4 checklists to craft effective repurposed content
Unlock the potential of your repurposed content with these four essential checklists.
As content managers, repurposing content is often on our to-do list. Rather than creating new content from scratch, repurposing is a common strategy for time-saving and for using material that has already shown effectiveness on one platform.
However, it's not uncommon to find that the performance of repurposed content varies when moved to a different platform. This variation raises questions: Why doesn't the repurposed content perform as well as the original? Is the change in performance related to the initial content, the popularity of the new platform, or some other factor?
In this article, we'll explore methods to maintain the quality of repurposed content. The aim is to help you achieve consistent results across various platforms without needing to create new content for each.
How to implement a content repurposing strategy
The goal of repurposing content is simple: get more out of your existing material. You might turn a blog post into a tweet thread or convert a podcast episode into an article. The idea is to stretch what you've already made to save time and resources.
Two common methods can help you do this effectively: Reactive and Active repurposing. With Reactive repurposing, you pick your top-performing content and reformat it for other platforms. Active repurposing is different; you start by making new content that you plan to use in various formats. This could save even more time because you're building multiple uses into the content from the start.
Regardless of whether you choose Reactive or Active repurposing, the goal remains the same: you want your repurposed content to perform as well as the original. Whether that's maintaining web traffic, user sign-ups, or engagement rates, success across different platforms is the aim.
So, what if things don't go as planned? Here are three checklists to consult both before you begin and during your review of how the repurposed content is performing, to make sure you're on the right track.
Atikah Amalia
1. Identifying and addressing weaknesses in your repurposing strategy
One challenge with Active Repurposing is that the new content may not perform as well as you'd hoped. That's why it's important to keep an eye on audience feedback and comments right after you publish. If the reactions are positive, you can conclude that the content is effective. If not, it's crucial to quickly figure out what needs improvement.
For example, suppose you notice that a blog post series isn't getting as much attention or traffic as a social media thread you've posted. You could consider to make the blog post more shareable by adding elements like infographics that people can easily post on their own platforms.
2. Adjusting metrics and platform characteristics for cross-platform success
Before you repurpose content, ensure that it aligns with the norms and expectations of the new platform. For example, in 2022, Instagram began favoring reels over static images. So, turning a long-form infographic from a blog post into an Instagram post might not be as effective as converting it into a reel.
The same principle applies when transforming blog content into a podcast. The format needs to shift—tone, voice, length, and structure should all be adapted to create an engaging audio experience. However, it's crucial to remember that any adjustments you make should remain consistent with your brand's guidelines.
Don't forget about the technical elements each platform offers, like video duration limits or trending sound features. These can also play a role in how well your content performs.
Because each platform has its own metrics for success, your indicators for content performance will also vary. For example, a high number of 'saves' might indicate success for an Instagram reel, while 'likes' on another platform like Twitter can't be directly compared.
So, which metrics can you choose to track performance? The answer depends on your content goals and priorities. For instance, if engagement is one of your priorities, then focus on platforms that offer 'saved' metrics as part of their performance insights.
Enricko Lukman
3. Choosing between series-based or single-item repurposing format
Another consideration when repurposing content is whether to segment the original work into a multi-part series or to consolidate multiple pieces into a single, cohesive unit.
This approach offers a way to cater to the specific needs and interests of different platforms' audiences, all while preserving your creative bandwidth.
Take a long-form blog post as a case in point: rather than compressing the entire piece into a single social media post, you might focus on key sections and create a series of updates in different formats such as videos or slides. This saves time and gives you data for A/B testing with various formats.
Conversely, multiple pieces of content can be combined into one. If you have a podcast series about enhancing content creation, you could summarize the key points from several episodes into one in-depth blog post or social media update. This could also serve as an entry point that directs readers or viewers back to the individual podcast episodes.
4. Implementing quality control through audience feedback and performance metrics
After adapting your content to various platforms and fine-tuning your metrics, implementing quality control becomes essential. This involves closely examining audience feedback.
For example, if the original content is a highly popular podcast and its repurposed counterpart—a blog post—experiences a high bounce rate, you might consider adding features to retain readers. Perhaps breaking the article into shorter, digestible sections could encourage readers to stay longer.
The same principle applies to repurposed content on social media. Keep an eye on audience reactions through comments, shares, and likes. These metrics can offer valuable insights into how your content is received.
Such quality control measures serve as a safety net, identifying inconsistencies or problems before they can impact your overall content strategy.
By weaving quality control into your repurposing workflow, you gain an additional layer of assurance that your content will connect with audiences, regardless of the platform on which they find it.
Maintaining the quality of repurposed content requires more than simply recycling your old material. It calls for strategic planning, attentive adjustment of metrics, and rigorous quality control.
While repurposing can be a resource-efficient approach to content creation, its effectiveness hinges on how well you can adapt your material to new platforms and audience expectations.
Content Collision provides performance-based digital PR services for tech startups in APAC and beyond. Book a discovery call with our team to learn more.
Content Collision provides performance-based digital PR services for tech startups in APAC and beyond. Book a quick call with our team to learn more.
