Stories are not difficult to find.

The real challenge is scouring the social landscape for good stories.

While there is no shortage of content being produced and shared, the notion of storytelling has evolved to meet the consumer expectations for quality stories. Focusing on a clear beginning, middle and end, traditional storytelling structures to share messages depend on the key attributes comprising the standard formation of a story. However, in today’s interconnected world, it is not enough to simply rely on traditional storytelling strategy–readers expect demand more.

Since consumers are selective with what content to pay attention to, perception of what constitutes a good story varies significantly depending on the audience. In this way, what one individual regards as a quality story might be viewed very differently in the eyes of another. While it may be tricky to get the content in front of the right eyeballs, identifying the right target audience is key to understanding if a particular story is relevant and of any interest or appeal.

Engaging and compelling storytelling is just as important as the content itself. Content that is worth reading ultimately are the stories that are worth sharing. By captivating an audience with clear messaging, good stories have the power to demand an actionable response from the reader, even if only in terms of a desire to share the information.

A good story depends on knowledgeable and trustworthy content that effectively contributes value to the open marketplace of ideas. Valuable content can come in a number of forms—from stories that instill a sense of inspiration or entertainment to stories that serve as a vehicle to promote awareness about causes and brands.

Utilizing modern tactics to engage its readers, writers for the New York Times are generally considered the front runners who help in determining trends. In this way, the article “The New Shelter Dog” highlights several best practices in order to strategically position the content within the digital sphere. With a visually attractive layout for the page, the content almost seems to jump off of the page in an attempt to pull the reader in to read more. Highlighting a clearly defined message, the story serves as an engaging way to draw readers in to learn more. In this way, the author recognizes the value of concise wording to convey the point of the story. Through engaging and compelling messaging, the article offers insight into the truth behind shelter dogs and common misconceptions surrounding rescue animals. A good story answers some questions while posing new questions to consider.

Since Buzzfeed has become a primary outlet for Millennials seeking access to new content and information, it is only fitting to allot some praise for the writers at Buzzfeed who effectively captivate an immense audience. Among the wealth of newsworthy and human interest stories, Buzzfeed does not limit itself to providing coverage based on narrow and limiting parameters. In this way, an article titled “This Is What Living With Schizophrenia is Really Like,” which highlights conversations among individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia about the importance  of destigmatizing the condition. It is through this approach that Buzzfeed has enabled individuals to raise their own personal level of awareness in regards to a variety of different issues and topics.

The reality is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes constructing a good story. At the core of any good story is the gusto and passion to drive the main point home.