My mother taught me a neat trick once I went to varsity: Take the leftover veggies from dinner, chop some superb onion, add some sizzling sauce, and use it as your sandwich unfold.
I used the hack on a regular basis — typically for breakfast on busy mornings and different occasions for snacking in late evenings. I used to be at all times shocked at how totally different but acquainted the sandwich tasted.
That’s what content material repurposing is, in a nutshell: You are taking yesterday’s current content material and use it to whip up new content material for at the moment. Identical to my sandwich did for me, it’ll prevent hours you’ll’ve spent creating one thing new from scratch.
And the advantages of repurposing content material exceed above and past time-saving. Within the digital advertising world, content material repurposing:
- Helps you broaden your content material’s attain (since you share it a number of occasions in a couple of format to new audiences)
- Allows you to create extra content material with out burning out (since you don’t have to make use of brainpower to consider a brand new thought)
- Boosts your search engine optimisation efforts (pleasant for engines like google since you’re creating a number of content material items concentrating on related key phrases)
However what most of us wrestle with is working towards repurposing content material often. It doesn’t change into part of workflows so simply, and it’s usually harder than it appears.
On this article, I’ll first reply a few of the commonest questions associated to content material repurposing that will help you make it a non-negotiable a part of your working course of. Then, I’ll share varied methods of repackaging varied varieties of content material — from long-form articles to short-form movies. Let’s go! 👇
5 FAQs about content material repurposing answered
1: How is repurposing content material totally different from cross-posting and reposting content material?
The commonality? All three (cross-posting, reposting, repurposing) are methods to reuse your current content material.
Cross-posting is once you share a bit of content material as-is on one other social media platform. For instance, you’ll be able to publish your TikTok video as an Instagram Reel and a YouTube Shorts video with out altering something since they’re related content material sorts. Creator Laura Whaley does this often together with her TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
Reposting content material is once you republish a bit of content material on the identical platform. For instance, you repost a writeup on X (previously Twitter) that beforehand obtained a ton of engagement and constructive response out of your viewers. For instance, Katelyn Bourgoin posted a timeless recommendation on X in 2020 and repeated it in 2021, additionally on X.
Repurposing content material is holding the crux of a bit’s thought and adapting it for different social media channels. For instance, you distill high-performing outdated weblog posts into Instagram carousel posts.
At Buffer, we often repurpose content material — and one among our core methods is popping our blogs into social media posts. For instance, we turned this weblog publish on creating content material pillars into an Instagram carousel (and even a thread on X!).
The distinction is minute however essential:
- Cross-posting is posting the identical piece of content material on varied platforms
- Reposting is posting the identical piece of content material once more on the identical platform
- Repurposing is repackaging a bit of content material into totally different content material sorts
In your social media advertising technique, you want all three.
Why? Cross-posting saves time, reposting helps you double down in your success, and repurposing content material helps you with content material distribution.
Right here’s how it’s best to method the three strategies:
- Cross-post content material throughout social media channels wherever you’ll be able to
- Monitor the posts getting probably the most attain and schedule them to be reposted after a sure time interval
- Bake repurposing into your content material creation workflow and publish the identical piece of content material in varied codecs and channels
2: When ought to you concentrate on repurposing content material?
It relies upon.
Do you have already got a ton of content material backlog?
Then, it’s best to begin serious about content material repurposing instantly. Repackage these outdated items (start with the favored posts) to get extra worth out of them.
⚠️ Word: Solely repurpose the posts that are presently related. If a bit of content material is outdated, refresh it with up-to-date info earlier than repurposing it.
Are you new to content material creation (for social media or typically)?
Then, attempt to embed content material repurposing into your workflow. As an example, you may make it a activity to show each YouTube video you create into short-form movies for Shorts, Reels, and TikTok. This manner, you get forward of the sport and don’t wait until you don’t get sufficient natural engagement to consider content material repurposing.
⚠️ Word: Repurposing content material doesn’t imply it’s important to be energetic on each channel potential. In case your technique presently consists of solely YouTube & TikTok, deal with repurposing just for these channels. You don’t want to consider Instagram simply because it’s accessible. It’s higher to ace two to a few channels moderately than do a mediocre job of managing 5 platforms concurrently.
