Digital PR has the potential to transform a brand’s online presence.
By incorporating PR tactics into their overarching digital strategy, companies amplify their message and reach a wider audience.
However, lengthy campaigns are expensive, and building authority doesn’t happen overnight.
To speed up the process, brands can learn to master reactive PR.
When you join the online discourse at the right time, you have a better chance of landing media coverage in reputable outlets.
Coverage often equals backlinks, which support Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) efforts.
In other words, you climb in rankings without breaking the bank.
Understanding Reactive Digital PR
Proactive PR is all about planned, long-term strategies. Reactive PR, meanwhile, involves timely responses to current events.
Definition and Concept
If you’ve ever sent a social media update using a popular hashtag, you probably experienced a rise in engagement.
Reactive PR works in a similar way. It means leveraging breaking news or trends to promote your brand.
By inserting themselves into the conversation, companies that add value can catch the eye of popular content creators and outlets.
When these entities link back to them, the search algorithm notices.
Proactive and reactive PR use similar tactics, but the timing differs.
Brands that want to take advantage of reactive PR have to capitalise on emerging opportunities. That means being quick on their feet.
Types of Reactive PR
Reactive PR gives brands several ways to join conversations:
- Newsjacking: Offer unique insight or put a fun twist on a breaking news story (e.g. Virgin Holidays celebrating the passing of the same-sex marriage bill in the UK with a well-timed ad.)
- Trend-jacking: Tap into a social media trend or pop culture moment (e.g. IKEA renaming its glass water bottle Cristiano when a clip of Cristiano Ronaldo choosing water over Coca-Cola went viral.)
- Expert commentary: Share expert opinions on a significant industry trend or development (e.g. A sleep expert at a luxury bed retailer providing tips on how to sleep well during a heatwave.)
Benefits of Reactive PR for Link Building
UK demand for Reactive PR increased by 29% in 2023, proving that the tactic can be incredibly effective.
The results usually speak for themselves:
- Increased domain authority: Search engines interpret high-authority websites linking to you as a sign that your site is relevant, so you rank higher in search results.
- Enhanced credibility: Contributing to timely conversations positions you as a credible source of information, which builds trust.
- Visibility gains: Reactive PR has the potential to go viral, reaching audiences you wouldn’t be able to influence by other means.
- Cost-effective link building: Seizing organic opportunities costs less than putting together a lengthy company and can still yield a high return on investment.
How to Identify Opportunities for Reactive PR
Reactive PR involves significant research on the brand’s part. By using appropriate tools, you make your job easier.
Monitor News and Trends
Brands that want to excel at reactive PR have to stay on top of trends 24/7.
As timing is everything, real-time tracking makes a world of difference. If you put out your content too late, consumers will no longer be interested.
In the information overload era, collective attention declines at an accelerated rate.
Research found that popular Twitter hashtags remained in the top 50 for an average of 17.5 hours in 2013. By 2016, that number dropped to 11.9.
The faster you respond, the more traction your story will gain.
In other words, brands should pay attention to news and social media alike.
You can enable notifications on Google Alerts, Feedly, or news apps. That way, you’re always caught up on breaking stories.
At the same time, social media monitoring tools allow you to identify trending topics and see what type of content consumers engage with.
Chances are you already use a tool like Brandwatch, Hootsuite, or Sprout Social, so make the most of it.
Analyse Industry-Specific Developments
Not every breaking topic will fit your narrative.
Best case scenario, the trend you react to already aligns with your brand identity. Otherwise, your response can confuse fans.
Burger King UK faced backlash when it sent out a provocative tweet stating that “women belong in the kitchen” on International Women’s Day.
While the company was trying to highlight the low number of female chefs in the restaurant industry, many followers accused them of using sexism as clickbait.
The story was relevant to Burger Kind’s niche, but the presentation didn’t stay true to their values.
Companies that want to engage in reactive PR should focus on content that resonates with their existing audience first, potential customers second.
Tools like Google Trends help you see what topics are gaining momentum, and Exploding Topics helps you spot emerging trends before they hit the mainstream.
That gives you a little time to double-check your content for authenticity.
Evaluate Competitor Activities
Keeping an eye on your competitors helps you spot opportunities they’re actively ignoring.
You can start by monitoring their reactive PR efforts via platforms like Ahrefs or SEMrush.
See how they earn links and respond to trending topics. Are there areas where they’re falling short?
If that’s the case, take action. Come up with a fresh perspective, put out better content, or fill in the gap with your knowledge.
Let’s say there’s breaking industry news, and a competitor landed coverage in a high authority outlet.
Once you read the piece, however, you realise they provided a bland quote that doesn’t add much to the conversation.
Not only that, but you have additional data that might be useful and multimedia content that fits the story.
You can approach the journalist to offer an update on their article. Or, pitch a rival publication.
Remember that Digital PR isn’t about doing what everyone else is doing. It’s about getting ahead.
Implementation Steps for Reactive PR Link Building
Reactive PR can lead to extensive coverage.
A Squid Game-inspired Vans campaign, for example, landed over 600 media placements in 24 hours. That’s a lot of quality backlinks.
To reap the benefits, though, you have to do it right.
Develop a Quick Response System
When news breaks, your brand needs to brainstorm responses quickly.
If you have the resources, a reactive PR team will speed up content creation. Keeping them in-house means they’re already familiar with your voice and values.
Additionally, consider creating pre-approved templates for different types of responses. Collaborative tools such as Trello, Asana, Google Docs, and Canva can streamline the workflow.
You can also assign stakeholders areas of expertise, so they’re available to comment on emerging trends at a moment’s notice.
The idea is to make the approval process as effective as possible. In the world of reactive PR, waiting days for higher-ups to vet responses works against you.
Create Valuable Content
Generic responses won’t get you far. To secure media coverage, enrich the discourse.
Your content is what ultimately sways others to link back to you. When it adds value, the odds are in your favour.
Perhaps you help the public solve a problem. Or, you have a relevant internal study to share. 68% of journalists prefer angles that include original research.
Companies can also improve engagement by packaging reactive PR responses in an appealing way.
Data is easily digestible in infographic form, for instance. Similarly, if you only want to hit a couple of points, a short video is more likely to draw attention than plain text.
Outreach and Distribution
How you get your content out also matters.
Pitching newsworthy stories directly to journalists is more lucrative than using your own channels. The media likes exclusive content, so they might jump to cover it.
Platforms like Muck Rack allow you to identify contacts that align with your topic.
Once you have a list, send them a personalised message explaining how your story taps into current trends.
For expert opinions, follow the #journorequest hashtag on X or try Qwoted, a service that connects media with experts. Reporters often seek specialists to help them with background on developing stories, so you may find opportunities there.
Measure Success
Reactive PR can seem like a game of trial and error. In truth, measuring impact helps you refine your approach.
Tracking performance metrics like backlinks and referral traffic gives you insight into whether your efforts pay off.
When your tactics fail, you know what doesn’t work and can do better in the future.
Google Analytics gives you access to a plethora of information about how users navigate your website and who sends them your way.
You can also measure social media engagement to gauge consumer interest.
In short, feedback lets you secure even more links next time around.
Final Word
Reactive PR is a cost-effective way to boost your brand’s online presence.
Quick responses to trending topics have the potential to earn media placements, which impact SEO for the better.
As long as you capitalise on pertinent opportunities, your brand will gain a hefty Digital PR edge. In competitive industries, that’s key to standing out.
