A Guide to Repurposing Content

Repurposing content involves taking existing materials—such as blog posts, videos, podcasts, or infographics—and transforming them into different formats or updating them for use on various platforms. This strategy allows marketers to extend the lifespan of their original content, reaching new audiences and reinforcing messages without the need to continually produce new content from scratch.

For example, a detailed report on industry trends could be repurposed into a series of blog posts, an infographic, a webinar, and a series of tweetable key points. Each format targets a different audience or caters to different content consumption preferences, thereby maximizing the original content’s value and reach. Essentially, repurposing content is about recycling and adapting valuable content to suit different mediums and audience needs efficiently.

What Are The Benefits of Repurposing Content?

Repurposing content offers several strategic advantages for social media marketers. 

• Consistency in Messaging: Repurposing content ensures that your brand’s message remains consistent across all platforms, reinforcing your brand identity and values with every post. This consistency helps to strengthen brand recognition and trust among your audience.
• Reaching Different Audience Segments: By adapting content for various platforms, you can reach distinct audience segments where they are most active. For example, while LinkedIn is ideal for professional and industry-related content, platforms like TikTok and Instagram attract a younger demographic that prefers visually engaging and concise content. This broadened exposure can lead to improved engagement and more opportunities for conversions. 
• Enhancing SEO Efforts: By creating multiple pieces of content around the same topic, you can target a variety of keywords and link back to the original piece, boosting its visibility and authority. 
• Saving Time: Repurposing existing content allows us to maximize resources without always needing to create new content from scratch or asking the client to provide more content. With minimal additional investment, you can maintain a consistent flow of material across marketing channels.

How To Identify Content To Repurpose

The first step to strategically multiplying your content is being able to select previously run posts or original copy that can be transformed for use on other platforms. The best content will likely have high engagement, be relevant over time, and have the ability to be expanded upon. Below is a list of criteria to look for when selecting content to repurpose.

• Analyze Content Performance: Start by reviewing your existing content across all platforms to identify high-performing posts. Use analytics tools to look for content that has generated significant engagement, such as likes, shares, comments, or high click-through rates. These metrics indicate that the audience found the content valuable, making it a good candidate for expansion or breakdown.
• Look for Broad or Comprehensive Topics: Identify posts that cover broad topics or provide a comprehensive overview of a subject. These types of content are ideal because they contain multiple points that can be elaborated upon. For instance, a blog post titled “10 Ways to Improve Your SEO” has potential for expansion as each point can potentially be turned into an in-depth article, video or post.
• Assess Content Depth and Details: Evaluate which pieces of content only skim the surface of their topics and could benefit from a deeper dive. Content that touches on complex issues but doesn’t delve into the details is a prime candidate for elaboration. For example, if a post mentions a current trend in technology briefly, you might expand on this by exploring the trend in more detail, including case studies or data points.
• Identify Evergreen Content: Focus on evergreen content—topics that remain relevant and useful over time. These topics often provide continuous value and can be revisited and expanded into a series of posts or videos. For example, advice on basic financial planning or health tips can be expanded into detailed guides or seasonal advice updates.
• Check for Content with Unanswered Questions or High Comment Activity: Review the comments section of your posts to find any common questions or topics that could be explored further. Content that prompts questions or discussions is perfect for expansion because it indicates areas where the audience seeks more information.
• Consider Content with Potential for Visual or Interactive Elements: Some topics may be better understood or more engaging when presented visually or interactively. For instance, a how-to guide could be turned into a step-by-step video tutorial and a graphic carousel post that would provide a more engaging way to learn.

Adapting Content for Different Platforms

Adapting the format of your content to each platform’s norms is crucial for maximizing engagement and ensuring your message is well-received. Below are important considerations for each of the major social media platforms and how to format your content for each:

Instagram

• Visual-First: Instagram is a highly visual platform, favoring high-quality images and videos. Ideal aspect ratio is 1:1 (1080×1080 pixels) for posts.
• Stories and Reels: Short, engaging videos or images can be shared through Stories (disappearing after 24 hours) and Reels (up to 90 seconds long). The ideal ration is 9:16 (1080×1920 pixels) for Stories and Reels.
• Hashtags and Tags: Effective use of hashtags and tagging relevant accounts can increase visibility. Keep captions concise but informative, up to 2,200 characters. Utilize line breaks and emojis to enhance readability.
• Shopping Features: Businesses can tag products in posts, making it easier for users to shop directly from the app.

