Welcome to episode 345 of Hit the Mic with the Stacey Harris.
As important as creating quality content is and it’s massively, hugely amazingly, foundationally important, so is curating content. Unfortunately, a lot of the conversations I’ve been having on coaching calls and with clients and at speaking engagements, and through e-mail, there’s really a disconnect in understanding why other people’s content, or OPC, is so important. Even more so than that, how does it make sense in your strategy to be driving traffic to somebody else? That’s exactly what we’re going to talk about in this episode.
Because OPC, or other people’s content, is hugely valuable, hugely important, and can still do a lot for your brand because you’re still a resource, even if what the value they’re connecting them with is not your own. People still attach you to having gained that knowledge or that insight. Often times you can share content that supports your message or supports your customers, or clients, or community in a way that you don’t. Answer questions that you don’t answer without having to actually answer it because you share other people’s content that answers those questions.
I want to talk about how I curate content so that we can clear up some of this confusion. Sound good?
Number one, the tools, the trade
I use Feedly, F-E-E-D-L-Y, Feedly. I don’t know how many of you remember Google Reader back in the day. I came to Feedly after Google Reader shut down, which was devastating to me by the way. I was very upset. I did persevere though, I found a way to struggle through. I actually really, really enjoy Feedly. I use the free level, I have tested the paid level and I just didn’t use any of the features, so I use the free level.
Another really great option is Pocket. It’s one that I have checked out and then I have clients who, they really love it. I have never moved away from Feedly because, well, I like Feedly. It’s a user preference situation. Then, whatever scheduling tool you use will be the other tool of the trade. I use eClincher, and then when I schedule Facebook content, I schedule it right on Facebook. That’s literally all you need to curate content.
Then, it’s a matter of finding sources you want to share content from. One of the ways I do that is tapping my own customer base and network. There are a lot of people in my community and in my network who create killer content that I love to share. I like to share content from my mentors. Yes, I’m always looking for new content, that’s why occasionally allowing yourself a limited scroll time on social can be really helpful. I’ll check targeted hashtags, or scroll through what people are sharing on Facebook.
Selfishly, part of the reason I want you guys to be better at curating content is so that I’m finding new places to learn from and share from. You guys are in some cases, who I’m following, who I’m paying attention to, who I’m listening to. That’s the purpose of this community is to grow together. That really, it’s really, really simple when it comes to tools of the trade. Some place to manage all of the places you want to curate from so that you’re not having to search the dark corners of the internet to try to find something worth sharing, because generally speaking, the dark corners of the internet do not have the best content. Well, I guess it depends on what you’re looking for right?
So yeah, Feedly to manage that. Scheduling tool to actually schedule it out, and then some sources. Tap your network, tap your community, tap your client base, tap your mentors. Obviously, depending on your audience is, there’s also large publications in every industry that you can follow.
For example, you’ll see I share a lot of stuff from Ink and Entrepreneur and Forbes and things like that because well, they consistently create really quality content, and it speaks directly to things that my audience already has an interest in right? That’s important.
Number two, how do you manage your time on this?
How long is this going to take? And how often should you be sharing it? Well, it’s going to take longer at the beginning than it takes further down because you’re going to be curating sources, as well as individual content. I find when my content well has kind of dried up or I’m just not feeling the diversity of the content that I once was, it’s just kind of died down for me a little bit, it always takes longer when I’m looking for new sources and sharing from new places. Allow for that.
With that said, it really doesn’t take terribly, terribly long. Takes me about an hour and a half a week to curate content. That is because I actually read the stuff I share and pay attention to it. We’ll talk more about that in just a second. Because of that it’s going to take a little bit longer. I challenge you to look at how much time you’re already spending consuming content, because when you’re consuming that content, you’re just consuming for the sake of consumption. That is generally a time waster, whereas when I’m consuming for the purpose of curation and sharing and feeding my own sort of social media machine, it’s not a time waster, it’s value. Not only am I paying closer attention to it, a different part of my brain is firing because I’m actually looking for the value in each piece. Also, I’m then sharing that with you guys and filling that content machine and things like that. That really kind of changes the perspective, but my guess is you’re probably already spending a fair amount of time consuming content. Now find content you can consume and share. Curate it instead of just consume it.
With that said, I try and keep my content curation, there’s no exact science, I don’t want it to be absolutely everything I share. Let’s just use Facebook for an example for the sake of keeping the numbers really simple. You’ll notice one or two pieces of content that go out a day are curated piece of content. At least one piece of content is from me. Often two pieces of content per day are from me either in the form of a promo and a piece of content, or in a Facebook Live, in a past episode, or whatever the formula is that day, but at least one piece of content every day. Usually two pieces of content are the curated pieces.
You’ll find your own sort of sweet spot as far as how often and how much. You definitely don’t want to overrun your content, but you do want it to be there as a support piece to your content.
The third thing I want to touch on is to make sure that this content has value
Adding value for you and your audience by adding your perspective is critical. This is where we go back to the idea that I actually read and consume the content I share with you guys. That’s because I want to be able to add value. I want to say, “Hey, if you only pay attention to one of the three points here, pay attention to this.” Or, “This is why I really like this.” Or, in some case, “Hey, this is why I disagree with this.” That’s cool too because you’re sharing your value and potentially starting a really powerful conversation with your community.
I always add my two cents. I’ll ask a question. I’ll give them a point of engagement. I want these pieces of content to be a conversation starter whenever possible. That’s not always super possible, I get a lot more reactions than I get comments when I usually curate content, I’ll be totally honest with you. However, with that said, I do find that I get a lot of feedback that they actually want to pay attention to the content I’m sharing because they know there’s going to be one thing they can zoom in on, or one thing that they can take action on. It’s not just, here’s the title of the post that I’m sharing and the link.
Add your two cents. Add your value. That’s how we’re really making other people’s content work for us. Tying in a piece to something you offer, or tying in a piece to a piece of content you created. We all have those things that our audience are like, “Yes, we know. You say that all the time.” Except they like it because it’s just a well branded message right? I can go with that.
These things that support, these pieces of curated content that support those messages, that support those things, can be really powerful, but only if you draw the connection for people honestly. Make sure you’re tying that in. Often time, I’ll share social media content, I’ll be like, “Yes, I say this all the time.”, and then I’ll sort of reiterate the message and share the piece of content. Again, they’re still attaching that value to me then. Again, we’re still building credibility, we’re still building relationships, but guess what guys, I didn’t have to create it and that’s cool too.
That’s it, that’s kind of how I curate content, how I go through the process, what it looks like and why it’s important. Make sure you are also curating content. Remember, if you have questions about this, the best, best, best place to ask is inside the private community and backstage. I know if you listen to the show, you will understand how valuable backstage is as the next step for the show. This show upgraded, so you’re obviously already a member. If you’re not, come join us at hitthemicbackstage.com because that is the best place to have a conversation after the show, get the additional information you need, any additional support trainings you need. All of that lives inside the VIP, or I’m sorry, inside the backstage community, so come on over to hitthemicbackstage.com and I will see you backstage and of course, right here next Tuesday. Have a great week. Bye.
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