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Content Strategy: How to Re-purpose Blog Content to Create 20+ New Pieces

2018-07-05T04:40:01+00:00 By |Content Marketing|

content strategy, repurposing blog contentI’m no magician, but I can turn 1 into 20. My content strategy can turn 1 blog post into 20 individual pieces of content that work together to promote your business! If you write 2 blog articles a month, that’s 40 pieces of promotable, marketable content that helps establish you as an expert in your niche.

Now, I hear you saying “I have no freakin’ time to produce 40 pieces of content each month AND run my business at the same time!” I hear ya and I’ll be honest, it will take a little dedication (or sometimes outside help) to get setup but once your templates and team are in place, it’s easy peasy pie!

Why create a content strategy?

Your ultimate goal is to convert prospects into a paying customer or client. To do this, you need to prove you’re worthy. When your customers are looking for a business like yours, your business needs to be one of the first they see.

A content strategy that include re-purposing of content is key to increasing your brand exposure. Why? Because everyone has a different learning style. When people research a new product or company they might read a product page or blog, watch a YouTube video, read social media, view a slideshare, or download free resources from your website. You need to be in all these places to get noticed by potential customers

(Caveat: not every channel is appropriate for every business, so please do your research to see what channels your audience frequents).

How to develop your content strategy re-purposing plan.

I’m not going to discuss creating an editorial calendar or other parts of a content marketing plan (that’s a bigger bucket of worms I’ll discuss in a later article). I’m going to focus on your content strategy to re-purpose your existing content. I’ll start with your blog as the anchor (or original) source content. Blogs are great pieces of anchor content that can convey your message (and here are my tips to write a good business blog if you’re interested).

Let’s dive in…here is my easy 4-step plan to turning 1 of your blog posts into 20 pieces of content:

Step 1: Decide what pieces you will create

content strategy Step 1

The first step of any successful content strategy is to create a plan. Know where your prospects spend their time online and add at least one piece of content to that outlet.

Here’s an example of how you can turn 1 post into 20 additional promotions:

  • 10 Social media posts: Take quotes or excerpts from your article and turn them into social media posts. (These can be scheduled over several months). Link some (or all) of these back to your blog article or your website.
  • 1 Video: Unless you’ve been stuck under a rock, this is the wave of the future. Record one short Facebook Live or video for YouTube that summarizes your blog. Depending on your content, you could get a few shorter videos from the same content).
  • 1 Slidedeck: Content uploaded and SEO’ed on SlideShare often ranks high in Google. Summarize and tease your blog article by uploading a few slides to Slideshare.
  • 4 Instagram images: Pull quotes, facts, tips, or stats from your article and create Instagram graphics from them. (As a bonus you could cross post these to your other social outlets too!)
  • 1 Resource download: Turn your blog post into a free downloadable 1-paged resource and promote it on your website or in your newsletter. Make a few tweaks so it’s a bit different than your blog article.
  • 1 Email newsletter promotion: Add a short teaser blurb and link to the full article in your next newsletter.
  • 1 Worksheet: Does your content warrant a worksheet resource that people can download and fill in on their own? Create one and make it available for download from your blog article itself, or from another area of your site (or promote it on your social channels). [Here’s a resource I made for this article with 25 outlets you where you can re-purpose your content]
  • 1 infographic or diagram visual: If your content contains lots of stats or visual information you can create a simple infographic and share it on your social media or your website. This will often require a little graphical expertise so if someone on your team has these skills use them!

Now, add those up. That’s 20 and it’s only the tip of the iceberg. You could do so many more things from the content of 1 blog post depending on where you want to be seen online.

Download my free PDF below for some brainstorming ideas on how/where you can post your re-purposed content:

WriterGal Free Cheat Sheet: 25 Ways to Re-Purpose Your Blog Articles

Step 2: Create your templates

content strategy step 2 templates

The only way you’re gonna get all 20 pieces created for your article is to use templates. Make templates for each type of content so you only need to swap out images, add your text, and modify call to actions.

Templates also make it easier for you to delegate or seek external help to create these pieces.

Step 3: Make a content execution plan

content marketing execution plan step 3

Even with templates you still need to create a schedule to keep you focused and on track. Depending on your schedule you don’t have to write your blog and all 20 additional pieces in the same week. You can stagger them however you need. (I’ll be adding links to the content I repurpose for this article here in the coming days and weeks)

Have a plan for when you’ll create these pieces and when they’ll be promoted on each channel. Will you upload to Slideshare on Wednesdays? Will you post 1 Instagram image each week? Will you schedule 1 social tweet for the blog each week? Will you do a Facebook Live about your topic the day after your blog is published?

Most importantly… don’t forget the reason you’re doing content marketing. You want to establish yourself as a trusted, knowledgeable leader in your niche and ultimately you want to get conversions, sell your product, or get more customers or clients. That said…make sure EVERY version of your content ends with a call to action.

Call to actions can be anything from “Book your free consultation at WriterGal.ca” or “Download this PDF with 25 ways to re-purpose your content” or “If you liked this, check out my related article on 5 things you need in your biz blog.” Lead readers to another piece of content you created or to your website for a specific purpose. Keep them engaged with your brand as long as possible to increase their likelihood of becoming a customer.

Step 4: Write your blog and supporting pieces

I usually start with a blog post as my first price of anchor content, but you could start with any piece of content you want. Maybe a case study or white paper? Write your main piece and use your templates to create each of your 20 additional pieces. If it still seems like too much work, assign different team members to create different pieces. If you have wizard PowerPoint person on your team, ask for their help to create the slide deck. Maybe you have a social media maven who could help write and schedule your social posts.

Don’t go at it alone, seek help and make it a team effort…or outsource to a professional to help (more on that later).

That’s it! Get your knowledge out there on as many different, targeted channels as you can to increase your reach.

Don’t reinvent the wheel every time! Use what you’ve already created and modify it for different audiences.

If you want to create a content marketing plan for your business or need help executing yours, the fun and knowledgeable WriterGal can help! Send me a message and we’ll set up a time to chat about how you can get the most value from a content repurposing plan.

About the Author:

I'm WriterGal of WriterGal Marketing Services and I help small-medium sized businesses execute writing and online marketing projects so they can focus on other ways of growing their business. I'm also the mother of 2 munchkins and 1 Jack Russell Terrier, love baking and cooking, and enjoy travelling the world (when I have time) with my family. I'm also passionate about organization and time management (a must for busy moms and business owners). I enjoy sharing my business and organization tips and processes with others.