Mastering Effective Content Curation: Strategies for Successful Knowledge Sharing

Ready to level up your content curation game? 🚀 

Whether you’re a seasoned content curator or just starting out, there are several strategies you can use to save time finding, editing, and distributing content. 

In this blog post, we’re diving into the art of effective content curation and unpacking strategies to take your knowledge sharing to the next level. 

Follow these tips and tricks to curate like a pro and engage your audience with valuable insights.

But first, you may be wondering …

What does content curation mean?

Content curation is the process of gathering, editing, and sharing valuable and relevant content from a variety of sources, tailored to a specific audience. It’s like being a museum curator but for online content! 🎨

Why do brands choose to curate content instead of creating their own?

Brands choose to curate content for a few reasons. 

First, it allows them to provide a diverse range of perspectives and insights to their audience. By curating content, brands can showcase thought leadership and expertise beyond their own offerings. 

Second, it saves time and resources. Instead of creating every piece of content from scratch, brands can leverage existing high-quality content and then add their own personal touches to it. 

Content curation also helps build relationships and credibility. By sharing valuable content from expert sources, brands can forge connections with industry peers, influencers, and their target audiences. It’s a win-win solution! 

Isn’t content curation similar to plagiarizing content?

Great question. 

Content curation is not the same as plagiarizing content. 

Plagiarism involves copying someone else’s work without giving proper credit or permission. On the other hand, content curation is about responsibly sharing and showcasing work thatâ€s already been published to provide value to your audience.

When curating content, it’s important to give credit to the original source by mentioning the author and linking back to the page where it was first published. This not only recognizes the content creatorâ€s efforts but also helps you maintain ethical and legal standards.

TL;DR: Content curation is about adding your own insights, value, and context to the content you share. It’s about being a reliable and trustworthy source for your audience. Just remember to give credit where it’s due and curate responsibly.

Does content curation negatively affect SEO scores since the same asset has multiple URLs? 

When it comes to SEO, content curation can be beneficial if done correctly. While it’s true that sharing the same asset across multiple URLs can potentially create duplicate content, there are strategies you can use to mitigate this issue.

For instance, one way to avoid negatively impacting SEO is by adding your own unique insights and commentary to the curated content. By providing valuable context and giving credit to the original source, search engines can understand that you’re curating content rather than duplicating it.

Additionally, you can use canonical tags or specify the original source URL to indicate to search engines which version of the content should be prioritized in search results. This helps make sure the original source gets proper credit.

And hereâ€s the good news …

Content curation done with care and value can actually enhance your SEO efforts by: 

• Increasing backlinks
• Driving engagement
• Establishing your brand as a trusted resource

It’s all about finding the right balance of knowledge sharing and adding your own secret magic sauce.

What strategies can I use to streamline and improve knowledge sharing? 

Now that youâ€re all clear on what content curation looks like, letâ€s take a look at seven simple ways you can streamline and improve the knowledge-sharing process. 

1. Know your audience and choose content in line with their core needs and interest 

To excel at content curation, it’s crucial to understand the importance of knowing your audience inside out — and creating content that speaks to them. 

Let’s take a look at LeatherCult, a brand that’s become synonymous with leather fashion expertise:

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LeatherCult has mastered the art of tailored content, creating a deep bond with its audience. Through its high-value content, it educates its followers about the latest fashion trends, offering tips on effortlessly incorporating leather clothing into everyday outfits. 

This consistent and laser-focused approach has positioned LeatherCult as the go-to authority in leather fashion, building an army of devoted leather enthusiasts.

By understanding its audience’s interests and delivering exactly what they want, LeatherCult has risen above the crowd, boosting its brand’s visibility and fostering an engaged community of passionate leather lovers.

2. Choose material from credible sources 

Content curation websites rely on a specific set of criteria when selecting sources to feature on their platforms. These criteria are essential to making sure the content is relevant, reliable, and valuable to their audiences. 

Whether you use a formal content curation website or not, itâ€s important to apply the same criteria when collecting content from other blogs and sources.

Hereâ€s what to look for:

• Relevance: Sources should align with your website’s niche or topic focus. Look for sources that provide information, insights, or entertainment related to your chosen subject matter.
• Credibility: Look for trusted sources with a track record of accuracy and reliability. (See the Tailor Brands example below). Prioritize sources with established authority in their respective fields.
• Quality: Content quality is paramount. Find sources that produce well-researched, informative, and engaging content.
• Freshness: Look for sources that consistently produce up-to-date content, keeping their audience informed about the latest trends, news, and developments in your niche.
• Diversity: Offer a well-rounded perspective by prioritizing sources that represent diverse viewpoints, opinions, or approaches within your niche.

For instance, Tailor Brands’ blog, especially its articles about LLC formation, is a great example of a site that follows the above checklist criteria. Its content is highly relevant, catering to its niche audience of entrepreneurs and small business owners seeking guidance on branding and legal matters. 

