A featured story is an article that catches the eye of readers, takes them on a journey and leaves a lasting impression. It can be an in-depth look at a new angle on an ongoing news story or a deep dive into a topic that has long been overlooked or misunderstood. It may even be a first-person piece that highlights a writer’s perspective, experience or opinion.
Feature stories have more storytelling and description than traditional news stories, but they still adhere to the same editorial guidelines that all news articles must follow, including a lead, nut grafs and fact-based ending. They can take the form of a profile or personality feature, a history or seasonal feature or a sidebar or explanatory feature. And they can be told in different formats, from print to video and even interactive.
A good feature story starts with a strong hook, whether it’s a provocative question or a striking image that forces the reader to keep reading. It should also have a clear structure. Drop the reader into a scene, make them feel like they’re witnessing the event for themselves, or pose an intriguing question that will have them reaching for their phones to find answers.
Creating interactive, in-depth features doesn’t have to be time-consuming or costly anymore. Using a tool like Shorthand, you can build exciting and immersive content that incorporates images, data illustrations, videos and social media feeds in minutes—no code required.