What is Curated Content? A Starting Guide With Best Practices

What is Content Curation?
What is Curated Content is the process of discovering, gathering, organizing, and sharing relevant and valuable content from various sources on a particular topic or theme. It involves sifting through a vast amount of digital information, such as articles, blog posts, videos, images, social media posts, and more, to select and present the most valuable and interesting pieces to a specific audience.

content curation :

Discovery: Curators find content from a wide range of sources, including websites, social media platforms, news outlets, and more. They use various tools and techniques to identify content that aligns with the topic or theme they are curating.
Your website
Social media networks
Email newsletters
Videos, podcasts, etc.
Selection: Content curators choose the most relevant and high-quality pieces of content based on criteria like accuracy, credibility, relevance, and value to the target audience.
Organization: Curated content is typically organized in a coherent and logical manner. This might involve categorizing content, creating summaries, or adding annotations to provide context.
Real-Life Examples of Curated Content
Real-Life Examples of Curated Content | itsmarketingblog
Real-Life Examples of Curated Content | itsmarketingblog
real-life examples of curated content:

Museum Exhibits: Museums curate exhibitions by selecting and arranging artworks, artefacts, and historical items around a specific theme or time period. Curators carefully choose pieces that tell a cohesive story and provide insights into the content subject matter. They act as curators by selecting and presenting content that they believe their audience will find valuable or enjoyable.
News Aggregators: Websites and apps like Flipboard, Feedly, and Google News curate news articles from various sources on the internet. Users can customise their feeds based on topics of interest, and these platforms present a content-curated selection of news stories.
What is Curated Content Platforms: Platforms like Scoop.it and Content Curation are designed specifically for content curation.
Email Newsletters: Many bloggers and thought leaders curate content for their email subscribers by sending out regular newsletters. These Content newsletters often contain links to articles, videos, and resources that the curator has found valuable and relevant to their audience.
5 Tips for Effective Content Curation [Best Practices for 2023]

five tips for effective content curation in 2023:

1. Know the purpose
   knowing the purpose behind your content curation efforts is crucial for creating a focused and effective strategy. Here’s more detail on this point:

Know the Purpose: Clearly define the purpose of your content curation efforts. Are you curating content to educate, entertain, inspire, or inform your audience? Are you aiming to establish yourself as an expert in a specific field or provide a valuable resource for your community? Understanding your purpose will guide your content selection and help you tailor your curation to meet your goals.
To establish authority, curate content from reputable sources that showcase your expertise in a particular subject.
For community building, curate content that resonates with your community’s shared interests and values.

2. Make it UNIQUE
   creating a unique approach to content curation is an easy way set you apart and make your efforts more impactful. Here’s how to ensure your content curation strategy is unique:
   Define a Distinctive Angle: Identify a specific angle or perspective that sets your content curation apart. This could be a unique theme, a niche within a broader topic, or a particular lens through which you view curated content. For example, instead of general tech news, you might curate content focused specifically on the ethical implications of technology advancements.
   Curate Uncommon Sources: Look beyond the obvious sources and consider curating content from lesser-known or niche outlets. Discover hidden gems that provide fresh insights and perspectives. By showcasing content from sources that others might overlook, you can offer a unique value proposition to your audience.
   Add Your Personal Voice: Infuse your own personality, voice, and opinions into the curated content. Provide commentary, anecdotes, or reflections that offer a personal touch. Sharing your thoughts on why a piece of popular content resonated with you or how it relates to current trends can make your curation more engaging and distinctive.
3. Add HUGE value
   Adding significant value to your curated content is essential to strategy in your curation efforts truly stand out. Here’s how to ensure your content curation strategy delivers substantial value:
   In-Depth Analysis: Instead of merely sharing content, provide in-depth analysis and insights. Go beyond summarizing and offer your own perspectives, interpretations, and expert opinions on the curated content. Break down complex concepts, highlight key takeaways, and explore the implications of the content within a broader context.
   Actionable Advice: Give your audience actionable advice based on the curated content. Explain they can apply the insights to their own lives, work, or projects. Providing practical steps or recommendations demonstrates your commitment to helping your audience apply what they’ve learned.
4. Use proper tools
   Using the right tools use your content curation process and helping you deliver high-quality, curated content. use tools for your content curation efforts:
   Content Discovery Platforms: Utilize content discovery platforms like Feedly, Pocket, or Flipboard to aggregate content from various sources based on your chosen topics. These platforms can streamline the process of finding relevant content by presenting it in one centralised location.
   Social Media Monitoring Tools: Social media monitoring good in this tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, or Sprout Social can help you keep track monitor of content shared on social media platforms. This is particularly useful for curating content from social media channels.
   News Aggregators and RSS Readers: Set up news aggregators and RSS readers to follow blogs, news websites, and industry publications. Tools like Feedly or NewsBlur allow you to subscribe to content feeds, making it easier to curate the latest articles and updates.
   Curating Platforms: Consider using dedicated content curation platforms such as Scoop.it, Curata, or Listly. These platforms offer features to curate, organize, and share curated content efficiently.
   Bookmarking Tools: Bookmarking tools like Diigo or Raindrop can help you save and organize content you come across while browsing the web. This makes it easier to revisit and curate content later.
   Content Management Systems (CMS): If you have a website or blog, leverage your CMS to curate and publish content. Many CMS platforms allow you to schedule and organize curated content for publication.
   Automation and Scheduling Tools: Tools like Zapier or IFTTT can help automate certain aspects of your content curation process. For instance, you can set up triggers to automatically share curated content on your social media channels.
   Email Newsletter Platforms: If you curate content for an email newsletter, platforms like Mailchimp or ConvertKit can help you manage your subscriber list and send out regular curated content updates.
   the human touch remains essential. Your expertise in selecting, organizing, and adding value to the curated content is what truly sets your curation strategy apart. Combine the power of tools with your curatorial skills to deliver exceptional content to your audience.
5. Be specific
   Be specific | itsmarketingblog
   Be specific | itsmarketingblog
   specific examples of tools you can use for each stage of the content curation process:

