Content curation: 7 reasons why it is essential

Some time ago, in a blog post of mine devoted to the figure of the content creator, I explained to you the various reasons why it is said that "content is sovereign" in today's digital business and why spreading value across all online channels is critical to ensuring the success of your business.

That's it, value is really a central term: no use filling your website, your emails, your Facebook feed or the Instagram stories with a myriad of content, if that content is really of little use to those who read you.

To succeed in the web world, you need quality content, and lots of it!

This is also to keep up with the competition....

Do you agree?

Well, the problem (as I imagine you're already thinking) is that always creating fresh and unique content can be a challenging task-and often time is limited.

Here, this is where the content curation.

If you are not sure what it means, don't worry, I will clarify all your doubts in a moment.

Meanwhile, know that it translates precisely as "content curation," but it goes beyond just producing articles/posts/videos of a certain kind: in fact, it also includes a process of search and selection Of relevant information with respect to your industry or area of interest.

But is it really that important?

The answer is: absolutely yes!

Read on to discover all the benefits of content curation and how it can make a difference in growing your business.

What is content curation?

You should know that the term "curation" comes from the museum industry: in theory, the curator is the person responsible for selecting and organizing the works to be exhibited, so as to create a unique experience for the visitor, in which everything relates to a particular theme.

Here, doing content curation online means pretty much the same thing, but without the degree in archaeology 😉

The idea behind it is to offer your audience the best information on a specific topic, gathered from reliable and easily recognizable sources on the Web, and bring it all together under one roof-yours.

Thus, we can define content curation as the Process of research and collection of online content and sharing them in a structured and meaningful way. It does not involve creating new ones, but rather discovering those already produced by experts in the field and presenting them to your online followers.

Going back to the example above, think of it just like an art gallery, where multiple complementary and relevant pieces come together to allow your target audience to easily view them all at once.

The end result: your audience has the best stuff around on what they are interested in, without having to look who knows where-and already filtered by you.

You, for your part, can use content curation to find interesting topics, gather industry news or trends, and then also draw inspiration to create unique and engaging original content.

You can apply it to various digital channels (social media, newsletter, blog, etc.) and is a valuable tool as it allows you to continuously provide value and engage your customers through targeted and informed actions.

In summary, content curation therefore means:

Find the best content from multiple sources in your niche;

Filter information so that only the most relevant and highest quality information remains;

Add value to that content with comments and questions;

Sharing it with the right audience, at the right time, in the right places;

Continuously repeat this process to create ongoing involvement and credibility.

All clear so far?

Well, now that you understand what this is all about, let's take a deeper look at the main benefits of content curation.

7 benefits of content curation

I can already see an almost Hamletic doubt arising in your head: what is the point of sharing the content of other people, who by the way operate in the same niche or industry as you? Why would you consider doing so, when you have your own blog posts and marketing resources to share with your current and potential customers?

Yes, I know, in some ways it might seem counterintuitive to you.

But fear not!

I am about to give you a whole series of very good reasons why it is not at all, in fact: it is an activity that can really make a difference and allow you to grow, increasing the reach of your communication and increasing your profits.

The premise is this: web users are now hyper-connected; they use digital devices and channels to access an inexhaustible avalanche of information in real time. Constantly creating new and engaging content is the real challenge for any marketing professional; that's why content curation can help you compete effectively and efficiently, offering a whole host of unique and key benefits in today's marketplace.

Here they are!

#1 More resources in less time

For some companies, having a large full-time marketing team is a given. For others, however, content creation is a tedious task that takes up a lot of time and effort.

Whether you belong to one or the other case, try to think: what is faster, ideating, writing and designing a brand new post or clicking "share" on something super interesting you recently read?

Obviously the latter.

And while the road to a winning social media strategy is not quick and easy, not everything you post has to be an original work.

Content curation saves you time-and money, since you would not need to hire new members of your team to continually produce articles from scratch.

Content curation is an extra boost in marketing efforts: the content is already available; you just need to collect it, organize the most valuable parts, and add your own unique contribution to it.

#2 Establish yourself as a thought leader

Another benefit of content curation is that it helps you establish yourself as a thought leader in your field.

As I explain in this article, thought leaders are authoritative experts in their niche, with a loyal following. Sharing highly relevant and valuable content increases credibility and exposure in your field, putting yourself forward as a referral resource.

However, it is true that anyone can hit the retweet button-we all do. So what is it that causes your audience to follow you and not directly the source of the information you offer?

Eh, there is a trick: it is called the added value.

Basically, when you repost a post or article by others, you should go beyond simply "providing information" and add some sort of personal "touch" that adds extra personal value to what you are showing. How? For example, by asking a question, giving your opinion (even if different from the content), briefly summarizing why people should read, and so on.

You will see, the audience will appreciate and you will demonstrate your expertise, giving them something to think about.

#3 Follow industry trends

Doing content curation involves sifting through dozens of articles, posts, and tweets to find relevant, high-quality information. By examining the landscape of your niche, you have the opportunity to explore and stay abreast of emerging trends and become first mover o early adopter.

