By Dana Cogan, President, Carabiner Communications

 
It’s a hard fact that marketers create a lot of content. But do you ever wonder if that great blog post you wrote gained traction with as many people as it could have? Think about it: The post runs once and then disappears forever into the blog archive.

Perhaps it’s time to repurpose that text-based content in different ways to extend its visibility and reach new audiences. This not only extends to blog posts but to other written content, from press releases and case studies to white papers and more.
 

First, Know What to Recycle

 

If the content’s topic is considered “evergreen,” you’re on the right track. These are subjects that aren’t trends-based, have little to no expiration date, and are perennially on everyone’s mind. For example, from a marketing perspective, content based on generating sales leads or tips for handling a communications crisis are topics that never get old.

 

Also, consider how popular a piece of content was on its first run to determine whether it has potential for successful repurposing. Website analytics can tell you which blog posts received the most traffic or what white paper has been downloaded most often, for instance.
 

4 Ways to Reuse and Repurpose

 
Here are four ways to extract more from your previously written content by repurposing all or portions of it in new and inventive ways:

• Convert to Video. Video is hot—in fact, a whopping 91 percent of consumers say they want to see more online video from brands. The good news is that basic video production is now easier than ever. With a little effort in terms of storyboarding, scripting, and shooting, many types of previously text-based content can be repurposed into video vignettes for placing on your website or social channels.

 

These videos don’t have to be long—they can instead “hit the highlights” (almost like a movie trailer) while pointing back to the original content, such as a white paper or customer case study, for the full story.

 

• Put It On a Podcast. This is another way to reach new audiences who prefer non-traditional content. Podcasts can be listened to in the car or while exercising—in fact, most listening is done outside the office or home. To attest to their popularity, almost half (46 percent) of the U.S. population listens to some form of spoken-word audio daily. And it isn’t just in the United States as most countries are seeing podcast engagement rising annually.

If your company has subject matter experts who regularly produce text-based content, such as blog posts or bylined articles, they can offer up these same insights via podcasts—either your own or as a guest on someone else’s, such as an industry influencer. Podcasts are available on many platforms like iTunes and episodes can even be embedded directly on your website.

 

• Infographics. We’re becoming an increasingly visual society, with less and less time for reading. Infographics—which are diagrams or timelines that use stats and images to tell a story—are another way to recycle pre-existing written content. For instance, if your company conducted an industry survey for use in a press release or white paper, the same stats can be used to create a supporting infographic.

 

• Social Posts. All previously mentioned content can also be used as fodder for social media. Post the infographic you just created, or post text-based quotes excerpted from a press release, video, or podcast as teasers to drive social audiences to their source. Or extract snippets from the larger video you created for a user conference or trade show and post them on social.

What Is Old Is New Again

 
Repurposing previously created marketing content saves time, costs less than creating brand-new content, and can help in reaching new audiences. Considering that most marketers are tasked with continually generating content, recycling carefully curated pieces makes sense and further ensures your information is getting consumed since it’s being delivered in new and innovative ways.

As a marketer, you’ve created some great content. After it’s published, don’t simply retire it—reuse it. It’s time to get more mileage from your hard work—so start reimagining and reformatting!