It is amazing how new media technologies have evolved at rapid speeds, especially when we are looking at the issue of influence and online reputation management. It was only a few years ago we were looking at those who were influential only on particular platforms like Twitter and Facebook, and even blogs. However, we are living in a day where there are numerous platforms and communities engaged with each other – but they may have their own characteristics and attributes they deem to be important relevant to that platform.
The reason I am raising this point is due to not only having the power to create engaging content that is useful and helpful for communities, but also have the power to curate and connect this information that may be relevant to others. Whether it is Facebook, Twitter, or even Pinterest – you have to keep this in mind.
Speaking of Pinterest, I have found this is the one platform I am on where content curation is absolutely important to understand. While Pinterest may be viewed as a place to get inspiration for weddings, recipes, and home decor – I have used it as a platform to share videos and infographics that may be useful for others across a range of topics.
From social media to mobile technologies to even crisis communications, I have established a foundation here where I can not only bookmark these great visuals, but I also share what I have found with others via Pinterest as well as Twitter. What has been the result? More conversations have emerged related to these topics for me on Twitter, an increased number following me on Pinterest and Twitter, and a starting point for networking opportunities with fellow PR professionals.
Content curation in social media practices has been discussed across various blogs. In fact, Jay Baer wrote a great post discussing this very issue on his blog and determining what is the right spot for creation and curation of social media information to drive conversations.
There are some good practices to keep in mind when you are looking at content curation with Pinterest and here are some of my suggestions:
- Determine your expertise on Pinterest: Is it in social media or crisis communications? Create a board that fits this area of expertise and start sharing relevant videos or graphics associated with this topic. You have to consider how these boards will impact your overall online reputation as well.
- Consider what your audience is looking for: In building yourself as a strong content curator, you have to think about what content people are looking for. Are they looking for a neat graphic to get them inspired to create their own infographics? Are they interested in particular videos to share with students in class? What about building a reading list of infographics for their colleagues to review?
- Building one relationship for each pin: Determine what you are going to pin on your boards that would be useful for your followers to not only want, but will look for you for further insights in the future. Use it as a conversation starter and if someone repins / RTs your pin from Pinterest, thank them on Twitter with a personalized update.
- Connect your pins with Twitter and be consistent with sharing content: You don’t want to over do sharing your pins all the time. Share at least five pins over a course of 24 hours during the peak times of the day for both sites. If you are going to be on Pinterest, you have to be engaged and active on it.
- Share not only infographics, but also videos: That is one of the great things about Pinterest is the fact you can share videos as well with others. Videos of campaigns, infographics, new trends in media, or even video infographics would be appropriate in this category.
When it comes to content curation, it ultimately comes down to which platform you feel is the best for you to do this. Personally, I have used Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest to accomplish this with my various communities. In order to build influence on social media, it does come down to sharing knowledge, providing additional resources that may be useful for others, and engaging in authentic conversations consistently across platforms. The first step is of course sharing content. 🙂
Hope you all are having a great day!
Best Wishes,
Karen
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