Authored by experts and lawyers, its articles are:

• Credible and reliable
• High-quality
• Well-researched 
• Comprehensive
• Informative

Tailor Brands also consistently updates its blog with fresh insights and information, making sure its audience is always aware of recent LLC formation changes. It also covers a diverse range of business and entrepreneurship topics, making it a valuable source for content curation websites seeking to offer holistic branding perspectives. 

3. Create topic pages from the content you curate

Being known for a few core topics is one of the best ways to demonstrate authority to search engines. But taking the time to write quality topic pages and relevant subtopic assets requires a significant time investment. 

Luckily, you can source content in line with the subjects you specialize in and then add your own touches to turn them into dedicated topic pages. 

A simple way to do so is by adding an FAQ section relevant to your brand. Or by formatting the topic page with headings and information sections that bring the eye down.

VRAI is an excellent example of this. On its lab-grown diamonds page, it takes the time to explain the difference between mined and lab-created diamonds: 

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It goes above and beyond by answering its audienceâ€s most frequently-asked questions in dedicated informative sections, such as:

• Why choose lab-grown diamonds?
• Are lab-created diamonds better for the environment?
• Are lab-grown diamonds certified?
• Which celebrities wear lab diamonds?
• What Is a VRAI Created Diamond?
• How long does it take to grow lab-diamonds?
• Can you tell a lab-grown and mined diamond apart?
• How are lab-created diamonds made?

To follow suit, simply plug in your main topic or keyword into Google (or your SEO tool) to uncover search intent and relevant FAQs. Then, sprinkle in the most relevant ones you find throughout your topic page.

4. Add value-driven examples to your curated content that illustrate main points

Another important content curation strategy is providing relevant and helpful information to your audience without over or underwhelming them. 

One way you can do this is by adding examples that illustrate your main points and demonstrate how they apply to real-world scenarios. For instance, FusionAuth writes about the differences and similarities between SAML vs OAuth, two popular authentication protocols:

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It shows examples of how a company might use one or the other to secure its web applications. It also links to reliable sources explaining the technical details of SAML vs. OAuth so its readers can learn more if theyâ€re interested. This strategy helps FusionAuth provide valuable information, engage its audience, and encourage them to explore its services further. 

5. Add data-driven visuals, examples, or stats that increase the credibility of your curated content 

Content curation is about finding and sharing relevant information and adding value and context to it. 

One way to do so is by using a business intelligence platform to search, analyze, and visualize data from various sources. For instance, some platforms use natural language interfaces and artificial intelligence to help users get insights from their data in seconds. 

With this data in hand, you can create and embed interactive charts and dashboards into your curated content, making it more engaging and informative for your audience. 

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Other data points you can implement include:

• Stats
• Expert quotes
• Screenshots
• Infographics
• Custom images
• Diagrams 
• Industry insights
• Case studies

6. Turn curated assets into helpful guides

Go above and beyond for your audience by turning valuable curated assets into helpful guides. 

Personalize these guides as much as possible to help your audience solve their unique pain points. 

For example, Aurit Center has a database of educational resources, such as divorce mediation guides and spousal maintenance guides:

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Itâ€s also created in-depth blog posts with other useful tips for divorced parents, such as how to handle child support and co-parenting challenges. 

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Another benefit of creating guides like these is that theyâ€re evergreen. Minus a few updates here and there, these assets can stand the test of time. You can also turn these into lead magnets to automate the process of collecting and nurturing prospects to conversion.

7. Save time by using the right tools 

When it comes to content curation, efficiency is key. To streamline your content curation process and optimize your efforts, incorporating the right tools is essential. 

Here are a few recommended tools to consider:

Content curation platform

A robust content curation platform can be a game-changer. Take Scoop.it, for example. With its advanced content engine, Scoop.it monitors global sources to find and curate relevant third-party content. 

With Scoop.it, you can:

1. Discover relevant assets.
2. Choose and editorialize your pieces.
3. Distribute your new content.

With a content curation tool like Scoop.it, you can boost credibility with your readers, build brand awareness, and access sources ranging from mainstream media to niche publications.

Social media scheduling tool 

Social media plays a crucial role in content distribution. Consistent and timely posting across your social media channels is essential for maximizing impact. Investing in one of the best social media schedulers, like Later, can help you plan and schedule your content. 

With Later, you can make sure your messages reach your audience when it matters most. You can also batch out your social media posts and set up the tool to auto-publish them weeks or even months in advance.

Blog staging and posting tool 

For a seamless blogging experience, having a tool like Wordable.io can be a lifesaver. It simplifies the process of transferring and formatting content from platforms like Google Docs to your blog, saving you time and effort.

By incorporating these tools into your content curation workflow, you can maximize efficiency, enhance your content delivery, and focus on creating meaningful connections with your audience. 

Wrap up 

Sharing content thatâ€s pointed toward your audienceâ€s needs and interests is key to crafting an SEO strategy that works. Itâ€s also one of the best ways to help your ideal customer feel seen and heard. 

Luckily, using curated content can help you build authority and scale your content marketing efforts in record time — just make sure to add your own flair and high-value additions to it. 

And remember, if you need help finding content assets, weâ€re here for you. 

Get started with Scoop.it for free — today.

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