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How To Optimise Your Video SEO Strategy

How To Optimise Your Video SEO Strategy

How To Optimise Your Video SEO Strategy

While more consumers are embracing video content, research shows that marketers are struggling to keep up. In fact – 59% of marketers still consider video content creation the most challenging content to make.

So how do you optimise your videos for search engines quickly and effectively? Video SEO is constantly evolving and staying current on video optimisation best practices is absolutely essential.

optimise Video SEO strategy

Today – YouTube’s algorithm tries to match each viewer to the videos he or she is most likely to watch and enjoy. With more than 500 hours of video content uploaded every minute, this is quite a challenge.

In this post – you will learn how YouTube’s algorithm works and find actionable advice on video SEO best practices in order to give you a step-by-step guide to optimise your videos SEO strategy.

How Does YouTube’s Search Algorithm Work?

YouTube’s search and discovery systems tackle this task by sorting through loads of videos to find the most relevant and useful results to a user’s search query.

YouTube’s algorithm then follows the audience by paying attention to things like:

  • What they watch.
  • What they do not watch.
  • How much time they spend watching.
  • Their likes and dislikes.
  • Not interested feedback.
factors affecting video seo

Stop using the old tips, tools and tricks that you learned some time back and get up-to-date in your understanding of how YouTube’s search and discovery system works?

These are in no order or importance since all of them are equally important in your video SEO optimisation strategy.

1. Choosing The Right Hosting Platform

Choosing the right hosting platform for your videos matters more than you may think. When you base your SEO strategy around video content marketing, each video acts as an anchor that draws in search engine traffic.

If your website goes offline then it could be disastrous for your revenue since the average unplanned website outage costs businesses between £4,327 and £6,429.

choose the right hosting platform

Therefore you should choose your host carefully. The right hosting platform for your business will depend on two main things:

  • the length and size of your video and
  • your website host since not all hosts support embedded videos from all platforms.

For the best results always use a widely adopted hosting platform like YouTube, Vimeo, Wistia or Daily Motion.

If your video is small then you may opt to host it in-house but make sure you test it before pushing publish to ensure it loads quickly.

2. YouTube Search

Like Google’s search engine – searches on YouTube strive to surface the most relevant results according to specific keyword definition queries.

Videos are ranked based on a variety of factors including how well the title, description and video content match the viewer’s query.

Beyond this – YouTube also look at which videos that have received the most watch time and engagement for a particular query.

Youtube search

Want to know which keywords and search terms to target for video SEO? In simple words – YouTube search results are not a list of the most-viewed videos for a given query.

Keyword search tools can give you lots of options but you need to select just a small subset of them for your newest video and your selection should help your target audience find the videos they want to watch and also maximise their long-term engagement and video satisfaction.

3. Titles and Thumbnails

Titles and thumbnails on a video are usually the first things viewers see when browsing on YouTube. They help viewers decide whether to watch your videos and build anticipation – if they accurately represent what is in your video.

YouTube will know if viewers are enjoying your content if they click on your video and stay to watch most or all the way through.

However if your video titles and thumbnails do not deliver on their promise then viewers will leave immediately and this can limit your discoverability on YouTube.

The longer you can keep people watching your content on YouTube – the more your content may get surfaced.

Here are some tips for optimising your video titles:

  • Write titles that spark curiosity and include keywords.
  • Keep titles concise up to 60 characters – with the most important information upfront.
  • Save episode numbers and branding towards the end.
  • Check that your titles do not get cut off in suggested videos, search results and mobile.

Thumbnails are usually the first thing viewers see when they find one of your videos and 90% of the best-performing videos on YouTube have custom thumbnails.

When you customise your thumbnails – be sure you have a strong, vibrant image that looks great large and small and conveys key information about your video.

You can always apply the rule of thirds – to compose interesting and dynamic images then overlay them with your branding and/or descriptive text.

video titles and thumbnails

Always make sure to use a font that is easy to read on screen when adding text and think about how it can be eye-catching and age-appropriate for your target audience.

Here are some guides for optimising your thumbnails:

  • Think about your thumbnail before you shoot so you can capture several options.
  • Align any text to the left  since YouTube put buttons on the right-hand side
  • Use bright colours to grab viewer’s attention
  • Make a high resolution thumbnail and keep it under the 2MB limit.
  • Specifications: 1280 x 720 pixels – 16:9 ratio as a .JPG, .GIF, .BMP or .PNG.
  • Zoom in and out of your thumbnail to see if it looks good small and large.
  • See if your thumbnail would stand out among other thumbnails.

4. Suggested Videos

Suggested videos are a personalised collection of videos that an individual viewer may be interested in watching next, based on his or her prior activity.

These videos are shown to viewers on the right side of the watch page under Up next below the video on the mobile app and as the next video in auto play.

YouTube researchers have found viewers tend to watch more videos when they see recommendations from a variety of channels hence the Suggested Videos. Recommendations are ranked to maximise engagement for the viewer.

Signals that contribute to these recommendations include:

  • Videos that viewers watch along with the current video or videos that are related topically. These could be videos from the same channel or from a different channel.
  • Videos from a viewer’s past watch history.

You can see which videos bring viewers to your channel from Suggested Videos in the Traffic sources report in YouTube Analytics by clicking on the Suggested videos box.

YouTube Suggested Videos

Here are some tips for optimising your videos for Suggested Videos:

  • Make strong calls to action to encourage viewers to watch another video in your series.
  • Long endings may delay viewers from watching more so be mindful of how your videos end.
  • Use playlists, links, cards and end screens to suggest the next video to watch.
  • Develop a series of videos that are connected organically.
  • Make videos relating to popular formats on YouTube such as challenges or lists.

Last but not least – you can expect Google to roll out Related Topics for Videos on YouTube fairly soon.

5. Front Page Or Home

Front Page or Home is what viewers see first when they visit YouTube.com or open the YouTube app. It is their personal primetime destination – a place where viewers can discover the most relevant, personalised recommendations.

It is a great place for your videos to be found by non-subscribers since over 200 million different videos appear on Front Page or Home each day for viewers around the world.

When a viewer visits Front Page or HomeYouTube displays videos from their subscriptions, videos watched by similar viewers and new videos.

YouTube Home Page

The selections of videos are based on:

  • Performance: How well the video has engaged and satisfied similar viewers among other factors.
  • The viewer’s watch and search history: How often the viewer watches a channel or topic and how many times YouTube has already shown each video to the viewer.

It is worth noting that subscribers watch more from their subscriptions via Home than through the Subscriptions tab.

Here are some tips for optimising your videos for YouTube’s Home Screen:

  • Upload new videos on a consistent basis to give your target audience an expectation of what is coming as new content.
  • Keep viewers engaged for longer and encourage them to come back for more via a long video or several short ones. The longer you keep viewers watching the more your content is likely to get surfaced.
  • Consistency – when you create something that is working for your target audience then do it again. YouTube surfaces more content that your viewers like so do not be afraid to experiment but be mindful. Observe feedback from your target audience and give them time to adjust.
  • By going to your YouTube Analytics Traffic Sources report – you can see how often your channel appears on Home –globally by clicking the Browse features box and looking at the stats for Home.

6. Cards and End Screens

Cards and end screens encourage your viewers to take an action. Cards are preformatted notifications that you can set up to promote your brand and other videos on your channel.

Once they are set up – a small teaser or rectangular box will appear in the top right corner of the video to give your viewers a preview of the message.

If fans tap or click the teaser – the card associated with the video appears below the player on mobile devices in portrait mode or along the right side of your video on desktops. If they do not – it disappears from their view.

Cards work well when they are:-

  • in conjunction with scripted call to action or
  • relevant to your video content.

So if you mention a specific video or a piece of product then you could try adding a card at that exact moment.

cards and end screens

Here are some tips for optimising your cards:

  • Use cards and scripted calls to action to link to other videos, playlists, associated websites, to prompt your audience to buy a product or support your crowdfunding campaign.
  • Use cards in older videos to highlight your most recent uploads or to promote product or fundraising campaigns.
  • Use up to five cards per video.
  • Use cards to cross-promote other creators and credit collaborators in your video.

End screens are also a powerful tool that can help extend watch time on your channel by directing viewers to something next at the end of your videos.

You can add them to the last 5-20 seconds of a video and they appear on both desktop and mobile.

Here are some tips for optimising end screens:

  • Use end screens to promote up to four different elements: a video or playlist, encourage viewers to subscribe, cross-promote another channel and link to approved websites.
  • Consider leaving space at the end of your video for your end screen elements to sit.
  • Do not use card teasers and branding watermarks during an end screen because both are suppressed.

7. Include Video Transcripts And/Or Closed Captions – CC

Did you know that 83% of consumers watch videos on mute and it is true. Research from Verizon shows that 80% of people are more likely to watch a video in full if it has captions.

Therefore if you want to keep this traffic then you will need to add closed captions to your video and should also include something else like a video transcription.

add transcripts and or closed captions

Adding a video transcription and a closed caption to your video will help your web page rank better as Google’s crawlers will scan the text for keywords and rank the page accordingly.

They will also help you attract more voice search traffic and make your content accessible to people who cannot listen to videos.

To add a transcript and closed captions to a video – simply use a transcription tool or manually insert them yourself.

8. Video Likes and Dislikes

Likes and dislikes are among the hundreds of signals that YouTube considers for ranking. Their recommendation system learns from whether or not viewers are choosing to watch a video.

The system learns how much of the video the viewer watches and if they are satisfied. Your overall video performance is decided by a combination of these factors.

Typical Audience Retention Data learns how YouTube Analytics now reports key moments in audience retention to help you understand what is working and what is not.

YouTube like dislikes share comment save

You now understand why many YouTube creators ask viewers to like their video, post comments, share the video on their social networks and subscribe to their channel.

All of these are forms of viewer engagement and satisfaction – they are all signals that YouTube considers for ranking.

