One of the very first things you learn in digital marketing is that content is king. Investing time and money into churning out quality content is how we reap the benefits of search engine optimization (SEO).
But after a piece of original content has served its purpose, do you let it just sit at the back and be forgotten? No! Experts recommend repurposing existing content pieces to get optimal results with minimal resources.
So what is repurposing content supposed to accomplish? Well, for one, you are continuously introducing fresh content without spending on your content strategy more than you have to. If you have an extensive library of old content that worked well for you in the past, you can re-apply the same content optimization techniques to produce new content and keep your audience engaged – again.
A question that may be going through your mind now is: What is content repurposing? Isn’t that just recycling content? How does publishing repurposed content benefit your content marketing strategy? What is content marketing strategy doing for you? And for that matter, what does Google have to say about all of these?
We created this content repurposing guide to answer those questions and help you with your content optimization strategy. Read on to find some examples of repurposing from our content repurposing guide.
SEO Basics: Does Google Favor Original Content?
Google continually stresses the importance of publishing quality original content as part of its commitment to user experience (UX). This emphasis on quality was made clear after it launched a broad core algorithm update in 2019 in favor of original content.
However, that definition stresses the need for content to introduce unique information rather than being “new” yet repetitive. So in that sense, how we understand original content might not be how Google defines it.
According to Yoast, original content doesn’t necessarily mean new (although it’s still recommended). By this definition, adding a fresh take or new angle to an old idea can still make your content original. The key is to avoid rehashing the same concept and publishing duplicate content.
So now that we’ve cleared up what original content is, let’s circle back to repurposing your content.
What Is Content Repurposing?
Repurposing content and recycling content are virtually the same. Basically, you take an old piece of content and apply content optimization techniques to add more value and make it relevant again. But it’s not just about republishing an old piece of content to get a more recent publishing date.
“Repurposing marketing content should focus on taking an existing piece of content and making it better so that it’s better optimized and more targeted for your audience,” said Thrive’s director of content, Brandon George.
“You can take an existing blog post and use it in different ways. [Some examples of repurposing include] turning it into a white paper or lead magnet for an outbound campaign or perhaps even a video or infographic.”
Whether it’s putting a new spin on the same subject, changing its format or updating old statistics with new data, you gain the opportunity to publish more original content when you repurpose blog pieces. Through content recycling, you have more resources and leverage to improve your digital content marketing strategy.
So, instead of doing the same piece on What Is Content Marketing Strategy? you can write a separate article that talks about how to optimize your marketing strategy.
How Does Repurposing Your Content Impact Your SEO Strategy?
Repurposing your content should be a big part of your content marketing strategy because it introduces original content without investing significant resources in a brand-new blog piece.
“It’s a great way to save resources and help your bottom line,” said George. “[You can repurpose blog pieces] that you’ve already paid for in some way (whether that is outsourced or done in-house) and use it in a different way to help increase the return on investment of that blog.”
Content repurposing doesn’t just save you a ton, but it also has a positive impact on SEO. Here are some examples of repurposing benefits you can enjoy when applying it to your digital content marketing strategy:
• It keeps content fresh and up to date. Experts recommend you repurpose blog pieces written in the past to give them an updated record instead of creating a new post with similar content. In fact, it’s preferable.
• It gives you a boost in traffic. Repurposing marketing content allows you to update content to rank for keywords that may not have worked the first time around. It’s all about timing.
• It helps you rank for new keywords. When you repurpose blog content, you gain an opportunity to make it rank for newer keywords, giving it a new lease on life.
• It creates new links. Creating new content out of a previously high-performing piece allows you to attract new links.
• It improves your authority. Demonstrating how well you know a particular topic improves Domain Authority (DA).
How To Repurpose Content and Qualities To Consider
Before you start recycling content, take note that not every piece of content deserves to be repurposed. Repurposing existing content that elicits no response from your audience can only hurt your content strategy. What is content strategy if you’re not targeting the right metrics? That’s why we came up with this content repurposing guide to help set your priorities.
