Creating and Managing Topics

Topics are the foundation of Crowdynews. They define what content to collect, from which sources, and how to filter it automatically. This guide covers everything you need to know about creating, configuring, and managing topics effectively.

What is a Topic?

A topic is a collection configuration that:

Aggregates content from multiple sources (YouTube, RSS, Twitter, Instagram)
Applies automatic filtering based on your criteria
Feeds content into a corresponding queue for manual curation
Provides data for widgets and API access

---
config:
  look: handDrawn
---
flowchart TD
    A["🎯 Topic
    - Content Configuration"] --> B["📡 Sources
    - YouTube
    - RSS
    - Twitter
    - Instagram"]
    B --> C["🔍 Filters
    - Date
    - Regex
    - Author Whitelist"]
    C --> D["📋 Queue
    - Pin
    - Hide
    - Reorder"]
    D --> E["🎨 Widgets
    - Embed Anywhere"]

    A -.-> F["📊 API Access"]
    D -.-> F

Creating a New Topic

Navigate to Topics

From the main dashboard, click “Topics” in the navigation menu and use the “Create New” button.
Topic Basic Information

Provide essential details for your topic:
- Name: Descriptive name for easy identification
- Description: Optional detailed description
Configure Sources

Navigate to “Bulk Import” tab and add one or more content sources to your topic. Each source type has specific configuration options. This is an optional step and you can add sources later.
Configure Filters

Navigate to “Filters” tab and configure filters to automatically curate content. This is an optional step and you can add filters later.
Configure Whitelist Filters

Navigate to “Whitelist Filters” tab and configure whitelist filters. This is an optional step and you can add whitelist filters later.

Content Sources

YouTube Sources

Configure YouTube content aggregation:

Channel-based Collection:

Channel URL: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_CHANNEL_ID

Video-based Collection:

Video IDs: dQw4w9WgXcQ, jNQXAC9IVRw

Placeholder: YouTube source configuration interface

RSS Feed Sources

Add RSS feeds from blogs, news sites, or any RSS-compatible source:

Feed URL: https://example.com/rss.xml

Supported Feed Types:

RSS 2.0
Atom 1.0
JSON Feed

Placeholder: RSS source configuration interface

Twitter Sources

Collect tweets from specific users or hashtags:

User-based Collection:

Username: @elonmusk

Hashtag-based Collection:

Hashtag: #spacex

Placeholder: Twitter source configuration interface

Instagram Sources

Aggregate Instagram posts from users or hashtags:

User-based Collection:

Username: @natgeo

Hashtag-based Collection:

Hashtag: #photography

Placeholder: Instagram source configuration interface

Smart Filtering

Automatic filtering helps you curate content without manual intervention. Configure filters to ensure only relevant content appears in your queue.

Date Filtering

Control content freshness:

Date Filter Configuration Placeholder: Date filter interface with time range options

Options:

Last 24 hours
Last 7 days
Last 30 days
Custom date range
No date filtering

Title and Text Filtering

Use regex patterns to include or exclude content based on titles and text content:

Include Patterns (Whitelist):

(AI|artificial intelligence|machine learning)

Exclude Patterns (Blacklist):

(advertisement|sponsored|promo)

Text Filter Configuration Placeholder: Text filtering interface with regex input fields

Author/Username Filtering

Filter content based on the author or username:

Whitelist Authors:

author1, @user2, specific_username

Blacklist Authors:

spammer1, @advertiser, bot_account

Author Filter Configuration Placeholder: Author filtering interface with whitelist/blacklist fields

Managing Existing Topics

Editing Topics

Access Topic Settings

Click the settings icon next to any topic in your dashboard.

Placeholder: Topic list with settings icons
Modify Configuration

Update sources, filters, or basic information as needed.

Placeholder: Topic editing interface
Save Changes

Changes take effect immediately and will apply to new content collection.

Topic Analytics

Monitor your topic performance:

Topic Analytics Placeholder: Analytics dashboard showing content collection metrics

Key Metrics:

Content items collected
Items filtered out
Collection frequency
Source performance

Duplicating Topics

Create similar topics quickly by duplicating existing configurations:

Click “Duplicate” on any existing topic
Modify the duplicated configuration
Save as a new topic

Best Practices

Source Diversity

Mix different source types for richer content variety. Combine RSS feeds with social media for comprehensive coverage.

Smart Filtering

Start with broad filters and refine based on actual content. Monitor filter effectiveness regularly.

Regular Monitoring

Check topic performance weekly. Adjust sources and filters based on content quality and relevance.

Clear Naming

Use descriptive topic names that indicate purpose and content scope. This helps with organization as you scale.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

No Content Appearing:

Verify source URLs are accessible
Check if filters are too restrictive
Ensure sources are actively publishing content

Too Much Irrelevant Content:

Refine your filtering criteria
Add more specific exclude patterns
Consider using date filters to focus on recent content

Source Connection Errors:

Verify RSS feed URLs are valid
Check if social media accounts are public
Ensure proper permissions for API access

Advanced Features

Webhook Integration

Set up webhooks to receive notifications when new content is collected:

{
  "webhook_url": "https://your-site.com/webhook",
  "events": ["content_added", "filter_matched"]
}

Custom Metadata

Add custom metadata to topics for advanced organization:

{
  "priority": "high",
  "category": "technology",
  "target_audience": "developers"
}

Ready to organize your content? Learn how to manage queues or explore widget creation.