You can see what your competitors are writing about, what industry publications are covering, and what the mainstream media is saying about it. Not only that, the more you curate content, the more you are exposed to new topics, conversations and viewpoints in the community in which you operate.

This gives you broader exposure to new topics, publishers and Web sites, allowing you to gain detailed information. These results can, in turn, help you improve your content marketing strategy and fill any gaps.

#4 Increase engagement and build community

Having a responsive and engaged audience is critical to any online marketing strategy.

To engage your followers, you need to share content that gets people talking, but at the same time is relevant to your brand.

Content curation is a great way to start discussions about things that interest your audience and to interact with them by initiating and promoting conversations of some depth.

It thus helps you show how your account is a valuable content resource, educate your target audience about the problem your brand aims to solve, and build trust and credibility as a result.

People are always looking for convenient solutions: if your content curation efforts can add value and save time, you are halfway to generating a loyal community.

#5 Build relationships

Networking is another key to success, both online and offline.

When you share someone else's article, let them know; tag them, send them a dm or an email, to get her attention and get you noticed.

Be sure to be authentic and genuine in your desire to build relationships with colleagues and competitors-otherwise the phony atmosphere around your sharing will be perceived and this will not be helpful.

So emphasize what you liked, also offer your point of view about it, but above all, do not ask for anything in return.

#6 Improves brand awareness

People usually identify with content that satisfies their worldview and identity-that's why the brand awareness is something anyone in business should consider investing some effort in.

Social media engagement and a dedicated community are two of the best ways to spread brand awareness-but to build it, of course, you need a lot of quality content.

By being able to take advantage of those you find out there, things are easier! 😉

In fact, you can promote content that aligns with your brand positioning - this obviously means that you have to pay close attention to the level of quality and relevance. Consider only those that do not erode the trust from your audience that you have built up over the years.

Don't forget to add your "personal touch," perhaps using eye-catching graphics, to make them more informative than promotional.

#7 Increase online visibility (SEO)

With content curation, you create more opportunities for search engines to direct your target audience to your site, blog or social pages.

Yes, because although it is true that the SEO is not the main focus of such activity (and unlike other ranking factors the effect is less obvious), it is, however, an indirect consequence of it: a piece of shared content usually contains outbound links to reliable and authoritative sites, as well as proper citation of the author and other included material.

A well-executed content curation strategy results in social shares, link building and, ultimately, better Google rankings.

Ego, better visibility and more traffic.

Bonus: best practices

Well, now that you understand why content curation is so critical to any digital strategy, I want to give you just a few pointers to approach this activity in the best possible way.

Here are 5 basic rules you should remember every time you do content curation:

#1 Know your audience.

Okay, this is true for any marketing strategy; why am I telling you then?

Because it is a super important step!

When selecting content to share, think about its alignment with your audience just as you do when creating content from scratch. Ask yourself how it helps your customers, why it is relevant to the problems they are experiencing, whether it aligns with your brand perception.

Only then will you be able to offer real, concrete value.

#2 Accredit your sources

Important rule: always give credit where credit is due.

Tag or link to the original creator and never pass yourself off as the author if you are not. Not only because it is simply wrong, but plagiarism is also not a good look to associate with your brand.

If you share multiple pieces of information from a bunch of different sources, say so with a small preview, then link to the full article, video, etc. Be sure to credit all sources in the full puzzle.

#3 Have your say

You don't necessarily have to do this for every single thing you share, but as I mentioned, adding something useful makes your content curation more effective.

Whether it is a brief introduction to the topic mentioned or your personal opinion on it, you will be more likely to be perceived as an expert, plus you will offer a surplus to those who read you, compared to what they would have by going directly to the source.

#4 Plan

Among the benefits of content curation is that it saves time.

Here, in content marketing, planning is the most effective in this regard. It applies both to the production of new articles, but also to the sharing of others'.

This also allows you to see where any gaps are and fill them.

#5 Offer the right mix.

Try to find the right balance between original production and sharing--based also on the responses of your audience, which may be more attracted to and involved with one of the two.

So include both in your editorial plan so you can diversify your value proposition.

Conclusion

Well, as you may have guessed, content curation is a beneficial marketing practice for both you and your audience: not only do you save time and resources, but you also have the opportunity to improve the content you offer.

It is therefore an essential tool in the modern digital world for tracking industry trends, establishing relationships, increasing credibility and enhancing brand awareness.

Here, know that to be successful, content curation is not a defined roadmap where you reach the finish line and then relax; instead, it is an ongoing journey.

The key words for effective content curation are in fact two: constancy and value.

Consistency, because it's something that needs to be done daily (or at least with some frequency); value, because well, without that, you can't get very far -- ergo, people will notice if you pitch them fuffa & company.

So take care: it's not just about taking "random" posts or articles and reposting them to your followers. Content curation is more than just sharing: there is painstaking work behind it that can entice your audience to take you on as an expert reference and come back to you.

Take time to choose what content is really useful and make sure the message it conveys is consistent with your brand image.

What about you, are you already doing or have you ever done content curation? If not, what are you waiting for?

Let me know in the comments!