Content Curation: The Process

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Content curation means the sharing of third-party data with your consumers. This trend has gained momentum in recent times and for good reason. 

The content curation creates value for your consumers. If good content is created by someone else and can create value for your followers, then it needs to be shared with them.

It also leads to the organic growth of the content. For example, when you curate a piece of content from a third party, you credit the original author, it increases traffic to not only their content but also to your other content. Consequently, it has proven to be a great way to increase peer recognition within the community. 

When you curate the content that establishes the facts that you have already mentioned in your content, this reinforces the preciseness of your content and establishes you as a knowledge source of the field, as multiple authors are stating the same facts. Meaning, in the followers' eyes you know your stuff.

Moreover, content curation helps build networks with other experts in the industry and unwittingly helps bridge the gap between the existing content. 

The above-mentioned reasons are a select few to consider curating content for your consumers. And once started, although it starts giving results right away a significant impact can be felt only after a considerable time. Thus, the earlier you opt for it, the more beneficial it will be for you. 

The process of content curation is a logical one-

• Understanding your audience-

The first logical step of content curation is understanding your customer base, what interests them, what drives them, and what they need. Proper research can do wonders for this step. Give it required time, learn the required content needs and empathize with the customers while understanding them. 

• Sourcing the content

The next step is the sourcing of the content you want to share with your consumers. You can follow the experts in the industry whose content you swear by. Numerous apps such as pocket apps, Twitter lists, google alerts, or the quality publications you like to follow. This process needs to be figured out as a system that works for you. 

• Evaluation of content

Once you have located the content you want to share, the evaluation of the same must be done. Is it in conjunction with your philosophy? Or too politically inclined or insensitive to the group of audience it is intended for. Also that the content is just the correct length and easily accessible from a multitude of devices generally used by the said audience. 

• Publishing the content

The next step is to publish the decided content the way it is most beneficial to the users. Post attractive headlines and use good language and take care to add value to the audience. Don't forget to tag appropriately. 

• Maintenance of data

The data so curated needs to be maintained as well. It needs to stay relevant, which means having to replace it with the new one when the need arises. The content also needs to stay clean, which means that its link is not broken nor migrated. Also, the mentioned date stamp can help stay on course. 

• Analyzation of curated content

The curation of the content also requires regular analysis, as it is important to know what is working for the audience and what is not. And then making the necessary changes to get the required traction. 

Conclusion 

Modern LMSs like Blackbaud software turn to content curation to add value in the lives of their audience. And also helps encash the popularity of other industry experts for our benefit, of course after giving due credit.