9. Supplement Your Video With Good Website SEO

While video SEO is an excellent strategy in itself, search engines would not rank your videos unless the rest of your website is search-engine friendly which means that you need to optimise your website by:

  • Checking your website is not blocking crawlers with a robots.txt file
  • Using keywords in your web page title tags and meta descriptions so search engines can understand the page contents
  • Optimising your images so search engines can index them correctly via naming your images – social media strategy rather than IMG392848.
  • Ensure your website loads in three seconds or less as faster websites rank better
  • Launching a sitemap
  • Minimising page redirects
  • Installing an SSL certificate
  • Using a mobile-friendly theme
  • Targeting keywords relevant to your niche
videos with good website SEO

If you want to ensure your website’s SEO follows best practices then you should also double-check that you are not making any technical SEO mistakes.

10. Video Uploads and Playlists

Regular publishing schedule can draw viewers back to your channel to watch more videos and by using playlists – this can help them easily find more of what they like on your channel.

To stay on top of viewers’ minds – many creators find that setting a routine publishing schedule will help viewers know when to expect their next release. It is like anticipating when the next episode of your favourite show is coming out next.

Subscribers can find your new uploads in their subscriptions feed and can opt-in to mobile or email notifications based on their interests.

YouTube video uploads and playlists

11. Measure Your Performance

If you want to succeed with video SEO strategy long-term then you will need to measure the performance of your videos so you can adjust your strategy accordingly. This means you will need to track metrics like:

  • Watch time – the total amount of time people spend watching your video.
  • Average view duration – how long the average viewer spends on your video.
  • Viewer demographics – what gender your viewers are and where they live.
  • Conversion rate – how many people buy your product or service after watching your video by using link tracking software.
  • Bounce rate – how many people leave your website after only viewing a single video or page.
measure your performance

Stay Ahead of Video Optimisation Developments

Video SEO has changed dramatically over the years hence use these guides to optimise your videos for search and discovery as quickly as possible.

Marketers have forecasted that millions of YouTube viewers will watch the platform’s content on connected TV – CTV devices in the near future.

Now YouTube viewers have pivoted to TV screens as their method of choice for watching content – a trend that is experiencing significant growth during the height of the pandemic.

connected TV - CTV device

Using a TV clicker to tap out each letter of your target term on your CTV can be long winded and painful.

Maybe the integration of voice search will make this easier in the future or maybe getting found on Home or Suggested Videos and Related Topics will make YouTube Search a relic of the past.

Watch this space!!!

Get Started with Video SEO Strategy Now

If there was ever a time to add videos to your digital marketing strategy – that time is now. Research shows that online videos will account for 82% of internet traffic in the future and rising.

If you want to win some of that traffic then you will need to start producing videos now with our Video SEO services.

Now that you have learned how to use video SEO to your advantage – there is only one question left to answer: how can we help you incorporate video into your video SEO strategy?

video seo services include

At Best-Digital Marketing, we utilise video SEO best practices and techniques to get you the results you want so call us today on 07794 113 607 or for a customised video SEO plan pricing.

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why is website content important for business

Why Is Website Content Important For Business?

Why Is Website Content Important For Business?

Can you imagine showing up to a website that had little to no information or descriptions of the company’s services? Most people would instantly click away and go looking for a more reliable source of information.

This is why website content is important for business to find success online.

why is website content important for business

As you create your website – the words, texts, visual, audio and media on each page plays a pivotal role in converting each visitor into a lead or a paying customer.

Learn why website content is important for your business and how you can create it easily and effectively. There are in no order of importance since all of them are equally important.

1. Give Target Audience Valuable Information

Arguably the most important reason to have highly engaging content on a website is to educate, explain and inform target audience on your website.

Without high engaging content – no one will know what your business is all about, what you stand for and how they can benefit from what you have to offer?

give target audience valuable information

Regardless of the types of content you decide to share – always ensure the content is highly-engaging and gives audience a clear picture of your business or brand.

Make sure to take the time to write down all the details about your products or services on landing pages and other parts of your website. As long as the information you share is readable, clear and straightforward – it will provide value to anyone who views it.

2. Engaging Content is Important to Google

While it is vital to have high-quality content on your website, only a few people will ever see it if you do not focus on getting it indexed by search engines.

This is done through the proper practice of search engine optimisation – SEO strategy optimisation which is why content is crucial on a any website.

Google loves all forms of interesting high engaging content and it favours video as well as clearly written blogs.

The better your website is able to use SEO best practices and techniques – the more likely it is that people will find your content and be able to learn more about your business or brand.

3. Focus on Keywords, Phrases or Terms

One of the most important aspects of content for SEO is the usage of keyword search, phrases and/or terms. These are search terms that highlight everything from your products and services to items that are directly related to your offerings.

focus on keywords phrases terms

Keyword search tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush are popular resources for conducting keyword research which will give you a better understanding of what to write about.

They will also give you an idea of topics you can focus on when creating video content, infographics ideas and different types of engaging content.

4. Key Is Content Marketing Effort

The importance of content for marketing purposes cannot be overstated. In fact – the term content marketing encompasses all forms of digital advertising including blog articles, case studies, E-books, videos, case studies, white papers and beyond.

key is content marketing

The more you can integrate all these types of engaging content marketing into your daily, weekly and monthly efforts – the higher your chances of reaching consumers whom will become paying customers.

5. Sharable Content Could Go Viral

There are no clear defined steps when it comes to making a highly engaging shareable video content or creative blog post to go viral.

But when creating content for your website – always focus on providing engaging value with your target audience to have a better chance.

shareable content could go viral

Especially when making video content, there are steps you can follow to improve the likelihood of it reaching more people.

Avoid producing content with the goal of going viral instead create content that is catered to specific demographics that will naturally lead individuals to share it with their family, friends and acquaintances.

6. Conversion from Social Media

Sites like Facebook and Instagram have long been used to attract potential customers from social media to landing pages. Good website content is important to keep these audiences on the website for a longer period of time.

conversion from social media

If you can hook them from the beginning then your odds of getting a sale from that person will dramatically increase.

Ensure your website has content that is engaging and captivating as anything you are sharing on social media to increase conversion rates.

7. Index Webpages on Google

When you create more engaging content and more pages for each of the products and services you offer – you are informing Google, Bing, Yahoo and other search engines what your business is all about.

Whether you are a plumber, electrician, roofing contractor or a website design company – you want to be found when audience are searching for what you offer.

index web pages on google

Creating great content webpages that target a search, explain what you do, and have an effective call to action are vital for an effective web design strategy presence.

If Google is unable to analyse what your business is all about or does not think that it matches what the audience is looking for then they will not show your business at all. To do this is by indexing you webpages once you have created and published them on your website.

8. Internal Links for Website Navigation

An additional benefit of having high quality content on your website is the ability it gives you to use internal linking strategies. A website is like a pathway that consumers should be able to follow from page to page, leading them on a journey to their final destination.

internal link to website navigation

The ultimate goal is to use internal links in an effort to send people to the next stage of your content marketing funnel.

Successful linking makes your website more user-friendly and makes it much more likely that visitors will end up visiting other products, pages or information posts that you offer and potentially leading to more leads and sales.

9. Evergreen Content for Long Term

When planning out your website content strategy, it is important to craft ideas for pieces that will remain relevant for longer periods of time.

Known as evergreen content – this concept has SEO benefits and gives you more authority with Google and other search engines.

evergreen content for long term success

The best way to do this is by looking closely at your industry and determining what will and will not be changing over the next few years.

If there are current trends you feel will stay around for the long haul then create evergreen content surrounding that subject and promote it heavily right out of the gate. You will earn credibility and establish yourself as a trusted source in your field as an industry expert.

10. Encourage Viewers with Call to Action

The last factor for any good piece of engaging content is to include a powerful call to action – CTA that will urge viewers to take the next step in the buying process. It is important to realise that a CTA is not always meant to get someone to make a purchase.

They can be an invitation for an individual to download an app or pdf document, subscribe to a newsletter or view another piece of content and more.

call to action

11. Get More Leads, Sales and  Revenue

Unless you are able to rapidly develop massive amounts of followers through word of mouth – it is important to have good engaging content on your website to build your sales funnel.

While it can take some time and energy to get off the ground but you will be happy that you put in the effort.

more lead more sales more revenue

Teach consumers by writing blog articles, explain your services with videos and show customer testimonials with case studies.

Quality website content optimisation is certainly the most effective way to get more leads and sales which then gives you a stronger customer base that will buy your product and/or services.

This is Why Website Content is Important for Business

As you work on your website – content is the most important aspect to plan out and create. Whether you are designing a brand new website or revamping your old one – make sure to take the time to research and strategize the types of content that is most effective.

get started with website optimisation

Now that you know the importance of good content on your website, why not work with a reputable content marketing agency that knows how to do both?

Best-Digital Marketing Services is a great rated web design company that also offers content creation services. Get in touch with us today by calling – 07794 113 607 or complete our online contact form for more information.

We look forward to working together on your existing or future projects in the near future.

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Why Is Website Content Important For Business?
 

what are the benefits of video SEO

What are the Benefits of Video SEO?

What are the Benefits of Video SEO?

Video SEO – search engine optimisation is often an overlooked area of SEO since most business owner’s focus on optimising their websites or social media profiles. But video SEO strategy can be very effective when it comes to driving traffic and generating leads for your business.

In fact – over 1 Billion hours’ worth of video content is being watched on YouTube every day. YouTube is localized in more than 100 countries and is available in 80 languages and 62% of businesses use YouTube as a channel to post video content. YouTube is the second most popular search engine after Google.

benefits of video seo

According to WordStream – over 80% of marketers use video content to generate traffic and sales. There are numerous benefits of video SEO to be used in your business so why not get started now?

The Benefits of Video SEO for Your Business

Video SEO does not only allow you to get more eyes on your awesome videos but it can be a crucial part for your online digital marketing strategy.

Consider these benefits of video SEO to feel motivated to invest in video marketing optimisation for your business. They are in no order of importance since all of them are equally important.

Generate Traffic from Video – YouTube

Users view billions of hours’ worth of video content on YouTube every day. YouTube is as much a search engine as Google and can be an amazing platform if you want to massively increase traffic for your website.

generate traffic from video

By following video SEO best practices – you can rank your videos in the YouTube search results, get hundreds or even thousands of views on your videos and direct viewers to your website.

You can also include a variety of links in your video descriptions to send viewers to your social media profiles, inbox or landing pages.

