4 Tips to Develop Engaging Story Ideas

“That’s a story idea,” I would often think as a general assignment newspaper reporter and editor.

So many of my friends’ and family’s stories about lively debates at their jobs, old friends they ran into or the TV shows they were obsessed with would often lead to an article idea relevant and interesting to our local community.

But as a magazine editor and writer focused on very specific segments of the population (or as a TMG staffer trying to think of a new blog post), it can sometimes feel like a snipe hunt to find a unique and enticing new content idea for our readers.

So, when I’m stuck with the same-old ideas or I hear only crickets in my head, I rely on a few techniques and mine a few go-to sources to trigger content ideas that sing.

Here are four paths to develop creative and engaging content ideas for your magazine or website: 

1. Think of Facebook as a news aggregator.

Whether you’re browsing your organization Facebook feed or your personal wall, your friends and followers often link to news articles they found interesting. The links posted on your organization page will likely be relevant to your readers.

What is the nugget in that article that a reader found interesting, and how can you use that as a springboard to develop a content idea?

And while your friends’ Facebook links may not relate to your job, they are what people are talking about. What is happening in the world’s news or pop culture that has the masses buzzing? How does that relate to your organization?

2. Study your website’s keyword analytics.

Editors should have access to their website’s analytics not only to see how many page views the site receives, but to discover what content people are looking for. The “keyword” listing will show you what words people used to find your site and what topics they’re searching for.

Be sure you have articles on your site that focus on your leading keywords—not only because it will increase your page views but because these are the topics your audience is clamoring for.

Examine the leading keywords to see if they fall into certain categories. If more people are asking for information related to “health research,” make sure you develop article ideas focused on that category.

3. Follow relevant blogs.

Set up RSS feeds or a search list in Google Reader to follow bloggers relevant to your industry. Pick a set time, maybe every Friday afternoon or first thing on Tuesdays, to catch up with that week’s blog posts. Read the comments, too, to find out what the trends and latest debates are.

I’m a fan of The New York Times’ Well blog for health and The Wall Street Journal’s The Juggle for societal trends. For media, I peruse Nieman Journalism Lab and the Romenesko page of the Poynter Institute. And, I read Nieman Storyboard to be inspired by great writing.

4. Listen to your family.

Just as I did in my newspaper days, I use my family and friends. In everyday conversations with my parents, my spouse or relatives—all of whom work in drastically different fields than I do—I listen for their take on the world, what is interesting to them and their friends, what they’re chatting about during work breaks.

What do those conversations and lively work debates have in common with my industry? Even if the answer initially seems like “nothing,” trying to develop a story idea from a story I heard sparks creativity and energizes that part of the brain that was chirping crickets a minute ago.

How do you develop new ideas for fresh and engaging content?

[image: crazyeddie]