Written by: Jules Samuel | Est. 9 min
Curating content on Instagram is a powerful strategy for keeping your feed fresh and engaging without having to generate new Instagram post ideas yourself. This guide will cover the essentials of Instagram content curation—from setting goals and finding quality content to maintaining a consistent aesthetic and tracking your results.
Why Instagram Content Curation Matters
Content curation is the process of finding, organizing, and sharing valuable and relevant content created by others that resonates with your audience and aligns with your brand identity. Content curation is more than just filling in gaps between your original posts. Here’s why it’s essential for a strong Instagram presence:
1. Builds Brand Authority and Trust
By sharing valuable content that aligns with your niche, you position yourself as a source of credible information. Curated posts from reputable sources—whether expert tips, inspirational stories, or user-generated content—help establish your brand as trustworthy and knowledgeable, giving followers confidence in what you offer.
2. Keeps Your Feed Engaging and Consistent
Curated content allows you to maintain a steady posting schedule, which is essential for staying relevant on Instagram. By mixing original and curated content, you keep your feed diverse and interesting. Followers appreciate variety, and curated posts can introduce fresh perspectives and insights that complement your brand’s voice.
3. Saves Time and Resources
Curating content is an efficient way to keep your feed active without the time-intensive work of creating everything from scratch. For small businesses, influencers, and entrepreneurs with limited resources, curated content can help maintain a professional, lively feed without constantly investing in content creation.
Setting Goals for Your Curated Content
Establishing clear goals is key to ensuring your curated content serves a purpose and resonates with your audience. Here’s how to set meaningful goals for content curation on Instagram:
1. Define Your Content Curation Goals
Start by determining what you want to achieve through curated content. Are you looking to educate your followers, inspire them with fresh ideas, entertain them, or establish a stronger connection? Defining these goals will guide your choices when selecting content to share. For example:
- Educational Goals: Share informative posts from industry leaders or guides that add value to your followers.
- Inspirational Goals: Curate quotes, visuals, or stories that motivate your audience.
- Engagement Goals: Post interactive or community-focused content to build engagement.
2. Align with Audience Interests
Your audience’s preferences should be at the core of your content curation strategy. Consider what resonates with them and how it aligns with your brand. A travel brand, for example, might share user-generated travel photos, while a fitness influencer could curate workout tips from other fitness experts. Curating with your audience’s interests in mind keeps your content relevant and engaging.
Curating quality content builds your brand, but pairing it with a strategy to boost your Instagram followers can boost reach and engagement faster.
Finding High-Quality Content to Curate
Finding quality content is essential to successful curation. Here’s how to source valuable material from reliable channels and helpful tools:
1. Sourcing Content from Reliable Channels
User-Generated Content (UGC)
UGC is an excellent source of authentic content. Encourage followers to tag you or use your branded hashtag. When you share their posts, it builds community and loyalty while filling your feed with genuine content.
Industry Influencers and Thought Leaders
Reposting content from influential figures in your industry can lend credibility to your account. Following key influencers and experts allows you to curate high-quality posts that align with your brand values.
Niche Blogs and Publications
Check reputable blogs, websites, and publications in your niche for interesting articles and insights. Many audiences enjoy curated educational or news posts, and these sources provide valuable content that might interest them.
Trending Hashtags and the Explore Page
Instagram’s Explore page and trending hashtags are great for discovering relevant, high-performing content. Look for posts that align with your brand values, especially those with high engagement, to curate for your audience.
2. Using Tools for Content Discovery
Efficient content curation often requires the help of tools. Here are a few to consider:
- BuzzSumo: Tracks trending topics and top-performing content across the web. It’s helpful for finding popular posts and articles within your niche.
- Feedly: Aggregates articles and content from various websites and blogs, making it easy to stay updated on relevant topics and discover shareable content.
- Repost: Allows easy reposting of content from other Instagram accounts while crediting the original creator, making it ideal for curating Instagram content directly.
- Later: In addition to scheduling, Later offers content discovery features that help you find and save relevant posts for curation.
