Great thought leadership content deserves more than a one-and-done blog post. Yet many companies stop there, missing valuable opportunities to extend its reach and lifespan.
Repurposing isn’t about squeezing content dry. It’s about forward planning, so that the value of the initial article can be fully realised across multiple touchpoints.
That starts not after an article is published, but before it’s written.
Plan to repurpose from the outset
If you want to extract the most value from each piece of thought leadership content, start by identifying repurposing opportunities at the planning stage. This lets you build a more efficient content process and gives your writer the chance to shape the piece with multiple formats in mind.
When you’re planning an article, ask:
- Can quotes or insights from the interview be repackaged for short-form LinkedIn posts?
- Is the topic relevant for internal comms, client emails, or sales enablement content?
- Would a visual format – such as a one-page summary or slide deck – help present the ideas to a time-poor audience?
A professional content writer can help structure content that lends itself to multiple uses – but only if they know the plan upfront.
Efficient execution: brief with purpose
Improve efficiency by briefing the writer to create additional assets at the same time – such as social media snippets, pull quotes, or email copy. This can also help to ensure a consistent tone and messaging.
Look for additional opportunities
When commentary for the article relates to changes, trends or current events, there can be opportunities outside your owned content channels. These could include:
- Offering expert commentary to journalists covering a relevant or breaking story.
- Guest podcast spots to discuss the topic.
- Repurposing the topic insights for conference talks or panel appearances.
If you identify these opportunities early, your writer can gather more targeted material during the interview.
When video is in the mix
Video is an excellent format for thought leadership content. It might be tempting to try to the two-birds-one-stone thing, and capture content for the video and written content in the same session. This rarely works.
The tone, purpose, and pressure of being on video can interfere with the kind of open, reflective conversation that a writer needs to gather valuable insights for written content.
The same problem occurs if your team captures the expert interview on video and sends the video to the writer to turn into a written piece without arranging an additional interview for the writer. There’s no opportunity to ask clarifying questions or delve deeper into the points made in the video.
The most obvious solution is to arrange for the writer to interview the subject matter expert after watching the video. This saves time for both writer and SME – the writer gains detailed knowledge on the topic ahead of the call and can ask better questions, and the SME doesn’t have to repeat the concepts covered in the video.
Measuring the impact
To demonstrate the return on your efforts, track how each version of the content performs. This might include:
- Traffic and engagement on the original article.
- Reach and interaction on LinkedIn posts.
- Open and click rates for email content.
- Pick-up by media outlets or invitations to speak.
It’s not always possible or easy, but when outcomes can be traced back to thought leadership content pieces, you get a clearer picture of its impact – and a good case for continued investment in the program.
Leonie Seysan is the Director of Article Writers Australia, and manages the team of professional writers and editors. She holds a Bachelor of Communications Degree (Media Studies) and has been writing professionally for over 15 years. Leonie is also the podcast host of 'Content with Humans'.
