Have your clients ever asked you, what is content curation? Maybe they've seen it or heard of it, but just didn't know what it was called. Content curation is sorting through the incredible amount of content on the Internet and presenting it in a new way, usually around a specific theme. Just as a museum curator cherry-picks the very best artwork and brings it together in one place, a content curator gathers information useful to his niche audience and presents it in a way that makes it easy to find and digest.
Content curation is different from collecting links. It's not about hoarding vast amounts of information or becoming a theme-specific search engine. It's about vetting, organizing, annotating, and presenting select information in a thoughtful way.
The following are 7 tips to help your clients create effective content curation:
1. Identify Your Audience.
Who will be looking at your content? Again, think about museums. Curators of children's museums organize their information very differently than curators of natural history museums. Once you have identified your audience, you can significantly narrow your field of vision.
2. Choose a Theme.
With the incredible amount of information always at our fingertips, it's best to be as specific as possible with your theme. Instead of curating material around the theme, "marketing," narrow your focus to "infographics" or "Twitter." It's easier to reach niche audiences than general audiences, so think about your audience and their specific interests.
3. Know Where to Look.
Where will you find all of this content to curate? Social media is very helpful for helping you to identify trends and see what people are talking about. News aggregates and blogs are also helpful. Personalize your news feeds for the topics you're currently curating to get the latest information each day.
4. Choose Only High Quality Content.
Your reputation as a curator depends on your ability to choose impeccable content. You're the filter. Others depend on you to filter out the junk and promote the gems. This is what helps you to develop a reputation as a thought leader.
5. Be Consistent.
If you curate only once in a while, you'll lose your audience. To be consistent, create a curating calendar with specific goals. Maybe you want to curate twice a month. Mark your dates on your calendar and stick to them.
6. Think Ahead.
With your dates on your calendar, you have time to think ahead. Along with your dates, put your topics on your calendar. Those topics will percolate in your mind, and you'll be able to collect great content and images as you go along, knowing that "E-book Publishing" is your topic for late next month.
7. Use Social Media Wisely.
As you gain success as a curator, you may be tempted to start widening your audience and maybe even your topics. But stay focused, especially with social media. Don't let your bigger audience go to your head and start tweeting about your dinner invitations or your frustrations with your neighbor. Keep your social media focused on your curating to keep your professional edge.
Content curation can be an effective means of marketing your client's brand, so give it a try. When done right, it's an effective way for them to become the go-to resource for their target markets.
