By now, you have probably noticed the correlation between a strong social media presence and successful marketing. Compared to brands that regularly engage with fans and potential customers on channels such as Facebook and Twitter, those with half-hearted efforts are essentially invisible online. If you've been feeling like an internet wallflower lately, consider expanding your online marketing efforts — starting with content curation.

Most marketers have a firm understanding of content creation and its potential to attract traffic and drive sales. However, too many are either unaware or unconcerned about content curation. For this marketing tactic, instead of posting original content, you find and share content that your audience may find helpful or interesting, content that's created by leaders in your industry and external influencers. Although you may not see the same return on investment that you're used to with content creation, learning how to do curation effectively can give you several benefits.

Did you know that many Americans get their news online, often through social media? When something noteworthy happens in your industry — from an eye-opening study to a new discovery — you can make sure customers receive the news from you. In addition, close to 41 percent of Americans on social media repost content. If you curate engaging articles, your audience will expand effortlessly as followers repost your content. Explore the infographic below to learn more about the hows and whys of curation, including the top sites for curated content.

By the way, if you've read this far, you'll note that this infographic relates directly to what I published earlier today: My daily content curation workflow.