Curated content has been all the rage. I’ve talked about Paper.li and Tweeted Times, both of which focus on Twitter-based content, and new developments in social media that let you use Twitter to source and publish stories – and don’t forget about creating storyboards with curated visual cues. The problem with Paper.li and Tweeted Times is that they focus on Twitter content – and storyboards don’t work for everyone.

The key is still content: Original compelling content that showcases your business voice. Content that reinforces your brand and seduces your reader with your capability and expertise. Original content gets you seen and it’s one of the leading factors in really developing your brand’s authenticity.

But with social media getting so aggressive and businesses doing more and more to get their name out there within a social community, the next step is taking your published content to a more sophisticated platform. Scoop.it steps in to offer a viable solution, offering business owners the chance to become publishers, brand their topic and track performance. Scoop.it just might be the answer for anyone looking to really get their content out there straight from their website.

Still in a beta stage, the idea behind Scoop.it is pretty simple. You choose web-based content and edit as needed. If you’re looking to promote your own content, then clearly start with content off of your own blog or website or other social media sources. Personalize your paper with your domain name and logo. Beyond content curation, you can schedule posts and share content back onto social media sites. As a major bonus, you can also curate as a team, which is an attractive feature if you’re working with a larger department or want multiple team members on this project.

Once you publish, you also get coveted visibility, traffic and SEO – which the competition listed here just doesn’t offer. Scoop.it also has a metrics system that lets you track your progress. Use Google Analytics, measure “traffic trends, post performance, audience engagement” and improve your topics based on indicators and performance tracking.

You should be using these features to go beyond just having a publication out there. Use the metrics system to see what’s working and what’s not, and then go back and tweak your blog and website content to mirror results and trends.

There are two things I love about Scoop.it. First, it’s the only program of it’s kind that really gets you an authentic magazine layout that screams “read me!” Second, Scoop.it offers a 15 day free trial so you can really check it out for yourself. I’d run one or two sample campaigns in that time period and see what your comfort level is and what type of feedback you’re getting from your peers and clients.

For the super small business owner with the classic no budget problem, Scoop.it offers a free account that gets you the nitty gritty but only offers limited editing and no analytics, scheduling or team curation. A business account, on the other hand, goes for $79/month and offers everything mentioned here. Whether you’re a small or mid-large business, I recommend starting small and seeing whether Scoop.it works to your benefit.

Keep in mind that Scoop.it won’t really be an asset in branding and content promotion if your content is lacking to begin with. If that’s the case for your business, then start with beefing up your content first. Create an editorial calendar and use curated content platforms like Curated.by and Pearltrees to see what the leading conversations are. Once you’ve done that you’ll be in a better position to brand your own work through Scoop.it.