Trendjacking in PR: Timing, Social Listening Crucial to Getting it Right

摘要

The practice of trendjacking, or pushing out content based on a concept making the rounds in the press or on social media, is not new. Brands have been inserting themselves in trending conversations, for better or worse, since Twitter hashtags launched in 2007. In 2020, a typical instance of trendjacking goes like this: A PR professional or marketer sees a hashtag in the Trending tab of Twitter's Explore page. He or she weighs whether the key word or phrase applies to their brand. If so, they quickly create a piece of content to throw into the mix. If the content is executed in a nuanced way that adds a new dimension to the trend, as opposed to simply mimicking it, it likely has potential as earned media. As with many elements of PR and social media communications, timing is key. If the PR professional is jumping on a trend in an email pitch, the ideal moment is after a story breaks, but before journalists have begun running second-day coverage.