Waste not, want not: getting the most out of your content assets across channels
We know that pushing out new and timely content is a priority for comms teams. But should that mean creating a new article, video or podcast, posting it and moving on? Find out how you can get the most out of your content assets, streamline your editorial production process – and help your time-strapped comms colleagues in the run-up to the summer holidays.
Plan, produce, publish, repeat. For most marketing teams, this process will sound all too familiar. While looking ahead to fresh topics and ideas is always important, comms teams would do well to consider how they can get the most out of their existing content.
Whether it’s turning filmed interviews into engaging listicles or cutting podcast episodes into snappy soundbites to share on social media, there are plenty of ways to make sure you are getting the most out of every single content package.
Creating fresh materials out of a single bit of content not only alleviates pressure from your colleagues but also ensures that no piece is produced, published and simply forgotten.
With sources suggesting that, on average, you reach less than a quarter of your connections with a single LinkedIn post, a huge portion of your audience (on that platform alone!) won’t even see your content if you share it once. Repurposing assets on different channels is an essential way to maximise audience engagement, widen your reach and keep your brand’s editorial calendar busy.
One interview, endless content possibilities
A great starting point is to consider how your team conducts interviews. Whether it’s expert insights or meet-the-team conversations, you’re bound to uncover soundbite gems that can be used to create new assets.
This is an approach we regularly take here at Speak Media. A few months back, we profiled a fitness enthusiast and TikTok star for a client channel. Our research suggested that the interviewee was a natural in front of the camera, so we knew video content was a no-brainer. Filming the interview enabled us to create an article from the transcript alongside a bite-size video to accompany the piece on Facebook and Twitter.
Altogether, the multi-media package was promoted more than 10 times across our client’s channels, which increased the ‘opportunities to see’ – the number of times a viewer had the chance to encounter the content – and allowed us to draw even more readers in.
But don’t just take our word for it: look around and see how others are developing fresh assets from a single content package. Prominent podcast creators have been doing this for some time. Take Steven Bartlett. The entrepreneur, investor and content creator uses his ‘The Diary of a CEO’ series to share candid and unfiltered conversations with influential people, experts and thinkers. The full conversations are filmed and distributed on YouTube, podcasting platforms and personal social channels, with ‘shorts’ shared on TikTok and Instagram to drum up as much traffic and engagement as possible.
Over in the corporate sphere, companies appear to be following suit, with Riverside data indicating that a whopping 85.4% of brands already record videos for their podcasts. Consultancy firm Deloitte regularly puts out podcast episodes within ‘The Green Room’ series – where its experts sit down with guests to explore the most pressing topics in the business world – from climate change to technology and the future of work.
But instead of only capturing audio, the episodes are filmed – creating a wealth of opportunities for eye-catching video teasers to show the conversation in action – offering viewers a glimpse of what to expect and encouraging them to tune in. The filmed discussion is uploaded to its YouTube channel, but the comms team also repackages key takeaways into punchy listicles and shares short clips on LinkedIn. That’s a lot of material created from a single interview.
Long story short
A piece of content may have a primary format and purpose – such as a short data-led press release that seeks to inform audiences. But remember that its contents and messages can often be adapted for use across a variety of channels. To get the most out of your content, you’ll want to tailor your approach to ensure it appeals to your intended audiences.
This is something that the financial services firm Lloyds Banking Group does well. Earlier this year, the bank published brand-new press research warning customers about the rise in Taylor Swift concert ticket scams. The press release, which was published on its corporate website, provided an in-depth look at the surge in fraud cases, shedding light on how purchase scams work and how fans can safely buy gig tickets.
To help bring this to life, the brand also shared a more playful LinkedIn slideshow – packed with crucial stats, helpful tips, and colourful images of the famous singer and the friendship bracelets fans have been exchanging at her shows – to communicate key takeaways from the survey in a way that would connect with different audiences. While the press release was data-focused and formal, the LinkedIn posts were consumer-focused, visual-first and conversational in tone.
Cleverly released days before Swift’s latest album was released, the bank may have benefitted from the start of a spike in searches of the singer’s name on Google – as well as press coverage they received from a number of large publishing outlets, including the Guardian, the BBC and Sky News.
Innocent Drinks, the soft drink company, recently shared news of its £1m grant for farmers – helping the people growing their ingredients make the switch to regenerative farming. The content was promoted as a video, visual slideshow and a multi-image post – racking up almost 500 likes across Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. That’s significantly more than they could have received by distributing the news on one channel alone.
Embed a multi-channel process into your approach
With the right approach, companies can ensure that the resources spent on developing data-heavy surveys, press releases and reports reach as wide an audience as possible. But, in order to be effective, this can’t just be an afterthought. Finding ways to get the most out of your content should be part of your strategy from the start.
Take the ideation. As your team thinks about the best angles and interviewees to help ‘sell’ an idea to an editor, they should also consider how a content package can be distributed across channels to maximise reach. Could a colleague Q&A be broken down into a ‘top tips’ carousel for LinkedIn? Or could the latest podcast episode be trimmed down into an audio clip?
While ‘sweating your assets’ is something to consider throughout your production cycle, it’s best to incorporate it into discussions sooner rather than later. This will ensure that the right sources, data, and quotes are gathered from the outset, giving you the material you need for every channel.
Squeeze the most out of a single content package, and you’ll likely get a pat on the back from other teams, too – for lightening their workload and giving them a supply of new material.
Making content work for time-strapped teams
Here at Speak, we know the value of working smarter to ensure that content is working as hard as possible for our clients – particularly when time is limited.
Making the most of your existing content is an efficient way to churn out new assets, keep channels active even in busy periods – and alleviate pressure from your team. With summer around the corner, do yourself (and your team) a favour and start thinking about how you can repackage your planned articles, videos and podcasts. With a strong process in place, you can properly kick back and unwind, knowing that your content is in safe hands.
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If you want to find out how Speak can help your business, contact Gabrielle Bridle from our client services team at gabriellebridle@speakmedia.co.uk or on LinkedIn.