Create Your Own Topic in Organic

Resident conversations move fast—and Custom Topics help you keep up. Whether you’re responding to a breaking issue, preparing for a major initiative, or tracking community feedback on an ongoing policy area, creating a Topic lets you instantly surface just the parts of the conversation that matter most.

Previously, this functionality lived in a separate section of the platform called Projects, which provided dedicated dashboards for individual issues. Now, Custom Topics bring that same power directly into your main dashboard, allowing you to quickly apply and manage filters without needing to navigate somewhere else.

How to Start Creating Your Topic

You can create a Topic at any time in the Organic dashboard. Launching your Topic is easy, with several options for generation. 

To get started, make sure to you in the Organic dashboard. Then:

1. Click "Take Action" in the top right corner of your dashboard’s Summary tab

2. Click "Create a Topic"

You will be taken next to a screen that presents your topic creation options - using our AI tool, creating from scratch, starting from a template, or requesting assistance. 

Let's dig further into each of these options.

1. Use Smart Topics (AI-Powered)

Let Zencity’s AI help you create a topic based on your description and suggested keywords. This is ideal when you want help identifying relevant content—even when it doesn’t use exact language.

To create a Smart Topic:

1. 1. Click Take Action > Create a Topic

2. Choose Create Using AI

3. In the builder:

   • Enter a Topic Name (max 80 characters)

   • Select a Date Range (or choose “Ongoing”)

   • Add a Topic Description to tell the AI what this topic is about

   • Enter a few Related Keywords to help fine-tune results

   • Leave the Relevance Score at the default (3.67) or adjust it to change how strict the match is

4. Click Create

The topic will automatically scan all new and historical items in your dashboard. You can view relevance scores for each item by hovering over the topic tag. To learn more, check out this article about Smart Topic best practices.

2. Build From Scratch (Manual Setup)

This method gives you full control over the filters you use—great for when you know exactly what keywords or sources you want to include.

To build a Custom Topic from scratch:

1. Click Take Action > Create a Topic

2. Choose Build From Scratch

3. Select the type of filter you want to add:

   • Keyword: Specific terms or phrases

   • Topic: Choose from predefined Zencity topic categories

   • Channel: Filter by platforms like Twitter, Facebook, etc.

   • Source: Focus on specific sources (like local news sites or official channels)

4. Add rules or rule groups to refine your search

5. Use the preview pane to confirm you’re capturing relevant items

6. When you’re satisfied, click Continue

7. Enter final details:

   • Topic Name

   • Date Range

   • Optional image or icon

8. Click Create Topic

4. Request Help

Use this option if you're not sure how to set up the filters or want a second set of eyes. A Zencity analyst will create a Custom Topic for you based on your needs.

To request help:

1. Click Take Action > Create a Topic

2. Select Request Assistance in the top right corner

3. Fill out the short form with:

   • The issue you want to track

   • Any keywords or phrases you think are relevant

   • Timeframe or urgency, if applicable

4. Submit the form—your Customer Support team will follow up once the topic is ready

Tips for Creating Effective Topics

• Be Specific: Whether using keywords or AI, clarity helps capture the right content

• Use Synonyms: Include variations in how residents might talk about the issue

• Start Simple: You can always refine your topic after it’s created

• Preview Results: Use the live preview to make sure you're capturing the conversation you want