What is Curated Content? Definition & Differences From Content Production

When you are in charge of a blog or business, part of those responsibilities is maintaining an online presence with the world.

One way is to consistently produce and distribute content to your audience, specifically curated content.

But what is curated content? How can it benefit your blog or business?

This article will explain all there is to know about curated content, the reasons to curate content, and how to use it to your advantage.

What Is Curated Content?

The simple explanation for curated content is sharing content from various sources to your platform.

If there is a slow day of shared content, creators can refer their audience to something similar.

What Is the Difference Between Content Curation and Creation?

Content creation means that the content you are sharing is your product.

Curated content is borrowing from another brand or person to share on your social media account.

What Is Curated Content on Instagram?

Curating content on your Instagram feed means keeping your audience engaged with posts related to your brand.

The chosen content should be consistent and shows the kind of posts your followers can expect.

What Is Curated Content in Digital Marketing?

Content curation in digital marketing is when the digital marketers filter through the best news and posts on the internet for their own company.

It is a strategy that strengthens the company’s voice and further reaches out to consumers.

Is Content Curation Illegal?

Curated content is only illegal if you claim the content as your own.

Giving credit or linking back to the source is legal because it is under fair use.

What Are the Three Pillars of Content Curation?

Believe it or not, there is a science to content curation.

Marketing strategists in the game understand the algorithm to know what attracts the most followers.

What is known as the three pillars of content curation, this process is guaranteed to help influencers grow their brand.

• Algorithmic Curation: The algorithm contains information about our interests to target the most appealing products. Google has been very good at predicting our needs based on search results and social media accounts. The more we share online, the more accurate the algorithm becomes.
• Professional Curation: This method is a direct approach to content curation from businesses. A company will use our interests and personality to sell their products. Based on their insight and survey studies, entrepreneurs center their marketing on video ads and magazine subscriptions to what we like to see.
• Social Curation: The people around us influence the content we see. Most of our choices happen because our friends and family like to share and retweet their tastes and style. The tagging method is the new way to expand brands into different groups.

How Is Content Creation Used?

The curator uses content creation by promoting a fresh piece of work that relates to the brand.

Through commissions or online searching, the curator shares the content on their platform and brings more recognition from two different groups.

Content Curation improves your SEO.

Not only will curated content boost your online presence, but it also delivers a lot of backlinks and keeps view traffic consistent.

Learning how to curate content is an effective way to connect with your audience.

Why You Should Be Curating Content

There is no reason not to curate content for your brand. Without curation, your brand hides from all the trends, hashtags, and most social platforms.

Here are some reasons you should start looking for curated content to promote.

1. Saves You Time and Effort

The time it takes for you to come up with a new marketing idea is long. You would not have time for other responsibilities.

Curating content keeps you relevant on social media while saving extra time for other marketing strategies.

2. Makes You an Expert Resource

The type of content you share makes you an expert in the eyes of your audience.

The content you provide is relevant to your field, explores your personal opinions, and shows your fanbase that they can expect these posts on your platform.

3. New Opportunities for Engagement

Curating content is the same as opening the door to new opportunities. It is a form of networking that connects you with other influencers working on their business.

This exchange can lead to possible collaborations and exposure to a new audience.

4. Share Your Vision

The content you curate should not only reflect your brand but yourself as well.

People are attracted to others, and allowing others to see what you like strengthens a bond.

Choose the posts that show your passion for the field of interest.

5. Not Just Self-Promoting

Curating content is a fun experience if you treat it as such.

It is possible to share content that satisfies the latest trends and demographic, but influences use this opportunity to reach out to the community.

It is a self-promotion tactic that does not feel corporate.

How Much Content Should You Curate?

Content curation is a helpful tool, but it should not be the focus of your brand.

Although your brand should always prioritize quality over quantity, it all depends on what your brand is promoting.

What Is the Ideal Mix of Curated vs Original Content?