Twitter (X)

• Character Limit: Tweets have a 280-character limit, necessitating concise messaging.
• Hashtags and Trends: Utilizing trending hashtags and participating in popular conversations can boost engagement.
• Multimedia: Images, GIFs, and videos can complement tweets to enhance engagement. Recommended size for images is 1200×675 pixels. Maximum length is 2 minutes and 20 seconds for videos.

Facebook

• Diverse Content: Supports a wide range of content types including text, images, videos, and live streams. Optimal size for images is 1200×630 pixels. There is no specific duration limit, but shorter videos (under 2 minutes) tend to perform better.
• Community Building: Groups and pages allow for community engagement and targeted interactions.
• Advertising Tools: Robust ad targeting options and insights for businesses.
• Longer Content: Longer posts and articles are more acceptable compared to other platforms, but ensure they are engaging and formatted with paragraphs and bullet points.

LinkedIn

• Professional Focus: Content should be professional and industry-related, focusing on networking and career development.
• Articles and Posts: Longer form content and articles perform well. Use headings, bullet points, and concise paragraphs to maintain readability.
• Thought Leadership: Sharing insights, industry news, and professional experiences can establish authority.
• Networking: Engage with other professionals through comments, shares, and direct messages.
• Multimedia: Recommended image size is 1200×627 pixels. Native videos can be up to 10 minutes long, but shorter videos (1-2 minutes) are often more effective.

TikTok

• Short-Form Video: Predominantly short videos, ranging from 15 to 60 seconds. Optimal aspect ratio is 9:16. Captions should be brief, leveraging hashtags to increase discoverability.
• Creative Tools: Extensive editing features, effects, and music integration.
• Trends and Challenges: Participating in trending challenges and using popular sounds can increase reach.
• Engagement: Highly interactive with options for duets, stitches, and comments.

Common Content Repurposing Strategies

Below are some examples of strategies for repurposing common types of content.

• Blog Posts to Infographic: Turn detailed blog posts or articles into infographics that can be used on platforms like Instagram or Pinterest.
• Podcast Episodes to Quote Graphics: Extract compelling quotes from podcast episodes and turn them into graphics for Twitter or LinkedIn.
• Webinar to Video Tutorials: Break down webinars or longer form videos into shorter clips that can be shared as Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.
• User-Generated Content: Repurpose content from users, like reviews or testimonials, across platforms in different formats (e.g., quote graphics, video stories).

Example

Taking this single blog post, 5 Functions of Excel/Sheets That Every Professional Should Know, I could repurpose it into the following additional pieces of content:

Instagram

• (1) Carousel post that overviews all 5 functions
• (1) Image post promoting the blog title with caption directing to the link in bio
• (5) Different carousel posts that explain how to set up and the purpose of each function
• (1) Reel with the author explaining why these 5 functions are essential
• (5) Different reels demonstrating each function
• (1) Poll in stories asking following about their understanding level of excel
• (1) Question box in stories asking followers their biggest excel questions

LinkedIn

• (1) Visual post with a link to the blog on the GFD site 
• (1) Turn the blog into an LI article
• (5) Different posts that go in depth on how to set up each of these functions and when you might use them

Twitter

• (1) Tweet with link to the GFD blog
• (5) Tweets with explanation of the function
• (1) Poll asking followers about their understanding level of excel

Facebook

• (1) Carousel post that overviews all 5 functions
• (1) Image post linking back to the GFD blog
• (5) Different posts that go in depth on how to set up each of these functions and when you might use them
• (1) Longer form video explaining the 5 functions and why you should know them
• With this example, I was able to create 36 posts across various platforms from the single blog article. 

Repurposing content is an easy way to generate social posts that are more likely to see high performance metrics and align strategically with the brand’s overall content strategy. If you are feeling stuck on how to repurpose content for one of your clients, bring it to the social team for help brainstorming ideas!