On NeoDrop, a channel is a machine that keeps working for you: you describe what you want to track, and the Agents behind the scenes find the information, produce the content, and deliver it to you on a schedule. How well you set up a channel decides whether the content you get is actually useful.
The good news: creating one is a conversation, not a stack of forms. Click "New Channel" in the sidebar, then describe your idea in plain language. The Agent turns your request into an editable "creation card." Only after you confirm it does the channel start producing—beginning with one sample piece to validate the result.
Here are the four ingredients of a great channel.
1. Topic: Focus, don't overreach
The biggest mistake is wanting everything at once. The more focused your topic, the better the Agent can find precise content. Too broad, and you'll get a pile of generic noise.
- Weak: "Track tech news." Too vast, no foothold.
- Strong: "Track new product launches and major updates in AI coding tools (code completion, AI agent editors)."
If your direction is ambiguous (say, "Apple"—the company or the fruit?), the Agent will offer you two or three ready-made options to choose from rather than asking an open-ended question. When that happens, just pick the one closest to what you mean.
2. Purpose: Say what you want to see
Beyond "what to track," be clear about the information job this channel does for you. Tracking the same company, "I want timely alerts on its earnings and stock movements" and "I want to understand its product design thinking" produce completely different content.
Frame it in the first person—"I want to see…"—and tell the Agent. This is a required field on the creation card and the foundation of a quality channel.
3. Content format: Match how you consume
You can currently create four content formats. Choose by how you'll consume it:
| Format | Best for |
|---|---|
| Article | Sitting down for a deep read with full reasoning (about a 5-minute read) |
| ImagePost | Quick scrolling on your phone, visual-first, easy to share |
| Podcast | Commuting, cooking, working out—when you can't look at a screen |
| Music | Turning a topic into a song with lyrics |
This is a single choice on the card. Note: video content cannot be created yet. If you ask for video, the Agent will explain and guide you to the closest of the four formats above.
4. Update rhythm: Decide how often it arrives
If the channel runs continuously, be clear about its update mechanism: is it on a regular schedule (how often?), or triggered only when new events happen? You can also mention a scenario, like "I read on my morning commute," and the Agent will infer a sensible delivery time.
One easy point of confusion: delivery time is not the same as content coverage window.
- "Push once every morning" is about when it reaches you.
- "A best-of from the past month" or "a year in review" is about how far back each piece looks.
Both can coexist. The Agent handles them separately and won't mistake "past month" for your update frequency.
About sources: You don't list them one by one
Many people assume they must manually list every source—you don't. Just mention the platforms or outlets you care about naturally in the conversation (a publication, an account), and the Agent folds that into your request. Where to actually find it is resolved later, during the research stage.
- Most public content (public web pages, RSS, public social accounts, video platforms, code repositories) needs no authorization.
- Only when you want content from your private accounts (such as newsletters in your own inbox) do you need to authorize that platform on the Connectors page. See the guide "Connecting Your Sources" for details.
Common pitfalls, summarized
- Topic too broad → Split it; let one channel do one thing well.
- Saying what to track but not why → Add an "I want to see…" line.
- Confusing delivery time with coverage window → State them separately.
- Insisting on listing every source by hand → Just mention them; leave the rest to the Agent.
- Wanting video → Not supported yet; pick the closest format.
Once created, a channel keeps running on its own—no manual upkeep needed. The first real piece usually arrives within 10–20 minutes, and you'll get an email when it's ready. To adjust the topic, sources, or rhythm later, open the channel's management page and simply say so in the chat box at the bottom.