Starting with content marketing can be an intimidating venture. The fear of not having enough ideas, running out of content, or simply not knowing where to begin is common – even for ‘old hands’ like me.
However, these fears can be significantly alleviated by leveraging a powerful yet often overlooked strategy: content repurposing. Repurposing content allows you to maximise the material you already have, reducing the pressure to constantly create new content from scratch and ensuring your marketing efforts are both efficient and effective – and, more importantly, CONSISTENT.
The power of repurposing
At its core, content repurposing is about taking existing content and adapting and reformatting it for use in different mediums or for different audiences. This strategy not only breathes new life into old content but also broadens your reach and enhances your ROI. For instance, a well-performing blog post can be transformed into a series of social media posts, an infographic, a video, or even a short audio clip. This method is not just about recycling content but rather about creatively reimagining it in ways that resonate with varied segments of your audience.
Addressing the fear of not having enough ideas
One of the most daunting fears for new content marketers is the idea that they might run out of content ideas. The thought of having to constantly come up with fresh, innovative topics can be overwhelming. However, repurposing content alleviates this fear by allowing you to tap into the potential of the content you’ve already created. Instead of continually striving to develop new ideas, repurposing enables you to explore different angles, formats, and platforms for content that’s already proven successful.
For example, if you've written a comprehensive eBook/brochure/PDF, this content can be broken down into multiple blog posts, each addressing a specific chapter or topic. Additionally, you can create a webinar series or a set of social media posts highlighting key takeaways. This approach ensures that the time and effort invested in creating the original content continue to pay off, while also reducing the need to constantly generate new ideas.
Overcoming the fear of time constraints
Another common fear in content marketing is the perceived time commitment. Many people assume that successful content marketing requires a constant stream of new material, leading to the belief that they simply don’t have the time to keep up. However, by repurposing existing content, you can maintain a consistent (that word again) presence without the constant grind of content creation.
For instance, a single well-researched article can be repurposed into various formats, such as short LinkedIn posts, Twitter threads, or Instagram stories. Each format requires minimal additional effort but significantly extends the lifespan and reach of the original content. Additionally, repurposing can help fill gaps in your content calendar, ensuring that you always have something valuable to share with your audience, even during busy periods when time for content creation is limited.
To wrap up, content marketing doesn’t have to be a frightening phrase. By embracing the strategy of repurposing, and just starting, you can overcome the fears associated with it. This approach not only maximises the value of your existing content but also provides a sustainable way to maintain a consistent and impactful content marketing presence.
So, take a deep breath, carve out some time to look at the content you’ve already created, and start repurposing it into new and engaging formats that will resonate with your audience across multiple platforms.
You know where I am, if you would like any support.
Fly my content repurposers!