Rank Higher in the Organic Search Results

Search engines like Google not only look at the text on your website when determining whether to rank your website in the search results – they also look at what other types of media you publish.

Adding video content into the mix shows search engines that you offer a variety of media types and are going above and beyond when it comes to providing valuable content to users.

rank higher in organic serach

Google also has a Video Search tab and routinely showcases videos in the main organic search results that mean you can rank a video in the search results to drive traffic directly to your website.

Maximise and Re-Purpose Your Website Content

Just like you optimise your blog posts for certain unique keywords or phrases – you can optimise your videos with these keywords as well. If you are able to rank these videos on YouTube and/or in Google then you can then direct this video traffic to your blog.

maximise and re-purpose website content

This works in reverse as well. You can repurpose your existing blog articles as videos and then embed the videos into the article which will help your articles rank higher and attract traffic from video search.

Incorporate Educational Elements In Your Video

You need to ensure your video content strategy is educational to ensure you give your audience valuable insights. To produce an educational and engaging video – always make sure you:

  • Explain why you are qualified to make the video
  • Cover basic terms and their meaning
  • Use statistics, case studies and demonstrations
  • Add visual elements to the video like overlay text, diagrams, animations, etc.
  • Add an intro and an outro
  • Answer potential questions your audience may have in a frequently asked questions section
educational elements in Video

Build Links to Your Website

Since video content is highly engaging and shareable, you can increase your chances of attracting backlinks to your website from sites that choose to share or reference your video.

If you have unique and compelling videos then this gives websites a good reason to link to you.

building links to website

At the same time, you can earn referral traffic via the links you include in your YouTube channel bio and video descriptions. You can broaden this reach by sharing your videos across social media platforms and to your email list.

Reach Target Audience Across Multiple Channels

Researchers and Marketers have speculated that organic reach on social media may be hindered by businesses that include direct links to their website.

But video content does not seem to have this effect. In fact, videos tend to be very effective when it comes to boosting engagement and driving traffic and leads.

reach target audience across multi channel

With video SEO, you can rank your videos for unique keywords your audience may be searching for on both Google and YouTube. You can then share these videos across other social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to gain as much reach as possible including email marketing.

Do not just publish a video and wait for the organic traffic to roll in. Market your video across a variety of different social media platforms to gain as much online visibility as you can.

Boost Your Brand’s Social Presence

Video content gives you an opportunity to provide valuable information to your audience while solidifying your brand as an authority in your niche. It allows you to put a face to your business and build a stronger connection with prospective customers.

boost your brand's social presence

In all of your video content – you can reference your brand and direct viewers to additional resources.

That way if users find you through organic search and have never heard of your brand before then you can gain more online visibility and direct traffic to your website.

Experience the Benefits of Video SEO for Yourself

Video SEO goes way beyond simply generating traffic and leads for your videos – it can work to increase your online visibility for your brand across a variety of different platforms. Are you ready to expand your marketing with our video SEO services?

Therefore you can build brand trust, boost social engagement, increase organic website traffic and generate more leads rather than just a website SEO strategy.

Contact us today so that we can start working with you on a video SEO optimisation strategy that best suits your needs.

For full Video SEO Services package and functionality

and select the package that suits your business needs.

If you prefer to discuss your requirements first just

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What are the Benefits of Video SEO?

Best Video Length For Social Media Platforms

Best Video Length For Social Media Platforms

What Is the Best Length For A Video for Each Social Media Platform

The best length for a video is two minutes or less and this advice comes with conditions. Different platforms, messages and audiences require different video lengths. The trends toward micro-content means viewers expect videos to be shorter on platforms that allow long-form videos.

You will see the best results when you make targeted videos that are only as long as they need to be instead of sticking to rigid guidelines. This means you deliver one message in an entertaining way without tangents or fluff.

best results when target videos deliver right messages to target customers

Keep reading on for a more in-depth dive into your ideal video lengths for various social media platforms and hosting situations. We have organised the most important points into a handy way that explores the best length for a video – be it for business or entertainment.

Where did the two-minute rule originate from?

Back in 2016, a study by Wistia found that audience engagement drops off considerably after about 2 minutes which is about 5% points from minute 2 to minute 3. After this, engagement continues to drop at a similar rate until you hit the 6 ½ minute mark.

This is when it levels off just above 50%. Video engagement stays at this level until about the 13-minute mark when engagement begins to drop again.

There are a couple of important points to note here. First – any video length up to two minutes maintains the same level of engagement. Whether your video is 15 seconds long or 110 – you will see the same level of engagement.

Second – people do not automatically walk away at the two-minute mark. Some people will start to leave at this point but you still have the bulk of your audience.

2 minute rule

If your video really needs to be at least six minutes then audiences who have stuck with you this long will likely hang on a little longer so do not cut your content short for fear of losing them. If you are offering something useful or entertaining then they will probably stay with you for another few minutes.

However there are a few limitations to Wistia’s data that we should point out. Wistia is a video software and hosting company that works mostly with businesses that apply to self-hosted videos but may not be as relevant to social media platforms.

Their data also includes about 560,000 videos that have not been segmented based on audience, goals or industry which means that we are dealing with averages here. In short – your results may vary.

How to Choose the Best Length for a Business Video

If two minutes is just a broad guideline – how do you decide how long your video should be?

The answer is simple – your video should be exactly as long as it needs to be and no longer which means that you are not aiming for a specific number of minutes or seconds. You should focus on your message and how to make it clear, concise and engaging.

These best practices will help get you started and they are all equally important.

1. Start with a single - focused message

If you try to convey too many messages viewers are unlikely to hear any of them. Multiple messages require longer and more complex videos. The attention of your viewers may wander.

One focused message

If your topic is complex then drill down to a single question and just answer that. If necessary – you can create a series of videos to cover other related questions.

The key takeaway is: stay focused. Videos that take too long to get to the point lose viewer interest.

2. Where does your video fits in the marketing funnel

If someone has never heard of your business or product – they do not know what to expect and it might be too much to ask them to commit to a long video. On the other hand, videos for your established audiences can be much longer.

For example – a video tutorial on how to use your product might need to be less than a minute long if it is going to be shared on social media. The video that will be emailed to customers after they have purchased a product can be a little longer.

where does your videos fit in the marketing funnel

In the first case – your goal is to help new customers decide whether your product is easy to use. In the second case – you go into more detail because users are relying on you to help them understand what they have purchased.

3. Plan your video length based on your platform

From social media to self-hosting, the platform will determine how long your video can and should be. Do not just create a video and blast it out on every channel.

Make sure to learn and be aware from the start where you intend to share your video. We examine ideal video lengths for each platform in detail below.

Best Length for a Video By Platform

Every platform has its own length guidelines based on what the platform is capable of hosting and what it thinks its audience wants to see. When selecting an ideal video length, always keep your intended distribution channel in mind.

Plan your video length based on your social media platform

Here are some of the more common platforms and guidelines for each.

Facebook Ads

Length: 15 seconds

For Facebook feed video ads, you can share ads as long as 241 minutes. Yes – that is minutes and not seconds so in theory – you could have a Facebook ad that runs for 4 hours. We do not recommend doing so and neither does the platform. Facebook says that more people will watch to the end of video ads that are 15 seconds or less.

In-stream video ads  – this are ads played while someone is watching another video can be no more than 120 seconds and should be much shorter to avoid annoying your audience.

facebook video ads length

Remember – you are serving this ad to someone who is actively watching something else therefore minimising the disruption is a smart strategy. For videos shared on your Facebook page ensure to keep the two-minute rule in mind.

Video ads on Instagram can be no longer than 60 seconds. Facebook – which owns Instagram loves to stress that videos from Facebook can easily be repurposed as Instagram ads but this only works if your Facebook ads are short.

This is one reason why it is a good idea to apply Facebook’s 15-second guideline on Instagram too. Videos in an Instagram feed loop continuously so take that into account when planning your video.

instagram best video length and instagram tv -igtv

The rebranding of IGTV as Instagram TV means that organic videos on Instagram can now be up to 60 minutes long. Instagram Reels also updated their video length limits and you can now share videos up to 60 seconds long.

Tik Tok

Length: 16 seconds

Tik Tok lets you create videos up to 60 seconds long however the best average length was about 16 seconds according to one marketer who examined Tik Tok’s best 100 videos in 2019.

tik tok best video length

The exception might be if you are making a News Feed App Series Video Ad. In this case, you might want to aim for closer to 60 seconds.

Twitter

Length: 6 - 15 seconds

Videos on Twitter can be up to 140 seconds long. For ads, Twitter recommends videos that run between 6 to 15 seconds. Keep in mind that Twitter is all about quick content consumption so shorter is almost certainly better whether sharing to followers or serving an ad.

twitter best video length

Live videos are the exception to the shorter-is-better rule. With live videos, your goal is not to deliver a quick, focused message but you want to engage your audience in a more personal way.

Longer videos give more opportunity for your followers to see that you are live, join the stream and maybe even interact with you directly.

social media exception - as long as it is reasonable

When the live is over – you might take 20 to 60 seconds of it and repurpose that into a video for wider sharing and only do this if you have a section of the video that includes a clear, concise message.

Slicing out any random section of your live will not achieve much. You are much better off shooting a scripted video that gets your message across for those who were unable to join the live.

The average YouTube user can upload videos that are up to 15 minutes long. Verified accounts can go much longer. The platform hosts such a wide range of videos that it is not simple to make a unilateral statement about video length.

Many of the top most viewed videos of all time are music videos featuring celebrities. The rest are videos aimed at children.

It would be a mistake to assume that what works for them will work for you. Many YouTubers recommend making your video between 10 and 15 minutes.

youtube best video length

But these are professional YouTubers who want to make money from sponsorships and ad revenue. If your goal is to promote your business then choose your length based on where your viewer is in the funnel.

Self-hosted videos

Length: 2 to 15 minutes

The 2 minute rule also applies to self-hosted videos. If you are embedding a video on your website or directing them to your Wistia, Vimeo or another hosting page then assume that most of the audience will stick around for 2 minutes and about 50 percent will be gone by the time you get to 7 minutes.

self hosted videos best video length

Video Length by Location in Marketing Funnel

As we mentioned above – viewers who already know and trust you are more likely to watch longer videos.

