The irony of using a customized, personal blog post to discuss the merits of curated content is not lost on me. That being said, your business can truly benefit from the use of curated content on your social media page. Whenever I bring up “curated content” to people I consult or my current clients, I’m usually met with a slight look of confusion. Content curation is one of the staples of a solid social media marketing strategy. Much like your local museum has a curator to bring in pieces that will entice crowds to visit, your social media manager can bring in content that is relevant to your audience and keep them looking for your social media page for information suitable to your business’ products or services.
Curated Content Helps You Manage Your Time Better
Engagement is vital to maintaining a relationship with your audience. While custom content gives you the opportunity to truly allow your passion to flourish with each word you type, images & videos you post, or even through a well-organized infographic, curated content gives you the chance to share knowledge from other sources to augment your own content offerings. It takes time and energy to produce quality custom content. In that same time, you could research and find 4-5 pieces of content you could share that has been created by someone in your field that would be just as relevant to your audience.
Creating a Network of Content Creators
While many of you may be thinking that you then leave the door open for people to seek out your competitors and seek others as knowledge experts, what you’re really doing is conceding that you may not have ALL the answers. And, just as anyone who has taken a test or engaged in business with others knows, sometimes knowing where to find the answers is just as appealing to others as knowing them yourself. Don’t be shy and let others know that you’re a fan of their content and invite them to use yours when necessary on their end. Through the use of tags, outbound links and backlinks, you can optimize your social SEO to always keep your company relevant when searches take place. From Google to Facebook, when people search for information, a solid strategy of curation can keep you top of search, if you’re not already top of mind.
Curation is Paint by Numbers
Finding the right content to share is made easier by tracking your engagement and then utilizing those searches to inform future curation projects. Like the subheading states, as an art it’s more Paint by Numbers – the more people who Like, Comment & Share your post will guide you in the direction of what content your audience is seeking when they come across your social media page. The higher the number, the easier it is for you to gauge what to seek for them moving forward.
At the end of the day, curated content is a necessary supplement within a social media marketing strategy. It helps all businesses stay engaged with their audience while alleviating some of the burdens (time & money) that come with creating custom content. Make your social media page the museum for all things related to your business – and watch as your audience flocks to you with each piece you find for them that’s entertaining & informative.