Content repurposing: how to get more from one piece

The short answer

Content repurposing means taking one piece of content you have already made, such as an article, and reshaping it into other formats for other channels. Choose a strong source, split it into separate points, rewrite each point for its format and audience, and keep duplicate pages on the web to a minimum.

What content repurposing is

Content repurposing is the practice of turning one finished piece of work into several others. You might turn a long guide into a short video, an email, a set of social posts and a checklist. Some people call this content recycling, and others talk about how to repurpose blog content, but the idea is the same: the research and thinking are done once and used more than once.

It is different from copying. A post that repeats an article word for word on another channel rarely reads well there, because every channel has its own habits. Repurposing keeps the idea and changes the shape.

It also is not a way to avoid making anything new. A small business that has little to say will not fix that by saying it six times. Repurposing works when the source piece is already useful.

Choose a source piece that deserves it

Pick something that has already done its job. Good source material usually has these features:

• It answers a question that customers ask you often.
• It has a clear structure, with separate points under separate headings.
• It has held up over time and does not depend on a date or a news event.
• It has drawn visits, replies or enquiries, which your analytics or search reports will show.
• It contains something only you can say, such as a method, a mistake you see often, or an example from your work.

Avoid pieces that are thin, out of date or inaccurate. Repurposing multiplies whatever is in the original, including its faults.

Take the article apart

Before you plan any new format, list what the source contains. Read it through once and note each separate item:

• The main idea in one sentence.
• Each step, tip or argument that can stand alone.
• Examples, stories and quotes.
• Figures or facts that you own and can verify.
• Questions the piece answers.
• Mistakes and misunderstandings it corrects.

Each item is raw material for a smaller piece. A step becomes a short post. A common mistake becomes a one-slide graphic. A question becomes an email subject line. The list also shows you what is missing, which is a better starting point for a new piece than guessing.

A worked example: one bike-check guide

Imagine a cycle repair shop that has written an article on how to check a bicycle before a long ride. Here is how it could be used again.

No piece repeats the article. Each uses one slice, in the form that suits where it appears.

Match each piece to a stage of the funnel

Some repurposed pieces are meant to reach strangers, and others are meant to push a warm contact towards a decision. A short video with one tip is aimed at people who do not know you yet. A checklist that asks for an email address suits someone who is already interested. An email that links to a booking page suits an existing customer.

The stages are explained in the marketing funnel explained. Give each new piece one job, and write its ending to match: a follow, a reply, a download or a booking.

Choose channels before you start

Repurposing for a channel you will not keep up is wasted effort. Choose the two or three places where your customers actually are, and fit the pieces to those. If you have no plan yet, how to build a social media marketing plan shows how to decide. If you already have accounts, a short review using how to do a social media audit will show which ones deserve the extra content.

Each platform has its own conventions for length, tone and layout, and they change. For image and video posts on Instagram, Instagram for business: how to start is a useful starting point. Copy what works for similar accounts rather than assuming one format fits all.

When the source is news

Some source pieces contain something worth announcing, such as a launch, a partnership or a finding. That content can feed a press release as well as posts and emails. The release needs a different structure and tone from the article, as how to write a press release explains. Do not stretch ordinary content into a news story. Journalists notice.

How to avoid duplicate content

Duplicate content is a concern for web pages, not for social posts or emails. If you reshape an article into a post or a video, there is no problem for search. The issue arises when the same text appears at more than one web address.

Inside your own site, do not publish the same article twice at different addresses. If a page needs to exist in two places, such as a printer-friendly version, tell search engines which address is the main one with a canonical tag. Google's documentation says duplicate content on a site is not a spam violation in itself, but it can leave the search engine choosing a version for you.

Across other sites, take more care. If you republish an article on a partner site, Google's guidance has been to include a link back to the original. Its current documentation says the canonical tag is not recommended for syndication, because the copies are often quite different, and points to asking the partner to block indexing of the copy if you do not want it to appear in results. The advice has changed over time, so check the current documentation before you set up syndication.

The simplest safe route is to rewrite. A shorter, differently angled version for a guest slot or a partner newsletter avoids the question altogether.

Keep a log and a routine

A simple spreadsheet is enough. Record the source, each piece made from it, where and when it was published, and what came back. Check it before you plan new work, so you do not repeat yourself, and so you can see which formats earn replies and enquiries.

Set a rhythm you can keep. One source piece and a handful of small ones each month is better than a burst of activity that stops. If you want a hand with planning a content programme, the digital marketing service page describes what Liftup Technologies offers.

Where repurposing goes wrong

• Posting the same text on every channel.
• Repurposing weak or out-of-date material.
• Forgetting to check facts again before reusing an old piece.
• Using images, quotes or interview material without permission for the new use.
• Pointing every piece at the same page, so readers never see anything that fits their stage.
• Starting on more channels than you can keep up.

Related guides

• How to build a social media marketing plan
• Instagram for business how to start
• Marketing funnel explained
• Social media audit how to do one
• How to write a press release
• Website forms how to get more submissions

Questions and answers

What is content repurposing?

Content repurposing is turning one finished piece of content, such as an article, into other formats for other channels. The idea is kept and the shape changes, so a guide might become a video, an email and a set of social posts.

How do I turn one article into several pieces?

List the separate points, examples and questions inside the article, then give each one its own format. A step can become a short video, a mistake a single slide, and a question an email. Rewrite each piece for its channel instead of copying.

How do I avoid duplicate content when I repurpose?

Social posts, videos and emails are not a duplicate content problem for search. Avoid publishing the same text at more than one web address. For syndicated copies on other sites, include a link to the original and check Google's current guidance, which points to blocking indexing of the copy.

What is the difference between repurposing and refreshing old content?

Repurposing creates new pieces from an existing one. Refreshing updates the original piece so it stays accurate and useful. Do the refresh first if the source is out of date.

How often can I reuse the same content?

There is no set limit. Reuse it as long as the facts are current and it still helps the audience. Vary the angle and format each time, and leave enough time between uses that regular followers do not see the same thing again.