Content repurposing: Efficiently reuse content

Content repurposing means reworking existing content and using it in a different format or on new channels. Instead of creating everything from scratch, you build upon existing content to develop new formats. For example, a detailed SEO article can be transformed into an infographic or adapted as a series of social media posts to reach a new audience.

People often refer to this process as content recycling – but repurposing is actually the more accurate term. It's not just about reusing content – it’s about giving it a new purpose. Repurposing allows content to serve different objectives: a SEO article can engage a completely new audience as a LinkedIn post, while the summary of a study in a newsletter fosters customer loyalty.

This is far more than just "recycling," which implies old content is merely reused like discarded material. In reality, it's the opposite – we continue using content because it remains valuable! And when done right, it’s not just "rehashed material" but genuinely valuable content – without having to reinvent the wheel every time.

What is the difference between content repurposing, content republishing, and content remastering?

The terms content republishing and content remastering are often mentioned alongside content repurposing – or content recycling. While they are sometimes used interchangeably, they refer to different strategies.

As previously mentioned, content repurposing involves converting existing content into a new format. The core messages remain the same but are presented differently to reach new audiences on various channels.

Content republishing refers to republishing existing content in the same format, typically with minimal changes. This often involves updating content – such as adding new facts and figures to an SEO article to keep it relevant.

A great example is our client Hama, a manufacturer of cell phone accessories, which operates in a highly dynamic market. As part of our content strategy, we created multiple articles on iPhone charging technology, which need to be revised annually to stay aligned with the latest iPhone models.

However, content republishing can also involve posting an article unchanged on another platform, such as medium.com. In this case, it's referred to as content syndication. This step should be carefully considered – if identical content appears multiple times on the web (and is indexable), it creates duplicate content in SEO terms. In the worst case, Google’s algorithm may struggle to determine which version is more relevant, potentially harming rankings.

John Müller, Google's unofficial spokesperson, wrote on Twitter (yes, it was still called that back then): "If you're republishing, then it is duplicate content. If your goal is to reach a broader audience, go for it. If your goal is that only your site ranks for those queries, then syndicating / republishing is a bad idea. Pick your goals & select the work that helps you reach them."

Content remastering goes beyond simple updates. While the format remains unchanged, the content undergoes a deep optimization process, often based on SEO analyses or user data that reveal underperformance.

At Moccu, we refer to this as content optimization, an integral part of our content strategies. With the help of Digital Analytics, we analyze which content performs well and where improvements can be made – ensuring continuous performance enhancements.

For example, through targeted UX and SEO optimizations, we successfully positioned our client ThermaCare in digital commerce, ensuring more efficient use of their marketing budget. Sounds interesting? Learn more in our ThermaCare Analytics Case.

The benefits – or goals – of content repurposing may seem obvious, but it's helpful to outline them clearly. While they can be broken down further, three main factors stand out.

Increase range

By tailoring your content for different channels, you can significantly expand its reach – and, if done right, even connect with new target audiences. The key is a strategic approach. Simply repurposing content into a different format won’t cut it; you need to understand who your audience is and where they are.

For instance, if you want to target executives between the ages of 40 and 55 in medium-sized companies, there is little point in turning your blog article into a TikTok reel. Will your content reach more people as a result? Maybe it will. But not the right ones.

And that would mean missing out on one of content repurposing’s most significant advantages:

Increase marketing efficiency

Content repurposing requires effort, but far less than creating content from scratch. The research, key messages, and structure already exist – you “just” need to adapt them. This saves time, resources, and money.

Especially for companies with limited marketing teams or tight budgets, a well-planned content repurposing strategy can be a game-changer. Instead of constantly producing new content, you maximize the value of what already exists. That said, it’s important to distinguish between content remastering and content optimization: If multiple similar pieces of content compete against each other, underperform, or lack consistency, revising them can be time-intensive – but necessary for improving KPIs. Classic content repurposing, however, saves resources by simply repackaging already successful content into new formats.

