A business blog is a major key for using content to fuel effective inbound marketing. But should a blog post simply be left to linger after it gets published?
There is life for blog posts after you hit "Publish" on your blog.
Repurposing content allows you to find new ways to "recycle" your existing content. It allows you to reach new audiences with essentially the same information but in different formats that appeal to different people.
Some users prefer visual mediums in the form of infographics or slide decks. Some choose webinars or podcasts over ebooks or guides. By reformatting your content for different mediums you can appeal to more audiences and extend the reach of your message or expertise.
Not to mention your brand!
Content Reformatted is Content Repurposed
Ever wonder how you can get more "mileage" and usefulness out of those great blog posts that are now just sitting on your blog?
Here are five ideas for extending your reach and finding new channels for that initial content creation:
FAQ E-book
If you publish blog posts about a particular topic or a specific industry, you can comb through much of your material and pull together a long list of “answers” to questions your audience is asking. Take this list and narrow it down to the 15 or 20 questions that would precede these answers. Put it all together in a FAQ format and publish as an e-book for your audience or prospects.
Webinars
You have a couple of really great blog posts that dive deep into a particular subject. Now what else can you do with all that valuable and actionable information? One idea is to create a webinar from the same material. No need to do additional research – simply re-format the content you already created to serve as a “script” for your webinar.
This can be either a live event that you promote and host, or simply a recorded webinar that you can then make available on your website to visitors 24/7 through the magic of the Internet.
SME Guides
If you’ve published a number of blog posts about a specific topic, you can easily repackage those posts into an expert guide published as a PDF. Since you have already created and published information on the topic, you can repurpose it as a subject matter expert with your own guide.
If the blog posts you wrote are getting a bit dated, you might want to revise them somewhat before putting them together in the new format. Topics that lend themselves to expert guides are ‘evergreen’ topics that never really go away and topics in you industry that garner a large number of questions or online searches.
Digital Slide Deck
If the material you put together for your blog post – or posts – can be easily transitioned into a PowerPoint presentation, then it will likely serve as the basis for a SlideShare deck. Yes, some graphics would be good to maintain maximum engagement and visual appeal, but the words are just as critical.
One advantage is that typical slide decks for these presentations are relatively light on the text so you biggest challenge won’t be coming up with content, but with editing it down to an optimal amount.
Infographic
If you really want to be graphic, you might find that much of the information in you blog posts can be distilled down to key statistics or ‘factoids’ and recast in a new format. While a SlideShare presentation uses graphics, creating an infographic is a ‘graphic’ way of using information.
Infographics are very popular in the social media and online marketing realm. They’re informative, they’re easy to read, and easy to share. Although great infographics can be huge projects, not all of them need to be a major undertaking.
Pick out half a dozen or so salient facts, top them off with a summary of the topic, and get creative. You don’t have to be a graphic designer - you can use free content tools like Canva, Piktochart, or Infogram.
Curating Content from Your Business Blog
For many businesses, their blog posts can be the source of virtually unending content ideas. Every post contains the seeds of another two or three (or more!) content pieces waiting to be developed and published. And the beauty of this approach is that once the blog posts have been written, all the research has already been completed.
In addition, for every new form of content you create from your published blog posts, the actual writing - or re-writing - is minimal. Most of the work has already been done. The efficiency and ROI for you effort makes this approach incredibly cost-effective for businesses serious about marketing with content.
Business Blogs are Key for Inbound Marketing
"Inbound marketing focuses on creating quality content that pulls people toward your company and product, where they naturally want to be. By aligning the content you publish with your customer’s interests, you naturally attract inbound traffic that you can then convert, close, and delight over time." - HubSpot
This content typically takes the form of blog posts aligned with periodic ebooks and even email campaigns. The end result is a cost-effective, multi-faceted marketing strategy that not only attracts ideal leads, but deepens the relationships with customers and clients, while positioning a company as a thought leader in its industry.
But achieving these objectives with your content marketing strategy takes time. It won't happen with a few blog posts or great ebook. People will need to consume your content for a while before they contact you. Yet, without your content compelling them to contact you, your goals may never be met.
Content and inbound marketing work day in and day out. Once you post a blog article or upload a Slideshare piece, it is always there, working to educate and compel people to become leads. And when they do come to you, they are educated, informed, and much more likely to make the decision to buy.
Get your free Complimentary Inbound Marketing Session to help you make an informed decision or call BroadVision Marketing at 707-799-1238.
And take a moment to download this informative resource entitled"10 Powerful Inbound Marketing Charts" to support your own marketing efforts!
