Living a healthy life has become more popular, with fitness and exercise taking some spotlights. So, if you're a personal trainer offering services either in-person or online, you stand to make a good living. However, you will need to do some marketing to attract clients, one effective way to do this is through newsjacking fitness articles.
Newsjacking refers to a public relations strategy that involves leveraging existing news to gain attention in social or traditional media. It is the blend of the words "news" and "hijacking" and was popularised in David Meerman Scott's book on Newsjacking.
This fitness writing strategy is beneficial because it can help you advertise, using information from a source that is generally perceived as credible and allows you to be a part of a larger conversation. It's also free, and you will get organic traffic and increased reach.
Let's look at the best steps to include newsjacking posts in your content marketing strategy.
Step 1. Subscribe to news feeds
The whole point of newsjacking is piggybacking on media articles to promote your brand. Subscribing to such news feeds gives you simple access to a lot of media. Additionally, by subscribing, you get notified as soon as they post, allowing you to give your opinion on the matter as quickly as possible. One of the reputable sources that share the latest publications in science, including fitness, nutrition and more is Science Daily. You can set notifications through Google if you'd like to hear more about specific topics or from specific news outlets through your phone.Step 2. Check the news regularly
Another way to stay in the know of fitness news is to keep an eye on your local news platforms and major outlets like BBC, ABC, NBC or The Huffington Post. When something fitness and health-related hits the major news outlets, that news will be discussed everywhere for sure. Take this article recently published by the BBC on weight loss jabs' recommended through the NHS. We've already seen many fitness professionals posting on the topic.Newsjacking also involves having excellent timing. And the best time a news item has traction is when it's first released. Therefore, you should check the news regularly to stay on the wave. If at least two of your chosen news outlets pick up the story, then it means it has some interest.
The best time to create content through newsjacking is right before the news reaches its peak. This establishes your business as being current. Ideally, checking every day is recommended, but you can also choose to do this a couple of times a week at least.
Step 3. Form your take on the story
When writing a blog or social media content for your business, you should come across as an expert. That means copy and pasting from other sources won't do your fitness business any good, and it'll negatively impact your website's ranking when that happens in an article.Newsjacking should be used as the foot in the door, allowing you to get your own opinion out. This requires developing strategic messages that contribute to the overall conversation. That means you should have an idea of your business' point of view on different topics, issues or trends. It is easier to develop content fast if you have a clear stance on general topics so you're one of the first to have something out.
Step 4. Decide what content you'd like to create
Diversity when creating content is necessary to keep your audience engaged. Not all topics require blog articles or elaborate think pieces. Sometimes a simple social media post will do for your audience on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn, and it might be a good idea to report on it via email too.A blog article will work best if the news item you're newsjacking requires an in-depth explanation or answers to pertinent questions. On the other hand, if you're newsjacking a trendy topic, then a relatable social media post will be good enough, and you might not need extensive content on this.
The best way to succeed at newsjacking will be to master balance and tone of voice. There's a likelihood to be enthused about breaking news and hence not paying attention to specific details. However, the details are what make or break your content. So, make sure you're conveying the information to your audience so that they can understand and relate to it.
Step 5. Get to work
Once you know the type of content you'd like to deliver, consider each type's unique structural and material aspects. Regardless of the platform, you'd like to start your post by introducing the news and its material, somewhat explaining to your audience why you think it's a relevant topic to discuss. Then you can provide an overview of what the news entails and what you think about it. Feel free to close with either a conclusion or a question asking your audience to share their opinion.When writing a blog, feel free to be generous with the words but aim for substance. Feel free to give it some context by telling a personal story or a client. In a social media post, you would like to be more succinct to engage your audience and encourage them to interact. If your post is too long, they may not have the time or capacity to read it all and comment as well.
From a style point of view, just be yourself, try not to be boring, include fascinating facts to keep your audience interested in you and establish you as an authority in your field. Aside from that, anticipate and respond to questions that the news outlet hasn't answered.
Step 6. Start promoting
Once you've gone through the steps above, promoting will be the final one. Be sure to go through your work to ensure you are putting out quality content. Publish all your content on your platform, whether a website or social media, leveraging various tools that help your audience find you.Whether it's an email, a social media post or a blog, focus on the main keywords they've used in the article and include them in your titles as well. Newsjacking involves some level of speed so try to make the time between the news post and your post as short as possible.
