Three Steps to Communicate Effectively in a Curator’s World
How to thrive during the transition from “Information Age” to “Filtration Age.”
Photo by Clayton Robbins on Unsplash
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” — Alan Watts.
It is becoming more apparent; knowledge no longer equals power. It no longer pays to be the most knowledgeable in the room. Information is readily available to anyone with a Google search bar. Currently, it would be more accurate to say, the dispersion of knowledge equals power.
As time constraints shorten along with attention spans, the necessity to find pertinent information multiplies. People want minimal resistance to the flow of information. People desire streamlining not only education but as well as entertainment. Our streaming services, shopping websites, and social apps are full of “based on your activity” recommendations.
Curators act as trustworthy sources who breakthrough mass amounts of information and distill it into its most essential. We now live in a curator’s world but, how does living in a curated world affect content creation? It changes how to communicate content effectively.
Three steps to communicate effectively in a curator’s world:
Be Concise
Successful curators are authentic yet concise in their communication. They evoke an emotional response to connect to their audience, all while getting the point across. It is appropriate to communicate your background or interest in a subject. However, it is crucial to find the delicate balance between connection and communication. Avoid falling into the “Too Long; Didn’t Read” (TL;DR) category at all costs.
2. Do Your Research
To become a trusted curator, you must verify the information you are distilling. You can not skim over information or another curated work. If something is a matter of opinion, you need to research your idea and the opposing one. Credibility is the cornerstone of being an influential curator, and it is easy to lose credibility if you don’t understand or communicate the facts.
3. Title your Work Appropriately
How many articles do you see with a number in the title? For example, “The Top Three Reasons…”, “Ten health Benefits of…”, “A five-step guide to…”. These titles communicate the content is curated. When someone is in a hurry, they don’t want an all-encompassing comprehensive guide. They want the best information available in the shortest amount of time. Communicate the work and research you have performed within your title.
While your work’s style, tone, and quality should remain areas of focus, if you want your content to punch through the mass of available media, it must be accessible, concise, and delivered with clarity.
