Creating content about trending and news-related topics is so difficult because these topics are always the ones that get covered the most. Every media outlet out there hops on the bandwagon as the next fashion trend or latest development in the White House starts making headlines.
So, how do you stand out?
Odyssey is not a place readers normally go for news content because they're used to getting that from the big-name, traditional media outlets with established reputations for great news content.
But you have an advantage that journalists at The New York Times and Politico don't have. You're relatable.
When you see a story from The New York Times on social media and start reading, it's not because you identify with the author. You probably won't even read the byline, because you don't care who wrote it. It's from The New York Times. You know it's going to be a high-quality piece of content.
You can create great news or trend-related content, but you can't write like a reporter and expect to see a lot of engagement.
You have to tell your story from your perspective, and your perspective needs to be the cornerstone of the story itself.
Example: Imagine that you're a college student, raised in the United States, who is a child of immigrants. You want to create something about Trump's immigration policy. You can write a brilliant article about this issue, but if you don't speak to how your identity as the child of immigrants is affected, you aren't using your unique perspective to make the content stand out.
Your audience wants to connect with you, not learn the ins and outs of Trump's immigration plan.
More Examples:
Covering trending topics and national news through the lens of your unique perspective will capture your reader's attention and give people who identify with you a reason to click on (and read) your content.
Don't forget about your local community, either. In some cases, our creators have broken local news stories that then get picked up by larger outlets.
Claire at the University of New Hampshire took issue with her university spending the $1M gift of a deceased alum on a new football scoreboard when his passion and vocation was for the school library.
Tiffany at Murfreesboro, TN pointed out the hypocrisy of her local mall setting up a play area for children, but enforcing security rules that required parents to keep their children quiet while in these play areas.
The formula for a brilliant piece of news or trend-related content goes like this:
1. First, pick a topic that you're interested in creating content about. It could be something that happened in the news, politics, pop culture, anything that people are currently buzzing about on social media.
2. Next, draw overlap between your topic of choice and how you or people like you are affected by it.
3. Give your reader a very brief overview of the topic at hand, and then dive into what it means to your target audience. This should be the focus of your content. The "what" is necessary, but this should never be your focus. You need to focus on the "why" people should care, and "how" it affects the people you want to reach.
