Beauty Is an Ecosystem - CM #3
Insights, resources and real-world examples of how to create profitable online projects by organizing existing information.
Welcome to issue #3 of Curation Monetized newsletter.
I am Robin Good, a passionate researcher of content curation since 2004.
I am writing you from the sunny island of Holbox in Messico.
The goal I have is to provide a showcase of real-world examples of apps, resources and digital products that generate revenue by collecting and organizing existing (already published) information.
I want to help indie entrepreneurs who are passionate and expert about a topic in creating valuable resources that are economically profitable.
This newsletter is written for:
indie entrepreneurs
journalists
subject-matter experts
consultants, advisors
trainers, teachers, coaches
The free edition of this newsletter provides general updates, news, resources and relevant tools relating to content curation, organizing information and related monetization and business models.
The Premium edition provides additional insights and showcases real-world examples with detailed info (niche, business model, platforms, authors) along with useful insights about the curator’s job and connected business opportunities.
Key Insights
Beauty Is an Ecosystem
“Over the next three decades, scholars and fans, aided by computational algorithms, will knit together the books of the world into a single networked literature.
A reader will be able to generate a social graph of an idea, or a timeline of a concept, or a networked map of influence for any notion in the library.
We’ll come to understand that no work, no idea stands alone, but that all good, true, and beautiful things are ecosystems of intertwined parts and related entities, past and present.”
Source: Kevin Kelly - “The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future”
We Forgot the Value of Archives
“What’s amazing is how chronological feeds — essentially accidental experiments of digital architecture — have rewired our brains.
In the feed, everything is fleeting.
This design property means you’re either always on and connected, or you’re off and wondering if you’re missing something important.
In short, the architecture of digital platforms has made us obsessive documenters and consumers of the present, yet largely indifferent to the archives we create.”
Source: Sari Azout - Check Your Pulse #55 -
Emergent Trends in the AI-based Curation Economy:
1) Curators are new content creators.
Content curators will be making a living by searching for the best resources and sharing their recommendations with a niche audience.
They scour the internet for valuable information and present it to their audience in an organized and consumable way.
See also: Gaby Goldberg - “Curators Are the New Creators”
2) From human curation to human-machine curation.
AI will help curators by surfacing relevant content and resources.
Additionally, AI may allow curators to focus more on distribution activities such as branding, promoting, and marketing, and less time on traditional curation activities like consuming and organizing information.
3) Anyone can build a Google search for X.
With the help of AI, the possibilities of building niche search engines will become scalable.
Startups could provide AI/ML training models for consumers to build a personalized search engine that is unique to their use cases, making it easier for them to find exactly what they are looking for.
4) Anyone can become a DJ.
DJs are known as music curators who make a living by organizing music playlists and playing them to an audience.
AI may help them greatly in finding musical matches from unknown or unpopular artists and to organize and sequence them in more effective ways. Moreover you could generate playlists based on mood, genres, and preferences making it easy to create playlists that perfectly match your listeners' music tastes.
5) Anyone can build a directory website.
With the help of AI it will be easier to generate a list of the best resources based on input such as industry, use cases, target audience, pricing, etc.
This will save time for consumers who may not have the time or ability to curate these resources themselves, making it easier for them to find what they need quickly and efficiently.
Source: Zoe Chew - “Creator Economy of AI, No-Code & Generative NFTs”
Recommended Curation Tools & Resources
1) xTiles
A fantastic tool to organize and present multi-dimensional blocks of information on a subject. It can integrate all content types and offers boards and info-cards to structure and present information in more digestible and navigable formats.
2) Startupy.World
Fascinating community of passionate content curators covers a very broad range of subjects, with some emphasis on Web3, startups / VC, technology. “digital playground for people in love with interesting ideas to curate, explore, and connect.”
Lead by Sari Azout.
3) WiseShot
Create and monetize learning paths on any topic, by curating the best resources, articles and existing courses/tutorials on the topic of your choice.
4) Arena
A visual platform where to archive, collect, catalog and discover the gems that people find online. Here some examples of how people use it.
5) WeTransfer Collect
A free web app where to collect and organize everything inspiring you discover online.
A kind of Pinterest, WeTransfer Collect allows you to create “collections” based on a theme or topic and then share them publicly. Designed for creatives to nurture their ideas. 100% free.
6) Platforms/systems to build a directory
a) Airtable + Softr
b) Airtable + Webflow
c) Adalo
d) Bubble
e) Wordpress themes + add ons
f) if you know other solutions, reply to this email and let me know
Curation Monetized: Real World Examples
Profitable curation projects available in the January Premium Edition:
Directory of 90,000+ investors, angels and venture capitalists that match your criteria.
Thousands of book recommendations from the most successful and interesting people in the world.
Directory of communities, websites and blogs where it is possible to submit a website URL and be included for the scope of discovery and visibility. The directory is visible for free but the submission service is paid.
Hub for no-code apps, resources, guidance and support. Discover no-code tools, how to use them and when through the best videos, tutorials and guides published by no-code experts.
Crowdsourced catalog of world locations for digital nomads and remote workers.
Searchable database of 200+ free tools and resources to build and grow your online projects
These are all online projects that monetize by organizing existing information.
Subscribe to Curation Monetized Premium to get the details on each one of these projects.
Alternatively look at the first issue of CM to see how I analyze these projects.
Feedback and comments are always welcome, as well as requests for specific solutions. Just reply to this newsletter email or write me at robingood@substack.com
from sunny Holbox island (MX)
Robin Good
Yes.
The architecture of platforms has made us largely indifferent to the archives we create
And even when we create those archives, we tend to forget their existence.
We tend to forget what we’ve learned.
We tend to forget what we’ve categorised.
We tend to forget what we’ve written.
That’s why I have written this short piece.
Because “I must keep reminding myself of this”.
That archiving past lessons is valuable.
And that I want to use my Substack to have them easily accessible, for me and for others.
https://livmkk.substack.com/p/i-must-keep-reminding-myself-of-this
Thanks for sharing your take.