Successful content curation -- the kind that actually drives business results -- requires commitment, strategic thinking, and that most precious of resources: time. So why go to the trouble? Because when you do it right, and do it right consistently, content curation is a foundational building block of your authority. And authority is how you build and maintain the audience that builds your business. In this presentation, originally given to the Dallas Social Media Club in July of 2014, I break down the art and science of content curation, explaining not only the why, but more importantly: the how. o Why you should be curating content o The essentials (who, what, when, where, and why) of link curation. o How to curate ideas like successful writers do o Why knowledge curation is key to the wisdom on which your authority is built And much more.

1. by Jerod Morris
Copyblogger Media
Content Curation:
An Essential Ingredient for
Online Business Success

8. The Big Idea
Content curation is
not an option.

9. The Big Idea
It’s also not easy.

10. Agenda
1. Why curate
2. How to curate:
• links
• ideas
• knowledge

11. What is curation?
• Content curation is “collecting and
sorting content.”
• Digital curation is “preserving and
maintaining digital assets.”

12. What is curation?
• Online content curation is collecting
and distilling ideas and information for
yourself and an audience.

13. Curation is not new
• Libraries and museums
• The Bible
• Early American newspapers
• Digg, Fark, etc.

14. Why curate
Because curation is an essential
component of leadership.
(And we don’t follow people who don’t have ideas.)

16. Why curate
Because curation is an essential
component of online leadership.
(And we don’t follow people online who don’t have ideas.)

17. Why curate online
No followers =
No audience =
No business

19. How to curate online
• READ
• Publish
• Have a process
• Have a purpose

21. How to curate
links

22. Is it a waste of time?
• No …
• You’re already consuming content
anyway
• It rounds out the education you provide
• You become a connected online
citizen
• It’s valuable and authoritative

23. Who should share?
• You
• Someone who has earned trust
• No one else

24. What is worth sharing?
• R
• O
• A
• R

26. What is worth sharing?
• R - I’ve read it
• O - It’s original
• A - It’s applicable (and accurate)
• R - It’s reputable

27. Where do you find links?
• Manicured feed aggregator
• Social media
• “Curate the curators”
• Next Draft, Daily Digg, Farnham Street
• Moz Monthly Top 10, Growth Hackers
Weekly Digest

28. When should you share?
• It depends
• Trial and error
• Respect the night and weekend
• Devise (and revise) a schedule

29. Where should you share?
• It depends
• Trial and error
• Respect the channel
• Devise (and revise) a strategy

31. What if you don’t have
anything to share?
• Comb your archive
• Never lower your standards
• Just don’t share

32. Two quick warnings
1. Beware online filter bubbles
2. Beware tacit endorsement

33. How to curate
ideas

35. First, the why …
•Prevent “Writer’s block”
•Prevent idea regret

36. Everyone should curate
ideas!

37. Active Idea Curation
• You have a specific problem to solve
• Accumulate quotes, data, and stories
• Organize
• Let theories emerge from sources

38. Passive Idea Curation
• Have a process (Evernote?)
• Trial and error
• Journal
• Do something “mindless” with your body
• Trust the benefit

39. How to curate
knowledge

41. To build an engaged
audience, you must build
authority.

42. To build authority, you must
build and communicate
wisdom.

43. To build and communicate
wisdom, curate knowledge for
yourself and an audience.

44. Knowledge vs. Wisdom
• Knowledge is facts, information, and
skills acquired about a specific subject
through experience and study.
• Wisdom is aggregated knowledge that
feels native to your being.

45. The benefits of curating
knowledge
1. Curating knowledge demonstrates
wisdom and builds authority.
2. Curating knowledge helps you find
seductive hooks.

47. The process
Curating knowledge requires:
• Gaining knowledge
• Retaining knowledge
• Explaining knowledge

48. Ways to gain knowledge
• Read widely and actively
• Obsess about one thing per year
• Have TV marathons — but choose
wisely
• Listen to podcasts
• Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

49. Ways to retain knowledge
• Have a process for recording what you
learn
• Commonplace book
• Use Evernote like a madman
• Draw connections in your mind (let your
brain do the work)

50. Ways to explain knowledge
• Write regularly to an audience
• Host a podcast
• Produce tutorials and how-to videos
• Give presentations

54. One quick warning
Don’t underestimate the importance
of emotional intelligence.

55. Recap
• Curate links, ideas, and knowledge
• Have processes
• Read to lead

56. “Let us tenderly and kindly
cherish therefore, the
means of knowledge. Let us
dare to read, think, speak,
and write .”
~ John Adams

58. jerod@copyblogger.com
Twitter: @JerodMorris

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