Are you breaking into a brand new channel or platform?
Then, begin content material repurposing straight away. Most channels and platforms offers you a bonus in case you publish extra regularly. To publish at the next cadence, take the content material you have already got on different channels and repurpose it for the brand new platform.
For instance, in case you’re attempting to develop on Instagram Threads, you’ll be able to simply repurpose (and even cross-post!) content material you posted on X since each platforms enable for the same sort of content material.
Learn extra: 8 Social Media Content material Concepts to Incorporate into Your Technique
⚠️ Word: Whenever you’re hitting the bottom working with a brand new channel or platform, sprinkle repurposed posts together with native content material. If all of your posts on the brand new channel are repackaged from someplace else, they will come throughout as repetitive to your viewers.
2a: Do you have to repurpose solely outdated content material?
When you have an up-to-date content material backlog, don’t restrict your self by repurposing solely outdated content material. Make content material repurposing part of your workflow for brand spanking new posts too.
This manner, outdated posts will proceed getting repurposed, and you’ll not accumulate newer posts in your “must be repurposed” pile. Sprinkle the outdated repurposed and the brand new repurposed strategically throughout your content material calendar.
2b: Do you have to repurpose solely evergreen content material?
Sure and no.
You’ll be able to’t repurpose time-sensitive outdated items.
For instance, in case you’re launching a brand new product line, repurpose it throughout all platforms as quickly as potential. It is information that’ll get outdated quick. If it’s already been greater than a month for the reason that launch, you’ll be able to’t repurpose a “new” launch publish.
(For this reason we’re advocates of embedding repurposing with content material creation itself. It ensures no piece goes stale with out getting repurposed.)
You’ll be able to repurpose irrelevant outdated content material after refreshing it.
For instance, in case you’re attempting to repurpose a publish on a work-related subject pre-pandemic, it is advisable first replace it with the information and happenings of the post-pandemic world. As soon as refreshed, you’ll be able to repurpose it (even when it isn’t “evergreen”) — as a result of it’ll be related to your audiences at the moment.
3: How do you prioritize which content material it’s best to repurpose?
In an excellent world, we’d repurpose our outdated and new posts concurrently at scale — with out burning out. Both we’d have the psychological capability and time, or we’d have the workforce to perform one thing of this scale.
However in actuality, it’s difficult to find out what must be your major focus. Do you have to think about repurposing your outdated content material backlog quick? Or must you put the highlight on repurposing newly printed content material first?
There’s nobody appropriate reply. What it’s best to prioritize depends upon your objectives with content material repurposing.
For instance, in case your purpose with content material repurposing is to pump new life into items which might be shedding site visitors, your precedence must be repurposing your outdated posts. However in case you intention to construct model consciousness and broaden your attain, your focus must be repurposing posts that went reside extra just lately.
4: How do you make content material repurposing a seamless a part of your workflow?
The best option to bake content material repurposing in your present workflow is to consider it on the content material creation step itself — like Chima Mmeje, Senior Content material Advertising and marketing Supervisor at Moz:
“I begin serious about repurposing alternatives from the second I am reviewing a content material transient. It is a strategic a part of content material creation, with a watch on lifecycle and future engagement. I take into account the specified metrics and goal audiences, understanding the place they spend their time on-line to tell our repurposing technique. As an example, our current publish on AI for search engine optimisation serves as a stellar instance of digital asset spin-offs; it has been repurposed into an attractive OG picture, capitalizing on X’s (previously Twitter) new hyperlink preview format to make a stronger visible affect.”
Let’s say you run an energetic long-form weblog and an Instagram account. Whenever you’re crafting weblog content material, hold your Instagram channel high of thoughts:
- How will you construction your article so it’s simple to learn in your web site and as an Instagram Carousel publish?
- What’s the info in your weblog that may make for an attractive Instagram Reel?
- What info out of your weblog can you utilize to create an interactive Instagram Story?
- Are you able to flip your weblog right into a slideshare presentation for an Instagram Reside broadcast?
- Which graphics out of your article will make for a wonderful in-feed publish?