Top of Funnel: Awareness

As short as possible - 30 sec or less

Top of funnel audiences have never heard of you or do not really know what you do. These audiences are least likely to invest time into watching your message.

Keep your videos aimed at them as short as possible. Ruthlessly remove anything that is not absolutely essential to your message.

top of funnel best video length

At this stage, the video should outline a problem and how you solve it and all essential info packed into a 30-second video so people who have never heard of them will be aware of your services.

Mid Funnel: Interest and Desire

Up to 2 minutes

Audiences who already know you exist are more likely to watch your videos for a longer period. People like the familiar and this gives you a few more seconds of their attention.

mid of funnel best video length

At this stage, your video needs to focus on a compelling case that shows why someone might want to purchase your product/services or join your organisation and be up to 2 minutes long.

Bottom of Funnel: Action

As long as it needs to be

At the bottom of the funnel – viewers are almost ready to act. They are willing to invest more time to make sure they are making the right decision.

bottom of funnel - as long as it needs to be

Webinars, tutorials and other long-form content can perform well if they are aimed at customers who are almost ready or ready to act.

Attention Spans: How Short Do You Think?

If all of these different guidelines have left your head spinning – do not worry. We can simplify this even further.

You may have seen the oft-repeated statistic that the modern human’s attention span is shorter than that of a goldfish. That might convince you that the best length for a video is always as short as possible – this is not true.

If it were, we would never finish a video project. Do you have any idea how long it takes to animate even 15 seconds of quality video?

The truth is that the average person will not spend more than eight seconds watching something that does not capture their interest. Your goal is not to condense your message into eight seconds or less but give your audiences a reason to keep watching.

give your target audiences a reason to keep watching

There are tonnes of content out there. Your audience must immediately know what your video is about and must quickly understand why it matters.

Video is useless – if audiences cannot tell what it is about, do not know why it matters and are not informed or entertained. Instead of focusing on length -focus on quality.

Concise, engaging and focused videos always outperform the competition every time.

The Secret to Optimal Video Length: Test and see

The secret of finding the perfect video length is that there is no perfect length that applies to all industries and all situations. You set your video up for success when you test several different video lengths and track your results.

You can streamline this process by partnering with a video creation company with experience in your industry. They will know what works and what does not.

there is no perfect length for a video

Remember that video views are not the best indicator of success – unless your goal is awareness. Choose a video metric that directly correlates to your goal for the video:

  • Did the person click the link at the end? This shows engagement.
  • Did they actually purchase something or at least sign up for a consultation call? If so, this video is effective no matter what the length is.

The best length for a video is not a hard and fast rule – it is a starting point. Your video can be longer than the ideal as long as it is that length for a reason.

If you have padded it out with extra information or gone off on tangents then cut it down.

Conclusion

The best video length for a video - meets your goals

Remember these guidelines for video length are just that – guidelines. Different audiences, industries and goals demand different video lengths.

For the simple reason – our video creation experts at Best-Digital Marketing Services have helped businesses in all kinds of industries to create the ideal video for their audience and goals.

Contact us today to start creating videos that are exactly as long as they need to be.

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Further Reading: Benefits of SEO

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How To Launch A Website On Google With Checklist

How To Launch A Website On Google With Checklist

How To Launch A Website On Google With Checklist

Launching a new website can be a tedious task but you can alleviate some of the stress by using this comprehensive website launch checklist.

If you are just getting started on your first website then here is a comprehensive checklist that can help you streamline your process.

As professional website builders, we admit that launching a new website can be stressful and even so for the most seasoned digital marketers.

Websites are complex and sophisticated arena of the digital world. There are so many things that are easily overlooked such as a broken link or a misspelled word and of course – a handful of things could go exceptionally wrong. 

Launch Your Website On Google With Checklist

For instance – what if you forget to test an important data capture form that loses out on generating new leads or what if you forget to set up website redirects which gives valuable search engine visitors – a page not found message?

It would be much easier to have a comprehensive website checklist to run down before every website launch rather than worry about the uncertain. 

At Best-Digital Marketing – we have created just that. Keep reading to learn everything you need to do before launching a website and it is one that you could use for enterprise websites, microsites, landing pages and everything in between?

Table Of Content

Below are the content on Launching Your Website On Google With Checklist

Click on any of them to get diectly to your prefered section or you can scroll down slowly and read from the start.

What Should You Do Before Creating Your Website Design

Whether this is your first website that is being built from scratch or you are doing a website redesign, there are a few steps that you should take before hiring a web designer like Best-Digital Marketing or diving in yourself.

1. Analyse your existing website

In order to make good decisions, you must first understand where you have been. This means starting with your existing website if you have one. Ask yourself: 

  • What is the purpose for my new design or overhaul?
  • What have not accomplished with this existing site?
  • How will my new design serve my new business?
  • What does it lack to reach my full potential?

The answers to these questions will help you identify your gaps which will then confirm your goal setting for the new site.

Analyse Existing Website

2. Crawl existing site and document its structure.

You can get an idea of your site’s existing structure, pages and assets by using a crawling tool such as Screaming Frog, SEMrush, Deep Crawl or Sitechecker.pro.

This is an absolutely necessary step in creating your website development plan because you will have a concrete view of what pages existed before, what redirects are in place and what the Meta data currently looks like.

3. Compare new and old website for benchmark data and confirm testing procedures.

Here you want to compare how your new site is performing compared to the old one and continue to identify gaps that will provide data-driven insights to help your with your new strategy.

Ultimately you want to confirm testing procedures. The sooner you begin testing your website to make sure all the different components are working, everything flows and there is a system for tracking bugs and enhancements – the better.

Use a more streamlined form such as Google Forms instead of asking consumers to email their thoughts so the feedback-gathering process is well organised. Finally get one person in charge of choosing which bugs to prioritise and filter all the creative feedback you receive through the form.

4. Identify your goals for the new design.

Once the above gaps have been identified, you can now begin to craft your goals for the new design. You may come to conclusions such as: 

  • The current site is cumbersome and difficult and we need ease of use. 
  • The current site no longer trendy – so we need a visual refresh. 
  • The current site does not perform, so we need a more SEO-friendly structure with a better UX. 
  • And much more.

Whatever your goals are – you will want to understand exactly how a new site will help you achieve them so that you can craft its implementation accordingly. You need to know how to achieve them and how to measure its success.

5. Define and list action items, roles and responsibilities.

Draft and create a project management checklist for the website.

  • What content needs to be written?
  • What calls-to-action need to be created? 
  • Make a master list of the things you need for your website
  • Add deadlines for when they should be completed. 
  • Assign each action item to an individual or team. It usually takes a lot of people to launch a website.
  • You have marketers writing the content; designers choosing images and laying out the overall look and feel; a technical team doing all the back-end development. 

To ensure everyone is on the same page with no role confusion, you need to lay out a comprehensive plan for what each team or person is responsible for.

A great way to do this is by using the DARCI Decision Making Model that stands for Decision Maker/s, Accountable, Responsible, Consulted and Informed.

This is a powerful model or tool that will help everyone understand:

which individual is responsible for completing which action or item

which individual/s or group/s need to be consulted before any final decisions are made and

who needs to be consulted once a final decision has been made or an action has been taken. 

6. Prepare for worst-case scenarios.

Question and poll everyone involved in your website launch on their concerns about what could go wrong and devise a few backup plans for what to do when and if somethings go wrong.

7. Choose a Reputable and Solid Content Management System - CMS.

If you have never launched a website before then the exhaustive list below may help you. If you have already built your website then you might have already gained some experience using a CMS. 

A Content Management System or CMS often allows you to design a website from a pre-created template, optimising your content for SEO and editing content after it has been published.

Content Management System - CMS

If you are in the process of building a website – one way of going through this checklist in less time is by building your pages on a CMS that already does a lot of the work for you.

There are a few alternatives that you can test on CMS platforms however the most popular one is WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Woo-Commerce, Wix, Elementor and much more.

8. Develop a consistent brand.

Always decide on a consistent brand message and tone – one that you are committed to present consistently across all digital presence and social media. This will make you look more legitimate, credible and memorable.

  1. Understand your value proposition.
  2. Choose a mission statement, vision statement and tagline that represent value for your brand identity. 
  3. Choose colours and fonts that convey your brand identity well. 
  4. Decide on the type of images that you want to further convey your brand identity and messaging.

Take some time to ensure that your website is given a solid foundation for Technical SEO success. From site architecture and content hierarchy to Meta data and XML sitemaps, do not leave any stone unturned.

  1. Perform SEO keyword research and decide what you want to rank for. 
  2. Create a content strategy that satisfies those keywords. 
  3. Understand how your existing pages can be adjusted and which pages will need to be created new. 
  4. Determine which pages are no longer necessary.
  5. Map out where unnecessary pages can be redirected to using a 301 redirect.

Once you have an understanding of the primary pages that will exist on your website – you need to figure out what actions you want users to take and how are you going to capture their information which includes: 

  • What top-of-the-funnel offers are needed?
  • What middle-of-the-funnel offers are needed?
  • What bottom-of-the-funnel action will be presented on main pages?
  • What forms need to be created?
  • What landing pages and thank you pages need to be created?
  • How conversions will be tracked?
  • What actions will take place after a website visitor converts – email responder, etc.

Web analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of website data to understand and optimise web usage. Web analytics is not just a process for measuring web traffic but can be used as a tool for business and market research and assess and improve website effectiveness.

There are a few website analytics tools to use such as Google Analytics, Open Web Analytics, Wix Analytics, Chartbeat and much more.

  1. Choose which analytics platforms you will be using on the new site.
  2. Decide if any previous analytics tracking scripts will be used or if new accounts/scripts are needed. 
  3. Set up new accounts where applicable.

When you have an idea of what needs to get done before the launch – pick a feasible launch date. Give yourself at least a month.

Best-Digital Marketing plans for 2 to 3 months of research, design and development and we also cater for more immediate request if required.

Set A Launch Date

Before you launch, it is absolutely imperative to review all of the content on your website that means page content and premium content. From data -driven content and downloadable documents to rich media such as videos and images – you want to make sure everything is in place, working properly and looking beautiful.

