Once you’ve finished writing a blog post that you’re really proud of, it doesn’t have to end there. There are so many ways to reuse and repurpose the same content so you can extend the lifespan of a blog post.
Maybe you’re afraid that by reusing content you’ll be boring your readers or seeming like you don’t have anything fresh to say. Nonsense! If done the right way, reusing your content will strengthen your position as an expert in your industry & expand your reach to even more potential customers who need the valuable information that you’re sharing.
A Challenge
I’d love for you to join me for a bit of challenge today!
Go through your blog and choose a post that you’re either really proud of or that got a lot of traffic for your website
We’re going to create a content swipe bank from this single piece of content that you can start using immediately on your other content channels.
10 ways to extend the lifespan of a blog post:
(1) Twitter
Go through the blog post and pull out 5 sentences or statements that you can use as Twitter updates. Schedule these right away and include a shortened link to the post.
(2) Facebook
Go through the blog post and pull out passages that you can use as Facebook status updates on your business page or as posts in Facebook groups where you’re a member.
Spend a couple of minutes, adding questions to the passages (that encourage engagement) or reframing the passages into a helpful tip.
Here’s how to use these:
As a question on your FB page or in a Group. Examples – Have you ever experienced [this]? What are some other methods you use to do [this]?
Frame a quick tip for readers. You are an expert in your subject area. This is the perfect method for positioning yourself as one – especially in a Facebook group setting. By providing a snippet tip, you’ll be providing real value to potential customers or readers who need help in the areas you serve.
Increase the power of this method by tagging on a simple offer – let me know if you have any questions on this or in the area of [x].
Bonus Tip – The answers you provide and the questions they ask will give you more content you can use & give you insight in the areas where customers need the help the most (and access to the language they use to describe those challenges!)
(3) Pinterest
Head over to Canva or Picmonkey or open Photoshop & create a couple of new images to post to Pinterest in order to promote & link to the post. If you’re feeling ambitious, make an infographic of the main points (like the one in this post!)
Bonus tip – Join some group Pinterest boards and post these there to extend your reach on Pinterest.
(4) Newsletter
Use the introduction and pull a couple of points on the content that follows can use as the base for a newsletter to your list. Include a read more link to drive traffic to the post.
(5) E-book
Look at the larger context of the blog post. Is it a category that you write about often?
If so, spend 15 minutes creating an e-book outline (sections & chapters). Open a word document or Evernote notebook to compile your e-book draft and place the blog post in the chapter where it belongs. Sure you’ll have more work do for the e-book – but look, you’ve started (and starting is the hardest part!) and I think it’s totally fair to start calling yourself an Author of the Upcoming Book “Insert Wicked Title Here”.
You can even add more to your book by going through the rest of your blog and slotting in the posts that fit in the chapters where they fit. Then figure out what holes you have in the book and fill those. Before you know, you’ll be in the rewrite phase!
(6) Free Download
How could you turn the post into a lead magnet or free download? Could you create a worksheet that would help readers use or implement the information in the blog post? Or a checklist?
(7) Periscope
Use this post as the basis for a Periscope. You already have all the content you need – just pull out a couple of points you want to emphasize, pick a name and hit “Broadcast now.” Your great content + viewer questions will make this a can’t-miss ‘Scope.
Bonus Tip – Make sure to save your recording on your phone before it disappears from Periscope! There’s so much you can do with it afterwards: throw it on your website, make a mini e-course, put it on your social media channels – go wild!
(9) Webinar
Use the post to create an outline for a webinar. Most people make their webinars way too complicated and cover way too much content. Use your single blog post to create a quickie 30-minute webinar and you’ll have some very grateful attendees!
Here are the easiest steps to take for doing this:
(1) For each of your main points, add a story or anecdote
(2) For each of your main points, add an action step for viewers to take
(3) Create your signup page and promo posts
(4) Set up the backend of the webinar
(5) You’re set!
(9) Guest Posting
Rewrite the article a little and submit it as a guest post. Huffington Post doesn’t even require you to rewrite the post, but with a little rewriting & reframing, you could submit to a ton of other online journals or blogs.
Bonus tip – Not sure of who to submit your articles to? Take a quick visit to some of the websites of other people in your industry, do they have media page or an as-featured section on their site? Start with those!
(10) Resource page
Create a reference or resource page. Pull all of your best content into a resource page for new readers (create a “start here” page on your site) or as a VIP page for newsletter subscribers (sent to new subscribers in the welcome email or other email as an exclusive, password protected area for your subscribers)
I hope you share your results from the challenge below! I would love to hear all about it.
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