A Guide to Repurposing Content Effectively (With 7 Strategies)
We’re all familiar with a clever hack: Take the leftover rice from dinner, chop some vegetables, add a few eggs, and mix everything together, and voila, you’ve got your fried rice. I’ve employed this trick countless times — sometimes for breakfast on hectic mornings and other times for a late-night snack. This is essentially what content repurposing is all about: Utilising yesterday’s existing content to create new content for today.
Just like the fried rice saves us time and effort, content repurposing can save you hours you’d have spent from scratch creating something new. Content marketing typically accounts for 26% of B2B marketing budgets, so if you can reuse content in various places, it can also save a significant amount of money. Our guide on repurposing content can help you extract more value from the content you’ve already invested in, but with much less effort than it takes to create something new.
What are the Advantages of Content Repurposing?
Many organisations, including those working with content writing services in the USA, have discovered that repurposing helps them maintain a consistent content schedule without burning out their creative teams.
The advantages of repurposing content are simple and many:
- Extend the lifespan of an asset
- Save time on content creation
- Address the needs of different buyer personas
- Expand the reach of high-performing content across various channels
Content repurposing isn’t as simple as just copying and pasting your blog’s highlights to your social media platforms. You want your audience to feel that your content is varied across all channels, so you’ll need to be creative with your remixes and ensure you’re still delivering value, no matter the medium. Otherwise, it’s just like last night’s leftovers.
When Should You Repurpose Content?
Repurposing old blog posts with fresh content and images can boost organic traffic by up to 106%. Despite the numerous benefits of content repurposing, not every piece can be recycled and reused.
So, when should you aim to extract every bit of value from your high-quality content?
- Repurpose Content That is Evergreen
Focus on content that will be useful for months (if not years). On the flip side, avoid repurposing content that has a limited lifespan. Anything too topical or news-related is unlikely to have the endurance to make it worthwhile to repurpose. For instance, if you publish a blog post about a trending topic, it will be outdated by tomorrow.
- Repurpose Content When Your Goals for the Content Have Changed
Perhaps you have a blog post written to attract subscribers to your company’s newsletter. However, you might be able to use the same content to encourage people to enrol in your online course. In this case, repurposing content is the right move because your goals for the same piece of content have shifted.
- Following the Numbers
Examine your data to identify the posts that are doing well. But, you shouldn’t just focus on content that got a lot of shares because it was popular at the moment you made it. Its relevance might have faded by now. However, if you have an older blog post about a topic that’s suddenly popular on Instagram Reels, it could be the perfect moment to turn that content into a brief, engaging video that draws in a new audience. The timing of this approach is crucial.
7 Effective Ways to Repurpose Content
Now that you understand the importance of content repurposing, let’s dive into some practical strategies for doing it effectively.
- Break Down Blog Posts into Social Media Content
One of the easiest ways to repurpose a blog post is to break it down into bite-sized content for social media. By taking the core insights, statistics, or key takeaways from a blog post, you can create a series of social media posts. These posts can then be shared on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter, keeping your feed active while also pointing back to the full blog post.
A well-thought-out series of social media posts is especially useful for reaching readers who prefer short, skimmable content. You can use these snippets to engage your audience gradually, keeping them interested in your brand across multiple platforms. For example, if you are a business based in the UK, you can ask a content writing agency in UK to take a comprehensive guide and transform it into bite-sized pieces.
- Repurpose Blog Content into Infographics
Infographics are powerful tools for summarising information in a visually engaging way. By converting the main points from a blog post into an infographic, you can make your content more accessible and shareable.
This is particularly effective on platforms like Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Instagram, where visual content tends to perform well. Creating an infographic not only diversifies the way your audience engages with your content but also makes it easier for them to remember key insights.
- Publish Presentations for Platforms Like SlideShare
Slide decks offer a way to present content in a format that’s particularly appealing to professionals and B2B audiences. By converting a blog post or article into a series of slides, you create a structured, easy-to-follow resource that can be shared on platforms like SlideShare.
