You'll have heard everyone talking about "content repurposing" as though it is the golden ticket to endless content. I've gathered 5 stories to help you avoid making the same repurposing mistake.
And yes, it's a key strategy to maximize the reach and impact of content writing packages into which you put so much love and time. However, like any other tactic, poor implementation only leads to disappointment.
Heed this warning! Here are 5 content repurposing mistakes you need to steer clear of:
1. Assuming your audience hasn't changed
One of the most common mistakes in content repurposing is overlooking the relevance to your target audience. Repurposing is not just about recycling content; it's about tailoring it to different platforms and audience segments. Each platform has its unique characteristics, and your content should align with the preferences and behaviours of the users on that platform. Moreover, audience preferences change rapidly. Do not assume you can repurpose content entirely based on data from 2 months ago!
When I was working for a tech company, my team detected an interest in a pain point, that our competitors were talking to. We began creating content on the same topic, and attracted hundreds of new users. Sadly, our platform was not as robust as the competition's, and we had overloaded the tech, albeit with good intentions. This was a content repurposing mistake because we drew in clients who were not our ideal customer profile, our clients were earlier-stage users who were normally perfectly happy with our easy-to-use platform. Never forget your audience!
2. Ignoring unique platform formats
Every social media platform should be a home for different content formats, even if on the same substance. What works on Instagram might not be effective on LinkedIn. Ignoring these platform-specific nuances can lead to missed opportunities. Whether that means adapting a blog post into an engaging infographic or transforming a video into a series of compelling tweets, tailor your content to fit the native formats of each platform.
In the world of content marketers, we can all cite an example of a social platform boosting one post, while the same post on another platform tanked. I personally find enormous distinctions between what substance does well on TikTok versus Substack, not to mention the need to reformat text and design to avoid content repurposing mistakes. A 30-second video won't do well at all on a reader-centric platform like Substack, while a long, written story on TikTok is a big risk!
3. Applying none or minimal SEO
SEO is the backbone of online visibility. When repurposing content, it's vital to adhere to SEO best practices. Failing to optimize titles, meta descriptions, and keywords can result in your repurposed content getting lost in the vast digital landscape. Stay vigilant and ensure that your repurposed content is not only engaging but also search engine-friendly.
A client of mine many years back was implementing a wonderful plan with content writing packages. At the time they launched a new course offering, they knew they needed to update all their content to both promote the course, and remain relevant in their niche. However, their content repurposing mistake was that they neglected to research SEO and create a keyword bank for us freelancers. Having kicked off an enormous content audit which could have easily included SEO, we were aware that we were missing tricks to get their content to a wider audience, if we could have optimised. Always budget for SEO!
4. Excessive content repurposing
It's a mistake to think that content repurposing is just about recycling the same message across different platforms. It's about diversifying the message while maintaining consistency in brand voice and identity. Repurposing content should involve adapting it to different angles, perspectives, and storytelling techniques to keep your audience engaged and interested.
Back in my time in corporate, we regularly made long, informative articles. Once we began growing the team though, we had more bandwidth to add visual elements, infographics, and social posts tailored to each article. This not only helped us drive traffic to the articles we'd written, we created content that could exist independently, in different formats, from just one topic.
5. Zero performance tracking
Repurposing content is not a one-and-done task; it requires ongoing evaluation and optimization. Failing to track the performance of your repurposed content hinders your ability to understand what works and what doesn't, whether you plan to repurpose it or not. Utilize analytics tools like Hubspot, Buffer, or Moz to monitor metrics such as engagement, click-through rates, and conversions. This data will guide your future repurposing efforts, so you can improve content more than mistakenly recycle.
I remember a discovery at a startup: we realised that readers were keen on our highly technical blogs. It was a surprise to us! That led us to begin interviewing the engineers more frequently and driving traffic to the site with far more complex content than the competition was creating.
You've been warned!
While content repurposing can be a game-changer for your digital marketing efforts, it's essential to avoid these common mistakes. By staying attentive to audience relevance, adapting to platform-specific formats, incorporating SEO best practices, diversifying content, and consistently tracking performance, you can elevate your content repurposing strategy. In short, the key is not to simply recycle content to create "more" but to refine and reshape your best-performing content for maximum impact across diverse platforms.