How curation, collaboration and crowdsourcing can engage staffers

Curation, collaboration and crowdsourcing are three buzzwords you’ve probably heard bandied about recently. But what do they mean exactly, and why should communicators take advantage?

Here’s a quick rundown:

Shel Holtz discussed the value of curation at a BlogWorld presentation I attended in New York City, casting the communicator in the role of “curator of content,” or one who delivers informative content from various sources to a targeted audience. He says it’s a great way to become a trusted guide for useful content about targeted topics.

Communicators can offer curated content to targeted groups within their organizations, offering a valuable service to their time-strapped workforce. Curated content may help employees work more efficiently and make more informed decisions. Just be sure to ask the original authors for permission before you post their content.

Collaboration

Micro-blogging platforms like Twitter, Yammer, Jive and Chatter offer opportunities for communicators to encourage collaboration among employees.