How to Repurpose Blog Content without Repeating Yourself

Increasing the reach of your blog content is vital to your online success.

No, a little repurposed blog content is not cheating, as long as you do so without repeating yourself. If done right, repurposed blogs attract more prospects and build your list—but how do you expand your reach without sharing the same content over and over again? Herein lies the dilemma.

Many business owners send the same blog posts, the same emails, and the same videos out over and over again—if they’ve worked successfully in the past—but the reality is, that repetitive habit will only hurt your business.

On the other hand…

Other business owners try to push out something shiny, different, and brand spanking new every week because they think they must do it, but do you really want to be spending your time, your energy, or your expertise doing that?

I didn’t think so.

Yes, content should be fun, exciting, and unique every time you send it out to your audience. People need to be stimulated. You also shouldn’t be spending your time trying to reinvent the wheel.

But, you can still create interesting content that piques attention without duplicating it, repeating yourself, or spending all your time on your content marketing.

Here are some simple tips to put this strategy into practice:

Tip 1: Repurposing is not duplicating.

There’s a difference between duplicating your content and repurposing it.

Duplicating your content means that you’re sending, reposting, or emailing the same content you’ve already shared with your readers.

(We’ve all seen product launches, blog series, and free video trainings being shared multiple times a year, with the same promotional copy attached to it.)

Repurposing your content means that you’re taking what you’ve created (blog posts, audio series, webinars, strategy sheets) and turning them into something new.

Here’s how it works:

Say, for example, you’ve written a lengthy blog post that shares a very big (and timely) strategy with your readers. Let’s say you’re a gardening expert who’s written a blog post that reveals the secrets to keeping your plants and flowers safe from that dreaded first frost of fall.

From that blog post content, you can create a 90-minute webinar that shares secrets and strategies to protecting your garden every season of the year.

After you host this webinar, transcribe it and offer it as a PDF guide in exchange for your readers’ contact information. Let them know they’ll be the first to receive any new tips and tricks from you, too!

And finally: after you’ve created the PDF, and gathered some new contact information from prospects, you can turn those strategies into an audio series, a video series, infographics, more freebies, or a FAQ to share in your upcoming newsletter.

Does this sound simple? It is.

Not only have you created “new” content to share with your list, but you’ve also created valuable linkable assets to share with numerous media outlets. It will drive incredible referral traffic to your blog and website. For guidelines on what makes content “linkable” and ready to share, read the second article in this series.

Tip 2: Get creative.

Repurposing content allows you to get creative.

The more original, different, and interactive your “new” content is, the more your readers will want to devour what you have to share. You see, people like to get active. (Remember that from our previous blog post?) If you can give your audience something to do that gets them moving, puts them into action, or is more entertaining than just reading a blog post, you’re more likely to hook them and keep them.

There’s virtually no limit to how many ways you can repurpose your content. The more creative you are, the bolder you are, and the further outside of the box you think, the more eyes you’ll have on your stuff.

Simply put: share your message, have some fun, and more people will want to hear from you.

But remember—you must always give your content a fresh, different spin on what you previously shared when repurposing your content!

If your original blog post shared a very broad subject, then your webinar should give an analysis and thoughtful opinion on the topic.

The video series you created could provide new strategies related to the subject that your readers would find useful.

You can even provide a contrarian view on your own opinion, share a new strategy you haven’t yet revealed, or share what others won’t say.

Tip 3: Nothing says repurposed content like a new video.

If you’re looking for a new platform that’s sure to get your audience involved, engaged, and hooked on what you have to say, video is the way to do it.

Nearly 73 percent of people that are exposed to video content are likely to take action, answer your call to action, or purchase from you. (Those numbers are nothing to sneeze at!)

Video is interesting, fun, and interactive to the audience—and it creates cash for you and your business. Try it, and watch the traffic pour in.

Tip 4: Repurpose what works. Don’t reinvent the wheel every time.

Here’s the rule of thumb when repurposing content: use what has worked in the past.

• Did you host a successful webinar?
• Were you a presenting speaker at an event?
• Did you create an awesome whitepaper?
• Have you filmed a video series?
• Do you have tips sheets hiding in your office somewhere?

You’re an expert. You’re great at what you do. You have something valuable to share.

All of that authoritative and in-depth knowledge, insight, and expertise is what your audience wants to hear. You know what strategies, tips, and information will be most valuable to them, and you know what they respond best to.

(If you don’t know, test your content. You’ll have instant, free market research on your audience at your fingertips.)

Once you know what content is most valuable and useful to your audience, take what’s been shared before, put a fresh twist on it, and your readers will be waiting and happy.

Please, please, please—whatever you do—don’t try and reinvent the wheel every time you need something to share.

Stick to what you know and keep the quality of your content high. You also don’t have the time to spend thinking of brand-new, never-before-shared content to share every day, or every week. If you do, that’s great! But you’ll spend the majority of your time sifting through the noise, trying to find what has worked and what hasn’t been so successful.

Don’t put yourself into time poverty. Your hours are too precious, and too expensive, to do that.

Every piece of content should provide your people with a compelling reason to take action with you. Make sure that whatever you’re sharing is interactive, useful, thoughtful, and creative. Great content—across multiple channels—can grow your business for you.

Looking to create a blogging strategy that captures attention and converts? Click here to download our FREE Quick-Start Guide to Content Marketing.