You’ll be able to hold a purpose to create at the least 5 mini posts out of each lengthy publish — whether or not video or written. Retaining repurposing on the middle of content material creation ensures you don’t need to spend many hours repackaging posts to be pleasant for an additional channel or platform.
On the finish, scan your recent publish once more. Problem your self to seek out much more methods to repurpose it for different social or content material advertising channels you utilize.
5: Do you have to repurpose your content material for each channel?
No.
Repurpose your newly-created or outdated content material just for the channels you’re already energetic on or the channels you’re attempting to construct a group on. Content material repurposing is a low-lift manner of boosting your on-line presence. However that doesn’t translate to being energetic and current in every single place.
Justin Simon, Content material Distribution Guide for B2B SaaS and Creator of Content material Repurposing Roadmap, agrees:
“The 2 largest errors are assuming it is advisable repurpose content material into dozens of codecs after which share it on each platform potential. Each of those errors will maintain you again. The very best factor you are able to do is create a repurposing plan that you’ll stick with. Even when meaning creating solely two varieties of content material and distributing on just a few key channels. Executing fewer issues persistently will drive far more progress than in case you attempt to do all of the issues directly and get burned out.”
Don’t change into energetic on totally different platforms simply because you’ll be able to repurpose content material for them. Assume:
- Is your audience even current on the brand new channel?
- Do your clients like to listen to from you on this platform?
- Do you and your workforce have the bandwidth to create a mixture of native and repurposed posts for this new channel?
Solely introduce a brand new platform into the combo when it can provide you sufficient return on funding and when you’ve got the capability to develop your viewers on one other channel.
With these doubts cleared, let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of what repurposing appears like in motion.
5 methods to repurpose long-form written content material
Lengthy-form written content material consists of weblog content material, ebooks, analysis reviews, whitepapers, and case research. These are nice for repurposing as a result of they’ve a ton of insights you could repackage into varied codecs.
1: Convert your ebooks & analysis reviews into blogs
The primary one is the best: Repurpose your current long-form content material to a different long-form content material. For instance, you’ll be able to flip the varied chapters of your book into blogs of their very own. Or you may repurpose snippets out of your analysis report right into a weblog.
The corporate Influencer Advertising and marketing Hub does this often. They’ve a “State of Influencer Advertising and marketing” Report launched yearly. They repurpose this report into an article of its personal — sharing solely the important thing statistics from the entire report.
2: Convert snippets out of your long-form content material into X & LinkedIn posts, newsletters, and group responses
Lengthy-form written content material has a ton of knowledge. From every bit, you’ll be able to create a number of posts for X (previously Twitter) and LinkedIn — as a result of each social media platforms are text-friendly.
We do that often at Buffer by making a publish on LinkedIn and X for each long-form weblog we publish. For instance, we just lately talked about pivoting your private model in an article and revamped that publish for LinkedIn.
💡 Discover how we additionally tailored the publish to suit the platform? The language was snappy, and the construction was extra skim-friendly on LinkedIn. Keep in mind, repurposing isn’t cross-posting! Make modifications to suit the platform.
Equally, you’ll be able to share snippets out of your long-form content material in your e-newsletter, Fb Teams, Reddit, or Quora. As an example, SparkToro often shares snippets of their articles (like this one about high-quality content material) of their e-newsletter.
⚡ Professional-tip: When sharing scraps out of your long-form written content material, at all times encourage folks to learn the entire piece with a call-to-action. This ensures you really enhance the site visitors of your authentic piece.
3: Convert snippets out of your long-form content material into Instagram and Pinterest infographics
Creating visible belongings from written content material isn’t as simple as repurposing it into one other text-friendly format. Nonetheless, it’s worthwhile if in case you have a presence on a visible social media channel like Instagram or Pinterest.
As an example, we just lately transformed our weblog publish about AI prompts into an Instagram Carousel publish for Instagram.
4: Convert your long-form content material’s insights right into a YouTube video or an Instagram Reside broadcast
You’ll be able to current your long-form content material as a video on YouTube and Instagram, too. For instance, HypeAuditor collaborated with an influencer advertising professional — Gordon Glenister — for a YouTube reside webinar on their 2023 State of Influencer Advertising and marketing report.
