Facebook, Google+, Twitter and LinkedIn… if you follow any blog like Content Desk you’ll read a lot about how these four platforms can be used to curate content and reach out to your audience.
There are, however, smaller platforms out there you can use to create your own channel of curated content and build a sizeable number of devoted followers. Here are three of them:
Paper.li
As its name suggests, Paper.li is based around creating a newspaper, albeit in online form. The free mode lets you create your own content channel with different sections such as news, features etc., based around a specific theme or themes. The pages you can possibly choose to share on your curated blog is down to Paper.li’s algorithms, so don’t expect to jump on and start sharing the content you create. For $9 a month, the Pro version supports newsletters and Google Analytics, plus full branding options for your paper. A little limiting if you want to share your own content or create a niche publication. Conversely, ideal for creating a newspaper with general appeal.
Trove
Trove is similar to Paper.li, although the emphasis is more on sharing content than presenting it as if it were a publication. This is a little odd, given that Trove is a spin-out from the Washington Post. Once you have logged in, the site offers you a list of stories you might like to share according to your preferences. But where it differs is the easy ability to comment on the stories you are sharing. Provide useful, humorous insights and you could easily build up a number of followers eager to see your next share and acerbic analysis. Native plugins allow you to post to Twitter and Facebook.
Nuzzel
Nuzzel is clever in that it generates your feed based on your Twitter account. So any posts that appear in your Twitter feed from those you follow will automatically tell Nuzzel what to show you and those following you. So why not stick with Twitter? The answer is that links appear better. In Twitter, a link is just a screed of characters; in Nuzzel links appear with a headline, image, publication and datestamp. The beauty is that you can easily share the stories you like on Twitter with the touch of a button.
