Ellen van den Berg

The Content Strategist as Digital Curator

In the December issue of A List Apart Erin Scime wrote an interesting article on the concept of the Content Strategist as a Digital Curator. She stipulates that "The term “curate” is the interactive world’s new buzzword." She identifies a trend of 'this word' gaining traction at almost warp speed. As a transplant from museums and libraries into interactive media. In the article she explores this trend and what is it about this word that deserves redefinition for the web? An interesting read in my humble opinion.

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Network - Ellen van den Berg

"Curation has a distinguished history in cultural institutions. In galleries and museums, curators use judgment and a refined sense of style to select and arrange art to create a narrative, evoke a response, and communicate a message."

Wether digital objects such as articles, images, slideshows and video are to-be short-lived is an interesting discussion. It is a topic that is often debated in the Mediamatic office and indeed seems to gain traction in the new media industry as well as within the cultural sector where we find most of our clients. More and more sites can be considered institutions that house evergreen assets. In an attempt to bring product and audience closer, the principles of museum curatorship (to collect, preserve, attend to, and create themed content packages that together, offer a unique perspective) can be identified.

In "Content strategist as digital curator" Erin explores if a content strategist can act as a digital curator and how exactly this would work. The concept of exhibiting your collection’s greatest assets online is an interesting one. Where's the pay-off in treating your content as such? The shift in the media landscape seems here to stay.

I would highly recommond reading Erin's exploration of the topic on A List Apart .