For readers who may not have time to read a lengthy article, a slide deck provides quick highlights and allows them to grasp the main points efficiently. This format is especially useful for conveying information on topics like industry trends, step-by-step processes, or professional insights.
- Record a Podcast or Audio Version of Your Content
Podcasts are growing in popularity as an on-the-go way for audiences to consume content. If you already have a blog post with valuable insights, consider recording it as a podcast episode. Reading out key points in a conversational style can help engage listeners and open up your content to an audience that prefers audio.
You can also expand on certain topics or bring in guests to discuss them further. By turning your content into a podcast, you’re not just repurposing your ideas but also building brand authority in an intimate, conversational way.
- Publish on Multiple Platforms
Republishing your blog posts on other platforms like Medium, LinkedIn Articles, or industry-specific forums is an effective way to reach more readers. Each of these platforms has its own audience, so republishing your work gives it greater exposure. Just make sure to adjust the introduction slightly and link back to the original post to avoid duplicate content issues and improve SEO.
Republishing on diverse platforms helps ensure that more people see your content, and if you’re careful about optimization, it can even bring more organic traffic to your site.
- Create an E-book or Guide from a Series of Related Blogs
If you have multiple blog posts around a similar theme, you can compile them into an e-book or guide. This approach works particularly well for brands that have accumulated a library of content on topics like SEO, content marketing, or industry-specific insights. Offering an e-book as a downloadable resource adds value to your audience and serves as an effective lead-generation tool.
Not: As we have already discussed, not every piece can be repurposed. Writing a information-rich blog that serves as a foundation is not everyone’s cup of tea. So, to make sure you are going with the best quality pieces, it’s critical to team up with a reliable agency that offers blog writing services.
- Develop Case Studies or Whitepapers from Existing Content
If your original content includes data, research, or real-world examples, you can repurpose it into a case study or whitepaper. These formats are ideal for B2B audiences and can be valuable in building trust with potential clients or leads. By expanding on the data, adding client testimonials, and showing specific outcomes, you can create a detailed resource that demonstrates the effectiveness of your services or products.
Example: If you’ve written an article on how a content marketing company in Australia helped improve a client’s SEO ranking, you could expand this into a detailed case study that covers the process, challenges, and outcomes. Share this document with potential clients or include it in sales presentations to showcase real-world results.
Considerations for Effective Content Repurposing
When repurposing content, it’s essential to ensure that each new piece feels fresh, relevant, and carefully tailored. Here are some considerations to keep in mind:
- Understand Platform Preferences
Every platform has its unique audience and style. LinkedIn is professional, Instagram is visual, and SlideShare emphasises educational, presentation-style content. Adapt your tone, style, and even content format to fit each platform’s expectations for the best engagement.
- Avoid Redundancy
Repurposing content doesn’t mean repeating the same information verbatim. Instead, adapt and rephrase content in a way that adds value each time. For instance, while an infographic might highlight key points, a blog post on the same topic could go into greater detail. Each format should feel like a unique piece, not a carbon copy of the original.
- Use Analytics to Refine Your Strategy
Track the performance of each piece of repurposed content to understand what resonates best with your audience. Use metrics like engagement rate, shares, and click-throughs to identify which formats and platforms are most effective. This feedback helps you adjust your strategy and prioritise high-performing formats.
Looking Ahead
Content repurposing isn’t a one-time effort – it should be an integral part of your content strategy. As you create new content, think about potential repurposing opportunities from the start. This forward-thinking approach can help you create more versatile content that’s easier to adapt across different formats and platforms.
Successful content repurposing isn’t about doing less work – it’s about getting more value from the work you’ve already done. By thoughtfully transforming your existing content into new formats, you can reach wider audiences, reinforce your message, and build a stronger content presence across multiple platforms.