It is important to set up a staging site to prepare your new website before going live. Staging sites are exact copies of your website on a private server that are used to prepare and proof content and code changes before they go live.

The staging site is a place to edit, amend and play around with updates in an environment that is identical to the one that will be going live. This is so you do not have to worry about crashing your site or messing something up when you make a change.

Later on you will sync content and templates between the staging environment and your live website via your Content Management System – CMS. It allows you to generate a preview of the entire site so you can click around and test things in context.

1. Ensure text is error-free and accurate.

Site content has been proofread for spelling and grammar.

Company contact details are accurate throughout the website.

Generic content such as lorem ipsum has been properly removed and replaced.

All premium content such as case studies, e-books and whitepapers have been proofread. Spelling and grammar are correct.

Copyright date in the footer includes the current year.

Test Are Error Free and Accurate

2. Replace all placeholder images with final images and designs.

On occasion, a website designer may use a placeholder image if they did not have the correct asset at the time of the page’s creation. It is up to you to make sure each page is picture-perfect.

3. Ensure copy aligns with the new brand.

The text has been copy-edited to ensure consistent brand voice and style. 

All company tag lines and mission statements are up-to-date.

Paragraphs, headers, lists and other formatting are correct.

Brand colours have been implemented correctly including link and button colours.

Scripts, images and CSS are optimised across web pages.

Even if you outsourced the design to a web designer/developer, the responsibility falls on you to ensure there are no copyright licensing issues.

Otherwise you could end up with a unavoidable infringement settlement on your hands.

No Copyright Infringement Intended
  • Website pages are compatible across browsers and devices.
  • Images, videos and audio files are in the correct places, formatted and working on all devices.
  • Social media share icons are associated with the correct accounts.
  • Company logo is linked to the homepage.
  • All premium contents such as case studies, e-books and whitepapers are stored in their proper libraries/databases and working properly.
  • Internal links across web pages are working properly. 
Testing Website For UX
  • All necessary forms are present. 
  • Landing pages and thank you pages have been implemented. 
  • The correct buttons and call to action – CTAs are present in the proper locations. 
  • Everything is linked together appropriately.

You can prevent loss of data and protect against malware and other damages by properly setting up site security and regular backups. Check that:

  • Backup schedule has been created. 
  • Backup location has been identified. 
  • A plan for implementation is set to be put in motion after launch.
Create Website Backup Strategy

10. Store passwords and credentials in a secure place.

Many individuals may have been involved in the website launch up until this point so ensure that passwords are reset when the time comes and proper password etiquette is followed.

Store Passwords & Credentials In Secure Place

You will be able to amend, change or delete any existing content that does not serve your target audience and refine future content to provide better outcome.

11. Audit the technical SEO implementation for errors.

  • Pages have unique page titles and appropriate Meta descriptions.
  • Each page has a specific purpose and pages meant to rank organically are optimised around a single keyword or set of keywords.

12. Carry out a stress test.

In a website redesign scenario, it may not be 100% necessary to do a stress test because the traffic spike may not overrun your server’s capacity. However a stress test – also called a load test is a must for any company that plans for a large influx of visitors during specific times such as the holidays or after a major press event.

This will help you figure out how much simultaneous traffic your website can handle by simulating up to tens of thousands of simultaneous virtual users from different locations around the world.

Stress tests simulate virtual users and does not totally replicate a real-life scenario so you need to find a load test that will bring you as close to reality as possible.

Load testing usually identifies:

  • The maximum operating capacity of an application.
  • Determine whether the current infrastructure is sufficient to run the application.
  • Sustainability of application with respect to peak user load.
  • Number of concurrent users that an application can support, and scalability to allow more users to access it.

Load testing is a type of non-functional testing. A load test is a type of software testing which is conducted to understand the behaviour of the application under a specific expected load. Load testing is performed to determine a system’s behaviour under both normal and at peak conditions.

At Best-Digital Marketing, we recommend using Apache JMeter. This is a pretty technical tool that is not ideal for someone who is new to the concept.

Make sure to notify your host or provider that you want to perform a stress test before you actually do one. Otherwise your test might look like a DDoS -Distributed Denial of Service attack on your provider. 

User Experience – UX is a key aspect of how they view your business so testing your website before it goes live will bring more confidence to your visitors whilst pleasing them with your services or offerings.

Pre-Launch Website Checklist

  1. Ensure Text is accurate and error free.
  2. Replace all placeholder images with final images and designs. 
  3. Ensure copy aligns with the new brand.
  4. Check all styling preferences have been implemented.
  5. Make sure your design is aesthetically pleasing.
  6. Ensure all rights to images, fonts and other content have been appropriately cited or licensed.
  7. Test the site for User Experience -UX.
  8. Check the conversion paths have been implemented properly.
  9. Create your site backup strategy. 
  10. Store passwords and credentials in a secure place. 
  11. Audit the Technical SEO implementation for errors.
  12. Conduct a Stress Test / Load Test.

Website Post-Launch Checklist

Let’s say you have completed the website and the button has been pushed – the domain is pointing to the new site and you are about ready to tell the world……. that you are here!

But hang on just one minute because you still have things to check for now that your site is officially live.

1. Test the site for user experience again.

Just in case there was an issue at the implementation stage, you want to ensure the experience is consistent with what you reviewed before it went live.

  • Ensure your design is rendering as you expected it to across browsers and devices. 
  • Ensure CSS/HTML is properly validated. 
  • CSS styling is rendering properly.
  • Favicon is in place and rendering properly. 
  • Internal links across web pages are working correctly.
  • External links across web pages are working properly and opens in a new tab.
  • Social media share icons are working correctly.
  • Feeds are working properly such as RSS, news, social media and so forth.
  • Company logo is linked to the homepage.
  • 404 Redirect pages are in place -page-not-found.aspx.

2. Test your conversion path's functionality.

Take some time to test and validate all of the different features on your website. Lead generation forms, CRM integration and any other technology should work flawlessly across your website.

  • Forms are submitting data properly.
  • Thank you message or page displays after form is submitted.
  • Form data is being emailed to a recipient and/or stored in a company database.
  • Auto-responders are working correctly -if applicable.
Test Conversion Path

3. Check integrations that third-party tools are running smoothly.

Integrations such as your CRM, E-commerce software and/or marketing platform link to your website and help you run your business.

If there is a potential issue that can cause data loss, you do not want to find out later down the line. 

4. Copy the final website for backup purposes.

Now that everything is in place and finalised, you want to have a clean, clear and defined copy of it should you experience data corruption or loss. 

5. Make sure backups are running correctly.

Now is the time to check the implementation of your backup strategy. Check that ongoing copies of the website are being created and stored on a regular basis.

6. Ensure your site is secure.

  • 24/7 monitoring scripts are installed.
  • There is a plan in place for updating plugins – if applicable. 
  • Ensure that all applicable parties are aware of your businesses password etiquette policies.
  • Purchase an SSL certificate – if needed. An SSL certificate can take up to two weeks to purchase and set up so ensure you have it prior to launch.

An SSL certificate will ensure your website is encrypted so hackers cannot intercept any of your data and you will put your website visitors at ease too. It will also boost your website’s SEO since SSL is now part of Google’s search ranking algorithm.

SSL Certificate - DV SLL - OV SLL - EV SSL

7. Comply with relevant applicable laws.

Ensure your website complies with any and all applicable laws and regulations. Internet law can be diverse and each industry has its own set of rules to follow.

Hence it is best to consult with your legal counsel to make sure you are not missing or breaching anything — this post is not legal guidance.

Here are a few you might need to know about:

  • Web pages offer accessibility for users with disabilities –WAI-ARIA.
  • Web pages announce if the website uses cookies which may be required in some countries.
  • Website is compliant with usage rights for purchased or borrowed code, images and fonts.
  • Terms and privacy policies are visible to website visitors.
  • GDPR compliant if you are planning to offer services to EU countries.
  • Website is PCI compliant – if you are planning to store and process debit/credit cards details.
General Data Protection Regulation - GDPR

8. Crawl the site to highlight errors prior to launch.

Compare the crawl to the previous crawl and see if you find any inconsistencies that were not intended. You also want to ensure that all pages have the proper search engine indexing settings.

You also want to check for formatting consistency where sometimes font codes get dropped into a page by accident so you want to scour your site for any of these weird formatting errors.

Make sure all your formatting are consistent and any unwanted blips are mitigated from your copy.

9. Check technical SEO components for errors.

  • Page titles, Meta descriptions and URLs are all present and match the original technical SEO strategy.
  • Load time for site pages is optimised.
  • A dynamic XML sitemap has been created.
  • The XML sitemap has been submitted to search engines.
  • Page URLs consistently reflect site information architecture.
  • 301 redirects are in place for all old URLs – if applicable redirecting old and outdated pages to new pages.
  • rel=”nofollow” tags are in place on applicable links and pages.
  • Images on the website are properly compressed to help with load times. 

10. Optimise your Metadata.

  • Metadata is correctly in place for any content in an RSS feed and social media sharing content.
  • Spelling and grammar are correct in all Metadata.
  • Alt tags have been added to every image.
Data - Metadata

11. Set up analytics.

Make sure your website is set up to capture web data and analytics. This valuable information will allow you to continually improve your website going forward so make sure to get this optimised.

  • Your website analytics codes and tracking scripts have been inserted on website.
  • Relevant IP addresses have been excluded from analytics tracking.
  • Funnels and goals have been correctly created in your analytics software – if applicable.
  • Google Webmaster and Google Analytics accounts have been correctly synced.
  • Google Ads accounts have been correctly synced – if applicable.

12. Start a post-launch enhancement list.

The website you launch should be functional, well-designed and well-positioned. However it may not be everything you hoped and dreamed on the first go and you certainly do not want to spend months of effort designing a website that consumers will not react well to.

What if your clients do not like it? What if conversion rates fall? This could add up to lost time, money and effort.

Well there is a solution! – how about publishing a solid website then testing and building on top of it — a website creation approach known as Growth-Driven Design – GDD.

Create a document that lists out all the things you were unable to get done for the launch but want to add in the future and add features and elements to it as you discover more about how users interact with your website.

