According to Hubspot, “content helps you attract, engage, and delight prospects and customers, bring new visitors to your site, and ultimately, generate revenue for your company.” When you create content you are providing free and useful information to your audience. Making sure that you are taking the proper approach within your content marketing strategy is vital to your overall marketing strategy.
The first question marketers will address concerning their marketing strategies is: whether to focus on content curation or content creation?
The answer to this question varies greatly depending on each individual situation. Sharing more curated content rather than created content could work for one company and not another. Finding the right balance will optimize your social media reach and generate more interest and engagement.
First, what is the difference between content curation and content creation? And what do these two terms actually mean?
Content creation is the process of creating your own content from scratch and marketing it to your followers or subscribers. This content is original and focused solely on your brand. Being able to showcase who you are and what your brand represents is one of the most positive aspects of this type of content.
Content curation, on the other hand, is the process of gathering existing information like blogs, social media posts, or, ebooks written by other people or brands and sharing it with your brand’s followers. Curation allows for variety in your feed and gives your audience relevant information that they will appreciate.
Traditionally, content creation was believed to be a superior method for content marketing. Marketers believed that creating as much original content as possible was the best approach. This, however, is not always a sustainable practice. Creating original and engaging content daily is, unfortunately, nearly an impossible task. We now know that the best approach is a personalized blend of both curation and creation to achieve great results.
Why should you create content?
Content creation is a necessary aspect of developing your brand image and brand voice. This approach will allow you to generate leads by adding branded images, logos, links, and call to action buttons, as well as drive traffic to your website. Original content has a better chance of ranking higher on search engine result pages.
Also, having a consistent flow of original content can greatly improve your brand’s image since this type of content has a higher chance of resonating with audiences. If a goal of your brand is to become a thought leader in the industry, creating your own content that showcases your credibility, is a necessary step.
Why should you curate content?
Content curation is a fast and simple way to post content regularly while simultaneously engaging with, and providing your audience with relevant and useful information. These posts will build relationships and show your audience that you want them to be informed about a certain topic. Taking this initiative to post content that will engage with like-minded people will not only make you appear more credible but also make your overall strategy more exciting!
Sharing curated content is sure to shake up your marketing strategy and give your followers the fresh content that they crave. Not only will your audience recognize and appreciate these posts but whoever’s content you are sharing will see that you find their information valuable. This is a great way to gain connections and get you noticed by experts within a field.
Ultimately, the answer to whether you should focus on content creation or content curation is “it depends.” Each business comes with goals that are not necessarily the same as others. Due to these differences, each marketing strategy must be customized to individual needs.
Knowing how to approach content creation is time-consuming and consists mainly of trial and error, especially if you lack experience in the field. Working with experienced professionals can be a great way to jump-start your social media presence and begin posting the content that your followers/subscribers want to see.
At Inner Spark, we are experts in the field of content marketing. Working with us means working towards getting your brand noticed, while simultaneously growing and building relationships with your audience. We want to help you on your journey to success! Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you at (334) 826-7502