This is How I’m Making Money from Curated Content

I’ve been building income streams from curated content for years, mostly with YouTube, blogs, and platforms such as Medium and Vocal.media. I fell off track over the past few months because I moved on to other income streams however, it’s still possible to make some really good money with curated content.

First off, what is curated content?

When you curate content, you gather information and share it with your audience. For example:

10 of the best blogs for digital entrepreneurship

This is one type of curated content, and successful creators such as Andrew Kirby are well known for building 7-figure businesses with curated content. Andrew Kirby is popular for content synthesizer method where he builds high-value curated content pieces on platforms such as YouTube and monetizes them using the platform partner program or digital products and services.

I’ve built several curated content income streams over the years, and I continue to do so, I won’t be stopping anytime soon.

So, how do you start building an income stream with curated content?

Do you need to pick a niche? Not really, you can build curated content without picking a niche, but personally, I like to focus on trending topics, this is the most profitable in my opinion. What I like to do is find trending topics and create commentary pieces based on the topics that interest me.

One effective way of doing this is to use Google News and YouTube. Most mornings, I scroll through Google News and YouTube to find the most popular topics to curated content pieces. For example, right now, everyone and their mother are talking P Diddy and Jay-z and the allegations they are both facing. If you really want to make some decent money from this, create lots of content about this topic.

For example, YouTuber Murad Murali is known for posting at least three to four videos a day about Jay-z and P Diddy. He jumps on trends and creates lots of content based on these trends.

Right now on YouTube, a creator called Dough Dash is trending and people are making tons of content about her. If you don’t have a monetized channel, this is a great time to start creating content about Dough Dash because she’s a hot topic right now.

To double up, I would recommend that you publish articles on Medium and Vocal as well. For example, Dough Dash is trending right now, you can create a whole series of articles about her, and when people search Google for Dough Dash, your articles will come up. Honestly, I don’t think many bloggers are writing articles about Dough Dash, it’s trending on YouTube and people have jumped on that wave, but you could be one of the first creators to write articles about her and other creators.

To build a real sustainable business out of this, I would highly recommend that you build some evergreen curated content pieces as well. For example, instead of jumping on trends, curate lists of high-value blogs, especially blogs that are established. For example:

1. Top 10 Beauty Blogs to read in 2025 and Beyond
2. Top 10 Vocal Media Pages to Follow right now
3. Top 10 Medium writers to follow right now

When you build platform-specific content, you’ll build a reputation for helping people on the platform. I would recommend creating at least 30 pieces of content based on a specific platform (the one you’re already creating content on) and link them together. Creators appreciate it when you share their page because everyone wants to be seen.

Right now, I’m building a list of Vocal Media writers to follow to help people find creators to read and share.

To start off, I would create a list of ideas for curated content, and work your way through them.

Here is a list of ideas for curated content to start working on now, for this I’m focusing on personal development content:

Top 10 Personal Development Blogs to Follow: Create a list of the most influential personal development blogs, such as Zen Habits, Tiny Buddha, and Marc and Angel Hack Life. Highlight what makes each blog unique and how they contribute to personal growth.

Best Podcasts for Personal Growth: Curate a list of podcasts that focus on self-improvement, such as The Tim Ferriss Show, The Tony Robbins Podcast, and Optimal Living Daily. Provide a brief description of each podcast and key takeaways from their episodes.

Essential Books for Personal Development: Compile a list of must-read books for anyone on a personal growth journey, including titles like Atomic Habits by James Clear and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. Summarize the main concepts and how they can be applied in daily life.

Influential Thought Leaders in Personal Development: Highlight key figures in the personal development space, such as Brené Brown, Tony Robbins, and Robin Sharma. Discuss their contributions to the field and recommend their best works.

Online Courses for Self-Improvement: List reputable online platforms offering courses on personal development, such as Coursera, Udemy, or Mindvalley. Include specific courses that focus on skills like emotional intelligence, time management, or mindfulness.

YouTube Channels for Motivation and Growth: Curate a list of inspiring YouTube channels dedicated to personal development, such as Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu and School of Life. Highlight the types of content they produce and why they are valuable resources.

Daily Affirmations for Personal Growth: Create a collection of daily affirmations that readers can use to boost their self-esteem and motivation. Explain the importance of positive thinking in personal development.

Success Stories from Personal Development Blogs: Share inspiring success stories featured on popular personal development blogs. Highlight how individuals have transformed their lives through the principles discussed in these blogs.

Social Media Accounts to Follow for Inspiration: Compile a list of Instagram or Twitter accounts that focus on personal growth and motivation. Include accounts like @thegoodtrade or @brenebrown and describe what kind of content they share.

Would you try curated content?