Post-Launch Website Checklist

  1. Test the site for user experience again. 
  2. Test your conversion path’s functionality.
  3. Check and ensure all third-party integrations tools are running smoothly.
  4. Make a copy of the final website for backup purposes. 
  5. Ensure that backups are running properly. 
  6. Ensure your site is secure.
  7. Comply with all applicable laws.
  8. Perform a crawl check on the site to ensure no errors happen on launch.
  9. Check the technical SEO components for errors. 
  10. Optimise your Meta data.
  11. Set up analytics.
  12. Start a post-launch enhancement list.

Launching a Website Announcement

You did all of this work so far for the benefit of your website visitors, prospects and existing customers.

Your next step is to tell the world about your new website design.

Here is how you do it:

1. Build anticipation teasers before going live.

Launching a new product, a new movie or a new website all requires marketing before the actual release date. Think of the last movie you watched in the cinemas. Did you see the trailer before you decided to buy those movie tickets along with popcorn and coke?

Teasers for your website launch can only help to build anticipation and get users wondering what the new experience will be like and this can build buzz and interest once you finally break the news.

2. Create social media strategy for the announcement.

Decide what social media channels you want to promote the news on, how will you make the announcement and how long the promotion will last.

As you create and craft your messaging – remember to focus on new features and how they benefit your audience. 

Social Media Strategy Announcement

3. Identify exciting ways to promote engagement for the new site.

For users who are not involved in your brand, a new website launch might not seem like a big deal.

Your goal is to provide an exclusive offer for the first users who visit the site or create a contest that promotes engagement with the website’s new features.

Whatever you choose, make sure you make it fun and interesting.

4. Email to your existing database.

You may want to give existing leads and customers a head’s up about your new design especially if it will cause any confusion when they visit the next time.

You can break the news as a matter of courtesy but also sneak in ways to underscore the value you are providing.

You can also alert all stakeholders of the redesign and ask them to spread the word of the new website. 

5. Promote the launch for a month or More.

Just because you post about your new website once on social media does not mean that your audience will drop everything to visit your website in their thousands.

Make your launch a big deal and keep the new functionality top of mind so that your audience is prompted multiple times to check it out.

Once your website is launched – do remember to resubmit your XML sitemap to all major search engines.

Launching a Website Announcement

  1. Build anticipation with teasers before the site is live. 
  2. Create a social media strategy for the announcement. 
  3. Identify exciting ways to promote engagement for the new site. 
  4. Send emails to your existing customer database. 
  5. Continue to promote the launch for a month or so.

Wrapping Up - Always Check When You Have Built Your Site

When you have chosen a CMS, built a website and ready to launch – here is a list of things to check before going live.

Do feel free to copy, edit and make your own based on the software you are using to launch and host your website.

Here is a list of the most important highlights from each section:

Complete Website Launch Checklist

Pre-Launch Website Checklist

  1. Ensure Text is accurate and error free.
  2. Replace all placeholder images with final images and designs. 
  3. Ensure copy aligns with the new brand.
  4. Check all styling preferences have been implemented.
  5. Make sure your design is aesthetically pleasing.
  6. Ensure all rights to images, fonts and other content have been appropriately cited or licensed.
  7. Test the site for User Experience -UX.
  8. Check the conversion paths have been implemented properly.
  9. Create your site backup strategy. 
  10. Store passwords and credentials in a secure place. 
  11. Audit the Technical SEO implementation for errors.
  12. Conduct a Stress Test / Load Test.

Post-Launch Website Checklist

  1. Test the site for user experience again. 
  2. Test your conversion path’s functionality.
  3. Check and ensure all third-party integrations tools are running smoothly.
  4. Make a copy of the final website for backup purposes. 
  5. Ensure that backups are running properly. 
  6. Ensure your site is secure.
  7. Comply with all applicable laws.
  8. Perform a crawl check on the site to ensure no errors happen on launch.
  9. Check the technical SEO components for errors. 
  10. Optimise your Meta data.
  11. Set up analytics.
  12. Start a post-launch enhancement list.

Launching a Website Announcement

  1. Build anticipation with teasers before the site is live. 
  2. Create a social media strategy for the announcement. 
  3. Identify exciting ways to promote engagement for the new site. 
  4. Send emails to your existing customer database. 
  5. Continue to promote the launch for a month or so.

We have grouped items based on pre-launch and post-launch making sure to touch on page content, design, functionality, SEO, branding, analytics, security, and compliance.

For full Content Creation information

and select the package that suits your business needs.

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or fill your details with a message of your requirements at

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How To Launch A Website On Google With Checklist

The Comprehensive Guide to Content Curation with 21+ Tools

Complete Guide To Content Curation with 21+ Tools

The Comprehensive Guide to Content Curation With 21+ Tools

In this guide we will teach you how to source and share great content on social media.

Content that your audience like, comment on and share with their followers whilst exposing your brand, business and product to a wider audience.

Comprehensive Guide to Content Curation with 21+ Tools

Would you like to become a professional content curator?  Yes

Then you have come to the right place but before we get to what’s, why’s and how’s of content curation…

What is Content Curation?

Content curation is the practice of searching and identifying meaningful content that is generated by third parties and sharing it with your target audience.

Given the benefits it provides, curation has become an integral part of a great content curation marketing strategy.

With the high volume of information available today and the reducing attention span of readers – curating enables marketers to share content that is valuable and convenient for their target audience.

what is content curation

From seasoning blog posts with statistics to sharing articles from influencers or industry leaders on social media, content curation has no boundaries.

Curated content can be shared in blogs, emails, newsletters, and social media platforms. 

Content curation definition Wikipedia is as follows:

Content curation is the process of gathering information relevant to a particular topic or area of interest, usually with the intention of adding value select, organise and look after the items in a collection or exhibition.

Services or people that implement content curation are called curators.

Why Is Content Curation Important?

In a survey – 49% of B2B marketers identified content creation as one of the challenges that contributed to the stagnation of content marketing efforts. 

Content creation is resource-intensive and only 55% of marketers have small teams of developing their own content.

This means there is insufficient workforce in-house to build relevant content consistently. A content curation strategy can help address this problem.

why is content curation important

By finding and sharing the best content that resonates with the audience -marketing teams can grow their thought leadership, improve relevancy, increase efficiency and bolster their editorial calendars.

Digital content curation can also lead to

Higher search engine ranking (SEO)

Increased brand visibility

Increased website traffic

Improved customer engagement

Building thought leadership

Furthermore – 85% of B2B content marketers attributed content curation to their organisations’ increased success and content marketing goals effectively.

Who Can Curate Content?

We have taken the time to provide some content curation examples of how people in various fields curate content.

These examples will help you understand how content curation development is part of everyone’s workflow.

If you do not see your particular field of work then do not worry because there are plenty of ideas mentioned below that you will relate to.

Once you understand how you can or are curating content we will dive into the top content curation tools.

1. Entrepreneur

If you run a company then you are likely to juggle a set of interactive content creation tools.

You have to be involved with your product/service, marketing strategy, sales goals, financials and much more.

To be an effective leader you need to be able to:

✓ manage your time

✓ be an effective communicator

Therefore being a great content curator is one skill set that will help you do both.

When you pull digital resources together and share them with others then it will help you:

✓ Save time communicating ideas

✓ Encourage creativity within your organization

Establish strong communication networks between you, your team and your customers

entrepreneurs

Here is a quick glimpse of a few content curation examples that you will change your entrepreneurial life:

  • Curate and share relevant articles and videos with your employees to encourage creative thought.
  • Share timely company news, content and press coverage with clients.
  • Collect and share important industry news to help your employees stay ahead of the latest trends.

As a leader in an organisation everyone is looking up to you to help guide the direction of the company.

This encompasses everything from company culture, product vision and goals.

When you increase your level of communication with employees and clients you are instantly helping build trust and credibility.

That trust translates into being looked at as a thought-leader.

It is no surprise that a survey conducted by Curata showed that one of the main objectives of content curation is to establish thought-leadership.

As a leader you are the visionary. When you share thoughtful digital content curation tools and resources with others then you will inspire creativity and trust.

The top content curation tools listed below will truly help you and your company excel.

2. Marketers

Did you know that 82% of marketers curate content?

Digital content marketing is one of the most vital components of an overall marketing strategy.

All marketers can attest that they are pushed to the limits when it comes to cranking out great quality content day-in and day-out.

marketers

Content curation is the white horse that will help you and your team save time and create great engaging content simultaneously.

Imagine being able to solidify your brand’s position as a thought-leader and gain the trust of your target market?

By curating the best of the web and sharing the best digital resources, news, videos and articles in your niche – you are helping keep your audience informed and inspired.

Content curation strategy can be used for virtually all marketing goals such as:

☑  Brand building

☑  Customer education

☑  Acquisition

☑  Retention

Here are some of the ways marketers include content curation methods in their content marketing strategy:

  • Send daily/weekly industry news with followers, subscribers, users and existing customers.
  • Embed helpful digital resources like videos, articles, documents, anything online with a web link on your company’s blog or website.
  • Curate topical company resource pages, marketing assets, FAQs, etc. to help increase the lifetime value of your customers.

If you are a marketer then you will need to include a content curation marketing strategy to help you reach your marketing goals quicker.

The best way to get started is by using the top content curation tools for marketing that will help you, curate, publish and share digital content wherever your target audience is especially content curation on social media.

3. Educators

In today’s digital information overload – teachers are required to play the role of content curators.

You have to ensure the information you present to your students is accurate and engaging.

Often when it comes to engagement many educators are including online content.

You are likely to spend time digging and curating the best videos, infographics, articles and digital visuals to include in your planned lessons.

Adding these visual elements will help inspire your students to learn.

Here are just some of the many ways educators use content curation learning and development in the classroom:

  • Share various forms of digital content related to your lesson with your students to enhance the learning experience.
  • Send daily/weekly newsletters on top of industry news to enhance classroom discussions or required online reading.
  • Curate and email daily thought-provoking teaching practices to inspire colleagues.
educators

In addition to curating digital content as an educator it is important that those skills are passed on to students.

It is a basic requirement in the digital age that all internet users have the necessary learning content curation tools and skills to curate online information to:

  • Identify trustworthy sources
  • Curate the best information across various digital mediums and websites or applications
  • Take notes on why the information is important
  • Share curated research with others
  • Create reports, articles, blog posts, research papers, etc. to teach others.

