Reuse, Repurpose, Refresh: How to Maximize Your Content

If you're a blogger, podcaster, or content creator of any kind, you know that it takes a good amount of your time to create content. I like to call my big pieces of work ‘hero content.' It is a long process from coming up with your idea, researching it, writing it, editing, and creating visual media. To make sure that you're maximizing your hard work in creating your hero content, I'd like to share some ways that you can reuse, repurpose, and refresh your original content and maximize your time spent to get the most value as measured by reshares, tweets, Likes, repins, page views, etc.

My idea for this post was spurred from a live stream with Gary Vaynerchuk for The Art of Social Media Power Users series. Here's the question that got me thinking:

Peg:  You once said, ‘Hustling is squeezing every ounce of juice out of the orange,' that’s exactly how I approach content. I repurpose every piece of content into as many formats as possible.”

Gary: Smart. It's something that I haven't historically been good at. It's something I envy and I think Guy's done a lot of scalable smart stuff in that. I know that you jam that way. Recently, very recently … As a matter of fact, very quick little secret, the Ask Gary V Show is actually the strategy behind that, by answering 5 questions and now building a content team around me, I'm turning them into Medium posts and LinkedIn posts and if you go to GaryVaynerchuk.com come right now, you'll start seeing Buzzfeed and Business Insider. I'm literally turning myself into Mashable and Forbes by building a team around me. I was too, very honestly, busy with the wine business or Vayner Media, to do a good job in taking a piece of content and making it further than just a Tweet, turning it into a quote card to be good on Pinterest, then turning it into an animate GIF for Tumbler, but I think there is enormous value in that, Peg.

If you can either afford it financially or have the time to really go into it, back it up. For example, I'm sad that Wine Library TV wasn't popping. Now I know so much more about how to make it successful. Not just a show, chop it up into episodes for each individual wine, write articles about it, get them distributed by Wine Spectator. There are 17 to 25 moves in my tool shed today that I didn't use to build up that profile and I think one of the biggest ones is what I call the DJ-ing of content, taking a core thought or a piece of content and then making them consumable. How do I paint that same picture and then put it on Snap Chat and then draw a funny thing on top of me, because I'm talking natively within that platform, that's what the book was about. I think even … I only wrote it a year ago, I think.

Peg: That is this one.

Gary: Yeah, and so, that's exactly what I believe in Peg, as you know, 'cause that's two years of thoughts ago and a year and a half for the book being out, but it's scary to me how much better at that exact game at more knowledge and more things I have to say about that subject. Because, I do think that content is king, but the context of the platform that the content is being delivered on is a nuance that is separating the women from the girls.

Peg:  You got it!
The full video is well worth the watch! Gary throws out amazing value and smarts packed into a thirty-minute video.

Varied Content Reaches More People

Your hero content might be a video, a blog post, or a presentation you created. Any work you spend time on deserves to have all the juice squeezed out of it! This is how smart content marketing is done.

One reason it's smart to create content in multiple formats is that people consume content differently. There are different learning styles, and creating content to reach multiple audiences in a unique way is the way to go.

We often choose social platforms based on our learning styles, even without realizing it! For example, I’m a verbal learner—I prefer reading and discussing content with others. Meanwhile, visual learners might flock to Instagram or YouTube, and aural learners love podcasts. Knowing this helps you create content that resonates with all kinds of people.

The Seven Learning Styles

• Visual (spatial): You prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding.
• Aural (auditory-musical): You prefer using sound and music.
• Verbal (linguistic): You prefer using words, both in speech and writing.
• Physical (kinesthetic): You prefer using your body, hands, and sense of touch.
• Logical (mathematical): You prefer using logic, reasoning, and systems.
• Social (interpersonal): You prefer to learn in groups or with other people.
• Solitary (intrapersonal): You prefer to work alone and use self-study.

Based on Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory,  someone may love your content as a blog post but not be interested in the same information as a video. Gardner proposed that most people are a combination of three different styles.

Great ways that you can repurpose one piece of content

1. Create a video. Upload your video to YouTube. No fancy equipment needed to get started, you can shoot with your smartphone and some great lighting. If you love the video format, you can upgrade your equipment as you are able.

