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Content Curation: 7 best practice tips

February 26, 2013 By 23 Comments
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The 7 Best Practices for Awesome Content Curation

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Scroll to the bottom of the post for a free tools and resources download

You already understand that content curation is providing your target market with the information they’re looking for and adding value to that content at the same time. It isn’t hard to do successfully, as long as you observe the following best practice / tips.

1. Know Your Marketplace

I know I’m always talking about targeted marketing in my blog posts but it’s for a great reason: successful content curation doesn’t mean finding content that interests you (although it might mean that incidentally). What it means is choosing content that your readers will find useful or intriguing, ideally it will help them solve a problem or help them reinforce a belief they have about themselves. When you start curating by understanding your readers and what they’re looking for online, information-wise means you’ll reap the benefits of content curation. The better you know their interests and needs the better you’ll be  able to deliver the relevant content. The content won’t be patronising, it won’t be fluffy, it will be exactly what your reader is looking for.

2. Follow & Observe Other Curators


The best way to learn any skill is to observe those that came before.

Follow other content curators and see not only what kind of information they share but how they go about doing it. That does not mean sharing the same, identical content as they do but observing how they select their content, how they position it to their readers and followers, and how they interact with the responses. I make a point to follow curators in vastly different niches so I can see what techniques will work across the board and what ones are niche specific. You can learn a great deal about sharing content and engaging your audience by simply paying attention to the methods of other experts.

3. Choose the Right Tools

Oooo Shiny! There are many good tools to help you deliver content to your readers. In fact, there are too many. Resist the temptation to butterfly around among different tools.

  • Spend some time shopping around, reading reviews,
  • Check out free trials
  • Choose one that you like and that does what you need it to do
  • Stick with that it.
  • See the free resources and tools sheet giveaway in the box at the bottom of the page

4. Add Value

Don’t just present the content as-is. The very best content curation  always has a hint of spice added, an unusual twist or format that’s not mainstream. Always add some extra value to your curated piece by commenting on it, giving it your own spin or opinion, or even contradicting it and creating some controversy.

Struggling for ideas? A post that starts off with, ‘I found this article online and I totally disagree with it,’ can get others commenting and giving their two cents including the original author.

5. Quote Articles

When you refer to an article, don’t just put a link to it. This makes your readers follow the link, which is extra work for them and also leads them off your site. Instead, include a snippet or quote so that your reader doesn’t have to go anywhere to get the gist of what the article says. Then they can make an informed decision as to whether they want to read further.

(C) Marquita Herald / Inspired Gift Giving

(C) Marquita Herald / Inspired Gift Giving

Exploring the quote aspect some more… Marquita Herald adds a sprinkling of famous (and some not so famous) quotes to almost all of her blog posts making them a really enjoyable read and this expands the mind of her readers. Marquita’s site Inspired Gift Giving is one of the best examples of content curation around quotations that I’ve seen.

6. Use Your Mobile

It takes a great deal of time to search out content and that means more hours of sitting in front of the computer.   When you’re out somewhere and you have a little time to kill(waiting in a line), this is a great opportunity to find great content. Use your mobile and whatever mobile apps you find that help you save and share content. I use the G-Whizz app to access Google Reader and share from there.

To ensure that curating content isn’t too time consuming I also use an IFTTT recipe so that when I select the star button in Google Reader a link is created and posted to my Facebook wall. IFTTT is a great tool for curating and sharing content via your mobile. My recipe for sending from Google Reader to Facebook is here. You can extend this so it shares also to LinkedIn and Twitter if you desire. If that’s the case it becomes a distribution tool rather than a curation tool.

See the resources download to see what tool I use to help me find awesome material via my laptop.

7. Mix It Up

Don’t just present the same type of content at every opportunity. Mix it up. I think one of the reasons that Twitter is so powerful is the ability to share images, text and video with ease.  Rather than just curating articles and blog posts add videos, infographics, resources, and podcasts as well. By curating content from as many different sources as possible, you’ll make the learning and reading experience more interesting both for your audience. You’ll also engage people who prefer different learning experiences to your usual readers, and of course your readers can become viewers just as easily.

