Ever wonder how some creators seem to be pumping out an endless stream of content? For full-time creators, this probably isn’t much of an issue - but what about the rest of us, especially those just starting out?
People always say “work smarter, not harder,” and repurposing content is exactly that. In this guide, we’ll go over what repurposing content means, how to do it, and the tools to help! We’ll also discuss the top social media platforms, what type of content is best suited for each one, and how to set up a system that runs like a well-oiled content machine.
What exactly is content repurposing, and why should you care?
Repurposing content is the practice of re-using existing content to a new format or platform in order to get more audience views. With content repurposing, you:
- reduce the time you spend making content
- reuse content you’ve already created or filmed
- recycle high-quality and popular content to get more reach
You might be wondering if that’s worth your time. If done intentionally, this will actually save you time and get you more views. The reasons are simple - you already put in the work to film and create, so you should make the most of it. Repurposing content expands the reach of your original content, extends its lifespan, provides a good SEO boost, and helps you scale by giving you a presence on multiple separate platforms and reaching reaching diverse audience groups.
According to this study by the Pew Research Center in 2022, Youtube is still king, with TikTok and Instagram trailing behind:
While it might feel like everyone we know and their moms are on Instagram and TikTok, that doesn’t necessarily mean that creating short form content is the best path to success.
During a TikTok live in Feb 22, Beacons Creator Manager Natalie Hart stated that she noticed a trend of short form content fatigue. “Creators should get their content on YouTube. As a platform it’s always been a top dog but it’s getting its momentum back, viewers are looking for episodic content, 5-8 minute videos.”
Though that might sound tedious, filming long content gives you more options for content resharing - because you have so much footage, you can repurpose the content multiple ways across all the social media channels.
For example, you might film enough content to create a vlog or podcast that you can share on Youtube and/or Facebook. The content can then be cut, edited and repurposed for a TikTok video which can double as an Instagram reel. You can post the reel as a story for more eyeballs, and even screenshot stills from your video to make into a multi-picture Instagram post (you know, those irreverent photo dumps that are so popular these days).
Where to Start
The key to creating highly optimizable content is to create it with intention. It’s not enough to decide that you’re “trying to create repurposable content.” You have to inject your goal for the content into the process of creating your content. You can do this a number of ways:
1. Plan your content
A little planning goes a long way! Ask yourself:
- Where do I want to post this?
- How much footage do I need?
- What kind of footage do I need?
- How can I make the most out of this session / location?
2. Shoot long-form
The best way to set yourself up for success is to film a lot so that you can edit and repurpose freely. When it comes to content, you can always do less with more but you can’t really do more with less.
3. Use tools to manage your process
Once you’ve created content that can be shared on multiple platforms, you’ll want to:
- Cross-post and share them easily!
Let’s say you’re wondering how to easily link your different videos in your bio and on different platforms - look no further! Beacons has a Link Shortener app that not only shortens your long and ugly social media URLs, but lets you customize them however you’d like.
Gone are the days of a link that looks like www.instagram.com/with some assortment of 15 random numbers at the end. With Link Shortener, all your links will be some variation of your <beaconsusername>.bcns.ai/[Your Cool Content Here]
For example: nealjean.bcns.ai/hawaii
You can customize your URL to describe locations, brands, collabs, or any other personalizations.
- Track and analyze how your posts are doing so you know what works well
The key is to track how your content is doing across all the platforms so you know when and where to repurpose or reintroduce content. With the Post Activity app, you can connect all of your social media accounts to see your post analytics across all channels on one dashboard. You can track, plan, and analyze all of your social media activity to make decisions based on data and make sure none of your hard work is wasted!
- Organize your fan’s information so you know who and how to target your audience
Creators who post across multiple channels and want to grow your audience need to understand their different fan bases on each platform. Beacons has an Audience Manager that allows you to organize subscriber information across all platforms and build better relationships with your whole audience by directing the right messages and content at the right fans.
Just like that, one session of filming can now touch 4 (or more!) different social media platforms. With this newfound knowledge, you can start filming intentionally, repurposing your content, and make the most out of your hard work! Happy recycling!
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