2. Chop your video into bite-sized clips for Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. Tailor them to each platform’s ideal length for maximum engagement.

3. Create quote graphics from your content using Easil, Canva, or Photoshop, if you have some mad skills.

4. Pin your blog post on Pinterest. Also, pin all the smaller chunks of content that you create. Pin, pin, pin all the things! Using your custom graphic, create a pin for your new article. Two sizes that work well: 1000 pixels 1500 pixels or 1000 pixels by 1000 pixels. Use relevant keywords in your description and add a link. Make sure that you edit the pin and add the link to your post in the source as well. Pinterest pins are easy to share on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Everywhere that you share a link to your blog, you can share the link to your pin as well.

5. Add a call to action with the Pinterest link. I like to use pin it for later with a link to the pin. I also like to share pins that are being repinned with a tweet saying Popular Pin or Hot Pin with a description and link to the pin.

6. Design a presentation from your content.

7. Tweet images on Twitter. Are you taking advantage of Twitter photos? You should be! Tweets that include an image are “94% more likely to be retweeted” according to Dan Zarella based on his analysis of almost 500,000 tweets. Tweeting with images gives you more impact on Twitter and it’s so easy to do! “Every second, on average, around 6,000 tweets are tweeted on Twitter (visualize them here), which corresponds to over 350,000 tweets sent per minute, 500 million tweets per day and around 200 billion tweets per year.”

8. Turn a video into a podcast.

How to squeeze every bit of goodness from your content

Once you've created all these little pieces of content from your big master project, the key is to spread them far and wide across your different social networks. No need to blast all at once, sprinkle them out over time to different platforms and add a little special sauce to each piece to tailor it to the social platform. When you're sharing your own content, it's best to natively upload it to the platforms when you can.

Here are a few tips for getting your blog noticed, read and shared.

1. Share your blog in your email signature. I use WiseStamp to create my custom message.
2. Add your blog to Pinterest. I pin using the Pinterest “Pin It” Button. 
3. Stumble your blog. I wrote a detailed post called Maximizing StumbleUpon for Your Content Sharing Strategy which provides detailed information in StumbleUpon.
4. Make sure that you are utilizing the available space on your profiles (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.) by adding a link to your blog whenever possible.
5. Engage with people who visit your blog. If someone new comments on or shares your blog, continue the conversation with them. Visit their blog, share their content and go beyond one interaction.
6. Guest BLOG! Great post by Darren Rowse, @ProBlogger, Why Guest Bloggers are Great for a Blog, goes into great detail but the Reader’s Digest version is that it gets you whole new audience and links back to your blog. Win/win!
7. Be a part of the blogging community by reading, sharing, and commenting on other’s blogs. Again, common sense, but I think this is where some bloggers drop the ball and others really knock it out of the park.
8. Make sure that you make it VERY easy for readers to share from your blog. Add a tweet button at the top of your post and sharing buttons on the side or bottom of each post.
9. Use the Tasty Pins plug-in for Pinterest to help your content get shared by more people. It allows you to add multiple Pinterest images for blog posts without them being on the page.
10. Send an update to your blog subscribers as an RSS feed email or better yet a custom email with your blog post included sent through MailChimp or Constant Contact.

Repurpose Your Podcast Episode: Create 20 Different Content Pieces

You've created a fantastic podcast episode, here's how you can squeeze all the juice out of it:

1. Full-Length Podcast Episode (Primary Content)
   • Upload the podcast to your preferred platform like Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
2. YouTube Video
   • Record the podcast session on video and upload it to YouTube for added reach.
3. Short Clips for Reels or TikTok
   • Cut 1-2 minute highlights from the episode to share on Instagram Reels, TikTok, or YouTube Shorts.
4. Audiogram for Instagram or LinkedIn
   • Turn a powerful 30-second soundbite into an engaging audiogram using tools like Headliner or Canva.
5. Instagram and LinkedIn Carousel (1050 x 1350 pixels)
   • Create a visually engaging Carousel post summarizing key takeaways. Share as a document PDF on LinkedIn and as a regular carousel on Instagram to boost engagement.
6. Tweetstorm on X
   • Break down the core message into a series of 5-10 tweets, adding quotes, takeaways, and audience-engaging questions.
7. Blog Post
   • Write a blog post summarizing the main points of the podcast episode with additional insights or context.
8. LinkedIn Article
   • Publish a slightly tweaked version of your blog post on LinkedIn to engage with a more professional audience.
9. Pinterest Pin
   • Design a custom graphic for Pinterest and link it back to your blog post or podcast episode.
10. Quotes for Social Media
    • Pull out 3-5 quotes from the podcast and design visually appealing quote cards to share on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
11. Email Newsletter
    • Summarize the episode’s top 3 points and send it to your email subscribers, linking back to the full episode.
12. Facebook Post
    • Share a summary with a link to the podcast on your Facebook page, and encourage your audience to share their thoughts.
13. Behind-the-Scenes Stories
    • Use Instagram or Facebook Stories to share behind-the-scenes moments from the podcast recording, building anticipation for the full release.
14. Infographic
    • Turn the core takeaways into a visually digestible infographic to share on Pinterest or your blog.
15. Live Stream or Q&A
    • Host a live stream on Facebook or Instagram, discussing the episode in real-time and answering audience questions.
16. Poll or Quiz
    • Create a poll on X, Instagram Stories, or LinkedIn asking a question based on a key topic from your podcast.
17. Podcast Transcript
    • Publish the transcript of the episode as a downloadable PDF or post it on your blog for SEO value and accessibility.
18. Pinterest Story Pin
    • Create a Story Pin, combining text and visuals to highlight the key moments from the podcast episode.
19. Repurpose into a Future Webinar
    • Build on the episode’s topic and turn it into a more detailed presentation or webinar in the future.
20. Podcast Snippets for Threads
    • Share bite-sized podcast snippets or key quotes on Threads to engage your audience with fresh insights.

AI Prompt for Repurposing Podcast Content:

I have a podcast episode titled: “[Podcast Episode Title].” Here's the full transcript: [Insert Transcript Here]. My podcast audience is [Add audience here]. Please make sure this hits my podcast brand voice and style.

I want to repurpose this podcast episode into various content assets across multiple platforms. Please help me create the following:

1. YouTube Video Title & Description: A catchy YouTube video title and a 150-200 word description that will engage viewers.
2. Instagram and TikTok Video Captions: Three compelling captions for short video clips (1-2 minutes) to be posted as Reels on Instagram or TikTok. The captions should be engaging and highlight key points of the episode.
3. Audiogram Quotes: Select three powerful quotes from the transcript for use in audiograms (30-second clips) on Instagram and LinkedIn with timestamps.
4. Instagram & LinkedIn Carousel Outline: A breakdown of key takeaways that can be used to create a 10-slide carousel post (1050 x 1350 pixels) on Instagram and LinkedIn. Each slide should summarize one important insight from the episode.
5. Tweetstorm: Create a 5-10 tweet thread summarizing the most valuable points from the episode, using conversational language to engage the audience.
6. Blog Post Title & Outline: A blog post title and a 5-point outline that covers the main ideas discussed in the podcast, written in a way that would be engaging to blog readers.
7. Email Newsletter: Write a 3-4 sentence summary of the podcast episode that can be included in an email newsletter to subscribers, with a link to the full episode.
8. Pinterest Pin Description: Create a 150-200 word Pinterest description, optimized with relevant keywords, that links to the podcast episode or blog post.
9. Quote Cards: Select three punchy quotes from the podcast transcript that can be turned into social media quote graphics.
10. LinkedIn Article Headline & Summary: Generate a professional LinkedIn article headline and a 100-150 word summary of the podcast episode that can be posted on LinkedIn.

Please ensure the tone is engaging, accessible, and aligned with the podcast’s focus on [insert podcast focus here].

This should keep your content diverse and make the most out of each podcast episode!

I hope that this gives you some ideas for making your content reach more people and how you can squeeze the juice out of your work. As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts and questions in the comments below. If you like this post, please pin it and share it with your social community, and take a second to sign up for updates to receive them straight to your inbox.

This is how you maximize your reach and impact with smart content marketing!

More resources:

How Pinterest Can Help Your Blog

8 Smart Tips to Maximize Your Content