The very best half? Out of your long-form video, you’ll be able to create varied short-form movies for different social media channels — additional extending the attain of your authentic long-form written piece.
5: Convert snappy takeaways out of your long-form content material into Instagram Reels or TikTok movies
You’ll be able to convert the takeaways out of your long-form piece into an Instagram Reel or a TikTok video, too. Not each written piece will be distilled into a brief 15 to 60 second clip, but when it has clear takeaways — and also you’re energetic on Instagram or TikTok — give it a shot and see how your viewers likes it.
We do that ourselves at Buffer by sharing Instagram Reels about our blogs. As an example, we narrated the essential insights from our private branding framework right into a Reel.
⚡ Professional-tip: You can even use static photos from inside your long-form content material with a voiceover within the background to make repurposing content material extra environment friendly.
5 methods to repurpose long-form video content material
Lengthy-form video content material isn’t restricted to your YouTube channel. It additionally consists of any webinar, tutorial, video podcast episodes, or reside broadcasts you do. Since these movies are lengthy and jam-packed with helpful intel, you’ll be able to repurpose them into varied codecs simply.
1: Convert your lengthy movies into short-form movies
The best option to get extra out of your long-form movies is to transform them into varied short-form movies. YouTube has YouTube Shorts, Instagram has Reels, and TikTok has movies. Lower your lengthy video into varied fascinating snippets and share it throughout totally different platforms for an added engagement enhance.
Creator Cleo Abrams does this often. Take a look at how she created an Instagram Reel from her YouTube video and inspired her followers to look at the entire thing.
And don’t suppose you’ll be able to’t do that in case you aren’t energetic on YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok. LinkedIn and X additionally love video content material. Modash, for instance, often cuts its video podcasts into posts for LinkedIn.
No matter platform you’re on, edit each long-form video into varied short-form video snippets.
2: Convert snippets out of your video into written insights for blogs, newsletters, and social media
You need to use insights out of your long-form video as insights for social media posts, blogs, and newsletters.
For instance, Justin Simon wished to advertise the newest podcast he was on. However he didn’t simply sort a promotional publish about, “this was a blast. watch this!” and name it a day. He took it a step additional and repurposed an perception he shared on the video podcast with textual content and a video snippet on LinkedIn. The publish stands alone by itself, too — which is the magic of content material repurposing. He left a remark as a name to motion to look at the entire podcast.
3: Convert your video right into a weblog
Identical to you’ll be able to convert your long-form content material right into a long-form video, you’ll be able to convert your movies right into a weblog.
For instance, Ahrefs’ YouTube channel printed a video about ChatGPT for search engine optimisation in February 2023. Later in Could, they printed an article on the identical subject and embedded the video inside it.
This not solely boosts your content material’s attain by publishing it in varied content material codecs throughout a number of channels — but additionally lets you present your viewers with their most popular mode of consuming your content material.
4: Convert your lengthy video into an audio podcast
When you have a video that’d additionally match as an audio podcast, you’ll be able to repurpose it by releasing audio-only variations on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and extra.
For instance, Tommy Walker used to host reside modifying periods with content material advertising specialists on his YouTube channel. As soon as he realized the demand for audio-only podcasts, he transformed these movies into that format.
Suppose you’ve got a long-form video like a webinar, tutorial, or interview that works with out your viewers seeing something on their display screen. In that case, you’ll be able to convert it into an audio format.
5: Convert photos from the video into shareable photos for social media
This repurposing methodology received’t work for each video, however it would work for movies the place you utilize numerous static photos. Take YNAB — they redesigned their product with new colours and wished to make a journey down reminiscence lane with their viewers.
They shared a YouTube video in regards to the change — highlighting the varied designs they’ve had prior to now. Then, they repurposed the video into an Instagram Carousel publish containing the identical photos used within the video.
In case your movies additionally include a presentation or static photos, use these as visible belongings to publish on different social media channels. You repurpose your authentic publish and market it, too — win-win.
Learn extra: What to Put up on Instagram: 19 Examples from Small Companies That You Can Make Your Personal
3 methods to repurpose social media content material
Social media content material consists of every part from a LinkedIn publish to a TikTok video.
