5 Proven Digital PR Tactics to Win During Election Season (and Other Major News Events)

Ever notice how a major news event, like a looming election, can suddenly turn your carefully planned digital PR campaigns into digital crickets? 

Open rates plummet, click-throughs vanish, and responses become scarcer than a bipartisan agreement. It's a common frustration for PR pros, but it doesn't have to be your reality.

Drawing on insights from industry experts and real-world examples, here are five winning tactics to not only survive but thrive during election season (or any other major news cycle that threatens to steal the spotlight).

Tactic 1: Newsjack with Relevance - Connecting Your Brand to the Election Conversation

The key to cutting through the noise is relevance. As Will Hobson, VP of PR at Rise at Seven, suggests, find ways to "lean into the election" where it genuinely suits your brand. 

This is essentially newsjacking, but with a crucial caveat: it has to make sense.

Here's how to pull it off:

1. Brainstorm Connections: Don't be afraid to think outside the box. Tools like Ideamap.ai can help you uncover unexpected links between your industry and the election.

2. Confirm Authority: Before you commit, ask yourself: Can my brand speak to this topic with genuine expertise? As James Brockbank wisely suggests, would you be comfortable being interviewed about it on the news?

3. Create Compelling Content: Once you've identified a relevant angle, develop high-quality content that provides value to your audience.

Examples in Action:

VistaPrint: In 2020, the printing company surveyed 500 small business owners about the election's potential impact. It resonated because their audience IS small business owners.

Trüpp: The HR outsourcing firm created a guide on how the election might impact employment laws. A relevant and helpful guide for HR professionals.

SiteLock: The website security software created "Presidential Candidate Report Cards" that measured their cybersecurity awareness. Clever angle to frame the election conversation around cybersecurity concerns.

TikTok: The social platform had an in-app guide to the 2020 elections. Excellent strategy to help the general public.

Tactic 2: Become the Go-To Expert - Providing Commentary on Election-Related Topics

Journalists are always on the lookout for expert commentary to add depth and credibility to their stories. 

As Bri Godwin, Digital PR Manager at Journey Further, points out, "Identify the trending stories or key election issues where your client can offer valuable insights, and strategically position them as the expert."

Tactic 3: Time Your Pitches Wisely - Understanding the News Cycle

Timing is everything in digital PR. Avoid launching major campaigns right before or during peak election coverage.

Instead, focus on smaller, more targeted efforts that can still gain traction.

Additionally, you’re competing with A LOT of news.

If you still are planning to publish new content and outreach, here’s what you should focus on.

1. Evergreen Topics
With so much noise, it’s likely that anything too news-focused will drown in election news, but you can create content focused on evergreen content.

For instance, if you are a financial product, instead of focusing on how the new candidate will impact finances, you can simply focus on money-saving tips for the fall.

If they go with a different candidate, you’d have to change the post around if you posted about “What happens if Candidate X wins?

2. Post-Election Topics
You can also plan some content around “What to Expect in 2025” or 2026 to have some ready in the wings.

These topics won’t be as competitive (since many companies will also quiet themselves), and you can get links in what is sure to be a less cluttered news cycle.

Tactic 4: Repurpose Existing Content - Maximizing Your Resources

Don't let your existing content gather dust. Look for opportunities to repurpose it in a way that's relevant to the election or other major news events.

As stated earlier, elections are a great chance for brands to go through existing content to refresh, update, and re-evaluate.

For example, you can add some recent stats to a post you wrote some time ago or create a SlideShare or infographic to post on social media.

We are also big fans of updating older posts.

When we worked in the finance and tech industry, this was a common tactic.

For example, for Tax Day, we might have updated several posts from the year prior to give them new legs.

This also signals to Google that you consistently update your content, which is good for ranking.

Tactic 5: Stay Agile and Adapt - Monitoring the Conversation

The news cycle moves at lightning speed, so it's essential to stay agile and adapt your strategy as needed.

Watching the results
Track your results, see what links come through and whether your time pitching has been worth it.

You can monitor the links you or your team have received using tools like Ahrefs.

As a PR, SEO, content creator, or digital marketer, you can see whether your time spent was worth the links you received.

This helps when reflecting during slow times.

It is recommended to reporting and showing progress in a deck.

Be ready to adjust
Events change quickly during an election cycle. With just a few moments’ notice, the discussion around a particular topic can take a complete 180-degree turn, meaning a campaign you had planned and executed perfectly is now entirely irrelevant.

It's essential to be able to shift your strategy or even cancel it altogether.

The Bottom Line:

Elections and other major news events don't have to spell disaster for your digital PR efforts. 

By embracing these five tactics, you can cut through the noise, connect with your audience, and even turn these challenges into opportunities. The key is to be relevant, timely, and adaptable.

To learn more about Middle Media Agency, please visit https://middlemedia.agency/services