Content Repurposing Guide: Turn a Blog into a Month of Content
Whether you’re a business owner, a blogger, or a social media influencer, chances are that you spend a lot of time creating content. Content creation and marketing go hand in hand. After all, you can’t get new customers or followers if they’ve never heard of your brand! But let’s face it: content creation is time-consuming. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just repurpose some of your old blog posts into new content? Well, guess what? You can! Believe it or not, just one blog post can give you an entire month of content. But how can you turn a single piece of content into thirty days’ worth of emails, videos, and social media posts? And how can you keep track of one blog post and remix it again and again over the coming days and weeks? Good news–we’re here to help with exactly that! Here’s how you can harness the power of automation to get into your very own content repurposing workflow.
What is content repurposing?
Repurposing content simply refers to the process of creating brand-new content from old content. In other words, it’s the very definition of working smarter, not harder! If done correctly, content repurposing can broaden your reach, boost your SEO, and (most importantly) save you time and money! Oh, and did we mention it can get even more eyes on your brand?
What content should you repurpose?
Before we dive into our handy-dandy repurposing guide, let’s go over the kind of content you should repurpose. Sure, your blog is probably a wealth of information and fantastic content, but we’d wager that not every post is ripe for a remix. When reviewing your blog’s content, take the time to ask yourself these questions:
- Is your content evergreen? Put in the simplest of terms, “evergreen” content is content that is still fresh and relevant, long after you hit that Publish button. In other words, it’s generally not time-sensitive (like all those COVID-era blog posts that now feel outdated), or seasonal.
- Did the original content perform well? In an ideal world, every blog post you’ve ever written would rank high on search engines, resonate with readers, and keep people coming back for more. Sadly, sometimes, despite your best efforts, some posts might not do as well as you hoped. When you’re thinking of remixing content, don’t just grab any old post and hope for the best. Go for the high-performing ones!
- Are you starting on a new platform or channel? If you’re joining a new social media platform or starting a YouTube channel, you should hit the ground running! While you should definitely post brand-new content, turning a few blog posts into social posts can help you post more frequently with high-quality content.
A Content Repurposing Guide: 4 Simple Steps to Get Started
The good news is that breathing new life into older content doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. In fact, this step-by-step guide is meant to make it easy for you! Here’s what to do:
1. Audit your old content.
We tend to hear the word “audit” and instantly cringe. But when it comes to content repurposing, it’s a good thing! Create a spreadsheet and use a tool that can help you gather metrics, such as Google Analytics 4. Then take a look at clicks, monthly views, user engagement–pretty much anything that can help you figure out how to optimize your content! You should also be thinking about whether or not you need to change or update information. Try to also figure out why you might have lower clicks or impressions on an article. Does something about it not appeal to your target audience? How could you tweak it a little to make it more relevant to your readers? Finally, make sure your blog also has clear, easy-to-distinguish content pillars–also known as, the theme (or themes) that you build your brand upon. In other words, if you’ve branded yourself as a style blogger, then your content should reflect that!
2. Define your goals.
Now that you’ve audited your blog and figured out which pieces deserve a little context remix, it’s time to sit down and get to work! Take some time to reflect on your business goals:
- Do you want to optimize your content so it ranks higher on Google?
- Do you want to generate more customer leads?
- Do you want more people to know about your brand?
- Are you looking to target a specific demographic? If so, how can you remix your content to do so?
- Are you wanting to highlight a specific product you sell? A service you offer? An opinion you hold?
3. Create your content repurposing strategy.
It’s time to get into the nitty-gritty of things! If you’ve been following our guide, you now have a spreadsheet and a list of goals, so you just need to create a content repurposing plan. First, don’t make the mistake of spreading yourself too thin and sharing your remixed content on too many different platforms. Be strategic and choose a few key channels, particularly ones where your target audience hangs out. You should also figure out how often you plan to post. Psst–a content calendar might come in handy for this step. Fortunately, there are hundreds of free resources out there that are only a Google search away! Once you’ve downloaded your content calendar (or whipped out the old-fashioned kind that you hang on the wall), use it to stay consistent and focused!
If you aren’t sure exactly how to remix those blog posts, sit down and grab a pencil, because we’ve got some content atomization ideas just for you:
- Infographics: Some people might not want to sit down and read an entire blog post, but they’ll stop scrolling when they come across a pretty, well-made infographic! Take the key points from your blog post and use a site like Canva to turn them into an eye-catching visual. Make sure they reflect your content pillars, as we discussed earlier!
- Videos: Short-form content tends to perform very well, especially in video form. Turn your blog posts into short videos that you can share on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or YouTube!
- E-books: If your blog is centered around a specific topic (or content pillar), then there’s a pretty good chance that you turn your blog posts into an E-book. You don’t even need to do a whole lot of writing! Simply figure out how to rearrange your posts into chapters. Then tweak, edit, and expand where necessary!
4. Set up content automation.
Adding content repurposing to your workflow doesn’t have to be complicated, thanks to automation tools! You can use content automation to schedule posts and other reminders that can help you stay on top of your tasks. Better yet, you don’t have to figure out content automation on your own! Here at Salem Surround, we can help you create a well-rounded content repurposing workflow. So, if the thought of figuring out how to use new technology makes your head spin, take a deep breath and contact us. We’ll make sure you don’t have to handle any aspect of content automation alone!
Repurposing your content doesn’t have to be a long, drawn-out, complicated process. Remember, it’s meant to make your life easier, not harder! You set the terms, no matter what content automation tool you add to your arsenal or how you decide to remix your blog posts. The key is to take your time and figure out what works best for you. And remember, if you need a little extra help with content repurposing, Salem Surround is always a click or call away!