Always check out your site from the reader’s point of view to see if it’s truly providing value.

The question your curated content must always answer is: Is it better to read my posts or just go straight to the source? Put yourself in your audience’s shoes and you’ll understand what you need to do to add value.

Want a free gift ? A list of tools and resources? Just share the post with one of the buttons in this coloured box. The download link will appear below it, right click and "save as" to your desktop. Happy Curating :)

Sarah-Blogging-Sig

Sarah Arrow

Sarah Arrow

Director of Special Projects at Sark eMedia
Blogging an issue for you? Social media not quite working how it should be? I started out as a transport blogger for a same day courier company, and grew into a kick-ass blog coach as well as creator of Birds on the Blog (listed 3 times by Forbes as a top 100 website for women). You want your blog to make a difference, so subscribe here and stay in touch, my updates will help you connect the dots.
Sarah Arrow
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Comments

  1. Dena-Lynn says:
    February 27, 2013 at 3:43 pm

    Thanks for this follow up on content curation. It’s clear and makes perfect sense to do. Following your advice, I’ll add my spice and keep it moving. :)

    Dena Lynn
    Dena-Lynn recently posted..Your Essential Network Marketing Success FactorsMy Profile (dofollow)
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  2. Chery Schmidt says:
    February 27, 2013 at 8:49 pm

    You have shared some great idea;s with us here today Sarah! I do have a question for you #7 Mix it up. You see sometimes I like to write about mindset, then other times I write abut tips on marketing and now and again I will through in some financial information. So I guess my question is do you think this is to much information for one blog? My niche is frustrated online entrepreneurs looking for a better way, so this is information they need and want Right? Anyways I guess I have been struggling with this question, Some say it is right and yet others say it is to much.. What are your thoughts Sarah? Chery
    Chery Schmidt recently posted..Living a Life Without Regrets As An Online EntrepreneurMy Profile (dofollow)
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    • Sarah Arrow says:
      February 28, 2013 at 11:30 am

      Ooohh, good question. Mixing it up can be interesting but unless you have some simple story arcs then it can look messy. You can start with mindset and then link it into the next topic and then the next, very easily if you have an overriding story that links it all together. Ultimately, what do your readers engage with? is it the complex posts that mix it up or simple yet effective tips?
      Sarah Arrow recently posted..Content Curation 101 [infographic]My Profile (dofollow)
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  3. Amit Verma says:
    February 28, 2013 at 10:14 am

    Hi Sarah,

    love the post and your ideas about content curation. Love reading your post they are so much full of creative ideas and so much informative. Amazing guidance dear. ((Hugs))
    Amit Verma recently posted..PowerCam v2.1.1 : Empower Your Creativity in Real TimeMy Profile
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  4. Aasma says:
    February 28, 2013 at 10:19 am

    Hey Sarah,

    I think the best way to create useful content is to analyze your competitors, do market result and find out what your audience is looking for. Only then you can come up with content idea and create useful content.
    Aasma recently posted..MLM Software CompanyMy Profile (dofollow)
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  5. Holly says:
    March 1, 2013 at 7:05 pm

    For me this is great info.. I will have to re read it a couple of times to make sure I get more clear on what you are sharing. But it makes sense so far.. Now just to incorporate it! Thanks.
    Holly recently posted..10 Simple Ideas To Get More MOVE In Your DayMy Profile
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  6. Steve Borgman says:
    March 2, 2013 at 3:05 am

    The tip I liked best here is your practice of following curators from completely different niches. If you could write a post with a list of the content curator leaders you follow, I think that would be a fascinating read.
    Figuring out what my readers want to read: that’s one of the most challenging things for me. I’ve found that doing my diligence with keyword research is one way to make sure I’m presenting information that readers want. But it also means paying attention to comments and questions on my blog.
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  7. Garen Arnold says:
    March 2, 2013 at 5:30 am

    Hey Sarah,

    Content marketing is a great way to go about content curation. Putting out a book, how to video, checklist, ect. are still very effective. I am like you in a way of observing others before taking action. Almost like a game for me. I am going to do what they do, but better. I am easily entertained!

