ArtsAutosBooksBusinessEducationEntertainmentFamilyFashionFoodGamesGenderHealthHolidaysHomeHubPagesPersonal FinancePetsPoliticsReligionSportsTechnologyTravel

What is Content Curation?

Updated on February 21, 2019
heidithorne profile image

Heidi Thorne is a self-publishing advocate and author of nonfiction books, eBooks, and audiobooks. She is a former trade newspaper editor.

Source

Content Curation Definition

The best way to describe content curation is to compare it to a museum. Museum curators gather collections of related items to exhibit to visitors. Similarly, content curators gather collections of related content to share with their audiences either online, offline or both. Content can include:

  • Articles
  • Links
  • Reports
  • News
  • Videos
  • Photos or Graphics
  • Music or Other Audio Recordings

Further, like a museum curator, content curators do the following with these collections:

  • Organize. Content is selected based on a theme, subject or category.
  • Show. Online, content would be displayed or linked on a website or blog. Offline, content may be included in a book, magazine or other printed media.
  • Promote... or Not. Curated content collections are created for sharing with the world. This can promote both the curator and the original content creators. However, curation could also be done for organizing one's own content cache for future reference.
  • Critique and Comment. Content curators often also critique or comment on the materials they bring together. For example, they could create a Top Ten, Best/Worst or Hot list (which is really a judgment call based on their personal criteria or some other evaluative standard). Others may choose to offer additional insight or debate about the materials they collect.

What Content Curation is NOT

Big word of caution! Curation is NOT the same as copying! Do not copy others' work or used unauthorized materials in the name of curating.

While officially syndicated or public domain materials may be available for sharing or embedding, if they are not, get written permission from the creator or copyright holder. And always—ALWAYS!—give attribution, including active hyperlinks, for whatever materials are being shared!

Online curation typically includes links back to the original content with a preview or description of what will be found at the link. For example, if the post is This Week's Top Ten Articles on Human Resources, the titles could be listed with active hyperlinks back to the original posts or sites.

Pinterest IS Content Curation

Probably the most popular content curation tool today is Pinterest. On this site, users can collect and organize web content they find interesting on categorized "boards." Photographs and other visual content is exceptionally well suited to this platform since a preview image from the original source is included.

But the sharing is one of the biggest reasons for marketers' interest in Pinterest. Say that a user gathers and tags a collection, Shoes I Gotta Have. Since like attracts like, her followers might also want these kicks on their "gotta have" list. They can pin the collection (or part of it) to their own boards, click through for more info or even click to buy. Even better is that users can share their boards on other social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus, as well as email.

Using Content Curation to Become an Expert

Today's audiences are time and attention starved due to the overwhelming flood of information that they must deal with daily both online and offline. So they're looking for help in filtering out what is irrelevant so they can focus on what is relevant to them. Content curators to the rescue!

Essentially, a content curators are editors. Many curators are also experts in their particular fields of interest and may even have their own following. Being included in their blogs, websites, Pinterest boards or other publications can give the original content creators and providers a virtual vote of confidence.

Content curation can be one of the easiest and quickest ways to establish a reputation as a trusted expert in a field or interest area. And it's a content marketing strategy that doesn't always require a lot of writing!

As in marketing, narrowing the focus to niche areas can be a successful curation strategy. For example, a blog or Pinterest board on "toys" might be interesting. But one on "antique teddy bears" could tap into more rabid—and profitable—fan bases.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

© 2014 Heidi Thorne

working

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: https://corp.maven.io/privacy-policy

Show Details
Necessary
HubPages Device IDThis is used to identify particular browsers or devices when the access the service, and is used for security reasons.
LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)