Additionally, repurposing increases content value – since it gets reused multiple times. This boosts not only marketing efficiency but also the ROI of your content.

This is especially relevant for the third advantage:

Extend content lifespan

Extending the lifespan of content is typically achieved through republishing or optimization, while content repurposing is more commonly used for evergreen content – content that already performs well in the long run (more on this later). However, content repurposing can also be an effective way to keep content relevant and in circulation for longer.

Especially since evergreen articles can also benefit from being reworked into different formats or contexts.

For example, a blog article can attract additional traffic when supplemented with a LinkedIn post or a newsletter summary. Similarly, key insights from a guide can be transformed into an infographic to engage a visually driven audience on social media, with a direct link to the full original. This approach keeps your content visible, allows it to be rediscovered repeatedly, and helps it reach its full potential over an extended period.

Moreover, planned content repurposing makes it easy to reintroduce content into the conversation at regular intervals. This is especially beneficial for seasonal topics or recurring events, which can remain relevant year after year. For example, a well-performing budget planning guide can be refreshed annually at the end of the year and redistributed across multiple channels to maintain its impact.

Okay, enough of the boring theory – what does content repurposing actually look like? Here’s a look at some tried-and-tested examples from our own practice:

1. Blog article → LinkedIn slider: Accessibility in online stores

Accessibility in e-commerce will become a legal requirement in June 2025. In our article Accessibility in online stores, we explain what online retailers need to do now to make their stores accessible.

Since accessibility is a complex topic and visual content performs well on LinkedIn, we transformed the article’s key insights into a LinkedIn slider. The most important takeaways were illustrated with concise graphics to provide users with a quick, engaging overview.

This visual presentation not only made the content more appealing but also easier to share – achieving significantly greater reach on LinkedIn compared to a text-based post.

2. Blog article → Infographic: Useful SEO KPIs

SEO success is often measured by many different metrics – but not all of them are truly meaningful. In our article SEO KPIs: You can accurately measure your SEO success with these key figures, we compared actionable KPIs with so-called vanity metrics – figures that may look impressive but provide little insight into actual success.

To make this comparison more accessible, we developed an infographic highlighting which KPIs truly matter and which ones offer little value. Infographics are especially useful for social media, as they condense complex content into an easy-to-digest format that encourages engagement and sharing.

3. Blog article → Whitepaper: Content planning made easy

In our detailed blog article Content planning: Creating an editorial plan, we have already provided many practical tips on strategic content creation. However, for businesses seeking a more in-depth guide, we expanded the topic into a whitepaper.

Rather than simply copying the blog post, we structured and expanded the content, added additional case studies, and optimized it for the whitepaper format. The advantage? The initial research was already done, so the extra effort remained manageable.

By the way – content repurposing isn’t limited to a single article. Another approach is to combine multiple related articles into a comprehensive guide or e-book, which is particularly effective for content series covering complex topics.

4. Blog article → YouTube video: How-to content in action

How-to articles are perfect candidates for video formats, as many users prefer visual step-by-step instructions.

A practical example: We wrote an article on the topic of 'Attaching bulletproof glass' for our customer Hama as part of our content strategy. Since this content is highly practical, we adapted it into a YouTube video demonstrating each step clearly. This allowed us to reach two different audiences – those who prefer reading and those who prefer watching.

5. Several articles → Practical goodie: Garden calendar

Sometimes, content repurposing results in more than just a new format – it can also create a practical giveaway.

For our client STIHL, we developed over 250 articles on various gardening tasks. To present this knowledge in a compact format, we designed a garden calendar outlining which gardening tasks should be completed each month.

This example shows that content repurposing can go beyond traditional formats – it can also be transformed into an interactive or helpful tool, such as a checklist, calendar, or downloadable resource that provides real user value.

