Curated training content refers to the process of sourcing, organizing, and sharing existing educational materials from a variety of reputable sources to enhance a learning experience. Rather than creating all content from scratch, training providers curate information like articles, videos, case studies, podcasts, and reports that are relevant to the training goals.
This approach allows learners to benefit from a wide range of perspectives and up-to-date insights, creating a richer, more engaging learning environment. By leveraging curated content, providers can offer more dynamic, diverse, and targeted training solutions.
Curating high-quality, relevant information allows training providers to expand their reach, engage learners, and establish authority in their niche. But how exactly are they using this approach to gain new audiences? Let’s explore.
1. Understanding Curated Content in Training
Curated content involves gathering information from various reliable sources and presenting it in a way that adds value to your audience. For training providers, this could mean compiling articles, videos, case studies, research papers, or industry reports that align with the learning objectives of their programs. It’s a more dynamic approach than simply creating original content because it broadens the scope of learning materials without exhausting internal resources.
Curated content can supplement existing training programs, create ongoing learning opportunities, and serve as a marketing tool to attract new participants. This strategy allows training providers to offer a wider variety of perspectives and keep learners engaged with fresh and relevant materials.
2. Building Authority and Trust
One of the primary reasons training providers curate content is to build credibility. Sharing reputable and valuable third-party content signals to your audience that you are well-versed in your field and committed to keeping them updated with the latest trends and insights. When learners see that you’re staying informed about industry developments and bringing that knowledge to them, it fosters trust.
Providers who regularly share curated content become thought leaders, making it easier to expand their audience. People are more likely to engage with a training provider who consistently offers valuable resources, not just their proprietary content.
3. Targeting Niche Audiences
Curated content allows training providers to effectively target niche audiences. By gathering specialized information for specific industries or roles, they can craft highly focused training experiences that resonate with professionals looking for tailored solutions. For instance, a training provider offering leadership courses could curate articles on the latest leadership trends, podcasts featuring industry leaders, or research reports on leadership challenges specific to a particular sector.
This approach can help training providers penetrate new markets by showing they understand the unique needs of different industries or sectors, such as healthcare, technology, or finance. In turn, it increases their chances of attracting professionals from these fields who may not have been aware of their programs before.
4. Driving Engagement Through Social Media
One of the most effective ways training providers use curated content is through social media channels. By sharing curated articles, videos, and infographics on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, they can drive engagement and extend their reach. Each shared piece of content becomes an opportunity to interact with followers, encouraging them to comment, like, or share.
Social media algorithms also tend to favor accounts that post regularly, and curating content allows providers to maintain an active presence without having to constantly create original material. Additionally, using popular hashtags and participating in trending discussions enables curated content to appear in front of new, untapped audiences.
5. Enhancing the Learning Experience
Training providers can use curated content to enhance their learners’ experience by offering them a well-rounded education. Instead of focusing solely on internal course materials, curated content exposes learners to a wider range of ideas, making their learning more comprehensive. For example, a curated reading list might include blog posts from thought leaders, video interviews with experts, and case studies from industry publications. This variety helps learners stay engaged and more likely to recommend the training to peers.
By offering supplemental resources, training providers can also appeal to those who prefer to learn in different formats, making the overall experience more flexible and accessible.
6. Creating Content Hubs and Resources Pages
Another key tactic is the creation of content hubs or resource pages on a training provider’s website. These hubs compile curated content such as articles, videos, and webinars that learners and potential customers can access. These resources become a go-to destination for information, creating a steady stream of traffic from those seeking educational materials.
Content hubs also increase the chances of capturing leads. Visitors looking for in-depth information on a particular topic may sign up for email updates or a newsletter, giving the training provider the opportunity to convert them into long-term customers.
7. Email Marketing and Newsletters
Curated content is also a staple in email marketing strategies. Many training providers send regular newsletters that feature curated articles, relevant news, and upcoming industry events. This keeps existing clients engaged and provides an entry point for potential customers who may not yet be ready to commit to a course but are looking for valuable insights.
Email newsletters allow training providers to maintain consistent communication with their audience, reinforcing brand presence while delivering value. As the relationship builds, these recipients are more likely to convert into paying learners.
8. Optimizing for Search Engines
Curated content can also be used as part of a broader SEO strategy. By strategically linking to high-quality external content and referencing industry-leading publications, training providers can improve their website’s search engine rankings. Google favors websites that link to authoritative sources, so curating content from well-established publications in your field can lead to improved organic search visibility.
This, in turn, drives more traffic to the training provider’s website, creating opportunities to convert visitors into course participants or leads.
Curated content has become an indispensable tool for training providers seeking to reach new audiences. By carefully selecting and sharing high-quality, relevant materials, they can build trust, target niche markets, drive social engagement, and enhance the learning experience. Whether through social media, email marketing, or content hubs, curated content helps training providers stay competitive and expand their influence in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
How Training Providers Source Curated Content
By sourcing external content, training providers can stay ahead of trends, enrich their offerings, and cater to the diverse learning preferences of their audiences. But how do training providers find, filter, and organize the content they share? Below, we explore the strategies they use to source curated content effectively.
1. Industry-Specific Blogs and Websites
One of the first places training providers turn to for curated content is industry-specific blogs and websites. These platforms often provide up-to-date information, insights, and expert perspectives that are invaluable for learners. For example, a training provider focusing on digital marketing might curate content from leading blogs like Moz, Neil Patel, or HubSpot.