    One thing I have learned is write yourself a letter as a reader. This helps put yourself in the mindset of them.

    Clearly, I am a fan of being controversial or down right different. People have been doing this throughout history and it either works big time or they become the next Vanilla Ice. Admit it Sarah you love the hair! Ice Ice baby.
    Garen Arnold recently posted..Can a Backlink Hurt You?My Profile (dofollow)
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  8. Nile says:
    March 3, 2013 at 2:40 pm

    Definitely learning from other curators on how they are doing it is great advice. Same is said of many professions, including web design. A lot of web designers learn from viewing source of another site and finally after some time figuring out after reading resources on why some HTML elements are used versus others.

    The great thing today about tools for content curation are that there are many to choose from. Back in the day, there were but a few ways to do this.
    Nile recently posted..Always Blog Your BestMy Profile (dofollow)
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  9. Michael Levy says:
    March 3, 2013 at 4:40 pm

    Very interesting article Sarah. Thank you so much for sharing as I took away some new things. Have a fantastic day!
    Michael Levy recently posted..Dream to Achieve!My Profile
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  10. Michael Shook says:
    March 3, 2013 at 7:00 pm

    I like all these ideas, Sarah, but I think my favorite is number 4 – Adding Value. I see a lot of sites that do curation and some are just a bunch of links, and on occasion, those are OK. Coo stuff on them.

    But the ones I really enjoy are where somebody has obviously read the material they are curating and recommending and have a definite opinion. I might not always agree with the espoused opinion, but it is so much more interesting when someone has one. :-)
    Michael Shook recently posted..How To Get Positive Thinking TipsMy Profile (dofollow)
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  11. Raena Lynn says:
    March 3, 2013 at 8:59 pm

    Hi Sarah,

    Wow, these are all great suggestions for content curation. I’m starting to grasp the concept and the video really helped me understand it better. Providing value is very important. I also like the idea of including a quote that is not linked to another site. Another great one is using your mobile for research. I’m going to check out G-Whizz app your recipe for sending from Google Reader to Facebook. Thanks for this very informative post and video!

    Raena Lynn
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  12. Donna Merrill says:
    March 18, 2013 at 3:38 am

    Hey Sarah,

    Well you said it all here! Content Curation is one great way to write a great post. After shopping around and getting information, I like to add some “spice” to it also. A Youtube video that is under 2 minutes is great (I need to do that more). Also I like the idea of quoting articles. Makes the post more interesting and valuable.

    Great tips,
    Donna
    Donna Merrill recently posted..Internet Marketing BashingMy Profile (dofollow)
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  13. David Merrill 101 says:
    April 14, 2013 at 5:20 am

    These are great ways to curate content for your readers, Sarah.

    I know many bloggers prefer to blog about their own opinions, experience and expertise. Curating content doesn’t have to comprise an overwhelming portion of your blogging, but it certainly adds depth and texture to it when mixed in on a fairly steady basis.

    You’ve given some great curation methods and tricks of the trade here, Sarah.
    David Merrill 101 recently posted..Lead Magnet Creation | Video TutorialsMy Profile (dofollow)

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  14. Joshua says:
    April 22, 2013 at 3:29 pm

    Hi Sarah!

    Thank you for posting a great article that will surely help people is just starting out with content curation. Since you include choose the right tools I highly recommend using a software called CurationSoft as it greatly help me curate target high quality topics from lots of resources it provide by just inputting a keyword. It has lots of positive reviews and already has over 12K blog owners currently using it. for starters or if interested to try the app too such as I am you can get the app here: http://www.curationsoft.com/free-download1

    Happy curating everybody!

    Don’t forget to fully understand sarah’s article as it will surely help you with content curation.

    Reply

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