Content Creation & Web Copy
Content recycling – same same but different
How to turn old content into new one
There’s heaps of content in your blog? In fact, there are so many texts and articles that you have somewhat lost track? Should you delete some of it? Or rather keep it? What’s the best way to make use of old content? The solution: content recycling! Take your old texts and breathe new life into them by turning them into new formats. We’ll tell you how it’s done!
Taking something old and making something new out of it isn’t necessarily a new idea. Just imagine your personas, let’s call them Miri and Paul, as Neanderthals (ok, this takes a little imagination, but you can do it). Imagine them thousands of years ago, recycling objects from their everyday lives: They didn’t just throw away damaged tools made of stone or bone. Instead, they collected them and turned them into new tools.
Our Neanderthals, Miri and Paul, already knew how to take something old and turn it into something new to save time and energy. And that’s exactly what content recycling is all about!
Taking something old and making something new out of it isn’t necessarily a new idea. Just imagine your personas, let’s call them Miri and Paul, as Neanderthals (ok, this takes a little imagination, but you can do it). Imagine them thousands of years ago, recycling objects from their everyday lives: They didn’t just throw away damaged tools made of stone or bone. Instead, they collected them and turned them into new tools.
Our Neanderthals, Miri and Paul, already knew how to take something old and turn it into something new to save time and energy. And that’s exactly what content recycling is all about!
Step 1
Analyse your existing content
The good ones go into the pot, the bad ones go into your crop. Do like Cinderella did with your content! Analyse which of your content pieces do best and which ones are rarely read. Which of them are shared the most, which get the most comments? Which pages are most frequently visited by Miri and Paul? Which of them only get a couple of clicks? Put together a list of those pages that do best and worst, ideally as part of a complete content audit.
Miri and Paul aren’t Neanderthal people anymore, but your personas – and they move around the web every day. It’s their needs you want to meet with relevant texts. That’s why you need to clean up your pages, throw out unnecessary content and delete what you don’t need anymore. Just remember: If it hasn’t been clicked until now, it’s very unlikely that it’ll be clicked in the future.
In your content recycling, you take the content that does best and that Miri and Paul have been most interested in. After all, this content is more likely to be interesting for them in a new, updated version.
Miri and Paul aren’t Neanderthal people anymore, but your personas – and they move around the web every day. It’s their needs you want to meet with relevant texts. That’s why you need to clean up your pages, throw out unnecessary content and delete what you don’t need anymore. Just remember: If it hasn’t been clicked until now, it’s very unlikely that it’ll be clicked in the future.
In your content recycling, you take the content that does best and that Miri and Paul have been most interested in. After all, this content is more likely to be interesting for them in a new, updated version.
Step 2
Define your target groups and communication channels
Content that doesn’t meet the needs of your target group or personas will not be read. That’s why it’s vital for your content recycling that you know Miri and Paul really well. Defining your target groups in advance helps you find the right words when writing for them.
Whether it’s a blog article, a video or a newsletter: Depending on your target group, you will use different channels. Think about the best way to reach your target group with your new content!
Whether it’s a blog article, a video or a newsletter: Depending on your target group, you will use different channels. Think about the best way to reach your target group with your new content!
Step 3
Recycle your content
At this stage, you know everything about your content. You have defined your target group and selected the appropriate communication channels. Now it’s time to revise your content!
