With the amount of content from all sides, it’s hard to know where to look or what to pay attention to. That’s why it’s becoming more difficult for content creators to stand out from the crowd. This is especially true for businesses and organizations that are trying to reach their intended audience with their marketing messages.
To break through the clutter and get noticed, businesses need to create content that’s truly newsworthy and relevant to their audience.
In this article, we’ll discuss the key elements of newsworthy content and provide tips on how to create content that’s more likely to be shared, liked, and covered by the media.
What makes content newsworthy?
To create content that gets attention, you need to know what makes a story worth telling. Newsworthy content is information or stories that are interesting, important, and valuable to many people. These are the stories that journalists and readers want to share and talk about.
Let’s take a closer look at the key elements of newsworthiness.
Element #1: Is it timely?
News is, by nature, current. Stories that are recent, addressing current events or issues, are more likely to be considered newsworthy.
For example, think about a news report on a major sporting event. It’s interesting because it’s happening right now, and people want to know the latest scores and updates. But if you were to report on the same event a month later, it wouldn’t matter and be as exciting because it’s not current anymore.
Element #2: Is it significant?
Significant stories carry weight and importance. They often affect a number of people or cause important changes. Significant content usually deals with important things in society, big discoveries in science, or important political events. These big news get people’s attention because they talk about issues or events that can make a big difference in their world or in their lives.
Element #3 Is it nearby?
People are naturally more interested in proximity stories, which are events that are close to them or affect their daily lives. For instance, if you live in a particular area, you’d find news about your town more interesting because it’s directly relevant to you.
This principle also applies to businesses and marketing. If you have a local business, it makes sense to create content that’s related to your city or region. Your local customers are more likely to engage with content that directly affects their lives or is about their community.
Element #4: Is there conflict?
Stories that involve arguments, disputes, or controversies are interesting because they create drama and make people curious about how things will turn out. It’s a bit like watching an exciting movie or a thrilling sports game where you’re eager to see who wins.
In marketing, you can also use conflict in a way that doesn’t cause unnecessary problems. It can mean showing how your product or service solves a common issue or stands out in a crowded market. By talking about conflicts or challenges, you can make your content more interesting and relatable to your audience.
Element #5: Is there human interest?
Human interest stories are about the emotional and relatable parts of an event or situation. They aim to touch people’s hearts and make them feel a personal connection. These stories can be heartwarming, inspiring, or even sad, but they all try to make the everyday person feel strong emotions.
Element #6: Is there prominent?
Featuring someone prominent in your content is a key factor in making it a newsworthy story. When we talk about someone being “prominent,” we mean that they are well-known, influential, or famous in their field.
For example, members of the Kardashian family are widely recognized celebrities, and any news related to them tends to grab attention. So, if your content involves prominent people, whether it’s politicians, local celebrities, or even someone notorious, it automatically becomes more newsworthy because people are interested in what they have to say or do.
Element #7: Is it unique?
Uniqueness is the final element of newsworthiness. Aside from recent events, stories that present fresh perspectives, innovative solutions, or unconventional ideas stand out in a crowded media landscape. They pique curiosity and intrigue readers.
Why is it important to create newsworthy content?
In a world where there’s too much information, only newsworthy content can break through the noise and make a lasting impression. Newsworthy content not only helps you reach more people but also makes your brand more credible and trustworthy.
It can lead to more visibility, engagement, and coverage by journalists, which can ultimately drive traffic, build trust, and help you achieve your communication goals.
Tips for creating newsworthy content
Write strong headlines
If you want your content to be read, it must have an attention-grabbing, “OMG, I have to read this!” headline. It’s debatable whether Buzzfeed and Upworthy publish newsworthy content, but they’re definitely masters at writing headlines that you can’t help but click on.
Use this formula to write a strong headline: Number or trigger word + adjective + keyword + promise
Compile facts and statistics
Using facts and statistics in your news story can give it more significance and make it more engaging. For instance, if you’re writing about climate change, you can mention statistics, like the increase in global temperatures or the rise in natural disasters. This adds credibility to your content and helps it relate to trending topics.
Conduct your own survey or study
Yes, this is a little more work than curating statistics that are already out there, but it can build a mind-blowing amount of brand awareness for your small business. Whether it’s a survey of what people think, a study on a particular topic, or your research, this can establish you as an authority and attract media coverage. Just be sure to get a large enough sample of data to ensure the result can stand on its own two feet.
Publish thought leadership reports
Put yourself out there and plant a stake in the ground on the topics you know a lot about. You could predict or report on trends that are emerging. You could share a trail-blazing new idea you’ve been mulling. You could fight for a cause you believe in.
Tell compelling human-interest stories
Weaving a captivating narrative into your news story can make it more memorable and engaging. This often means sharing stories of real people, their experiences, or their achievements. Stories like these are often considered human interest stories because they touch on the human side of things.
Common mistakes to avoid when writing a news story
1: Focusing on personal opinions or beliefs instead of objective facts
One of the most significant mistakes to avoid is letting personal opinions or biases creep into your writing. News is meant to inform, not persuade, and injecting your own beliefs can undermine the trust of your readers. Stick to the facts, and if you want to express your opinion, save it for an opinion or editorial piece.
2: Using sensationalized language or making exaggerated claims
Using sensational language to grab attention may get people interested, but it can make your news story less accurate and fair. Making big claims or using overly dramatic words can make readers question the truth of your story. People count on the news to give them trustworthy information, so it’s important to keep a calm and fair tone in your news story.
3: Failing to provide evidence to support their claims
Credibility is based on proof. If you say something in your content, it’s vital to back it up with trustworthy evidence. This evidence can come from studies, experts, numbers, or real-life examples. If you don’t do this, your content becomes open to doubt, and readers might see it as just an opinion. So, always include the right sources to support what you’re saying.
4: Writing in a complex or jargon-filled style
A big mistake in creating content is writing in a way that’s too complicated or filled with fancy words. Your goal should be to communicate well and connect with as many people as possible. When you use overly complicated language, it can push readers away and make them less interested in what you’re saying.
Instead, aim for clear and simple writing. When dealing with complex ideas, try to explain them so that most people can get it, and don’t use a lot of technical words unless your readers know them well.
Make your content heard
Your content strategy should include a mix of different content types like blogs, videos, guides, and more to engage your intended audience. However, if you want to take your brand to the next level, it’s essential to create newsworthy content. Newsworthy content has the potential to elevate brand awareness and recognition while also boosting your brand’s visibility, especially within your local community.
Consider the tips above and you’ll be well on your way to achieving greater success in your marketing and communication efforts. And with the right hosting partner to launch your blog or website, you’ll be driving clicks and readers in no time.
