Curator-Led Product

Based on my experience, I've observed two types of curators, each differentiated by their motivations, goals, and the unique expectations they have from the medium where they share their curated content.

Authority-driven Curators: These curators are primarily motivated by extrinsic factors such as gaining authority, growing a community, and increasing their number of followers or likes. Their goal is to appear authoritative, which in turn attracts more followers or prospects. They curate and share content that will boost their numbers and enhance their perceived authority.

Intrinsic Curators: These curators are driven by intrinsic motivation. They curate content because it is useful to them personally. In the era of information overload, their goal is to learn deeply about useful resources, digest them to uncover valuable insights, and organize them in a way that makes it easy to find important information when needed.

A secondary effect of their curation is that when they share their collections, they can also help others. This type of curator is more focused on the value and utility of the information rather than the potential for gaining followers or likes.

From the product perspective, I pondered on some key features that a curator-focused platform should possess for optimal growth.

But first, I'd like to introduce the terms "closed" and "open" platforms. Then we can delve into what do curators expect from a product.

In a "closed platform" the connection of the content creator with the audience is controlled by the platform itself. For example on YouTube, there's no way to migrate your subscribers to another video sharing site. It doesn't matter how many subscribers you have, most viewers primarily see recommended videos, an aspect you have limited control over.

In an "open platform" content creator has a direct connection with the audience. You can take your email list, RSS feed, and customer list anywhere you move. Substack (email), WordPress (RSS), Patreon (membership) are good examples.

Authority-driven Curators prefer open platforms because they allow for a more direct and controlled communication with their audience. They are also in search of tools that can amplify their perceived authority and facilitate the growth of their audience.

1. Tools for driving engagement and increasing followers or likes: This includes highlighting features like social sharing buttons, comment or reaction systems, and analytics to understand their audience behavior and preferences.
2. Possibility for direct communication and branding: Authority-driven curators would appreciate customization options to reflect their authoritative persona, and direct message or email features to manage communication with followers.
3. Openness and portability: They require the ability to transfer their followers list and data when switching platforms.

Intrinsic Curators are seeking more flexible platforms which allow them to organize their content in the best way possible to express their unique insights and where gaining popularity is less central. Integrations that brings ease of use is one of the most critical features they're looking for.

1. Features aiding content organization and discovery: This would consist of categorization, tagging and search functions, saving for later, and suggestions based on interests or activity.
2. Flexibility: As intrinsic curators focus less on followers and more on the value of the content, they'd prefer platforms that allow them to manage their curated content without interference or limitation.
3. Interoperability: This curators would value the ability to easily exchange and synchronize their content between different products or platforms so they can manage and share their content wherever they prefer.