Everyone would agree if I say the web is basically about consumption. Every second we are online, we consume. Be it photos on FB, tweets, blog posts or likewise, whole of the online audience are consumers. And after we consume the data, only the ones that leave an impression on our mind, we share. These materials that we share form a major part of our online/virtual personality. Just as in real life we are what we do, similarly in the virtual world, we are what we share. Or create!
Though all of us are consumers, similarly, all of us are curators too. Every comment that we post, though it may not have an individual value as such, seen on the larger perspective, is also a new content. Curated content, that is.
And that’s exactly what am treading into. With 24 hours not being sufficient enough nowadays for anyone, whenever a new idea is to be thought of, the first thought that comes to everyone’s mind is “Google Search”. Instead of spending at least half an hour to think out something original, after 5 minutes of so called “intense brainstorming”, we turn to the mercy of Google. Marketing Strategists see an idea/campaign some other company thousands of miles away might have done and then ‘curate’ the idea to suit their needs. Of course, that also is innovation and that too needs creativity, but in the longer run the whole meaning of the word creativity is compromised.
In the field of creative marketing (and I personally focus on Social Media Marketing), people who are successful are either idea creators or very good idea curators. And to be frank, both the types of people are needed.
All entrepreneurs start off as idea creators. Sadly, somewhere down the path most of them transform to idea curators. Maybe it’s because they run out of juice. Or maybe the risk-taking-X-factor decreases. Whatever be the reason, it’s unfortunate.
As I was searching Google for the image of a drawing board to post on our page, I felt guilty for thinking in the terms of an idea curator. That’s not how I would like to conceive myself. Idea creation is the adrenaline I thrive on. And I sure do hope it doesn’t run out anytime in the coming century!!
P.S. But at times am still tempted to curate ideas 