By now, you’re probably well aware of the benefits producing consistent and informative content can have for your firm. Between improving your SEO, increasing your firm’s visibility, establishing your credibility, and reinforcing your brand, few people can argue that content marketing isn’t a worthwhile endeavor.
The difficulty is that, regardless of how beneficial it might be, content creation is time consuming. For firms with a small marketing staff or limited access to designers and copywriters, keeping up a content schedule can be overwhelming. Even if your firm is well prepared to take on a content marketing campaign, you still likely don’t have much time to spare.
Luckily, with just a few tweaks in your approach, you can
- Get more out of your current content
- Spend less time generating new content
- Still provide your audiences with the educational resources they’re looking for
Here are five ways your firm can extend the life of its content:
1. Repurpose using different formats. Your audience varies in their preference for content consumption, so don’t be afraid to take topics you’ve already written about and repurpose them into different formats. A blog post can become a video, a video can become a SlideShare presentation and a SlideShare presentation can be summed up in an infographic. Your buyers will appreciate the option to digest the information in the format that suits them best.
2. Repurpose for different audiences. As visitors to your website move through the sales cycle, different types of content will appeal to them in different ways. You can transform a series of blog posts into a guide with that requires contact information to download. Or, take blog posts geared towards prospects that are in the early stages of their sales cycle and leverage them into a webinar around the same topic. The more in-depth format of a webinar will likely attract engagement from individuals who have a stronger interest in your services.
3. Break down your lists. Blog posts written in list format are popular – -and for good reason. They’re easy to digest and quick to skim, making them a dream for the busy blog reader on-the-go. However, list posts also tend to gloss over important details and minimize information down to bullets. Next time you’re hurting for topics, look back over some of your list posts and consider breaking them into several more focused posts.
4. Compile a round-up. Most of your website visitors probably don’t feel like digging through your archives to find the blog posts that apply most to their particular concerns. Instead, you can offer them round-up posts that bring together some of your most popular posts of the past. Think “Our Top 10 Most Popular Posts on Social Media Etiquette” or “A Look Back at Everything You Need to Know About Launching a Social Media Campaign.”
5. Secure guest blog posts. Bringing new perspectives to your blog can be a great way to breathe new life back into your content without doing any extra heavy lifting. Actively pursue guest posts from thought leaders in your industry or look to a few of your primary client advocates to write a post about their experiences.
Repurposing content isn’t just a smart idea for reducing your team’s workload — it can also have a positive impact on your bottom line. You might see a SEO boost from reusing a desired keyword or reach a new audience by taking advantage of a different content format. Everyone wins.
Lee W. Frederiksen, Ph.D., is managing partner at Hinge, a marketing firm that specializes in branding and marketing for professional services. Hinge is a leader in rebranding firms to help them grow faster and maximize value. Lee can be reached at [email protected] or 703-391-8870.