Content creation is a cornerstone of digital marketing, but it can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. Original content, though crucial for establishing your brand’s voice and authority, can sometimes benefit from being complemented by curated content. Content curation involves gathering, organizing, and sharing relevant content from other sources to supplement your original material. When done effectively, it can enhance your content strategy by providing additional value to your audience, reinforcing your brand’s authority, and keeping your content pipeline flowing even when resources are limited.

The Role of Content Curation

Content curation is not merely about sharing links or reposting articles from other creators; it’s about adding value by providing context, commentary, or insights that relate to your audience’s interests and needs. It helps you maintain a consistent publishing schedule without the constant pressure to produce original content. Additionally, content curation allows you to tap into the collective knowledge and expertise of industry leaders, giving your audience a more rounded perspective on relevant topics.

By blending curated content with your original material, you create a more diverse content mix that keeps your audience engaged and informed. This approach also allows you to establish relationships with other content creators, potentially leading to collaborations, guest posts, or other mutually beneficial opportunities.

Benefits of Content Curation

1. Content Variety: Relying solely on original content can sometimes lead to a narrow focus. Curated content introduces different viewpoints, covering a broader range of topics, which can be particularly beneficial if your audience has diverse interests.
2. Time and Resource Efficiency: Creating high-quality content takes time. Content curation allows you to fill gaps in your content calendar without overextending your team. By curating content, you can maintain a regular posting schedule even during periods when creating original content may be challenging.
3. Audience Engagement: Curated content can engage your audience by introducing them to new ideas, trends, and resources they might not have encountered otherwise. It can also spark conversations and discussions, fostering a more active community around your brand.
4. Building Authority and Trust: By curating high-quality content from reputable sources, you position your brand as a trusted resource for information. This can enhance your authority within your industry and build trust with your audience.
5. SEO Benefits: While curated content doesn’t directly contribute to your SEO like original content does, it can still have positive effects. By providing valuable curated content, you encourage backlinks, social shares, and engagement, all of which can indirectly boost your site’s search engine performance.

Strategies for Effective Content Curation

1. Understand Your Audience: To curate content that resonates, you need a deep understanding of your audience’s interests, needs, and challenges. Consider what topics are relevant to them and what types of content they engage with most. This will guide your curation efforts and ensure you’re providing value.
2. Choose Quality Sources: The quality of your curated content reflects on your brand. Select reputable sources that are known for accuracy, insight, and thought leadership. This ensures that the content you share enhances your brand’s credibility.
3. Add Your Voice: Simply sharing a link or article isn’t enough. Add value by including your commentary, insights, or analysis. Explain why the content is relevant, how it relates to your audience, or what key takeaways they should focus on. This turns curated content into a unique offering rather than just a repost.
4. Mix Content Types: Curate a variety of content types to keep your feed dynamic. This could include articles, videos, infographics, podcasts, and social media posts. A diverse content mix caters to different preferences and keeps your audience engaged.
5. Create Thematic Collections: Group curated content into thematic collections or resource hubs. For example, if you’re curating content around a specific industry trend, gather multiple pieces that offer different perspectives on the topic. This provides your audience with a comprehensive resource and positions you as a thought leader.
6. Regularly Review and Update: Curated content can quickly become outdated, especially in fast-moving industries. Regularly review and update your curated content to ensure it remains relevant and accurate. This also provides an opportunity to revisit past topics with new insights.
7. Use Automation Tools Wisely: While automation tools can help streamline the curation process, it’s important to use them thoughtfully. Tools like Feedly, Pocket, and Curata can help you discover and organize content, but human oversight is crucial to ensure the quality and relevance of what you’re sharing.
8. Credit Original Creators: Always give credit to the original creators of the content you curate. This is not only ethical but also builds goodwill within the content community and can lead to reciprocal sharing.

Integrating Curation into Your Content Strategy

To effectively integrate content curation into your content strategy, it’s important to strike the right balance between curated and original content. A good rule of thumb is the 60/30/10 rule:

• 60% Original Content: This should be the core of your content strategy, including blog posts, articles, videos, and other content that directly reflects your brand’s voice and expertise.
• 30% Curated Content: Use curated content to supplement your original material. This could include sharing relevant industry news, thought leadership articles, or resources that complement your original content.
• 10% Promotional Content: This is where you can share your own products, services, or other promotional materials. Even here, consider how you can provide value rather than just selling.

Content curation can also play a role in your social media strategy. Sharing curated content on platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook can help you stay active and engaged with your audience even when you don’t have new original content to share. It can also position your brand as a go-to resource for industry insights, increasing your social media following and engagement.

Measuring the Impact of Content Curation

As with any content strategy, it’s important to measure the impact of your content curation efforts. Track key metrics such as engagement rates, click-through rates, social shares, and website traffic generated from curated content. This will help you understand what resonates with your audience and refine your curation strategy over time.

Additionally, pay attention to qualitative feedback from your audience. Are they commenting on and discussing the content you curate? Are they sharing it with their own networks? These are strong indicators that your curation efforts are adding value.

Conclusion

Content curation is a powerful tool that can complement your original content creation efforts, enhancing your brand’s authority, engaging your audience, and providing a steady stream of valuable content. By carefully selecting and adding value to curated content, you can create a balanced content strategy that keeps your audience informed, entertained, and connected to your brand. Remember, the key to successful content curation lies in understanding your audience, choosing quality sources, and always adding your unique voice to the conversation.