Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Google Alerts
- SEMrush Topic Research
- Subreddits on Reddit
- Feedly
- BuzzSumo
- Tumblr
- Medium
- Pinterest Search
- Quora
- Scoop.it
- ContentGems
- Wrap-Up
- FAQs
Introduction
In today's digital age, social media is more than just a platform for personal interactions; it has become an essential tool for businesses to engage with customers and drive sales. A quarter of UK brands now prioritize social media as their top sales channel, even outperforming traditional advertising and email marketing. The allure of social media lies in its ability to connect brands with customers organically — fostering relationships without hefty ad spends.
However, for small-to-medium-sized businesses, juggling various responsibilities can make it challenging to produce fresh and engaging content regularly. The good news? There's a plethora of tools and apps designed to facilitate content discovery, ensuring your social feeds remain vibrant and engaging. This blog post will explore some of the best free and freemium tools available to uncover fantastic content seamlessly and effectively.
Google Alerts
Google Alerts, a free tool from Google, has been around since 2003 and remains a reliable method for discovering new content online. By entering relevant keywords or phrases, you can receive notifications whenever new content matching your criteria appears on the web. This tool allows you to stay updated with potential content for your social media feeds, track mentions of your brand, and even monitor competitors.
While Google Alerts is user-friendly, it's worth creating a dedicated inbox folder to manage the influx of notifications. Also, keep in mind that while Google Alerts can flag relevant content, it's essential to verify its quality and accuracy before sharing it on your platforms.
SEMrush Topic Research
SEMrush Topic Research is a powerful component of the SEMrush suite, renowned in the digital marketing industry. This tool helps combat writer's block by providing high-performing content ideas. By entering a seed keyword, Topic Research generates a wealth of information, including popular searches and news headlines.
Although the free features are somewhat limited, upgrading to a paid plan unlocks more extensive capabilities, such as integration with other SEMrush tools. For a comprehensive approach to content ideation and keyword research, SEMrush proves invaluable.
Subreddits on Reddit
Reddit, an aggregation platform with numerous online communities known as subreddits, is a treasure trove for content discovery. Subreddits focus on specific topics, where users share and upvote content. Monitoring relevant subreddits can help you stay on top of niche trends and discover content that may not surface on mainstream platforms.
However, always vet your discoveries on Reddit. The platform's community-driven nature means content can vary in quality. With discernment, subreddits can become an excellent source for fresh and unique content.
Feedly
Feedly is a popular news aggregator and content reader application that consolidates your favorite web content into a single platform. By typing keywords into Feedly's search bar, you can select and organize content sources relevant to your industry or niche.
Feedly's free plan offers basic features, while advanced capabilities like unlimited sources and custom keyword searches are available with an upgrade. This tool simplifies the process of staying informed and curating content from diverse sources.
Pocket, formerly known as 'Read It Later,' allows you to save content—including articles, videos, and infographics—with a single click. This tool is perfect for building a personalized library of social media content, accessible even offline. It's particularly useful for social media managers and any role requiring extensive online research.
Pocket can serve as a launchpad for content strategies and scheduling, helping you curate and share valuable content consistently.
BuzzSumo
BuzzSumo is known for its ability to identify the most-shared content across the web. By analyzing social media engagement, BuzzSumo provides insights into what content resonates best with audiences.
Simply enter a keyword or competitor's name, and BuzzSumo will rank posts by social shares. This helps you understand the factors driving popularity and virality. While the number of searches is limited in the free plan, upgrading to a paid version offers more extensive features.
Tumblr
Tumblr, a platform famous for short, frequent posts and community engagement, remains a source for discovering trending topics and visual content like GIFs, images, and memes. Despite its decline since the early 2010s, Tumblr's customizable user profiles make it a valuable tool for content curation in specific niches.
Medium
Medium, a publishing platform designed for long-form content, is excellent for sourcing in-depth articles and industry insights. Its personalized feed allows you to follow specific topics and writers, making it a great space for content discovery and sharing.
Medium and LinkedIn dominate the long-form social landscape, offering ample opportunities for content curation and publication.
Pinterest Search
Pinterest, originally a digital bulletin board, has evolved into a comprehensive content discovery tool. It's particularly good for visual content like images, infographics, and videos, all categorized by topic.
Pinterest's in-depth search functions and organizational capabilities make it easy to compile content relevant to your social media feeds, enhancing your ability to deliver visually appealing posts.
Quora
Quora, known for its question-and-answer format, is a valuable resource for finding informative content. Many questions are answered by professionals and knowledgeable individuals, making it a credible source for content to share with your audience.
Exploring relevant questions and answers on Quora can introduce you to new ideas and insights, helping you enrich your social media content.
Scoop.it
Scoop.it is a platform for social media content curation, allowing you to gather and organize valuable content from the web. The content is then presented in themed collections called "scoops," making it easier to manage and share.
Scoop.it integrates well with various social media channels and offers a limited free plan to test its capabilities.
ContentGems
ContentGems simplifies content discovery by scanning numerous articles and identifying relevant content based on your specified interests. Advanced filtering options, such as social signals and source credibility, allow for more precise content curation.
ContentGems can significantly reduce the time spent on discovering and curating content, ensuring your social media feeds remain engaging and up-to-date.
Flipboard offers a magazine-like format for browsing content from diverse sources. By following publications or creating custom searches, you can add content to personalized magazines centered around specific interests.
Although creating multiple magazines requires a paid subscription, Flipboard remains a compelling tool for discovering and organizing content for social media.
LinkedIn, often overlooked as a social media platform, is a powerhouse for long-form content and thought leadership. Professionals use LinkedIn to share expertise and engage in industry discussions, making it a vital resource for content discovery.
LinkedIn Premium offers additional tools like InMail and advanced search filters, but even a free account provides ample opportunities for publishing and engaging with professional content.
Wrap-Up
Utilizing these tools can help you effortlessly discover and curate engaging content for your social media feeds. By staying informed and sharing quality content, you can organically grow your audience and drive business success. Remember to respect copyright laws and verify the content's credibility before sharing. With the right tools and strategies, you can keep your social media channels vibrant and influential.
FAQs
Q: What is the best tool for finding trending content? A: BuzzSumo is excellent for identifying trending content as it analyzes social media engagement to highlight the most-shared posts.
Q: How can I stay organized with content from multiple sources? A: Tools like Feedly and Pocket allow you to consolidate content from various sources into one platform, making it easier to manage and organize.
Q: Is there a free tool for tracking mentions of my brand online? A: Google Alerts is a free tool that can notify you of new mentions of your brand online, helping you stay updated with relevant content.
Q: What is a good platform for discovering visual content? A: Pinterest is particularly effective for finding and organizing visual content like images, infographics, and videos.
Q: Can I use Reddit for business content discovery? A: Yes, monitoring relevant subreddits can provide insights and content ideas, especially for niche topics. Just ensure you vet the quality of the content before using it.
By leveraging these tools and strategies, you can keep your social media content fresh, engaging, and effective in driving business growth.
