Are you one of those people? You know what I’m talking about. First thing in the morning you sit down with a cup of coffee in one hand and a tablet computer in the other to explore the web for intriguing topics. Good news, I am a superhero in the world of content writing services, in my own mind, as well, and can help. Consider thought inspiring tools the morning person in you will love.
Alltop
Alltop has one purpose – to tell you what’s happening in any industry that interests you. This online program searches through the headlines collecting trending stories and compartmentalizing them into individual web pages. I entered into the mighty search tool the keyword “infographics” and got:
- Announcing the Information is Beautiful Awards 2015
- The Psychology of Colors in Marketing
- The Art of Color Coordination
All potential resources for blogs down the road. Alltop is not only free to use but fast and efficient, too. It keeps track of your recent searches, so you can revisit them or avoid redundancies.
Flipboard is a lot like Alltop, but more visual. Flipboard markets itself as an online magazine that you customize to cover topics that matter. The program organizes different magazines based on general topics you pick when you sign up for a free account. You can also enter search phrases or just read through the established categories like news, health, politics and lifestyle.
Flipboard is a good option if you are working with a touchscreen, because you “flip” the pages with your finger just like a print magazine. It will work on a mouse-driven computer, as well, but tends to drag. It is not as easy to navigate as Alltop, but if you like pretty pictures with your words; it is a must-have resource.
On Flipboard, the search for “infographics” brought up:
- Instagram Tips: 25 Ways to Get Loads of Highly Engaged Followers
- Hidden Features for Facebook, Google+, Twitter Linkedin
Good reads, but maybe not quite as focused.
Topsy
Topsy is a social media analytics tool that works in the Twitterverse. You type in a search topic like, you guessed it, “infographics.” It searches for relevant tweets, many of which link to blog posts that fit the subject. Here is what I saw:
- The Best Infographics Of 2015 And Why We Can’t Stop Looking At Them
- How To Optimize Infographics For Search And Social Media
- How to Create an Infographic in Under an Hour
Those are all great topics to research further. Topsy also offers:
- Links
- Photos
- Videos
- Influencers
Any one of these three tools will keep you abreast of trending topics no matter what interests you. Whether you really love a good infographic, need to research topics related to a niche industry, are looking for inspiration for your next project or just want to keep up on the news, they will get you there. Personally, I like to think of them as brain food because coffee and a muffin are not enough to get me going in the morning.
Darla F is a full time freelance writer published internationally and an award-winning author.
