When stuck waiting in the grocery checkout line, I’ve been known once or twice to flip through the magazines displayed to entice impulse buyers and entertain people like me. Without fail, there is always at least one magazine with a quiz in the back with titles such as, “Are you a Facebook addict?”, “Do you make a good first impression?” and “Which hairstyle should you try?”
I rarely buy these magazines, but I’m always amused and a little intrigued by the premise: the answers always promise to unlock some kind of information that will improve the quiz-taker’s life. This got me thinking: why don’t quizzes like these exist to help people do better in business?
Then it hit me. I love working with busy marketers who are using content curation—the process of finding, organizing and sharing online content—to streamline their content marketing efforts while still building brand awareness, establishing thought leadership and boosting SEO. If there was a quiz marketers could take to determine what kind of content curator they are, they’d be able to make their curation process even more efficient by doing it in a way that matches their work style.
So, here’s your chance to figure it out: What’s your content curator type? Be sure to write down your answers to check your “type” at the end of the quiz.
1. How much time do you spend curating content on a daily basis?
A. A lot of time – however long it takes to get the job done, really
B. About 20 minutes a day – rarely more, rarely less
C. Until something else comes up—it’s always the first part of my morning routine
D. I’m not sure – I’m too focused on finding the right material to worry about how long it’s taking me
E. My friends, followers and fans do most of the curating—I share whatever they send me and find interesting
F. I don’t actually do the curation – someone on the team I lead does it
2. What kind of content do you typically curate?
A. Research reports, survey findings and in-depth features
B. Short and to-the-point stories my readers can easily draw salient messages from
C. Whatever is typically in a print publication, with a mix of different coverage areas and types
D. A mix of text, videos and photos
E. Anything from social and user-generated channels, such as YouTube
F. Material that directly relates directly to my business only
3. What kind of original content do you usually use to augment third-party material?
A. In-depth pieces with a lot of interviews and outside research
B. Anything than can be developed and approved quickly and easily
C. I focus primarily on curated content – original material is less critical
D. Anything and everything – I find original content to be a really important part of my curation
E. User comments and posts inspired by my audience’s response to curated content
F. Opinioned, persuasive analysis of industry topics and trends
4. Through what channels do your share your content?
A. All channels—as long as word gets out, I’m happy
B. It depends—I adjust my distribution depending on what my analytics find in a given period
C. A template website with all the functionality, but none of the new “bells and whistles”A basic website
D. An intricately designed microsite that appeals to and will attract today’s internet-savvy audience
E. Social media, like LinkedIn and Facebook
F. Blogs and sites designed around a theme or topic, rather than my company’s branded pages
To determine your type, figure out which letter you answered most of, then look below. If you answered:
Mostly As
You’re investigative—a deep thinker. You spend a lot of time reviewing and determining which curated content to share and your original content reflects the same thoroughness. Keep an eye out for content with in-depth research and loaded with data points to quench your investigative thirst.
Mostly Bs
You’re conventional—a traditionalist. You find, organize and share content in a standard, but my no means boring way, which usually means a healthy mix of original and third party content, though a focus on the latter. To satisfy your analytical side, be sure to find a curation technology with back-end analytics offerings that enable you to see how users interact with your content. This information can be used to inform decisions about what kinds of content to post, which topics to focus on, and where to share material.
Mostly Cs
You’re realistic –a do-er that wants to be part of a team marching toward a goal. You have a straightforward, no-nonsense approach to curation that enables you to be very effective. No matter what, you probably make curation part of your every day routine, and your audience appreciates it. But stick to traditional channels—like a microsite or website feed—for sharing your content; less traditional channels that cannot be tracked or are hard to navigate will only frustrate you.
Mostly Ds
You’re Artistic – creative and imaginative. Your “out of the box” approach to curation means you often incorporate videos, photos, infographics or other graphical content on relevant topics and strive to create a visually appealing curated site that draws in audiences and supports your aesthetic. Develop regular, original content to flex your creative muscles and use your imagination.
Mostly Es
You’re social – the life of the party. You care a lot about your audience and because of that, find content on social and user-generated channels, such as YouTube or Twitter, and share it via social channels, such as LinkedIn and Facebook. To feel fulfilled, leave yourself the time to read and respond to user comments and start an active dialogue among your community.
Mostly Fs
You’re enterprising – the natural leader. Your main curation goal is to establish thought leadership and you do it with a lot of original, provocative content. Look for third-party content that has been developed by the peers and thought leaders that you respect in order to feel like you’re truly delivering value to your audiences and driving business results.