Don't be Mistaken. It's Content Curation. Not, Content Creation.
What is Content Curation?
Content Curation should be seen as your clever best friend who you rely on to cite the best sources and make you seem ‘clever-er’ in front of a crowd. Whilst you might be churning out top-quality content from your brand, eeking out every piece of content that you can in the time you’ve got - not everyone will engage. So, how to get new eyes and save time? Content Curation. Content curation is the process of sharing external blog posts, newsletters, and social media posts to your page. Let’s highlight the fact you must ALWAYS cite the original source. Without doing so your audience will inevitably lose trust in your brand furthermore it’s just plain rude. Sorry if that’s a tad cutting.
The importance of Content Curation for your Small Business
⏰ Time Saving
If you run a plumbing company, you’re potentially not flushed with time to create quality content. Content Curation takes the weight off your shoulders.
🧑🤝🧑 Appeal to your Audience Better
As business owners, you have a target audience. If your business is Novelty Birthday Cakes, your target audience will be wide. Content Curation will help you reach that wider audience.
🌱 Stay ‘Fresh’
As a business owner, you need to continuously grow with your brand. Content Curation, when used wisely, can keep your brand looking fresh. Share content that resonates with your audience in a way you cannot.
🛍️ Influencer Marketing
Influencers can be an absolute gold mine, though unfortunately are not appreciated enough, especially financially. Create strong and lasting partnerships with influencers and you create a wider network to support your brand.
How much should I use Content Curation in my social media strategy?
It’s important to produce as much high-quality content as possible. However, life gets in the way. We get it. Use Content Curation to bulk up your content. Think of it as the padding around your precious cargo. So, how much is too much? If you wrap your precious cargo in 1,000,000 layers of bubble wrap you’ll put your audience off getting to the epi-centre of your content. As such, use Content Curation with reason.
Hootsuite Advises: “A good ratio to aim for is 40% original and 60% curated content.”
Content Curation Ideas
Share-Shared-Content that relates to your target audience. This sounds daft, we know. If you’re Top Rated Plaster you’ll want to provide ‘Top-Rated’ Content. This doesn’t mean beautifully plastered walls with a before and after photo.
➡️ For example, there is a community on Reddit specifically for plasters. Why not share a post you can resonate with and start a conversation?
Share articles that show the importance of your business. There’s no need to boast, but as a small business owner, you definitely need confidence in your own business.
➡️ For example, if you were a Maths tutor you might share an article from Google Scholar that highlights the benefits of Maths study support.
Share blog posts whether from big names or other small businesses. Both host benefits. However, sharing content from big names helps your business reach a wider audience. Albeit, sharing content from other small businesses could cultivate a more local audience.
➡️ For example, if you have a dog walking business you could tap into the extraordinary amount of dog-related content. Such as the Guinness World Record for Most Dogs Walked at Once. It was only 36!
Always Remember!
✔️ Inform your Audience
✔️ Educate your Audience
✔️ Credit your Sources
✔️ Have Fun with your Content!
