It’s safe to say content marketing has gotten trickier over the years. First there was the competition. As more platforms allowed people to create and amplify content easier, the ability to stand out from the noise became increasingly more difficult.
Then came the attention span issue. As people became overwhelmed with nonstop messages, target audiences were harder to reach and keep engaged.
And who could forget the algorithm changes and their own hot mess of problems? As more platforms worked to curate content based on user interests, your precious content either had a strong enough strategy to be seen or it was lost in the black hole of nothingness.
So, we killed ourselves to create new content. Better content. Flashier. More.
We got a little extra.
And as we cranked it out, trying to one-up ourselves along with everyone else, we hit the point where the increased output didn’t necessarily add value. Basically, we were busting our buns for no good reason.
People still weren’t seeing our content. Even if they did, they likely gave it one whole millisecond to scan it before scrolling on past. It took some crafty strategy and likely money (thanks to the monetization of...like...EVERYTHING) to see the results we used to see, and hopefully better. At this point, we’d take anything.
Exhausted yet? Here’s the thing: you don’t have to be. Although I try to steer away from clichés, this is a good time to mention the whole working smarter and not harder thing. If you want to make an impact with your content, it’s not about all the new stuff you’re pumping out. It’s about how you work with what you’ve got.
Why You Should Repurpose Your Content
If you put effort and heart into the content you’ve created, then it’s worth sharing it more than one or two measly times. Again, people likely zipped by it in their newsfeeds or didn’t bother to click to learn more. This is why you need to keep a content repository of all your hot links (especially evergreen content) so you can share it as time goes on.
Look at that. You’ve filled slots on your content calendar without even trying. What can you do with all that free time?
Here’s a hit: repurpose your top trending content or breathe life into your so-so stuff.
Ways to Repurpose Your Content
Different personas will consume content in different ways. Also, different platforms have specific types of content that perform better than others, so pay attention and rework your content to get the most impact.
Let’s say you created a beefy piece of content. Maybe it’s a blog, whitepaper, video, deck, or podcast. This is your macro content. That content packs a lot in it, which means there are plenty of key points you can promote in other ways. It also probably means people who actually took a second to check it out skimmed it and might have missed some important stuff.
That’s where repurposing your content comes into play. Not only does this give you a lot of room to keep it fresh and let it go the extra mile, but it's also a good way to engage new people or reengage others.
Here are some quick ideas on how you can create rework your content:
Create digestible micro bites: If you have a video, maybe cut it down into 10 second clips to share in an ad. If you have a blog, maybe take a top quote and create an image for social media.
Find options to backlink: If you covered a specific topic, see if you have other content you can plug the link into. Maybe there’s a related blog you can hyperlink the new content in. Or maybe the description in your podcast episode can give people some additional resources to dig into. This keeps them engaged with your company because you’re making it easy for them to do their research.
Create a package to support your touch points: Package up all the content you’ve created to help your sales and/or recruiting teams give their prospects an informative journey. For example, if your recruiter is hiring an engineer in the United States, you can create a package of engineering-focused blogs, videos, and testimonials they can share throughout their candidate communications.
Do some testing: Do you have a page on your website or an ad you can use your content for? Keep things fresh by switching things out and A/B testing what gets the most engagement before you invest more time and money into creating new content.
Back up your claims or overcome misconceptions: You can talk about your values all day long, but where’s the proof in the pudding (okay...maybe I got a little too into cliches in this post)? If someone wants to investigate what you’re all about or has something negative to say, look at your content arsenal to share relevant things with them ASAP so they can get a clear understanding sooner.
Keep your employees engaged, informed, and aligned: Your content isn’t just for prospects, customers, and candidates. It’s also a way to keep your team informed and aligned about things, so be sure to share it in your internal communications. Bonus points if you can get some employee advocacy out of the deal.
These are just a handful of the countless ways you can reuse your content. Not only will it fill your content calendars, but it can also help you see what adds the most value to your audience, supports other initiatives in the company, and acts as the best resource on the fly.
So rather than burning yourself out trying to produce more and more, take a breather to consider what does the best for you and your audience and think about how you can create content that has longevity.
Need help building your recruitment marketing content calendar? Harlow offers activation services. Contact us here to learn more.
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