The Rulebook For Content Curation

Good content is the number one force driving consumers to develop a liking for your business' website. Keeping them engaged and wanting to come for more. For the common man, content can be called as "information that keeps one engaged" which is what content has to be to be good. Curating content, as new as it sounds has been used since ages. Just, not on the web-based platform. If you have to write a book on the foods of Italy—you will go to the restaurants around Italy to research the foods which Italians truly love and then be able to write a book. This is just one example. Another example can be—seasonal fashion shows. Once fashion designers have the idea what will be in trend, for example, lace for fall, sheer for spring—they can produce their designs in accordance to the trends.

If you ever wondered why fashion shows are scheduled two seasons ahead, you got your answer. Content curation requires a lot of research and a very thorough understanding of the end-users. If your research is lagging in some places, it can severely damage your reputation causing consumers to disengage with your business.

Whether you have been burnt before, or you are just new to the world of curating content, you should go through these set of do's and don'ts. Or make it simple for yourself, hire a trusted content curator.

DO'S

• DO CREATE NEW: The best content curators will all have a similar characteristic—of wanting to constantly churn and create NEW for the end users. A good content curator constantly develops new topics to write about which translates into a learning experience for the end-users, keeping them coming for more. However, this does not mean that you can talk about the Supermoon's effect on your horoscope this week if your business caters to artisanal lights and bulbs. However, you surely can talk about how the reflection of the Supermoon's light changes the light setting of your artisanal lights and bulbs. See where we're going with this?

• DO REALIZE THE VALUE OF UNDERRATED CONTENT: Underrated here means that you give importance to topics or inventions or studies that have been given very little recognition but have the potential to get converted into mind-blowing content. This way, you gain a reputation for being original and gain a following of people looking forward to your business' content and sharing it amongst their friends. Take the example of the website V3, one of the underground technical websites which has in time gained popularity amongst its readers because of its vast array of interesting and engaging topics. Remember-there are always going to be 100 different blog posts about a common topic, but only one blog post about a topic that a curator comes up with using their research and noticing audience responses. Your content should be as unique as your business.

• DO USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO SHARE CONTENT: Social media is a curator's best friend. Almost everybody who has access to the internet is active on some sort of social media platform. From Facebook to Twitter, the audience is always hungry to read and learn more about new products and services. A good content curator should know what their target audience is interested in to compel them to read your content and share it. Times have changed and getting known for your work has become easier than it used to be. If your content isn't a hit amongst your target audience, your website will not grow. Make sure you are in the right hands, i.e. someone who understands your target audience and your business' demands.

DON'TS

• DON'T PLAGIRIZE: There is a bold and clear line between quoting a source and copying exactly what the source says without crediting them. It is okay to quote a source by linking the readers to the original source. You do not want to find yourself amongst lawsuits which can easily be avoided. Plagiarizing is serious offense. Sometimes you might not even know that you are plagiarizing but that very innocent mistake can cost you thousands and thousands of dollars if you are careless. Stay on the safe side.

• DON'T KEEP REFERRING TO SAME SOURCES: A fatal mistake that a good content curator will never make. Leading your end-users to the same sources over and over again will cause them to be bored with your business' blogs which in turn will create a stagnation and ultimately decline your audience and users. Plus, it is not good for you, to just rely on two or three sources. You will miss out on a lot of fodder which can inspire you to display a new curation strategy, on-demand. As content curator you have to continuously keep expanding and absorbing and be vigilant. It is not necessary that all the information that you absorb might evolve into good content, but it will give you more knowledge and experience and most importantly, examples and comparisons you can make use of.

• DON'T SOUND ACADEMIC: Academics should stay where they belong, in the books and libraries of universities, collages and schools. This does not mean you have to completely give in and talk the way you would to your friends in your personal life. Using statistics and showing data tables are still useful and necessary to provide a clear understanding to your readers, but that should not be the end all be all. Content should have a personal touch. That will give your readers a break from the day to day formality they have to deal with and will allow them to trust you and feel connected with you.

Content curation is not only the act of just putting together a blog post on a weekly basis on your business' website. It requires patience, time and energy to be put into it. Think you might need couple extra hands to help you? Find out here.

Maximum Value, Achieved.