Anyone who’s ever managed a content marketing program has probably felt a little like they’re stuck on a hamster wheel, constantly churning out work with no end in sight. It’s the reason why many small businesses start blogs and email campaigns only to abandon them in haste. Too much work and too few resources.
Instead of producing an endless stream of content that goes out into the ether only to instantly disappear, marketers should look for ways to leverage and extend their existing content, making it relevant to new audiences without a lot of elbow grease.
I think of each new piece of content I create as an asset, one that can be reused and repurposed in a multitude of ways. Spending time slicing, dicing and amplifying the work you’ve already created, will make it easier to stick with your content strategy for the long haul.
Not sure where to begin? Read on and learn how to get the most bang for the buck out of each piece of content you create.
1. Re-share, Re-promote
When it comes to content, avoid taking a “one and done” approach. Not every piece of content will have an extended shelf life, but many will. Use your company’s CRM to identify the most popular, evergreen posts and include those pieces in your content calendar, re-sharing and re-promoting across your social channels. You can freshen up older posts by rewriting the opener, updating statistics and sharing new links. And don’t forget about the posts themselves. Use new angles and themes to appeal to audiences who missed the post the first time around.
2. Give Your Content Another Life
Remember the TV ad about a shampoo bottle that recounts its miraculous journey to becoming a hairbrush—all thanks to the wonders of recycling? Think of your content in the same way. You can turn a handful of blog posts about similar subjects into an ebook or SlideShare presentation, or repurpose a webinar into a YouTube video. Consider the topic and what it lends itself to. Maybe it’s an innately visual subject and would be best suited for a video. There are countless ways to breathe new life into older content.
Related: 3 Ways to Make Social Media Less Depressing
3. Slice and Dice
Just like you can take several pieces of content and produce one impressive asset, marketers can also take a single piece of content and drill down into granular themes. Take video. A brand that produces a how-to video about personal finance might re-edit into separate clips, each one focusing on a specific subject such as tax planning and preparedness, saving for your child’s college, key facts about home buying, etc. In the same vein, you can extract one or two interesting facts or statistics from a blog post to create an eye-catching infographic, just avoid these common mistakes.
4. Curate and Leverage
If you only amplify content on your own channels, you’re limiting the size of your audience. Build relationships with influencers who can introduce your brand to new circles. Reach out and become a resource. Share curated content on your own channels and offer to supply a guest post on other sites. The internet is limitless. Use it to your advantage.
5. Oldies but Goodies
There’s a reason why Hollywood loves sequels. People buy what they know. Marketers should do the same. Write a roundup email newsletter that highlights several popular blogs and revisit previous popular posts down the road. If you stick with the classics, you can’t go wrong.
Content marketing is hard work, but it doesn’t have to make you sweat. With a little planning and preparation, you’ll have the ingredients for a tasty meal and the makings for a week’s worth of yummy leftovers.