in the run-up to St Patrick’s Day for an Irish catering client, we thought Irish journalists could be looking for content around the event that didn’t promote breaking social distancing rules. 

We started by searching Guinness in Reddit and spotted that the company had donated a large volume of their beer to Christmas tree farms as plant fertiliser and this inspired the idea.

We sent this out the day before St Patrick’s Day, which seemed like the perfect time as the leftovers would be something to take care of later and, as a result, it was featured in 11 Irish news outlets including the Irish Mirror (DA 86).

Where will Piers Morgan go next?

This was a really great example of acting with speed. The team reacted to the news that Piers Morgan had left Good Morning Britain within hours. There was no data needed, just the expertise of our matched betting client to comment on which TV show he might end up on next.

After a personal request from a journalist we collated the odds from the client straight away. This quick and almost stress-free opportunity resulted in exposure across 20 regional news outlets, including regional Belfast Live (DA 82), reiterating that timing is everything.

How chocolate can affect sleep

Easter is a difficult time to gain links: many journalists are looking solely for product placement and content is planned months in advance. If a brand doesn’t fit the traditional lifestyle theme for a seasonal event it can be difficult.

For a sleep client, using Easter as a hook was a risky move as it wouldn’t normally have an obvious link between the two topics. However, with some careful research we found the perfect health angle that was unique enough to work and relevant enough for our client to discuss.

As the release was so unique, journalists were eager to use the piece despite having planned content in place to use. Links were gained across a range of publications, both national and targeted, such as DOSE Magazine (DA 38), Crave Magazine (DA 14), Confectionary News (DA 60), Daily Star (DA 92), The Projects World (DA 22), and Sweet and Snacks World (DA 14).

Tips for success

Be open minded: Think outside the box and don’t be afraid to try something new. Inserting your brand voice into new and upcoming conversations not only updates your backlink profile but allows you to speak out as experts in your industry. Explore tangential content to be smart with your knowledge, and it can be key to creating successful reactive pieces.

Be proactive: Choose a designated team member to gather daily news and plan in monthly meetings to discuss upcoming awareness days, events, and trends. This allows you to be ready to react and beat competitors to it.

Be responsive: Journalists send out hundreds of requests daily and receive hundreds of answers too. If your reactive piece is ready to go, it’s so easy to personalise an email and send over your release immediately. The more you respond to, the more often your brand is recognised, leading to great opportunities and even personal requests.

Be organised: Take note of what works for you and how you can replicate the idea or create something similar. Once you’re into a rhythm and you have devised a formula that works, creating a bank of case studies is a great way to keep track and find inspiration for future ideas.

Get in touch

For some extra help with newsjacking and other reactive link acquisition methods, we offer link-building alone or as part of a full SEO campaign. Contact us to discuss what will work for your business.

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