Content Discovery:
Feedly: A content discovery platform that lets you follow blogs, websites, and news sources in one place.
Pocket: An app that allows you to save articles, videos, and other content to view later.
Flipboard: A social news aggregator that creates a personalized magazine-style feed from various sources.
News Aggregation and RSS Readers:
Feedly: Besides content discovery, Feedly also functions as an RSS reader, allowing you to follow content feeds from websites and blogs.
NewsBlur: An RSS reader that emphasizes filtering and customization of content.
Curating Platforms:
Scoop.it: A content curation platform that lets you discover, curate, and share content on specific topics.
Curata: A tool designed for content curation, helping you organize and distribute curated content.
Bookmarking Tools:
Diigo: A social bookmarking tool that lets you save and annotate web pages for later reference.
Raindrop.io: A bookmark manager for saving and categorizing web content.
Content Management Systems (CMS):
WordPress: A popular CMS that allows you to create and publish curated content on your website or blog.
Joomla: Another CMS option for managing and publishing curated content.
Automation and Scheduling Tools:
Zapier: An automation tool that connects various apps and triggers actions based on specific conditions.
IFTTT (If This Then That): A platform that automates tasks by creating “applets” based on conditional statements.
Email Newsletter Platforms:
Mailchimp: An email marketing platform that helps you create and send curated content newsletters.
Collaboration Tools:
Trello: A visual project management tool that can help coordinate content curation efforts within a team.
Asana: Another project management and collaboration platform for teams.
Slack: A team communication tool that can be used for sharing and discussing curated content.
Analytics Tools:
Google Analytics: Provides insights into your website’s performance, including how visitors engage with curated content.
Social Media Insights: Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram offer analytics on how your curated content is performing on those specific channels.
The Benefits of Curated Content
The Benefits of Curated Content | itsmarketingblog
The Benefits of Curated Content | itsmarketingblog
Curated content offers a range of benefits for both content creators and audiences. Here are some key advantages of curated content:
Time and Effort Savings: Curated content saves time and effort compared to creating original content from scratch.
Diverse Perspectives: Curating content from various sources resources provides diverse viewpoints, opinions, and insights on a particular topic. This diversity enriches the content and offers a well-rounded perspective to your audience.
Knowledge Enrichment: Curated content allows you to tap into the expertise of thought leaders, industry experts, and reputable sources.
Consistency and Regularity: Content curation enables you to maintain a consistent publishing schedule, keeping your audience engaged and returning for valuable updates even when you’re not creating original content daily.
Authority Building: By curating high-quality content, you position yourself as a knowledgeable resource in your field. This enhances your authority and credibility within your niche.
Audience Engagement: Curated content caters to the interests and needs of your audience, leading to higher engagement levels. Well-curated content sparks discussions, comments, and shares, fostering a sense of community.
Timeless Relevance: Well-curated content often remains relevant over time. Unlike timely news articles that may become outdated quickly, evergreen, curated content can provide value to your audience for an extended period of time.
Content Diversity: Curating content in various formats (articles, videos, infographics, and podcasts) and from different sources adds variety to your content strategy, catering to different learning styles and preferences.
it’s important to strike a balance between curated and original content to maintain your unique voice and perspective. Successful content curation involves thoughtful selection, meaningful organisation, and adding your own insights to create a valuable and distinctive experience for your audience.
How much content should you curate?
The amount of content you should curate depends on various factors, including your audience’s preferences, your content goals, available resources, and the frequency of your content sharing. Here are some considerations to help you determine how much content to curate:

Audience Engagement: Pay attention to how your audience responds to the curated content you share. If you notice that your audience is highly engaged and appreciates the curated content, you might consider curating more frequently.
Quality Over Quantity: The emphasis should be on curating high-quality content that provides value to your audience. It’s better to curate a few pieces of excellent content than to overwhelm your audience with a large quantity of lower-quality content.
Consistency: Consistency is key to maintaining audience engagement. If you choose to curate content regularly, whether it’s daily, weekly, or monthly, stick to that schedule to build trust and anticipation among your audience.
Your Expertise: Consider the level of expertise you have in the niche or industry you’re curating for. If you’re deeply knowledgeable, you might curate more content as you’re better equipped to evaluate and add insights to a larger volume of content.
Available Resources: Curating content takes time, so assess the resources you have available. Ensure that curating content doesn’t come at the expense of other important tasks.