Creating a Consistent Visual Aesthetic
Curated content should complement your original posts visually. Here are strategies to maintain a cohesive Instagram aesthetic:
1. Establish a Cohesive Feed Style
Define your brand’s color scheme, style, and overall theme. For example, if you’re a wellness brand using soft, earthy tones, try to apply similar filters and colors to all your curated posts. Consistent aesthetics reinforce your brand identity, making your profile more visually appealing.
2. Branded Templates for Curated Content
Create templates for specific types of curated posts, such as quotes, shoutouts, or featured content. Branded templates that include your logo or brand colors maintain visual consistency and ensure that each post aligns with your brand.
3. Using Content Scheduling Tools
Scheduling tools like Planoly, Later, and Buffer allow you to visualize curated content within your feed and adjust placement for a balanced look. By planning your feed layout in advance, you can see how curated posts will look alongside original content, ensuring a harmonious visual flow.
Best Practices for Sharing Curated Content on Instagram
To maximize the impact of curated content, follow these best practices. They’ll help ensure quality and respect for the original creators:
1. Give Credit to Original Sources
Always tag and credit the original creator in your caption. For reposts, make sure to mention their handle and, if applicable, avoid cropping out watermarks. Giving proper credit not only respects the original creator’s work but also establishes your brand as ethical and transparent.
2. Add Personal Insights
Adding your thoughts or comments to curated content helps make it more relevant to your audience. If you’re sharing a tip or a quote, include a short comment or personal takeaway to add value. For instance, a travel brand might share a destination photo with a personal tip or fun fact related to the location.
3. Balance Curated and Original Content
While curated content adds diversity, it’s essential to maintain a balance with original posts to keep your brand voice authentic. A good rule of thumb is to post one curated post for every three original posts. This mix ensures that followers still feel connected to your brand’s unique voice and perspective.
Engaging Your Audience with Curated Content
Curated content can foster greater interaction if it’s engaging and inviting. Here’s how to maximize engagement:
1. Captions That Encourage Interaction
Encourage engagement with questions or calls to action in your captions. For example, if you’re sharing a fitness tip from another creator, ask your audience if they’ve tried it or what their experiences have been. Engaging captions make curated content feel more personal and relevant to your followers.
2. Leverage Stories and Interactive Elements
Curated content doesn’t have to be limited to your feed; share it in Stories, too. Use interactive features like polls, quizzes, or question boxes to make the content more dynamic. Engaging with followers through Stories boosts interaction and builds a stronger connection with your audience.
3. Showcase User-Generated Content (UGC)
Sharing UGC allows you to spotlight your followers, making them feel valued and involved. Featuring followers’ content often receives high engagement since people love seeing themselves and their work recognized on their favorite brands’ profiles. It also builds a sense of community and trust.
Measuring the Success of Curated Content
Tracking your curated content’s success ensures your strategy is effective. Here’s what to focus on:
1. Track Engagement Metrics
Monitor key metrics such as likes, comments, shares, and saves for each curated post. Comparing these metrics to your original posts provides insights into how your audience responds to curated content. Higher engagement rates on curated posts can indicate that your followers enjoy the variety and value it brings.
2. Using Audience Feedback
Encourage followers to share their thoughts on the content you curate through comments, DMs, or Story interactions. Collecting feedback helps you understand what resonates most with your audience, which you can then apply to your content strategy.
3. Adjusting Content Strategy Based on Insights
Use your engagement metrics and audience feedback to fine-tune your curation strategy. For example, if UGC consistently receives high engagement, you might consider featuring it more often. Refining your strategy based on data keeps your curated content fresh and aligned with your audience’s evolving interests.
Conclusion
Curating content on Instagram is a valuable strategy for keeping your feed active, engaging, and aligned with your brand’s goals. By sourcing high-quality content, creating a visually consistent feed, and following best practices, you can enhance your brand authority and boost audience engagement. Regularly track the performance of your curated posts and adjust your strategy based on insights to ensure long-term success. With consistent and thoughtful content curation, you’ll keep your Instagram feed vibrant and relevant for your audience.
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