In the world of content marketing, there’s a lot to keep up with.

That’s why many people have turned to content curation as a way to make their lives easier. It’s also been shown that using curated content can help you achieve higher search engine rankings (though there are other factors at play).

In this blog post, we’ll cover what exactly it means when you “curate” your content, how it can help your SEO efforts, and how it differs from simply re-blogging another site’s posts.

What is Content Curation?

Content curation involves finding and sharing existing content that is relevant and interesting to your readers, rather than creating new material from scratch.

It revolves around discovering, organizing, and distributing valuable content that has already been published on the web.

Unlike content marketing, which involves creating original content, content curation leverages existing material to drive traffic to your site and engage your audience.

Content Curation as a Value-Adding Strategy

Content curation not only adds value to your website but also helps build trust with your audience.

It contributes to establishing your reputation as an industry expert and attracting new readership by sharing quality curated content from reliable sources across social media and other platforms.

Finding Quality Curated Content

For website owners, it is essential to find high-quality curated content that is valuable and engaging for their readers.

Here are two effective ways to do so:

Search Engines

Use search engines like Google to find relevant websites that have previously posted similar articles.

Ensure these sources are trustworthy before utilizing them as a source of information.

When searching, employ relevant keywords to narrow down your results and find the most appropriate content.

Social Media Networks

Explore social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, where people frequently share interesting content.

If someone shares something you find valuable, consider retweeting it to share it with others.

The Value of Content Marketing

Content curation is a crucial component of an effective SEO strategy as it helps you deliver relevant content to your readers while improving your site’s search engine rankings.

The core objective of any content marketing campaign should be to add value rather than simply promote yourself or your products/services.

When readers feel that they have learned something new or have been entertained by the shared content, it leads to success.

Additionally, content curation contributes to building your brand.

By establishing yourself as an industry expert and providing valuable solutions, you increase the likelihood of attracting clients or customers.

Focus on creating content that addresses problems, whether they relate to business or personal life.

Using Curated Content to Build an Audience

Curated content can help you build an audience, but it is crucial to find reliable and relevant sources.

Look for sources that align with your audience’s interests and needs, and ensure they are authoritative and of high quality.

Trusted sources that have been active for some time and have a substantial following on social media are likely to provide valuable information that readers want to consume.

Lastly, choose sources that cover topics directly or tangentially related to your industry, as this can provide opportunities for link-building and backlinks.

Defining Your Goals

Before embarking on a content curation journey, it is essential to define your goals.

If your objective is to drive traffic to your website or generate leads, ensure that the curated sources you use are relevant and reliable.

Building trust with readers who may not be familiar with your brand is paramount.

A recommended starting point is learning best practices for sharing methods.

Benefits of Content Curation for Businesses

Content curation can serve various purposes for businesses:

Increased Traffic

Curated content can serve as a research foundation or a resource for your blog posts.

When Google recognizes these curated links as helpful for users searching for specific information, it rewards your site with higher rankings, resulting in increased traffic.

Decreased Bounce Rate

When visitors click through to your site from another source, they often have specific expectations.

If you fail to deliver relevant content quickly, they may leave immediately.

However, by providing concise summaries or snippets, you can decrease bounce rates and encourage users to spend more time on your site.

Enhanced Social Media Shares

When people come across curated content on other websites, they are more likely to share it with their followers.

This increases brand awareness and the likelihood of attracting visitors to your pages.

Strategies for Sharing Curated Content

Once you have selected curated content, there are several effective ways to share it:

Social Media

Post the curated content link on platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Include a brief description highlighting why readers will find the article interesting or useful. For example, “This expert-written article on SEO explains how content curation can improve your SEO efforts.”

Email Newsletters

If you regularly send out emails with relevant articles to your audience, consider including one or two curated content links.

Provide commentary on why you chose these articles for inclusion in that specific newsletter to offer context and engage readers.

Write About Curated Content

When appropriate, provide commentary on curated articles, discussing their unique or noteworthy aspects.

Alternatively, write a short response, such as “I enjoyed reading this article because…” and share your immediate thoughts, which you can revisit and expand upon later.

Use Curated Content as Inspiration

Use curated articles as a starting point for crafting original content.

Write an article inspired by each curated piece, or create a brief introduction to each article before linking back to it from your site.

Conclusion

Content curation is an effective strategy to optimize your website for search engines.

It allows you to increase your social media presence, foster relationships with industry influencers, and attract traffic from search engines and social media platforms.

By regularly curating content from various sources, you can provide fresh content to your website without the need to create everything from scratch.

Simultaneously, you gain additional exposure through backlinks from these external sources.

Embrace content curation as a valuable tool in your SEO arsenal to boost your online presence and engage your audience effectively.