How do you avoid content overload and filter out the noise when curating content?

If you don't know where you are going, how can you get there? Whether you're going after a niche or an industry, the more focused and relevant, the better the results. The competition for eyes is stronger than it has ever been. That's a given. Clarity cuts through competition.

This answer might not be what you are expecting - but you can curate just about ANYTHING in your industry or niche to your audeince. Because... it's not about WHAT you share... but it is all about what your THOUGHTS (aka thought leadership) are about that share. It's not about getting your audience to read someone else's content. Curated content instead provides an opportunity to have a conversation with your audience about your industry and show off your expertise!

Authenticity is big now, and picking the right tools to maintain it is imperative. Make sure the content is king, not the quantity. As a content provider, consumption is also necessary. Observe your own habits and be congruent with your brand.

Stand on the shoulders of giants, but take off your shoes… Curating is like storytelling. Each piece of content you share is part of a larger narrative about your brand or topic. The context you provide helps your audience connect the dots and understand the story you're telling. This is where your unique voice and perspective become invaluable. The more coherently and engagingly you weave these elements together, the more memorable and impactful your curated content will be.

We're having a major shift in content creation with the advent of ChatGPT. Are we cheating or using better tools? Is it possible the AI and the digital world might know each other better than we realize? Content creation, curation and duration considerations are key. As Jerome mentions, every piece you create is reflective. Be a great mirror.

Or...don't take advice from chatbot that is spitting out an aggregation of all the noise you are trying to filter out. (And don't write succinctly because the chatbot won't accept submissions under 125 characters).

When curating content for our TEDx platform, I focused on one theme. Changing lives. We want speakers who want to change lives with their words by sharing their adversity and growth stories. Regardless of your goals, if you focus on one theme or topic, you’ll remain consistent and will deliver clarity.

It's essential to see this process as a form of social listening, acting as a barometer for audience interest and sentiment. This method provides valuable, real-time insights that can be leveraged to anticipate trends, inform your curatorial strategy, and even pioneer new conversations within your niche. This approach will keep your content curation dynamic and forward-thinking.

Know your audience first. There are many styles of communication within it and the interactions with your audience will draw them in as you reflect their style, not your own. Keep in mind people pay attention differently and respond accordingly. What is your goal with them? Where do you want to take them? How are you going to take them there? Are there self-interests or community interests at the core?

This appears to be a guide for someone coming to their subject matter cold. That's not the way most content curators develop. Speaking from experience as a writer and editor and leader of content teams for many years, content aggregation and curation are usually NOT "overwhelming" to writers and editors who are experts in their niche. They're experts in their niche topic out of passion for the topic, so they've already been reading and writing and thinking and judging about it for many years and are already using said curation tools to organize their day to day reading/watching content that brings them joy. The best content curators bring passion and joy to their thinking and judging, and that's how they engage audiences.