Storyboards are a great way for approved curators to package related stories into lists, roundups and deep dives. 

Unlike Flipboard Magazines, which are designed for ongoing curation, Storyboards are finite, definitive collections that can be shared on and off Flipboard to reach new audiences, strategically drive traffic to stories (including archival and evergreen ones), and gain new followers. 

Currently, the Storyboard tool is only available to Flipboard’s publishing partners, approved members of our creator community, and some legacy curators. 

With great power comes great responsibility, so if you have access, it’s really important to follow our best practices and the spirit in which the tool was developed. Our team also uses these guidelines as we look for Storyboards to feature in the app, via email campaigns and in our social programming.

We reserve the right to revoke Storyboard access for any publisher or curator who consistently violates these guidelines. 

1. Curate only the highest quality content

• Well-written stories with a unique POV
• Original work only, including photography and recipes
• Minimal AI assistance and/or AI usage disclosed

2. Make sure there’s enough content

• Use a minimum of five items in a Storyboard. This is so the experience is meaty enough for anyone who encounters the collection.
• If curating more than 10 items, consider using sections to order the content and make it easier to browse. (Note: each section can hold up to 10 items.) Here’s a good example of what this looks like.

3. Give your Storyboard a proper title, introduction and cover image

• Do not repeat an article’s name as the Storyboard’s title. This is not only repetitive and bad for SEO, but also it can confuse the reader about what’s in the Storyboard. 
• Do not resort to clickbaity or offtopic titles.
• Use the title and full description (up to 500 characters) to tell the reader what’s in the collection. This helps to set expectations and invites readers to explore more.
• Add relevant keywords to the description to increase discoverability.
• Select a main image that’s related to the Storyboard’s overall theme, not just a single article.
• Ensure each item in the Storyboard supports the stated theme and description.

4. Select relevant topic tags

• We recommend selecting topics that the system has generated to reach the largest audience for your collection.
• If these miss the mark, feel free to search for topic tags that are more relevant. 
• Be sure to use all five topic tags (max) to take advantage of the system.

We’ve seen some great Storyboards that embody many of these guidelines. Here are some best-in-class examples:

• Everything You Need for a Robust Cup of Coffee by CNN Underscored
• Favorite Apps for Photographers and How to Use Them by Anete Lusina
• Pixels and Places: The Craft of Travel Photography by Sidewalk Safari
• How to Feel Better by The Culture Desk
• The Biggest Culprits of Overspending — and How to Change Your Habits by Nicole Spector
• Digital Divinity: Ancient Traditions Meet Modern Technology by Rest of World

We hope all these tips and examples help you make the most out of Flipboard’s Storyboard tool, both as a curator and as a reader.

Thanks for keeping up with all the Flipboard and fediverse news through our blog. You can download the Flipboard app in the App Store and Google Play Store for free. Personalize it for the stories you’re interested in and curate your favorite articles, videos and podcasts into your own Flipboard Magazines.