1: Convert threads and long-form posts on X right into a LinkedIn publish (or vice-versa)
X (previously Twitter) and LinkedIn are sister social media platforms. Everytime you write a LinkedIn publish or a long-form publish on X, repurpose it for the opposite channel.
Many individuals cross-post throughout these two platforms, however I’d advise shifting the phrasing, hook, and content material to satisfy the various wants of each channels. As an example, X wants a stronger opening sentence than LinkedIn, whereas LinkedIn wants extra construction than a thread on X.
Chima Mmeje nails this. Take a look at how she repurposed her LinkedIn publish about AI right into a thread on X (previously Twitter) by barely tweaking the hook and the construction.
2: Convert your threads on X into an Instagram Carousel (or vice-versa)
If you happen to can jazz up your threads on X a bit into cool graphics, you’ve obtained your self an Instagram carousel (or in-feed) publish.
It’s tremendous simple to do with Buffer’s Remix app. All it’s important to do is enter the hyperlink of your thread or publish on X, choose the scale & fashion you need, customise it along with your model colours — and also you’re executed! We use the Remix app on a regular basis to share our posts on X as in-feed Instagram posts.
Take into account our publish on Sunday scaries. We initially printed it on X, used the Remix app, and shared it on our Instagram account, too.
3: Convert Instagram Reels & TikTok movies on the identical subject right into a long-form video
You doubtless publish varied varieties of posts across the subtopics inside your social media area of interest. If you happen to’re energetic on Reels, Shorts, or TikTok, you’ll be able to mix short-form movies across the identical area of interest subject and convert them into long-form YouTube movies.
Leisure channels do that usually. Take The Graham Norton Present — it mixed varied clips from the interviews with Emily Blunt to create a brand new (repurposed) video.
3 methods to repurpose e-newsletter content material
Most subscribers count on your e-mail e-newsletter content material to be unique to their inbox. I’d advocate repurposing and sharing your e-newsletter content material in bits and items after the unique difficulty has already been despatched to your viewers.
1: Convert snippets from newsletters into posts for X and LinkedIn
Take your e-newsletter’s most gripping hooks and insights and switch them into social media posts for X and LinkedIn. Each are text-heavy platforms, identical to your e-newsletter — so repurposing can be fast and environment friendly.
John Bonini does this usually together with his e-newsletter, Some Good Content material. He printed a e-newsletter about probably the most defensible content material technique, which he later repurposed right into a LinkedIn publish.
Many small companies observe this repurposing technique as a result of it’s simple to implement and fast to spice up engagement. The one factor essential to recollect is to regulate the content material into a brand new format that matches the platform.
2: Convert insights out of your e-newsletter into shareable photos for Instagram and Pinterest
Repurposing e-newsletter content material doesn’t have to remain restricted to text-related social media platforms. What in case you may flip them into shareable graphics?
Splainer does this as part of its digital advertising technique. They publish a every day e-newsletter in regards to the world’s information and switch it into graphics for his or her Instagram account. As an example, they just lately had a e-newsletter difficulty mentioning Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, which Splainer repurposed into an Instagram Carousel publish.
If you happen to selected this route, transcend posting screenshots of your e-newsletter. Add some life into the pictures through colours and graphics (like Splainer did).
3: Convert sections out of your e-newsletter into short-form movies for Instagram Reels, TikTok movies, and YouTube Shorts
In case your newsletters are structured in the identical format each time, you can too experiment with repurposing them into short-form movies.
For instance, The Know publishes a every day e-newsletter sharing solely excellent news with their subscribers. They repurpose this content material every day right into a short-form video for Instagram Reels by studying the information in a listicle format. See how they just lately repackaged a section of their every day information into an Instagram Reel.
It’s not as in-depth, nevertheless it does an amazing job of maintaining their Instagram attain and selling their e-newsletter.
Be eco-friendly along with your content material
Repurposing is all about content material recycling. You don’t burn your self out by always attempting to provide you with new concepts, and you get the utmost out of every piece of content material you resolve to publish. It’s a win-win state of affairs.
Intention to repurpose at the least 5 social media posts from each long-form piece of content material. And also you don’t need to “keep in mind” to repurpose. Make it part of your content material creation workflow, repurpose, schedule utilizing Buffer, and also you’re executed!