One of the biggest goals for any educator is to ensure your students are equipped with the proper learning content curation tools and skill sets to keep up with the digital world.

Take a look at the top content curation tools described below to help you and your students become brilliant digital content curators.

Did you know that every single blogger and influencer is a content curator?

> If you send out curated newsletters filled with blog posts, industry news, recommended products…you have curated content.

> If you select awesome digital content to put in front of your social media audience…you are a content curator.

> If you have selected amazing products or services that you are recommending to your followers…you are a content curator.

> If you have ever made a top 10 list about anything…you are a content curator.

Well now you get the point of this content curation BAD BOY.

Whether you use the term curation or not? You have most likely built an entire audience and following because of your amazing online content curation tools and skills.

If you know what is cool, trending, newsworthy and interesting then you will gain followers.

They support you because you are providing them with information they cannot access anywhere else.

bloggers

It is nearly impossible to be an expert at everything. We all look towards influencers who can help us focus on what matters.

There is a lot of content and noise in the digital world. We tend to gravitate toward those who provide us with information we need to do our jobs, fill our passions and make us smarter.

Here are some of the ways how online content curation methods used by influencers to curate content:

  • Create an email of the best of roundups (daily/weekly/monthly/yearly) of content you have created and share it with your followers and subscribers.
  • Share important daily industry news with your audience and be looked at as a thought-leader.
  • Curate list of press coverage where you have been mentioned, quoted or profiled to better inform your audience of your standing in your industry.

Identifying new topics to cover and keep your readers engaged does not happen without you researching.  

influencers

You have to spend time sifting through to find the best of the web. Top bloggers and influencers spend almost the same amount of time researching as they do creating the content itself.

The one way to save time and create more content is to use best content curation platforms.

They will help improve your productivity and allow you to create content faster and engage with your audience in new ways.

Focusing on the best content curation tools listed below will help you deliver curated content to your audience through social media, email and on your website.

What we know, how we manage and sharing it with others are essential keys to the info-game because it is all about managing people, organising and sharing information effectively with others.

Let us look at the benefits of curating content:-

This is number one for curating and sharing content. Others build an impression of your business by what shows before their eyes.

So then…

Be deliberate about what you want fans and followers to think about your brand.

be recognised as an expert

Be it on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest and all the usual suspects.

Curation content on social media is one aspect of your stay on top of mind campaign for being seen as an expert in your field.

By showing and sharing what is important for your business. Every time people see you in their feeds and screens, it is another note in their:

Yes – she is in the game.

you are in the game

It also alleviates the old me, me, me scenario when businesses post only their own stuff. As a social curator you are better than that.

Curating and sharing content keeps you on your business-toes.

keep updated-stay informed

Spending time finding, sifting and reading pieces across the web for your industry will help you learn more about your business.

Those are some of the key benefits of content curation. Now let us move onto the how to do content curation correctly.

If you got something worthwhile to say, create or curate then you have got consumer’s attention.

The more you share, the more consumers you will attract. Use this as your e-carrot to hook them into your email list.

When you help others, others will help you – this is how the universe works.

grow your network

Sharing and curating content can help you make connections with leaders and influencers in your industry.

This in turn could spark conversation with your social media audience in general.

Content curation vs content creation is a required piece for your content marketing strategy.

However writing blog posts, making YouTube videos, or Snapchatting takes time and energy so if you got the time and budget for it then do it.

easier to curate than create your own

Share something excellent that has already been created for you since it keeps the conversation going.

It is a relief to know how you can share what you are reading on your desktop, tablet or phone and even what you watch?

Firstly you will need to determine the topics to share with your fans.

Then locate the articles for those topics. There are content curation tools available for this. You will see some shortly.

how to curate content

To decide on which posts to share you need to consider…

Who should I share this with?

Why would this help them?

Is this a trustworthy source?

Is it unique and worthy of sharing?

Will it make the reader grin, snicker or blush?

Once you are completed the above then you can create the time to schedule them.

When doing this always consider the social media rule of thirds:

> Share a third on personal brand promotion

> A third of curated content

> A third about the conversations happening on social media

social media rule of thirds

Here are some factors to doing content curation successfully:

1. Identify Your Audience

Who are you trying to attract?

What kind of audience are you trying to build?

What content sharing can you engage in that is truly useful?

You are sharing because you care—caring about how this post will help readers do their job better.

2. Focus Your Content Sharing

Based on the audience you are trying to attract, their interest/needs and your own business goals always pick one or two topic areas about which you will share content.

The content you share has to be on topics that your audience cares about and is likely to read since 70% of people will only ever click on one topical category so choose carefully.

focus on content sharing

When you market yourself as a content curator – you will have the same challenges as a brand.

You need to convey your message clearly. This is one instance where you want consumers to apply a label to you – the social media expert, the IT guy, the restaurant critic, etc.

As a content curator – you are marketing yourself as a supplier of good, relevant, timely, interesting and useful information.

You are like a funnel that filters out the rubbish and only promotes the gems.

The more consumers can count on you and the quality of your content sharing – the more they will support you, re-share and click on your links and recommend you to others.

Quality is a differentiator as a curator.

Share on a regular basis. Sharing regularly and frequently gains you visibility.

Here is one of the biggest challenges in consistency – keep your content at the level you originally targeted.

If your audience are consumers who are new to online marketing then make sure you share content for novices.

Do not start sharing content that will only make sense to people already immersed in online marketing.

curate consistently

If your audience is small businesses then start sharing content on business issues and that are consistent.

Always summarise key points or takeaways to help readers identify your content and associate the post with your brand.

Whether target audience read your content or not they will still see an interesting or quirky or useful snippet in their feed.

Generally you want to brand yourself as the curator using your real name.

Ultimately social media is about people not logos. Companies try to humanise but people do not try to corporatize.

When you establish a personal brand via curation, you can carry that brand into your next job or business.

promote yourself

The value of your curation work accrues to you, while also benefiting whatever business you happen to be involved with at the moment.

As mentioned earlier sharing curated vs created content is your opportunity to show some breadth. Others will see how you use the web sphere to be a beast in your space and industry.

Share your own content too – say at a 1:10 ratio. You will look more real and less promotional and this is a killer for building trust.

You may be sharing too much of the same thing like topics on writing, designing, social media or any sort.

mix it up

So you can open up the share-pipes to productivity, self-help, simple apps and other human topics to improve how target audiences work each day.

Ultimately, caring about helping people to get clear, organised and efficient, informed and excited content is for humans to perform their job better, every day and feel great doing it.

Because it is a nice thing to do and it feels good – for you and them.

give credit where it deserves

Add a hashtag or @mention in a tweet or tag the content creator in a Facebook post for any content you are sharing.

Use a social media calendar to map out what you are going to post.

schedule it

Then use available programs to schedule your posts either on a set it and forget it approach one time versus posting multiple times a day.

But do not schedule it too far in advance since you want your posts to be on timely basis.

9. Monitor & Listen Socially

To learn what is working and what is not and what to change and when to change then one must monitor their own social media platforms to better understand social listening.

social listening

You will be able to amend, change or delete any existing content that does not serve your target audience and refine future content to provide better outcome.

Some of the Best Content Curation Tools

Here are the top lists of content curation tools in the market today to help you achieve your digital content curation goals.

They will help you increase your productivity by saving time, communicating effectively, building trust, engage with your audience and much more.

Get ready to find and share the best content across the web in a smart way.

Let us dive into these time-saving top content curation tools. There are in no order of importance since all of them are equally important in their own right.

Some of them are the best free content curation tools and some are payable tools.

LinkedIn Slide Share

Slide Share is the number one place to find PowerPoint and PDF presentations online.

Editors take the time to curate the best Slide Share presentations. It also has a great discovery engine allowing you to search, curate and save the best presentations.

LinkedIn is one of the top content curation tools that also helps you curate, save and share infographics, videos and other types of professional visual content.

Cost: Free

Triberr

If you are having problems promoting your blog posts and getting traffic then Triberr is a social network that helps content marketers connect with industry leaders and curate their content.

You need to join a tribe which are area of interest, begin curating content and then share your content.

It also helps brands find and connect with influencers through influencer marketing and a self-serve top content curation tool.

It adds a unique way to get your content in the hands of people who can help promote your work.

Cost: Free, Lite at $20/month and Prime $50/month

Content Gems

ContentGems is a content discovery engine. Every day it scans hundreds of thousands of articles from the best online sources and presents you with a stream of relevant and timely content.

This is based on your keywords, social signals, media type, and other filter settings you set up.

ContentGems provides you with the ability to share directly onto social media platform, create weekly e-newsletters or put it directly on your company intranet and/or portals.

You can also plug your content into a variety of platforms, such as Buffer, HootSuite, Feedly, Slack, and WordPress, to name a few.

Cost: There is a free plan and 3 other plan ranging from $10/month, $99/ month and $199/ month.

elink.io

elink.io is one of the top content curation tools that is a must-have in your tool belt regardless of your profession.

It is the fastest and most professional way to share curated content on any topic in a visually appealing way. Think of it as a professional Pinterest.

The content you curate on elink can be shared via social media as a stand-alone web page, embedded onto any website or sent as a responsive newsletter via Gmail, Mail Chimp or any other email platform.

It also offers a Chrome Extension and RSS feeds for faster curation. This tool pulls a title, description and image for each link that is entered which can be further customised to add your own voice.

Elink.io offers 30+ beautiful prebuilt responsive layouts so you never have to worry about design and can just focus on your content. The website is fully responsive allowing you to access it from any device.

There is no limit to how many elinks you can create so give it a try today.

Cost: Free plan (includes unlimited web pages) and PRO plan starts at $15/month and if you pay annually or bi-annually – the cost per month reduces. Education & Non-profit discounts are available.

Pocket

Pocket is one the top content curation tools out there that helps you save articles, videos or any other web content in Pocket that you want to read, watch or share at a later time.

It doubles as a discovery platform where users can browse through interesting new content posted by major publications and other content writers or curators.

Pocket has apps and a responsive website that are accessible from every device. You can also view content offline on the go.