Most influencers say that at least 20 percent of curated content exists on your social platform, and 80 percent is original content.

This balance helps avoid content repurposing. You focus on your brand’s originality while pulling content that supports its image.

Where Can You Find Curated Content for Your Social Media?

The best thing about content curation is how easy it is to start.

Here are some quick places to start looking for curated content:

On Social Media

Any social platform is a good source of curated content because the audience is already there.

Your focus is on following other people or brands that share the same content as you.

Exchanging similar posts builds friendships and more opportunities for engagement.

On the News

Content curation depends on your ability to stay relevant to the latest news and trends.

Keeping your audience in the loop is the top priority.

Subscribe to channels and follow news-related content that matches your brand, and share posts if it is relevant.

On Content Curation Tools

If you are not good at finding content for your social platform, there are online tools that can help you build a list of curated content.

These applications help people navigate a list of sources to pull curated content.

Which Tools Can Help With Content Curation?

Marketing technology has become a simple, efficient solution that saves you time from extensive research.

Here is a list of the best content curation tools to boost your online presence.

1. HootSuite

Using HootSuite is not only a tool for content curation, but it also can perform tasks to manage your social platform.

This app can schedule posts, monitor new followers and multiple accounts, and provide feedback on the engagement rates and ways to boost your brand.

2. Curate by UpContent

Curate by UpContent helps search for high-quality content with a search program that filters through the internet.

The customization features are simple to learn and save time with immediate results. This app also allows for adding images to keep the content on-brand.

3. Content Gems

When using Content Gems, you can set up a personal feed preference that brings you the latest news based on your search.

From the most recent hour to a week, all the information is brought to you and ready for immediate use.

How to Effectively Curate Content

The following tips and methods will help you know the best ways to use the content you are curating.

Know Your Audience

How can you curate content if you do not know what your audience wants to see?

Keep a bird’s eye view of your brand and the kind of content your audience likes. This kind of content should appeal more to the customers than yourself.

Cite Your Sources

Citing curated content ensures the whole strategy is not illegal. It only becomes a problem if you start claiming work that is not yours.

Many platforms have tags and buttons to make the process easier to maintain a trustworthy image for your audience.

Be Consistent

Being consistent with the quality of your posts is crucial on social media. Your audience will continue to grow as long as you show no signs of stopping.

The best way to stay consistent is to set up a schedule for original and curated content.

Add Your Own Thoughts

You found the right curated content to share, but why are you sharing it in the first place?

You do not have to comment on every curated post, but mixing in your thoughts and feelings towards the content gives your followers context on the piece.

Carefully Select Sources

Do not take any piece of news or art you see online.

You do not want to expose your audience to fake news or websites with malware.

Use safe tools and research methods to find credible sources that are trustworthy and provide information.

What Does Successful Content Curation Look Like?

A brand with successful content curation balances original and shared content.

The content connects with the audience at some level and holds their engagement.

Successful content curation matches the curator’s brand and doesn’t change across all social platforms.

Helpful Content Curation Tips

Here are a few more tips to improve your curation strategy.

• Choose Informative Content: One way to look at curated content is how it will reflect your current status. How do you want to appear in front of your audience? When searching for content, keep the posts informative and something that the audience can benefit from reading.
• Publish at the Right Time: Do not be so quick to publish everything right off the bat. Timing out your posts will keep you consistent with the public. Share curated content when you have not been doing regular posting or whenever your brand or related topic is relevant.
• Engage With Followers: Do not post something and immediately ghost the audience until the next one. Interact with your fanbase and get involved with the community. Showing the people how much you care about their input strengthens engagement rates.

Wrapping Up

Content curation is a marketing tool that adds value to your audience.

Several methods exist to curate sources and boost online recognition for your brand and personality.

It can also help stabilize your platform with consistent and relevant posts.

With enough practice, you can be an expert in bringing a loyal, active audience to your brand or social platform.

What is your experience with curated content? Leave a comment down below with your thoughts and opinions about this strategy.