Introduction
In today's digital age, we're drowning in a sea of information. With the internet growing exponentially, finding relevant and valuable content has become increasingly challenging. This is where content curation comes into play, and Steven Rosenbaum's book "Curate This!" offers a comprehensive guide on how to become an effective content curator in the digital landscape.
The book explores the art and science of content curation, explaining why it's crucial in our information-overloaded world and how it differs from mere content aggregation. Rosenbaum argues that while machines and algorithms play a role in organizing information, human touch is irreplaceable when it comes to selecting, organizing, and presenting truly meaningful content.
The Need for Human Curation
Rosenbaum begins by highlighting the sheer volume of information available online. He cites Google chairman Eric Smith's revelation that as of 2010, the amount of information generated every two days is equivalent to all the information created from the beginning of civilization until 2003. This staggering statistic underscores the need for effective curation.
While automated systems like Techmeme and Mediagazer use algorithms to aggregate content based on popularity, Rosenbaum argues that this approach has limitations. Popularity doesn't always equate to relevance or quality. The human mind, with its ability to discern context, nuance, and true newsworthiness, is essential in curating content that truly matters to the audience.
The author emphasizes that successful curation goes beyond simply reorganizing existing content. It involves a deep understanding of the audience's needs and interests, as well as the ability to add value through thoughtful selection and presentation.
Key Abilities of a Successful Content Curator
Rosenbaum outlines five crucial abilities that every successful content curator should possess:
Content Creation: A good curator should also be able to create original content. This ability allows curators to add context, insights, and personal touch to the curated material. The Huffington Post is cited as an example, combining curated content with original articles and audience contributions.
Consistency: Humans crave regularity, so curators need to work on a schedule. Whether it's sharing five links daily or publishing an opinion piece fortnightly, consistency helps build audience expectations and loyalty.
Proactivity: Curators can't rely on chance discovery. They need to actively promote their content across various platforms, especially social media. This involves creating short, engaging posts that link back to longer-form content.
Community Engagement: Building a following requires more than just posting content. Curators need to engage with their online community by reading and sharing others' content and participating in trending conversations.
Willingness to Share: Proper attribution is crucial in content curation. Crediting original sources not only respects the creators but also fosters a culture of sharing and collaboration.
BuzzFeed: A Case Study in Successful Curation
Rosenbaum presents BuzzFeed as a prime example of effective content curation. With 150 million monthly visitors, BuzzFeed's success can be attributed to several factors:
Social Media Focus: BuzzFeed recognizes Facebook and Twitter as the "front pages of the web" and ensures its content is prominently shared on these platforms.
Encouraging Engagement: BuzzFeed promotes conversations around its articles, increasing shares and visibility.
Balancing Automation and Human Touch: While using algorithms to identify trending topics, BuzzFeed employs creative individuals to transform this content into engaging, shareable formats.
Catchy Formats: BuzzFeed is known for its attention-grabbing headlines and list articles (listicles), which are highly shareable and memorable.
Content Curation Strategies
Rosenbaum discusses several curation strategies, focusing on two main approaches:
Aggregation: This involves gathering content on a specific topic and combining it in one easily accessible location. BuzzFeed's listicles are a prime example of this approach.
Distillation: This strategy focuses on boiling down large volumes of information into the most relevant content. Blinkist, which provides key messages from nonfiction books in compact summaries, exemplifies this approach.
The author also touches on video curation, using YouTube as an example. Initially a platform for content creation and browsing, YouTube evolved to allow users to curate content through channels and playlists. This development helped users navigate the vast sea of videos more effectively.
Avoiding Content Filtration
In an era where digital marketing bombards users from all directions, people have become increasingly selective about the content they consume. Rosenbaum warns curators about the risk of being filtered out and offers strategies to avoid this fate:
Listen to Your Audience: Instead of just observing reading habits, actively seek feedback through surveys or other means.
Quality Over Quantity: In a world of information overload, a curated selection of high-quality content stands out more than an abundance of mediocre material.
