Repurposing Content: Three Key Questions to Consider

Contrary to popular belief, there’s nothing wrong with repurposing old content to leverage its former glory. In fact, repurposing content is a powerful, effective and recommended contributor to a wider content marketing strategy.

It’s simply a case of knowing how to get the job done right.

Just to set the record straight - repurposing content doesn’t simply mean copying, pasting and republishing old articles verbatim. Instead, it means considering which posts and topics hit pay dirt in the past, before considering how to present them in a new, interesting and appropriate manner.

Get it right with repurposing content and you’re looking at a relatively simple tactic that can deliver an immense ROI. Nevertheless, there are three critical questions you’ll need to ask yourself, before going ahead and repurposing any content for any purpose:

1. Is there hard evidence the post performed well?

By hard evidence, we mean analytical data to suggest that the content got the job done. Rather than simply taking a piece of content you were particularly proud of, it pays to look beneath the surface and see how it engaged and influenced your target audience. Did it result in a sudden surge of interest in one of your products or services? Did conversion rates see a noticeable uptick? Did it generate a welcome boost of traffic? Was it shared far and wide by its delighted readers?

Chances are that if the original piece performed poorly, history will repeat itself this time around. That is, unless you use analytical data to work out what went wrong, before implementing the necessary corrections for its second coming. 

2. Does it still hold relevance and value?

It’s up to you to determine whether the post still holds sufficient relevance and value to be repurposed and shared once again. In a typical working example, the original post may have concerned an industry update or news item that was making waves at the time. Nevertheless, if the topic you broached six months ago is nothing but old news today, repurposing the article could do more harm than good. That is, unless it’s an issue of on-going relevance that could get your audience talking once again.

The popularity of your previous posts alone isn’t sufficient to gauge their contemporaneous value. Instead, you need to think carefully about whether it’s still a valid talking point for your audience. 

3. What’s the primary goal of repurposing the piece?

Last but not least, it’s important to have an objective in mind when repurposing content of any kind. You could be looking to drive sales, generate general interest in your brand or simply bring an important topic back into discussion.  Under no circumstances should repurposing content ever be turned to as a ‘lazy’ alternative to creating quality content from scratch.

Repurposing content can be hugely effective, but should never form the primary facet of your content marketing strategy. If anything, it’s a good way of celebrating your successes and capitalising on your efforts to create quality content in the first place!