🚨 Common Problem

How to Fix: Manually Curating Digest Posts Every Week

Scrolling through hundreds of posts to find the best ones for digest

The Problem

Manually scrolling through hundreds of community posts each week to find the best content for a digest is time-consuming and inefficient. Community managers often spend hours sifting through threads, trying to select highlights that will engage members and demonstrate value. The process is tedious, especially as your community grows and activity increases, making it easy to overlook great posts or accidentally highlight the same types of content repeatedly.

Symptoms include feeling overwhelmed by content volume, missing deadlines for digest publishing, and lacking confidence that the best posts are actually being shared. Managers may also receive feedback from members about repetitive or uninspiring digests, indicating that manual curation is not delivering the intended impact.

Why This Happens

This problem arises because most community platforms lack built-in tools for automated content curation or intelligent post selection. As a result, managers default to manual review, which becomes unsustainable as the community scales. Psychological factors like fear of missing out on key posts or wanting to ensure fairness can make managers reluctant to automate or delegate this task.

Common mistakes include not setting clear criteria for what makes a post 'digest-worthy,' relying on memory instead of data, and not using available analytics or engagement signals. Platform limitations, such as weak search, poor tagging systems, or lack of post scoring, further complicate the process.

⚠️ The Impact

If left unaddressed, manual curation drains valuable time and energy from community managers, leading to burnout and less strategic work. Digests may become inconsistent or uninspired, causing member disengagement and reduced participation. Over time, this can harm both the perceived value of the community and its ability to grow organically, impacting business outcomes such as retention and advocacy.

Quick Fixes (Start Today)

  • 1 Use platform analytics to quickly sort posts by engagement or reactions.
  • 2 Ask members to nominate their favorite posts for each week's digest.
  • 3 Set up saved searches or keyword alerts to surface trending discussions.
  • 4 Bookmark standout posts as you see them to build your digest throughout the week.
  • 5 Create a simple Google Form for team members to submit digest suggestions.
  • 6 Limit your review to top posts from each main topic or category.
  • 7 Use batch time blocks for digest selection instead of revisiting the feed all week.

🎯 Long-Term Strategies

To fix this, start by defining clear criteria for digest-worthy posts, such as high engagement, relevance, or novelty. Use platform features like reactions, comments, and analytics to identify top-performing content more efficiently. Leverage content curation tools or platforms that support post tagging, automated filtering, or AI-driven recommendations to streamline selection.

Batch your curation process to review posts at set intervals rather than constantly monitoring the feed. Encourage members to nominate or flag standout posts, adding a participatory element to your digest process. Combine automation with human oversight to ensure quality and diversity in each edition.

  • Implement automated content curation tools to surface digest-worthy posts.
  • Develop a member-driven nomination or upvoting system for digest selection.
  • Define and share clear digest criteria with your team to standardize selection.
  • Review and refine your digest process quarterly to keep it efficient and relevant.

🚀 How StickyHive Solves This

StickyHive offers automated digest curation tools that analyze engagement metrics and surface the top posts each week. Features like smart filters, customizable criteria, and one-click digest assembly dramatically reduce the time spent on manual selection. You can automate much of the process while retaining final approval, ensuring both efficiency and editorial quality.

StickyHive saves hours every week, helping you deliver more engaging, data-driven digests that keep your community active and informed. Try StickyHive to streamline your digest creation and focus on higher-value community building.

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