Content Repurposing: Why You Really Should Build a Content Vault

By Jackie Wilson

 "Possibly one of the BEST reasons to build up a solid library of content built consistently around your main mission, messaging and values is this: Repurposing, baby." - Jackie Wilson

This might come as a remarkably welcome insight if you've ever known intense frustration or even mounting anxiety, faced with a blank screen that you're supposed to fill with words but can't.

You don't have to be constantly creating new content.

Unless you're literally just starting in business, you already have something pretty valuable at your disposal: your previous content!

(And by the way––if you're thinking, "Huh, I'm not a writer, I prefer making podcasts," read on: This applies to all forms of content creation, video, audio, and graphic, just as much as to the written word.)

In fact, it's positively irresponsible as a business owner NOT to squeeze as much use out of your content as you possibly can since this can vastly increase the ROI of any given piece of content by several multiples.

Seen this way, your content becomes a resources repository and a treasury, and it can be reformatted, republished, and endlessly recycled to maximise both value and reach. 

Repurposing content exposes your work to new audiences. 

Anyone who missed what you wrote the first time around gets a second chance to engage with your piece, especially if you've adapted it to a different platform or format, boosting your online presence.

The process should involve a little more than just going into Search, pulling up your back catalogue on your laptop, grabbing something at random, and re-posting. A little strategy goes a long way here.

First off: 

Pinpoint high-performing content. Identify content that has performed well in terms of engagement, traffic, or conversions if you can. Analytics tools are your friends here.

Think about how to leverage different formats. You might want to repurpose written content into various formats, such as videos, infographics, podcasts, or webinars. Remember that each format appeals to different audience preferences and can extend the reach of your message.

And then give some of these ideas a go:

Guest posts or articles: 

Rewrite existing content to fit the guidelines of other websites or publications and publish it as a guest post or article. This helps you reach new audiences and establish authority in your industry.

Create a series: (This one's a good one!) 

Combine a series of related blog posts into a comprehensive guide or collection. This can provide real value for your audience and keep them engaged over time, make your content planning process smoother, quicker, and easier, and even result in a massively valuable resource such as an e-book.

Revamp and republish: 

Update and republish older blog posts with new information, statistics, or insights. This can help breathe new life into existing content and improve its visibility in search engine results.

Create webinars or online mini-courses: 

Expand on your written content by hosting webinars or creating (mini) online courses. You can use your blog posts as the foundation for the content you present, case studies, or even social media posts if you've been reasonably strategic about what you post and can expand on them.

Above all, go beyond the bounds of your own content and think outside the box.

Transform a blog or a webinar script into a PDF (infographics!) that you can offer people for free, as a lead magnet or as a bonus with other offers.

Open conversations around collaboration by quoting yourself (see the opening of this article!)

And remember––repurposing and reposting content isn't a shortcut or a lazy hack… it's a strategic move. 

Be clever, be strategic!

Jackie is the founder-owner of BrickHouse, a small content creation company that mainly serves SMEs, and a media professionals with many years of standing.

She has over 25 years of experience as a freelance writer, broadcaster, and media trainer. She is a scrupulously precise editor who is utterly pedantic and very word-choosy. As a trainer, she worked with young journalists and reporters in parts of Africa and Central Asia–something she still sees as thoroughly rewarding and the most fun to be had while working.

Her content these days includes marketing copy, but she describes herself as a storyteller rather than a copywriter. A journalist to the bone, she does nothing without research, and the research object is her client’s story.