HowStuffWorks.com started in 1998 as a collection of articles about everything from refrigerators to electromagnets, with each article crafted by North Carolina State University professor Marshall Brain. Today, HowStuffWorks.com is a world-renowned brand and wholly owned subsidiary of Discovery Communications. Editor-in-Chief Conal Byrne kindly talked with me about the importance of well-crafted content and his effort to lead HowStuffWorks.com into new topics and media.
Could you give an overview of content creation at HowStuffWorks?
Byrne: We have an editorial team of 40-50 people as well as 30 freelance writers. We are constantly setting the content direction. We also have constant discussions about the editorial voice. We try to include relevant topics, such as how the iPhone 3G works, and cutting-edge topics, such as developing a solar-powered iPhone. About nine months ago, we were acquired by Discovery Communications, and that has really put HowStuffWorks.com into overdrive. Discovery Communications has been nothing but supportive.
You joined HowStuffWorks.com about a year ago. Since you came on board, what direction have you set for content?
Byrne: First, let me say that HowStuffWorks.com is a really respected and entrenched brand for its unbiased, unopinionated content delivered in a very engaging way. This brand is solid, having made the Time top 25 list, won Webbys, and multiple other awards. So I didn’t want to screw that up. At the same time, I wanted to stretch things. I have really focused on making people feel they are reading the best content possible on a topic. Can you make an article on air conditioners engaging and thrilling to read? We think so. We also have added features such as top 10 lists and polls that offer smaller chunks of content for people who have interest in a topic but don’t need as much depth. We’re constantly adding unique topics. Can a battery run on blood? We can tell you. Of course, we also keep Discovery programming on our radar and develop content to back up its efforts, such as Shark Week. Perhaps the biggest change is integrating media such as videos and podcasts, and Discovery’s huge library of footage has brought that to life very quickly.
That’s a huge undertaking. Without revealing all of your secrets, how do you think of topic ideas? What’s important to developing them?
Byrne: Oh it’s no secret. We really try to match user needs and interests with targeted content on our site. Take the election as an example. We anticipate e-voting becoming a hot topic this fall, so we make sure we have great content that explains it. Another example…we realize that people are consuming news at unprecedented levels, but they’re so busy that they don’t have the time to devote to understanding the basics behind it. Why does a hurricane happen? What are the different types of bankruptcy filings? So we began this ‘news behind the news’ initiative that makes people smarter about what’s relevant today. Combine that with covering what’s cutting edge, and that’s how the site succeeds.
Of course, we nail the topics, but the key is getting good writers who are committed to their craft-who are dedicated to the written word-and giving them the space, time, and resources to excel. The result is an article that feels like a human wrote it. Wikipedia [which is written and edited collaboratively by thousands of people] is in a sense the opposite. It’s a great model that has its place, but I think the content loses a human connection between the writer and reader. You will never get a stronger product than what you get from a passionate, talented writer covering a topic he or she loves and converting readers to love the topic just as much. I think we’re one of the few places on the web that does just that.
The comparison to Wikipedia is intriguing. Tell me more about that.
Byrne: I think something is going to happen to the Internet in the next few years. We’ve seen the rise of socialized content, social media tools. I think that has its place, but things have gone too far into that direction, and the balance will settle. We’ve forgotten the value of vetted, edited, reliable, and engaging content. There is no substitute. It’s like reality TV vs The Honeymooners or Lost.
I think there is always value in content published selectively and with pride instead of constant volume plays-the sites that put out thousands of small, shallow content bits instead of going deep into a topic and owning it well. A lot of people get consumed by volume. Wikipedia just reached 10 million articles, which is great. But what do those articles feel like? Does anyone really want to read them?
One of our major goals is to show that life is understandable. Another is to show that life is worth understanding. We show that through passion. We get the content out there in a way that makes it a must-read. We want people to leave our site knowing something new-something they didn’t realize they wanted to know but are glad they do. That point is lost on many sites.
You mentioned that integrating media with the articles has been a big push. How do you go about that integration? What does it do for the articles, the HowStuffWorks.com brand, and your readers?
Byrne: Discovery Communications has invested a lot over many years to develop an amazing footage library. Our happiest “problem” is having so many images, videos, and podcasts to offer that the article could be fighting for attention. We are constantly aware of the user experience and want to make sure the integration of video and articles feels seamless and natural. We also review and select media with the same editorial eye that we do articles. We use the article as a starting point, and we strive to integrate media in a way where the sum experience is greater than its parts. Our writers actually review and select the media to be included. If one of our writers has written 30 articles on Google, that writer is an expert on the topic. I want that writer to review and choose our Google images and videos to feature with the articles.
I think this approach is key to our brand. We think a lot about how we compare to Wired, Salon, New York Times, Wikipedia, YouTube, and others. Salon has great editorial, for example. YouTube has some great videos if you can find them. I don’t know anyone else who is doing quite what we’re doing, and that’s exciting.
Could you give some examples?
Byrne: Take a look at How Barack Obama Works and How Sarah Palin Works. Everyone has written about these two, so we really had to think about how we would be different, how we would add to the conversation. So we took our editorial voice-dissecting, unbiased-and went after them. We tried to write about Barack Obama and Sarah Palin as if they were car engines. Then we integrated videos and images of them. And, finally, we tied in other relevant topics and media that only we offer, such as an image gallery of the presidents and an article about how the electoral college works.
You have a background in news journalism. How does that experience compare with your current role? Do you handle content differently?
Byrne: In straight-up news, what’s happening in the world dictates your editorial calendar. And you publish once, then move on. At HowStuffWorks.com, it’s tougher. We have to write about not just the event but everything leading to it and the topics surrounding it. Take the stock market situation. We wrote not just about that but also about liquid assets. We have to create content that can live online for a while, so we strive for “evergreen” content. It’s an interesting challenge. It makes both new content and maintenance of current content hugely important. We have to update articles regularly. We are constantly looking forward and backward. We are always cleaning house and making sure we’re up to snuff.
If you could give only one tip to someone interested in developing a winning content strategy, what would it be?
Byrne: Oh, that’s easy. Make the content matter. Don’t put content up for content’s sake. Make sure it matters to you. Then write that content in a way that shows it’s important. Or make sure your writers care enough about it to show it’s important. Otherwise you’re not adding to the online world; you’re doing what everyone else is and probably doing it worse. Add to the online conversation, don’t just repeat it.
The editors added many more of my articles. I am grateful, though perhaps a bit embarrased. The editors also included an abundance of other excellent reads.