Are you looking for ways to keep your blog content fresh and engaging? Many companies and content managers face the challenge of coming up with new content ideas regularly. But don't worry — content curation is here to help!
Read on to find out how (and why) to incorporate high-quality content into your blog posts through content curation.
What Is Curated Content?
Curated content has become popular these days — but what exactly is it?
Curated content is sourcing, filtering and redistributing third-party content to add value to existing content. This can help offload the stress of content creation from the content marketing team, while adding insightful information to your website or blog. It's also a great way to build relationships with other businesses in your industry.
Content curation can also position you as a thought leader in your field, help you build relationships with other influencers, and drive traffic and leads back to your website.
What are the Benefits of Content Curation for a Blog?
One of the most difficult things to do in the content marketing business is to constantly come up with new and interesting topics to write about. So what do you do when you're uninspired or short on time? The answer is simple: Curate content.
Here are just a few benefits of content curation for your blog:
Content Curation Helps You Establish Credibility as a Thought Leader
One of the best ways to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry is to curate content for your blog. By hand-selecting relevant and timely articles, you can position yourself as an expert on the latest trends by sharing your insights and perspectives on the pieces you curate.
Content Curation Eliminates Gaps on Your Team
By consolidating the best content from around the web onto your blog, you can fill any gaps in skill or knowledge on your team. Handling breaking reports and news stories can be time-consuming, taking away from other important tasks such as lead generation and campaigns. Curation can provide fresh content and value to readers.
Content Curation Ensures a Variety of Content
Content curation can add variety to your blog. For example, if you're only producing original content, you might cover the same topics repeatedly. But by curating content from other sources, you can supplement your posts with a wider range of perspectives and opinions. This can help keep your readers engaged and attract new readers looking for diverse voices on a given topic.
Start incorporating content curation into your business' content marketing strategy. Who knows? It might just be the thing that takes your blog to the next level.
How to Curate Content for Your Blog
Know Your Audience
As a content marketer, it's crucial to know your audience. Review your current data and analytics to understand what is and isn't working with your current audience. You can also create buyer personas, which are fictional representations of your ideal customer based on research and data. Conducting customer interviews is another great way to get firsthand insights into your audience's wants and needs. With this information, you'll be able to create authentic content that resonates with your audience.
Figure Out What Topics You Want to Cover
Generating topics to write about can be hard. If you don't have a plan or strategy, you could end up staring at a blank screen for hours (or days). Start out with general ideas, then break those down into smaller, more manageable pieces. Once you know the direction you want to go in, the rest will start to fall into place.
Start With a Catchy Headline
This is your chance to make a good first impression, so make it count. Write something attention-grabbing that will make people want to read more. It doesn't have to be complicated — a simple phrase or clever pun can often do the trick. The key is to ensure that it accurately reflects your post's content; otherwise, your readers may feel misled and leave.
Find Quality Content
First, you'll want to ensure that whatever content you share is accurate, relevant and trustworthy. Start by searching Google or your favorite social media platform for posts related to your topic. Alternatively, check out industry publications, news sites and relevant blogs for thought leadership content.
Be sure to check the copyright terms for sharing the post. If the content is ungated, generally sharing a link on social media is fine. However, posting articles to your website in full generally requires a copyright license. If you are unsure, reach out to the rightsholder for clarification.
Finally, always give credit where it is due by linking back to the original source — this will help establish your credibility as a content curator.
Be Engaging
Choose engaging posts when curating content. You can also curate photos, videos and other visual elements to break up the text and keep things interesting. Commenting on user-generated content is also a great way to interact with your readers and start conversations. As noted above, it’s important to check the copyright permissions on these individual items. Just because you have the permission to share an article with an image included, does not mean you have permission to share that image across your site.
Curate the News
According to Reuters, only 19% of Americans currently pay for online news. Even less will have a second subscription. As a result, news curation can be a great addition to your blog strategy. Content marketers can benefit by highlighting quality content from world-renowned experts who offer unique perspectives. Licensed content from NYTLicensing can help you legally share news content on your website, so your content marketing efforts can remain compliant.
Be Choosy About What You Share
Just because something is popular on social media doesn't mean it's worth sharing on your blog. Take the time to read through each piece of content before you hit publish, and only share relevant things to your audience that reflect well on your brand. All content must be credible. While you may not have drafted the curated piece of content, its association with your website will tarnish your brand if anything is being misrepresented.
Don't Be Afraid to Experiment
Content curation is an art form; the best way to get better at it is to try different things. Don't be afraid to take risks and see how your readers respond. You may stumble upon a style or format that works especially well for your audience and could lead to more loyal followers and better engagement.
Incorporate Thought Leaders
If you want to stay ahead of the curve in your industry, it's important to incorporate thought leaders into your content strategy. By featuring insights from respected figures in your field, you can show your audience that you're on the cutting edge of thought and that your brand is a trusted authority.
Organize Content by Creating an Editorial Calendar
An editorial calendar is a content schedule you plan to create and publish. This can include blog posts, social media updates and e-newsletters. Creating an editorial calendar may seem like a lot of work upfront, but it will save you time and hassle in the long run. By planning and strategizing your content, you can ensure that your marketing efforts are successful.
Understand the Rights Associated With Content Curation
As the internet has become increasingly saturated with content, it's become more important than ever to curate your content carefully. Simply citing an author isn't enough. You also must ensure that you have the copyright permission necessary to share content in the manner in which you wish to share it. If you're ever in doubt about needing permission to use someone else's content, err on the side of caution and contact the copyright holder directly or speak with your legal team.
Promote Your Curated Content
Once you've hit publish, your job isn't done yet. You need to promote your content effectively to get the most out of it. Whatever promotion strategy you choose, ensure you're putting your best foot forward and giving your content the exposure it deserves. Consider social media posts and curated newsletters to improve visibility.
Blog Content Curation Examples
Whether you're looking for creative ways to compile your own content, or just want to see how others do it, here are some of the best examples of blog content curation to get you inspired.
Fidelity Investments Showcases Industry News
One great example is Fidelity Investments' Viewpoints. Viewpoints features a mix of articles from both internal and external sources, giving readers a well-rounded view of the market. Each piece is also accompanied by original commentary from Fidelity analysts, providing valuable insights that can help investors make informed decisions.
Harvard Business School Online Curates News With Insightful Commentary
Harvard Business School Online features articles on a wide range of topics curated from external sources. What sets them apart is that an insightful commentary from a Harvard Business School professor accompanies each piece, so readers can access timely insights on cutting-edge business topics.
The Daily Beast Showcases Interesting Stories
The Daily Beast is a news site that relies heavily on content curation. Every day, their editors scour the internet for the latest stories on politics, entertainment and more. They then hand-pick the most important or interesting stories and present them in an easily digestible format. There is something for everyone within their vast range of topics.
HuffPost Picks Stories From Across the Web
HuffPost is another news site that relies on content curation. In addition to aggregating stories from other sources, they also produce original content. But much of their traffic comes from their curated content section, which features hand-picked stories from around the web.
These are just a few examples of companies that leverage content curation to provide value for their readers. By following their lead, or forging your own, you too can create a high-quality blog that will engage and inform your audience.
Final Thoughts
Looking for a content marketing strategy that will cover you from all angles? Look no further than NYTLicensing. We offer outsourced, trusted content on a wide range of topics, so you can be confident that we have the expertise to meet your needs. And because we're a team of experienced professionals, we can also offer you the peace of mind that comes with knowing your content is in good hands. Whether you're looking to outsource your blog content, develop a more comprehensive blog strategy, or seeking new ways to engage customers, connect with our team of experts today.