It is a great app to collect information you want to read later especially when you are traveling and dubbed as the save button for the web

Cost: Free plan & Pocket Premium – $35.99/year or $3.95/ month.

Bit.ai

Bit.ai is a new-age document and content collaboration tool that helps teams collaborate, share, track and manage all company knowledge in one place.

Apart from being a great documentation tool it also brings all your content in one place, making it a versatile content curation tool.

You can add any weblink- Youtube video, Spotify, PDFs, cloud files, social media content, maps, charts, spreadsheets and more to a Bit document and can even embed this document on your website.

If you curate content in a team or colleague environment Bit provides a great way to collaborate and save content easily in one location.

Bit also has robust workspaces to keep everything organised like your curated content can stay in separate folders, making it easy to locate and use when necessary.

Cost: Free plan with limited features and PRO plan starts at $8/month paid annually. Education & Non-profit discounts are available.

Curata

Curata is a top content curation tool focused on marketers in enterprises discovery, organise, curate and share the best content from around the web.

Receive relevant content delivered automatically from hundreds of thousands of sources.

It also has an added feature of a centralised calendar to co-ordinate with team members, programs and organisation-wide content initiatives.

Cost: There is a free trial period and then Basic plan @ $499/month, Professional plan @ $667/month and Enterprise plan @ $999/month.

Flipboard

Flipboard allows you to collect content from the sources you trust. We added it to our top content curation tools list because it has a beautiful interface and presents your curated reading material in a magazine format.

It is a helpful way to keep up with your reading in a visually appealing way.

Select our interests and your feed will be curated with articles and recommended stories on those topics. You can also follow others who share similar interests.

Flipboard offers a variety of tools like the Flip.it button which is like a web bookmark that allows you to directly bookmark articles, videos and directly links to your Flipboard magazine.

Cost: Free

Paper.li

Paper.li is a content curation platform for creating online newspapers using the content from Twitter, Facebook, Google+, YouTube and RSS feeds.

This top content curation tool makes it easy for you to find, publish and share content on the web and social media by aggregating content from any web source.

Your content appears like a newspaper and it is a fun way to share curated content that is important to you.

Cost: There is a free trial period and then plan starts @ $12.99 paid monthly or  $10.78/month paid annually.

Listly

List.ly helps you to find, create, curate and share list articles on any topic.

This content curation tool is a great social way to engage your audience and share curated content publicly.

They have a great set of collaboration features making it a fun way to share the best of the web socially.

It comes with a Chrome Extension, WordPress plugin and a bookmarlet to help you save information on the go and grow your lists. Have fun creating listings on anything and everything!

Cost:  FREE – 3 free lists for new users, Pro plan @ $4.99/month or $49.99/year and Team plan @ $4.99/month/user or $49.99/year/user

Quuu

Quuu is also a hand-selected content curation tool. It gives you content suggestions even if you do not have a ton of blogs and online sources you trust.

You select from more than 300 interest categories to get content suggestions.

Choose how many suggestions you would like to send to your social media profiles or your Buffer or HubSpot accounts.

According to their website they hand-review more than 60,000 posts every day and they promise to review each and every piece of content they suggest.

Cost: Free, Pro plan @ $19/month and Business plan @ $50/month.

Sniply

With Snip.ly you can increase your web traffic when you share curated content.

It automatically adds a personalised call-to-action button to every shared link.

You can curate as much content as you want and drive conversion rates from external content you share.

This top content curation tool is a great way to keep your audience engaged with content you recommend and have a way for them to still interact with you and act accordingly.

Snip.ly allows you to easily monitor your audience engagement metrics and track results.

Cost: There is a 14 day free trial period and then Basic plan @ $29/Month, Pro plan @ $79/Month, Business plan @ $149/Month and Agency plan @ $299/Month

TrapIt

Trap.it is a top content curation tool and marketing automation software that puts your employees’ social media presence to work.

It is a platform that helps brands tap into their employees’ networks and reach a wider audience.

This top content curation tool makes it easy for marketing teams to curate industry-relevant content across multiple verticals.

Built-in analytics and reports provide valuable insight to shape your employee advocacy and social selling strategies.

Cost: Request for Quote

Content Studio

ContentStudio is a multi-use social media management and content marketing tool that allows you to discover, compose and share the best content.

It has a suite of products for content discovery, publishing, planning, analytics and automation to help marketing teams work and collaborate efficiently.

It is the perfect tool for discovering trending content, managing multiple social media networks, recycling evergreen posts, analysing performance, collaborating with the team and a lot more.

Cost: It offers a free trial. The paid version starts @ US$49/month to $299/month.

Pinterest

Pinterest is a visual curation bookmarking tool that helps you discover and save creative ideas.

It is a creative way to discover and share your tastes, interests and hobbies with others in the community.

Users can follow boards, like, comment and re-pin other users content.

This top content curation tool is a great place to collect visual inspiration for a wedding, recipes and more.

Cost: Free

Buzzsumo

Buzzsumo helps you curate content and identifying influencers who have shared a specific piece of content.

You can search for the most shared content using keywords, find out the most shared content from a specific domain and filter down to specific types of content such as infographics, videos and more.

You can also search by what news is trending in the past 24 hours and what content has been the most shared.

This content curation tool helps you analyse what content is performing best for any topic or for any competitor. You can find key influencers to help you promote your content.

Cost: It has a free trial version. The Pro plan @ $99/month, Plus plan @ $179/month and Large plan @ $299/month.

Quora

Quora is a top content curation tool focused on a community who answer curated answers based on their expertise and interest.

Anyone who has an account on Quora can ask a question and community members answer the question in detail.

All answers are searchable and well organised for anyone to access.

Quora pays attention to your interests and user-behaviour on the platform and displays content based on your reading and engagement habits.

Cost: Free

Juxtapost

Juxtapost helps you save and keep track of web content you want to save.

Everything you bookmark is categorised into pasteboards. Members of this top content curation tool can follow one-another and find inspiration of the best curated content.

One of the best parts is that you have the ability to preview your content in detail without needing to leave your browser.

Juxtopost also provides an option to export all of your bookmarked data in case you need to organise it via spreadsheets, etc.

Cost: Free

Scoop.It

Scoop.it increases your online visibility by helping you discover, curate and publish quality content.

You can ‘Scoop’ any content that you find useful and it will automatically be added to your page.

The content you curate can be shared socially within the network or shared on your social media channels, your website and blogs and newsletters.

This top content curation tool helps you link content directly from Twitter and Facebook page.

Cost: Free, Pro plan @ $14.99/month – paid annually and Business plan @ $67/month – paid annually.

Drum Up

DrumUp mines the web using sophisticated algorithms to find content relevant to your audience.

In other words it helps you energise your social media presence with fresh and relevant content.

This tool allows you to add multiple social media accounts to the dashboard.

You can schedule and share content on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter through the tools allowing you to find and share content across multiple social media accounts.

The tool also offers a Chrome extension that helps you find and share content relevant to the article you are reading on your browser.

Cost: Free, Starter plan @ $15/month, Pro plan @ $39/month and Small Business plan @ $79/month.

Post Planner

PostPlanner is a Facebook app for marketers and bloggers to curate and automate Facebook content.

This top content curation tool helps you find the best articles to share with your audience.

It also includes photos, status ideas and much more.

It is a smart way to grow your Facebook marketing team by just adding this tool to your marketing tool belt.

Cost: Starter plan @ $4/month, Solo plan @ $12/month and Business plan @ $24/month and Venture plan @ $59/month – all billed annually.

Feedly

Feedly is a way to organise, read and share content from your favourite websites, podcasts, keyword alerts and YouTube channels. You can access all of them in one place.

It is a useful tool since it has strong integration features with social media channels so you can easily share articles.

You can also schedule posts with HootSuite and Buffer.

You can also add articles to a read later section so you can access them when you need and you can discover fresh content on niche or broad topics.

It is always in sync so you can access it on a mobile device or via your desktop computer.

Feedly also has good collaboration features and one of those features is their shared boards section so you can work with your team to curate, comment, and prioritise the best articles about specific topics.

Cost: Pro plan @ $6/month, Pro + plan @ $8.25/month – both paid annually and Business plan @ $18/month.

anders pink

You will need to log in with Twitter to use Anders Pink. This content curation tool lets you create a briefing based on topics or sources.

You can add filters or exclude sources during setup or go back to do it later.

Once you are done then your dashboard will show you the top stories being shared on your topics and in your network so you can be part of ongoing conversations.

To keep up to date – you can receive daily digests by email. Anders Pink also integrates with Slack so you can keep your marketing team up to date with curated content on topics of interest.

Cost: You will have to contact Anders Pink for prices to their Partner plans, Enterprise plans and smaller and scaling teams.

Instapaper

Instapaper has been a major player among content curation tools for around 10 years.

With this app you can create an ad-free Instapaper website with content curated from the web and from some of the other curation apps on our list, like Flipboard.

You can read your Instapaper online or on any of the mobile apps which also allow you to read offline.

You can also highlight and comment on content, adding your opinion to make curated content even more useful for your audience.

Cost: Free plan and Premium plan @ $2.99/month or $29.99/year.

Twitter

No list of content curation tools would be complete without including Twitter.

That is because Twitter’s lists function lets you create lists around particular topics and follow users tweeting on those topics.

Then all you have to do is check those lists and retweet updates or even share content on other social media platforms.

Cost: Free

Wrapping Up - Which Tool Is Right For You?

Before you select the best tools for your business – it is important to understand the role content curation will play in your marketing operations and the size of your team.

If you are a one-person marketing department, the beginner or and intermediate person then the content curation free tolls options should suffice for your needs.

As your business and team grows then you will play a larger role and require more powerful digital content curation tools.

Regardless of your team or business size content curation should become a part of your content marketing strategy.

Great curators build trust with their audiences and become an indispensable resource as they help to sift through online information to distribute what is worth reading.

However if you are finding it difficult then seek an experienced marketing agency like Best–Digital Marketing Services to help you set up strategies to optimise your Content Creation and Marketing Strategies.

Contact us today and see how we can help you curate great content for your business through strategic optimisation.

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The Comprehensive Guide to Content Curation With 21+ Tools