Although there’s no specific formula that guarantees success, you can follow these best practices to fine-tune your content optimization strategy.
Here’s how to repurpose content and what to look for during content optimization:
1. Look for Content Ideas From Your Entire Content Catalog
What is content strategy producing for your business? You’re likely sitting with tons of content currently waiting to be rediscovered again, which means the best place to look for content to repurpose is your own content library.
While going through your library, look for the following qualities:
• Evergreen – Current events and viral pieces don’t always perform well after a particular period. But evergreen content does, which is why they’re always ripe for repurposing. A blog covering topics like What is Content Strategy? or How to Repurpose Blog Content works better than announcements about Google algorithm updates.
• Popular – Use key metrics to drive your decision to repurpose blog content. Metrics such as page views, impressions, conversions and backlinks generated help predict how well content pieces perform when recycled.
• Interesting – Topics that might appeal to a new audience deserve to have a second look. Even those that underperformed in the past could be reoptimized and improved to appeal to a broader audience.
• Breakthroughs – Breakthroughs in an old discussion or study need to be republished with new information. Update content with the latest information to make it relevant again.
2. Study Your Competitors To See What’s Working for Them
If you want to get ahead of the competition, you need to know what you’re up against. In this case, see what type of content is working for your competitors to identify what you can do to improve your own content strategy.
Backlinko used the Skyscraper Technique to analyze the top-performing blogs ranking for certain keywords. By analyzing content released by your competitors, you can see what worked for them or find gaps in their content that you can fill. Then, check if you have similar blogs and repurpose content using the insights you’ve gleaned.
3. Consider What Formats To Use for Repurposed Content
A big part of content recycling is figuring out the format to use. A blog that you created in the past doesn’t have to remain a blog. You can repurpose blog content into an infographic or an explainer video.
Remember: Keep your readers engaged by using a format that’s suited to your topic while appealing to their interests.
Not sure what format to use? Here are some content ideas:
• Listicles
• Explainer videos
• eBooks
• In-depth articles
• Full guides
• Podcasts
• Infographics
• Web Stories
• Case studies
4. Identify Platforms That Give Repurposed Content More Exposure
In determining how to repurpose blog content for higher views, you need to find platforms that give it the exposure it deserves. That means selecting the proper channels on which to publish and promote them.
For instance:
• Blog content can be posted on your website or other high-traffic domains as a guest post.
• Videos can be uploaded on your YouTube channel.
• Podcasts can be promoted on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Once you’ve found a platform, promote your content through other channels for maximum exposure. Link to it on social media, send promotional emails to your email list or use it as a landing page.
Alternatively, you might also want to look for a content writing agency partner to help you achieve the best results. A content writing agency like Thrive offers content writing services to help you pick out the most promising content pieces.
Examples of Repurposing: Ideas You Can Use
• Repurpose blog content into a complete guide or eBook.
• Split a comprehensive report or guide into a series.
• Update content that contains statistics with new stats and figures.
• Convert video content into a blog.
• Compile previously collected data into a case study.
Conclusion
Repurposing existing content proves to be a valuable addition to your digital content marketing strategy. And as George points out, there aren’t a lot of drawbacks to it. Through content recycling, you can increase ROI, increase organic traffic and generate more conversions with a sound content optimization strategy in place.
However, keep in mind that when repurposing marketing content, you need to remain efficient. That means being mindful of the number of additional resources you put into a piece of content that you’ve already invested in without getting any actual results. That’s why we put together this guide on how to repurpose content and improve your efficiency. Now that you know how to repurpose blog content, it’s time to put that knowledge to use.
Don’t know where to start? Our content writing agency can help you. Thrive is a top content writing company that offers content writing services for businesses that need access to a content strategy that generates results. As a top content writing company, our content writing services guarantee high-quality content that helps you reach your goals. Get in touch with our content writing company today to start enjoying content marketing success.
