Content curation is a new way to distribute content to your audience. Content curation is basically the craft of scouring the web for unique content and dispersing it to your readers. You can use the strategies we’ll highlight below to build your fan and customer base. Curation has been around for a long time, however using the curation model on the web is fairly new.
We’re going to highlight how content curation can help to grow your customer base. It’s important to realize that content curation is a long term investment, keep this in mind if you want to test this strategy out for your business.
The only way to succeed as a curator is to have a wide range of content to draw from. If your business niche doesn’t have that much new content, it might be helpful to cast your net a little wider. The steps below will help to get your curation career headed in the right direction.
This is how Mashable started as well as Slashdot.org.
1. Know your audience
Understanding your audience is one of the most crucial steps in your career as a content curator. Decide on who you’re trying to attract and the type of audience you want to build.
With the focus narrowed down, you’ll be able to source and distribute content that serves this niche in the most effective manner possible.
2. Niche down your topics
You’ll need to have the needs of yourself and the needs of the audience in mind, when you’re trying to find content to source from. From that perspective you’ll be able to build your expertise on a specific topic, hopefully related to your business. As opposed to being a curator of seemingly random things.
Your brand as a curator needs to go through the same process as building a brand for your company. You’ll want people to associate you with the label to the niche you’re trying to represent. If you’re the person your readers come to when they need new information on a given topic, then you’re doing your job effectively.
3. Choose from the best
You’ll need to consistently post the best content. The kind of content that brings readers back over and over again. You effectively act as a filter for the content out there in the world, and are responsible for delivering gems to your readers.
By delivering amazing content you’ll be seen as more reliable in the eyes of your readers. Even in curation it’s not always about quantity. Yes, you’ll need to post content frequently. But, it’s the quality that will make you stand head and shoulders above the rest.
4. Consistently curate
You’ll need to curate and share content on a regular basis. Depending on your niche this could be several times a day, or just once a week. You’ll also want to ensure the content you’re delivering resonates with your readers. Have an understanding of your market and always deliver what they’d want to read.
Written By Jason Brietstein
