Before starting her content marketing company Content 10x, Amy Woods worked in the world of corporate management consulting. At first glance, the two fields might seem a little unrelated… but we can assure you that they’re more connected than you think. 

In her years as a management consultant, Amy learned the value of streamlining processes for any organization. Today, this is the approach she and her team at Content 10x take to content. 

“My brain automatically is drawn to something that makes a process efficient and streamlines things and makes your work go further,” Amy says on an episode of Between 2 Mics. 

For Amy, making content marketing more efficient is all about repurposing — the process of making the same content work across multiple platforms and formats, from blog posts to social media to podcasts to video and beyond. In addition to using this strategy to support her clients, Amy shares more about her approach in her book and podcast, both of which share a name with her business. 

One of Amy’s primary goals in spreading the word about content repurposing is to help creators and entrepreneurs feel less stressed about the pressure to constantly create and share content in different formats and across platforms. It doesn’t have to feel like a hamster wheel! 

“People have this feeling that they’re not creating enough content or that they have to be everywhere all the time,” Amy observes. “You don’t have to be stressed and worried about the next [Instagram] post or tweet… if you find ways to leverage the longer-form content.” 

Amy has become an expert in leveraging content in this way and is passionate about helping others reap the benefits. Here are a few things she’s learned about how to effectively repurpose creative content, including podcasts. 

1. If you’re up for it, try video

With so many different kinds of content available, it can feel a little overwhelming to know how to start. Where should you invest your limited time and resources — longform blog posts? Podcast episodes? Videos? Social media? And what happens when you throw repurposing into the mix? If you’re planning to repurpose content from one format to the next, where is the logical place to begin?

While Amy says there’s no one right answer for everyone, she does have a suggestion. “All things being equal, video is definitely a great place to start, because video has so many other dimensions to it.” 

Consider how far one video can go:

  • You can pull the audio and release it as a podcast audio
  • You can write a longform blog post summarizing what you discussed in the video. 
  • You can create video and audio clips to use on social media and feature your favorite quotes as tweets. 

Thanks to the power of repurposing, all of this is possible with minimal extra time and energy. 

Amy understands that video isn’t right for everyone. If you’re not quite ready for your on-camera moment in the spotlight, she suggests starting with a podcast instead. There are still plenty of repurposing options available to you! 

2. Figure out where you can be most consistent

While the order in which you create and release various kinds of content will likely be largely determined by your comfort level with various formats, there’s another factor you should consider when putting together your content road map: consistency. 

“What are you consistent with?” Amy says. “You can find just as many things to repurpose with either [format — audio or video —] but it’s more about what you’ll be consistent with, enough to build an engaged audience.” 

You’ll have a bigger bank of content to draw from when you’re repurposing if you’re putting out content on a regular basis. Before you jump into podcasting or shooting videos in the name of using the resulting audio or video as a starting point for other types of content, make sure you’re choosing a direction that you can maintain consistently. 

3. Treat your content like a startup

This is one of Amy’s favorite pieces of advice to offer creatives and entrepreneurs — and it speaks to the importance of being strategic with the way you create content.

“You should create content with repurposing in mind to begin with,” she says. “In fact, you should know before you’re going to create content what you’re going to repurpose it into. If you do that, it will be easier to repurpose.”

If, for example, you launch a podcast with a plan to repurpose the content you produce from it, you might format the show in specific segments that you can then break up for sharing on social media. 

According to Amy, treating your content like a startup also means staying open to making changes based on the feedback you get from your audience. Like a startup, you should stay nimble enough to adapt your repurposing strategy and pivot to different formats or platforms that are a better fit for the people engaging with you. 

4. Connect with more people in more places 

Still not convinced that repurposing could be valuable for you and your content? Think again! When you repurpose the brilliant work you’re already doing, you make it easier for more people to find you in more ways. 

“If you repurpose, you are able to share your message in different ways in order to connect with different people,” Amy says. “Ultimately, as a podcaster, you would love for them to listen to your podcast, but perhaps you need to reach people on another medium first in order to convince them to start listening to your podcast. You need to get in front of them first.”

Finding ways to repurpose your longer-form content into “snack-sized” chunks that are shareable on social media is an especially effective strategy for growing your audience and becoming more discoverable. That’s exactly how many people find their way to new podcasts!  

For more of Amy’s thoughts on the importance of repurposing content and ideas for doing it effectively, listen to this episode of Between 2 Mics. Be sure to subscribe to get future episodes directly in your preferred podcast player.