As a small business owner, you wear many hats. You’re responsible for generating new leads, converting those leads into customers, and creating lasting relationships with shoppers. Oh, and you must do all that while building and maintaining your website and blog, writing email campaigns, and monitoring your social media accounts. Are you ready to add “content repurposing” to your to-do list? Buckle up, then! We’re getting started.
What’s content repurposing, exactly?
Content repurposing (CR) is taking a piece of existing content and modifying it to be used in a different format. It could involve changing the medium, altering the length, or changing the target audience. The goal is to make the most of the content you have already created and reach a new audience or achieve a different purpose.
Why repurpose content at all?
There are many reasons to repurpose content. For one, it can save you a lot of time and effort. If you have already created a well-written and researched article, there is no need to start from scratch when creating a new piece. Additionally, repurposing content can help you reach new buyers. By altering the format or medium, you can tap into different networks and demographics interested in what you have to say.
Do you repurpose all the content?
No, you don’t have to repurpose all of your content. In fact, it’s often best to focus on your most successful or popular pieces. There is no need to try and force a repurposing if it doesn’t make sense for the content piece in question.
Ways to effectively repurpose content
There are many different ways to repurpose content effectively. Some standard methods include:
• Creating a course: If you have in-depth knowledge of a particular subject, you can teach others through the course. It could be an online course or an in-person workshop.
• Compiling a book: If you have a lot of shorter pieces of content, you can collect them into a book. It could be an e-book, a physical book, or even a PDF document.
• Designing short-form videos: If you have long-form content, such as an article or a blog post, you can create a short video summarizing the main points. It is a great way to reach people who prefer to consume content in video form. Should you decide to create a series of short videos, here is an excellent tool VistaCreate to assist you with edit of your videos.
• Writing guest posts: If you have written a piece of content that you think would be a good fit for another website or blog, you can reach out to the site owner and offer to write a guest post. It can help you reach a new audience and increase your site’s visibility.
• Leveraging Twitter: Twitter is an excellent platform for sharing snippets of content with your followers. If you have a blog post or article you want to promote, you can share excerpts on Twitter along with a link to the whole piece.
• Benefiting from Quora: Quora is a Q&A platform where people can ask and answer questions on any topic. Say you have expertise in a particular area. In that case, you can search for relevant questions and provide thoughtful answers. You can also include links to your website or content in your answers.
• Profiting from Reddit: Reddit is a vast online community organized around various topics and interests. If you have content relevant to a particular subreddit, you can submit it and share it with the community. Just be sure to read the subreddit’s rules before posting.
• Rolling out social media publications with content excerpts: Another great way to promote your content is to excerpt it in social media publications. These could be dedicated newsletters, magazines, or even blog posts on social media.
Common mistakes to avoid when repurposing content
When doing CR, it’s essential to avoid making common mistakes. Some of the most common blunders include:
• Trying to force it: As mentioned, you shouldn’t try repurposing every piece of content you create. Only repurpose one that makes sense to you and that you think will be successful.
• Not tailoring it to the new audience: When doing CR, it’s vital to tailor it to the new audience you’re trying to reach. It means modifying the content to fit the new format and ensuring it’s relevant to people.
• Not promoting it properly: Once you’ve repurposed your content, you need to promote it properly.
Examples of successful CR
There are many examples of successful CR. Here are a few notable ones:
• TED Talks: TED Talks initially started as a conference where people could share “ideas worth spreading.” The talks were then turned into a successful podcast and later a book series.
• The Oatmeal: The Oatmeal is a popular webcomic created by Matthew Inman. Inman has repurposed his content into physical books, an app, and even a card game.
• Serial: Serial is a podcast that tells a true crime story throughout several episodes. The show was so popular that it later became a TV series.
Conclusion
As you can see, CR is a powerful way to get more mileage out of your content. By repurposing your content, you can reach a wider audience, save time, and boost your bottom line. Start slowly, repurposing only the most viral pieces. Once you see the outcomes, you can select other pieces. Good luck!