In addition to these practical examples, there are many other ways to repurpose content:

• Blogpost → Newsletter series: A detailed blog post can be broken down into a multi-part newsletter series – ideal for providing subscribers with ongoing value and strengthening customer relationships.
• Long-form video → Short reels & stories: A detailed YouTube video or webinar can be converted into several short clips and shared as Instagram reels, TikTok videos, or LinkedIn stories – perfect for reaching audiences who prefer bite-sized, visual content.
• Webinar → Podcast: The audio track of a webinar can be lightly edited and published as a podcast episode – making it more accessible to users who prefer audio content on the go.
• Interview → Expert quotes: Interviews often include valuable expert insights that can be repurposed into LinkedIn posts, Twitter threads, or key takeaways in presentations.

Content repurposing requires a well-thought-out strategy to maximize the value of existing content. The following five steps will help you select, optimize, and reuse content effectively.

Step 1: Identify the right content

The first step is to gain an overview of your existing content in a content audit and analyze which content is suitable for repurposing. So-called evergreen topics are particularly suitable, i.e. content that remains permanently relevant and continuously generates traffic.

You can use analytics data to determine which content is worthwhile. Tools such as Google Analytics, Search Console, or Social Media Insights can help you with this.

Seasonal content or trending topics can also be easily repurposed. Such content can be republished or adapted for new platforms as soon as it becomes relevant again.

Step 2: Define goals and target groups

As with any strategy, it’s important to define your objectives before repurposing content. What do you want to achieve with the repurposed content?

Your goals might include:

• Expanding reach by leveraging new channels
• Increasing website traffic
• Boosting engagement on social media
• Generating leads through white papers or newsletters
• Improving search rankings by strengthening content clusters around Pillar Content

However, content repurposing is only effective if the repurposed content is tailored to the right audience. To ensure its success, consider the following:

• Where is your target group active? (e.g. LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, etc.)
• What types of content do they prefer? (e.g. Text, video, infographics, audio)
• What are their pain points, interests, and needs?

Step 3: Select suitable content formats

Based on your goals and audience insights, determine the best format for content repurposing.

If your goal is to expand social media reach, you could transform a blog article into a LinkedIn slider or break down a long-form video into short, shareable reels. On the other hand, if you're a B2B company focused on lead generation, you might compile multiple articles into a white paper or e-book and offer it as a downloadable resource in exchange for an email address.

Step 4: Content distribution

For recycled content to be effective, it must be distributed on the right channels – where your target audience is most active. The choice of channels should align with both your audience and the format of the content.

Distribution shouldn’t be an afterthought; it should be considered when selecting the format. Content optimized for YouTube won’t automatically work on Instagram, just as a LinkedIn slider isn’t suited for TikTok. The platform dictates how content is consumed, and the format determines where it will have the greatest impact. A strategic approach ensures that recycled content isn’t just republished, but placed intentionally to maximize reach and relevance.

To explore this topic further, check out our article Content distribution in online marketing.

Step 5: Measure success and optimize content

As with any content strategy, performance tracking is essential for content repurposing. Without it, there’s no way to determine whether repurposed content is truly achieving its intended impact. If you haven’t already implemented tracking, now is the time to set up a targeted measurement system to assess effectiveness and optimize future content decisions.

The collected data reveals whether repurposed content is effectively contributing to your set KPIs. If it isn’t, a closer analysis can uncover the reasons: Is the format not suited to the audience? Was the content shared on the wrong platform? Is a strong call-to-action missing? By identifying these factors, adjustments can be made to further refine and optimize the content.

This is where the process comes full circle – at this stage, it’s no longer just about repurposing content, but about targeted content optimization for sustainable success.

Bonus #1: Integrate content recycling directly into the production process

Instead of treating content repurposing as a later-stage process, consider how it can be built into content creation from the start. For example, a blog article can be structured in a way that allows for easy conversion into an infographic or video without extensive rework.

This way, content repurposing is not an afterthought, but an integral part of your content strategy.