Author: Nicole O’Donoghue

Repurposing existing marketing content on platforms such as social media is an effective way to get your message out there

As a PR and marketing agency, we produce marketing content daily, and our job is to get that content into the hands of the right people. For me, taking something that you have already created and giving it a new edge or repurposing that content for a specific audience just makes sense. The hard work is done, you have great content, why not maximise your return by using it on as many platforms as possible?

I can hear the questions, I have asked them all myself – will this switch people off? Will the website traffic suffer? No. Repurposing marketing content is about distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and then retain your target audience — and, to drive interest and ultimately profit.

Duplication is a fear for many marketing professionals. However, repurposed content is not duplication, it’s repetition, and repetition is important in marketing communications. The Marketing rule of 7 tells us that a prospect needs to hear your message seven times before they will take any action. The important thing here though is not the number seven but the hidden message – a continuous and repeated marketing effort to get your key messages to the target audience. As Content Marketer ‘Salma Jafri’ says in her blog “Create less, promote more!”.

Not only should you re-purpose, but re-format: someone who would never take the time to read a two-page article, might watch a two-minute video, for example. Reiterating your core content in different formats allows you to reach the widest possible audience.

There is more to re-purposing than you might think. SEO is a clear and obvious benefit to most, but outside of that you have the chance to make the most of your marketing efforts. You can cover the same topic with a new fresh idea that you didn’t mention the first-time round – perhaps because you didn’t have it then. It’s a changing world and industries are constantly evolving so it’s important to re-visit and update older articles to fit today’s message, which will also give you a good indication of what’s changed since that original content was produced. You can revisit old themes and add new ideas and insight to demonstrate the progress your business has made.

To sum up, some of the many benefits of repurposing content include:

• Turn one idea into a variety of content – If you have a popular article, why not use it as a video, blog or a podcast – or even as a downloadable white paper?
• Cross-promotion – Link your YouTube video to that blog post and add an infographic on the same subject
• Serve multiple audiences – use your content to appeal to multiple audiences. If you have created a video, publish the script too
• Publish across multiple platforms – For example, if you have created a customer case study published on your website, print it as collateral to use at your next event or tradeshow, or ask your agency to use it as advertising or editorial content in the media.

You get the idea…

What’s more – it’s more economical to edit existing content than it is to find a new topic to research from scratch. The magic is in finding a new angle to separate the new content from the old, breathing new life into a story you want to tell and maximising the value of your existing content.