Why You Need A Content Curation Tool (And How To Choose One)

Content curation tools are a fantastic way to stay organized, up-to-date and in-the-know. But the number of content curation tools out there can be almost as overwhelming as the amount of articles and blog posts you want to read. Here’s how to determine the content curation tools that will work best for you:

What’s your pain point?

You’ll find a content curation tool most useful if it addresses a problem you’re having—otherwise it’s just another headache. There are two main types of content curation tools: those for content aggregation  and those for content discovery.
A content aggregation tool might be right for you if:

• You’re aggravated by your busting-at-the-seams email inbox, filled with newsletters and blog posts notifications
• You have a list of blogs and websites that you love, but have trouble keeping them organized
• You hate bouncing around from site to site as you search for interesting content

A content discovery tool might be right for you if:

• You’re not sure how to find quality content from new sources
• You spend too much time trying to find interesting new content to share with your audience
• You’re sick of going to the same old places for content and want to discover new websites and bloggers

Choose one or both—you might want or need both a discovery and an aggregation tool to keep you at the top of your game.

Types of Tools

Content Aggregation
A content aggregation tool allows you to compile the sites you like to read, all in one place. Content aggregation tools are great because you can:

• View the complete or partial article through the tool
• Access it anywhere, since it’s web-based
• Easily add, remove, and organize the various blogs and sites you want to follow
• Declutter your inbox by adding the RSS feed of a site to the tool rather than signing up for email updates

Standout example of a free tool: Feedly
Feedly’s ease of use and simplicity of design makes it an outstanding content aggregation tool. It takes just a few seconds to add a new site to your feed, which you can organize into categories. The simple “Save for Later” feature is one of those simple things that makes life a whole lot easier. Feedly’s search bar allows you to browse by topics, so you can find new content as well, making it a bit of a content discovery tool, too. I’m singing this tool’s praises because it has saved me from an overstuffed inbox (something that truly stresses me out).
Content Discovery
A content discovery tool will help you find new content based on topics you choose. These tools are helpful because they:

• Allow you to find new content quickly
• Provide a way to expand your list of go-to content sources
• Use topics you choose and/or people in your network to deliver content

Standout example of a free tool: Scoop.it!
Scoop.it! is content curation with a social twist. Using the tool, you can quickly discover content by searching by keyword or a list of topics Scoop.it! provides. The content on Scoop.it! is curated by its members, so this is also a great way to find some new players in your industry.  You can follow topics and users so you don’t have to do a fresh new search each time, and if you find a great “scoop” you can “rescoop” it. The site will also provide you suggestions on items to read and rescoop, based on your interests. When you rescoop, you’ll get a pop-up window that gives you room to add your own thoughts on the article and the option to share to your social media accounts (there’s even a scheduling option in the paid version).  Discover, save and share new content all in one tool—what’s not to love?
Whether it’s for aggregation, discovery, or both, you can benefit from a content curation tool. It’ll aid your content marketing plan– and support your content marketing sanity.
Do you have a favorite content curation tool? We’d love to hear about it!