PR Link Building Strategy #3: Harness trends and press releases
Timeliness is everything when it comes to online hot topics. A single viral moment will spread like wildfire across social media, racking up millions of views and stirring up conversations in news sites and forums. Everyone with access to the Internet will be talking about it. So the faster you connect your brand to the viral trend, the more likely you are to earn attention and valuable backlinks.
This PR link building strategy is all about gaining journalists' attention by positioning your brand so that it becomes part of the conversation when a new (industry-related) movement emerges.
You can start by subscribing to industry newsletters to spot emerging or viral topics, tracking and responding with trending hashtags (with context, we don’t want another controversial ‘Pizza’ incident), and following industry thought leaders on LinkedIn with high amounts of engagement since they’re often the first to highlight what’s trending. You can also create hooks through gnarly marketing campaigns, celebrity endorsements, and more to grab the attention of news outlets. One viral example that worked amazingly well is the “Lightning Ball” marketing stunt by YouTrip to promote their new mascot, Trippie.
Once you have your trend and hook, you can craft a press release that ties your product or service to the viral trend. For example, a tech company launches a new AI productivity tool timed with the great AI boom, with a press release headline: “Local Tech Startup Debuts game-changing AI Tool to Help Businesses Crush Hybrid Work Trend.” Then, they distribute the press release to journalists (preferably those who specialise in their industry), such as those listed in PR Link Building Strategy #1. If the journalists are interested in their content, they will circulate it all over the news. In turn, the tech company will receive tons of public attention and backlinks (most likely Nofollow, but still extremely beneficial).
Note: Interviews aren’t usually part of this PR process, so you need to make sure that your press release is complete with all the key details (who, what, when, where, and why). See ideas and examples here.
At Login Marketing, we will help you plan and craft intriguing stories for journalists to work with. We know how to package content in a way that generates interest and earns backlinks. First of all, let us take a look at your business offerings. Book a free SEO audit with our SEO specialists here!