By subscribing to newsletters or RSS feeds from these sites, providers can stay informed about the latest articles and updates, ensuring that they always have fresh, relevant content to share with their audience.
2. Professional Networks and Social Media
Professional networks like LinkedIn and industry-focused groups on social media platforms are goldmines for curated content. Training providers often follow thought leaders, influencers, and subject matter experts who consistently post valuable insights and resources.
Social platforms also have built-in curation tools. For example, Twitter allows users to create lists of industry experts, making it easier to track and curate content from a targeted group. Similarly, LinkedIn’s “Follow” feature enables training providers to gather articles, white papers, and updates from leading figures in their industry.
3. Academic and Research Journals
Training providers aiming to deliver high-level, evidence-based learning content often turn to academic and research journals. Platforms like Google Scholar, PubMed, and subscription-based databases like JSTOR or IEEE are commonly used to source peer-reviewed studies, research papers, and articles that offer a deep dive into specific topics.
This type of curated content is particularly useful for training programs focused on fields like healthcare, technology, and finance, where accurate, research-backed information is critical. Sharing scholarly content helps position the provider as a credible source of cutting-edge knowledge.
4. Content Curation Tools and Platforms
To streamline the process of finding and organizing content, many training providers use content curation tools like:
Feedly: A popular RSS feed reader that aggregates content from various sources, allowing users to customize their feed based on topics or keywords.
Pocket: An app that enables users to save articles, videos, and other content for later viewing, perfect for storing and organizing curated materials.
Scoop.it: A content curation tool that allows providers to discover and share relevant content in a visually appealing format.
BuzzSumo: This tool helps identify trending content and top influencers within specific industries, making it easier to source high-quality material.
These tools simplify the process of collecting and categorizing content, ensuring that providers can efficiently curate resources aligned with their learners' needs.
5. Podcasts and Webinars
Podcasts and webinars are becoming increasingly popular as sources of curated content. Training providers often recommend episodes or sessions featuring industry experts discussing timely issues. Platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube offer a wealth of podcasts across various fields, from tech and business to education and healthcare.
Webinars hosted by industry leaders or professional organizations are another rich source of content. Providers may curate upcoming webinars for learners or share recordings of past events as part of their educational materials.
6. Government and Regulatory Agencies
For training providers operating in industries with strict regulations—such as finance, healthcare, or manufacturing—government websites and regulatory bodies are critical sources of content. Organizations like the U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA, or FDA publish updates, guidelines, and reports that providers can curate for their training programs.
These sources offer authoritative, up-to-date information essential for training on compliance, safety protocols, and regulatory changes. Providers can incorporate government-released resources like handbooks, case studies, or instructional videos into their learning materials.
7. White Papers and Industry Reports
White papers and industry reports offer in-depth analyses on key trends, innovations, and challenges within specific sectors. These documents, often published by consulting firms, industry associations, or market research companies, can provide learners with detailed insights they might not find in other formats.
Training providers frequently source reports from organizations like McKinsey, Gartner, Forrester, or Harvard Business Review to enrich their courses with data-driven findings and expert opinions. These comprehensive documents are excellent for programs targeting executives and professionals who need advanced understanding and strategic insights.
8. User-Generated Content and Case Studies
Another valuable source of curated content is user-generated material, such as case studies and success stories shared by learners or industry professionals. Providers can reach out to past participants or organizations that have completed their training programs and request permission to share their experiences.
This type of content is particularly engaging because it highlights real-world applications of the training materials and showcases the impact the program has had on others. Curating case studies also reinforces the provider’s reputation as a practical and results-oriented solution for learners.
9. Conferences and Events
Attending or following conferences, trade shows, and industry events provides a rich source of content for training providers. Many conferences share presentations, slides, and videos of keynote sessions online. Providers can curate this content and share it with their audience, offering insights from top industry professionals.
For instance, tech-focused training providers might source content from large events like CES, TechCrunch Disrupt, or AWS re
. Meanwhile, those in healthcare might curate sessions from conferences like HIMSS or American Medical Association events.
10. Collaboration with Industry Experts
Many training providers collaborate directly with industry experts to source or even co-create curated content. This might involve guest contributions from thought leaders, expert interviews, or featured webinars hosted by professionals with recognized expertise.
By leveraging these collaborations, training providers not only access fresh, expert-driven content but also strengthen their credibility and reach. Co-creating or curating content with industry leaders can attract their followers and boost the training provider’s visibility in niche markets.
Summary
Sourcing curated content is an art that involves finding high-quality, relevant materials from reliable sources. By tapping into industry blogs, research journals, social media, and tools like Feedly and Pocket, training providers can consistently deliver fresh, engaging content to their audiences. This approach not only enriches learning experiences but also helps providers build trust, target niche markets, and stay competitive in an evolving educational landscape.
About LMS Portals
At LMS Portals, we provide our clients and partners with a SaaS-based, multi-tenant learning management system that allows you to launch a dedicated training environment (a portal) for each of your unique audiences.
The system includes built-in, SCORM-compliant rapid course development software that provides a drag and drop engine to enable most anyone to build engaging courses quickly and easily.
We also offer a complete library of ready-made courses, covering most every aspect of corporate training and employee development.
If you choose to, you can create Learning Paths to deliver courses in a logical progression and add structure to your training program. The system also supports Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) and provides tools for social learning.
Together, these features make the LMS Portals platform the ideal SaaS-based platform to support our Training Provider partners and the management and delivery of high-quality curated content.
Contact us today to get started or visit our Partner Program pages
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