If there is anything we know, it’s that people love using their gadgets. Whether it’s endless scrolling through Facebook and Twitter feeds, Buzzfeed black holes, or the thousands of blogs covering virtually every possible topic under the sun – everyone is looking to learn, communicate and be entertained at all hours of every day!
So the question is, how can we use this fact to build our brand and expand our web presence? A strategy that is quickly gaining popularity is known as “content curation.”
Content curation can be loosely defined as the process of sifting through terrific amounts of content and presenting selected items in a meaningful and organized manner around a specific theme. The practice of content curation does however provide some challenges to organizations as it presents the need for new skills and tools to efficiently manage this process.
Content curation does not imply that we are offering other people's content as our own. Curation is helpful because we are finding and sharing relevant information that supports and illuminates the topic at hand, often with statistics or using research or opinions from trusted, authoritative sources.
So, how does content curation as a strategy fit into your marketing efforts? And what tools are useful to manage this process?
4 Ways to Incorporate Curation into Your Marketing
1) Email
Curation can make a great addition to any email newsletter. You can curate pictures, video, audio, events or articles, depending on the type of value you want to build for recipients.
For example in our newsletter, we have a curated section for content from our technology partners as well as a section for local non-business, usually fitness related events. We’re big bikers, golfers, skiers and boarders, and like to share where you can come meet us outside of the office.
2) Blog
It may comes as a surprise that the content you publish on your blog doesn’t have to be created by you. Pretty neat, right?
A common practice is to curate content (article, video, etc.) and publish a brief portion of it on your site with a link to the original and proper accreditation. This allows you to maintain an active, relevant blog, which search engines and your readers will like.
If you go this route, consider getting creative by adding some commentary of your own, perhaps posing a questions that may get others involved in the conversation.
3) Social Media
Social media is an unruly beast for marketers. It just is, and it always will be. There are complicated algorithms that lead to a lot of competition to build a fan base and make it into the newsfeed. However social media can’t be avoided, the audience is just too large.
A great way to get noticed on social media is by endorsing and sharing others’ content. Curation allows you to do this consistently, discovering what works and what doesn’t in the process. On social you don’t want to be the person talking about yourself all the time. Curation enables you to spread the wealth of the Internet in a pretty unselfish way.
No one said you have to share everything you curate either. Content curation tools, like Rock the Deadline, allow you to set up and monitor feeds in real-time. This gives you an easy way to stay up on what’s working for competitors too.
4) Facts and Evidence
Curated content can be a great source of inspiration and support for the original content you do create. Why conduct your own survey when Deloitte or Forrester is already putting out great reports on several industries? Why create your own video on cooking a recipe if there is already one out there?
Believe it or not, you don’t have to reinvent the Internet, or strive for a Pulitzer Prize, with every new piece of content you create. As long as it’s interesting, relevant and provides value, it should be well-received by your target audience. Curation can save you a lot of time in content creation, while adding a whole new dimension to your communications. Besides, sometimes it’s best to let others do the talking for you!
Does your content curation process overwhelm you?
Try a platform like Rock the Deadline to streamline your workload.
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