Provide Valuable Content: Ensure that your curated content truly meets your audience's needs and interests.
The Power of Video Curation
Rosenbaum emphasizes the potential of video content in curation. He suggests that brands can leverage user-generated videos to create a dynamic presence. However, he cautions that careful selection is crucial, as negative content can quickly go viral and damage a brand's reputation.
The Human Touch in the Age of Algorithms
Throughout the book, Rosenbaum consistently emphasizes the importance of human judgment in content curation. While algorithms can efficiently gather and sort information based on predefined parameters, they lack the nuanced understanding that humans possess.
Human curators can:
- Identify truly newsworthy content beyond mere popularity
- Understand context and subtext
- Recognize emerging trends before they become mainstream
- Add personal insights and commentary
- Tailor content to specific audience needs and preferences
This human element is what transforms mere information aggregation into valuable curation that resonates with the audience.
The Art of Listening
One of the key themes in "Curate This!" is the importance of listening to your audience. Rosenbaum argues that successful curation is not just about pushing out content but also about understanding what your audience wants and needs.
He suggests several ways to listen effectively:
Encourage Feedback: Create opportunities for your audience to provide direct feedback on your curated content.
Analyze Engagement: Pay attention to which pieces of content generate the most engagement (comments, shares, likes) and try to understand why.
Conduct Surveys: Regularly ask your audience about their interests and preferences.
Monitor Social Media: Keep an eye on what your audience is discussing on various social media platforms.
Engage in Conversations: Don't just broadcast; participate in discussions with your audience to gain deeper insights.
By listening attentively, curators can continually refine their content selection and presentation to better serve their audience.
The Ethics of Curation
Rosenbaum doesn't shy away from addressing the ethical considerations of content curation. He stresses the importance of proper attribution and respect for intellectual property rights.
Key ethical guidelines for curators include:
Always Credit Sources: Provide clear attribution for all curated content.
Add Value: Don't just republish others' work; add your own insights or context.
Respect Copyright: Ensure you have the right to use and share the content you're curating.
Be Transparent: Make it clear to your audience that you're curating content from various sources.
Maintain Editorial Independence: Don't let commercial interests unduly influence your curation choices.
By adhering to these ethical principles, curators can build trust with both their audience and content creators.
The Future of Curation
In the final sections of the book, Rosenbaum speculates on the future of content curation. He predicts that as the volume of online information continues to grow, the role of curators will become increasingly important.
Some of his predictions include:
AI-Assisted Curation: While human judgment will remain crucial, artificial intelligence will play a larger role in helping curators sift through vast amounts of content.
Hyper-Personalization: Curation will become more tailored to individual preferences, possibly leveraging data from various sources to create highly personalized content feeds.
Cross-Platform Curation: As people consume content across multiple platforms and devices, curation will need to adapt to provide seamless experiences across these different contexts.
Curation as a Profession: With the growing demand for quality curation, we may see the emergence of professional curators across various industries.
Collaborative Curation: Platforms that allow users to collaboratively curate content may gain prominence, leveraging the wisdom of crowds.
Conclusion
"Curate This!" provides a comprehensive guide to content curation in the digital age. Rosenbaum makes a compelling case for the importance of human curation in an era of information overload and algorithmic content sorting.
The key takeaways from the book include:
- Content curation is more than just aggregation; it requires human judgment and creativity.
- Successful curators need a mix of skills, including content creation, consistency, proactivity, community engagement, and a willingness to share.
- Different curation strategies like aggregation and distillation can be employed depending on the context and audience needs.
- Listening to your audience is crucial for effective curation.
- Ethical considerations, including proper attribution and adding value, are essential for building trust.
- The future of curation will likely involve a blend of human expertise and AI assistance, with increasing personalization and cross-platform integration.
By following Rosenbaum's guidance, aspiring curators can develop the skills and strategies needed to become trusted sources of valuable content in their chosen niches. In a world where information is abundant but attention is scarce, effective curation has the power to cut through the noise and deliver meaningful value to audiences.