Content: we rely on it, we write it, we curate it, we share it, and we laugh at it. We need it, and we need a lot of it to make a lasting impression on social media. If it seems like you’re spending more time drowning in a sea of uninspiring content than finding hidden viral gems, these sources will breathe new life into your search for valuable content.

Feedly

RSS Feeds have waned in popularity in recent years, but that doesn’t mean they don’t provide a valuable service. Not only does Feedly allow you to save online articles to read later, this powerful tool organizes followed blogs, magazines, publications, and YouTube channels in one place while helping you discover new and trending feeds seamlessly. It’s like a Google search engine that’s tailor made to your interests and the topics you care about. And with Feedly’s hashtag search, you can quickly cut through hours of scrolling through irrelevant content while discovering and following new content sources. This is both a timesaver and an indispensible tool for finding fresh content.

Goodreads

There are spots on your content calendar that call for a concise remark, rather than an entire article or blog post. Quotes are indispensible little tidbits of wisdom that social media users love to share. Alternating quotes with other types of content breaks up the monotony of feeds filled with the never-ending firehose of articles and links. Give your followers this needed breath of fresh air. Goodreads makes it easy to find the right one-liner using their keyword and author search tool. 

Pablo by Buffer

Since you’re in the business of curating quotes, you should know that research shows colored visuals increase engagement by 80%. This means you’ll likely want your quote to be contained in an attractive, colorful graphic. Pablo by Buffer’s tagline is “Create engaging social media images in under 30 seconds.” With fully customizable options like text alignment, font colors, and image search, this tool is seriously simple to use. We’re sold.

Buzzsumo

This tool simplifies the finding of viral and shareable content on various social media platforms by tracking the most shared and trending topics. Enter a keyword and Buzzsumo will show content with the most engagement and shares on Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Twitter. You filter the parameters of time (from 24 hours to the past year) and content type (videos, infographics, articles, etc.). Use the Trending Now tool to find out what’s new within a chosen topic or for inspiration to create your own viral content.

Upworthy, Buzzfeed, and Thought Catalog

While each of these sites has a different focus, they all share one common thread: creating shareable content. UpWorthy prides itself on cranking out motivational stories that “change our hearts, our minds and sometimes even, the world.” Best known for their viral listicles, quirky quizzes, and trending news, Buzzfeed focuses on social news and entertainment. Thought Catalog’s mission is to generate dialogue around stories that matter. By integrating these sites in your content schedule, you’ll be sure to increase engagement and shares.

And remember: If searching for content, writing posts, and publishing updates every day is giving you too much stress, let Social Essentials do it for you.