Creating valuable content is a great way to enhance your readership and the way search engines rank you. However if you’re doing it all yourself, it can be overwhelming to get volume out there. Curated content allows you to get more volume out there and make search engines happy.
In my copywriting marketing, I meet many business owners who have no choice but to do it all themselves. They don’t have a budget to hire writers...especially good writers.
They are smart enough to know poor content is almost worse than no content.
However, I’ve found in client conversations, there’s a huge concern around how search engines respond to something that has previously been published.
Let’s be real here...in any given niche, there are a lot of topics, but for topics of value to the reader, you’ll find numerous articles out there. That isn’t a problem for search engines. They like popular topics.
What makes this work is every writer has their own take on a topic. They present the topic in a way to share the most value and relevancy to their readers. When they do this they have an SEO win.
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You aren’t just sharing something previously published. You add your take on what makes the information valuable...or not. When you add your opinions or views, your value level escalates.
This is less you-focused. You are part of a conversation. At the same time, you are positioned as a subject matter expert. Your value enhances with your readers.
Curation adds a bit of variety and an outside voice which keeps readers coming back to see what you say next.
It’s important to keep in mind your role as a curator. In a museum, curators are responsible for the collection and maintenance of an art collection.
As a brand marketer, you are responsible for finding relevant topics for your readers and sharing your unique why. If it is new or little known information...so much the better.
It might be a “we used to believe this but now we know,” scenario.
New research may have opened doors, given unknown insights, or found a more effective technique.
See misinformation? Can you dispel it and help your readers out or save them a mistake?
Look for lesser-known resources that your readers might not be aware of or take the time to dig for. Depending on your niche, these might come from scientific studies, professional journals, or forums.
Look for high quality in what you chose as you are attaching your name to it.
If I curate, I always message the originator prior to writing the piece to let them know I’d like to share their article with my readers. Most people are happy to have this shared.
It’s also an opportunity to develop a relationship and create possibilities for them sharing your information...a two-way street. Or for you to put out a guest-post.
When there are graphics, check to see if they can be shared and credited. If not, find a good substitution. Unsplash and Canva are two of my favorite resources.
The two most popular forms of curation are short posts and full articles.
Short posts are generally tied into a graphic and shared on social media channels. To meet the channel standards, they are generally less than 200 words. That means paring down the article into its essence, including your thoughts on it.
Articles give you more room to explain the curated topic - not copy/paste it. It also gives you space to explain your slant on the article and how it can help your readers. Many of these are under 1000 words.
You could also share your thoughts in a video or podcast if you include a transcript where they can access the article.
Whichever form you use, it is critical to include a link to the full article. This becomes an outside backlink on your website...and we know search engines love those.
If I have another created article or blog that ties into the topic, I also include a link to “you might also enjoy this article.” Another backlink. Now I have both internal and external backlinks that are helpful to the reader...and SEO.
Be sure to keep the conversation going. Invite readers to add their questions or thoughts. I’ve noticed curated articles often get more comments and feedback than any other type of publication.
I’m often asked how much curation is enough or too much. Argyle Social, Hootesuite, and Quuu came up with a range of about 25-50% of your content should be created.
In a total marketing mix, Hootsuite and Quuu suggested ⅓ self-created, ⅓ curated, and ⅓ social conversations and engagement.
Track topics that might be of interest to your readers. Flag or create a file for them. With this resource, you can generate a curated article in a fraction of the time it takes to research and write one.
Need help making a plan or turning goals into a reality? Message me. [email protected].
Judith Culp Pearson receives three top honors
at the annual Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals in
Ft. Worth, Texas - October 7-9, 2023
