If your B2B marketing strategy utilizes content marketing and you have been disciplined about regularly writing blogs, articles or other types of content you should have amassed quite an archive of old content with many hidden gems inside.  It’s time to revisit that archive to polish and reveal those gems in new and innovative ways.  We call that upcycling content. Here’s why you should consider it:

1. Save resources by reusing content rather than writing (again) from scratch

There is no question that it is easier to edit than to create new.  Less time means more resources available for another initiative.  If you visit your content archive you should find content that is still relevant today.  Maybe it needs a slight polish or a new twist but don’t let that dissuade you from embracing the upcycling strategy.  And, maybe it’s fun to do a monthly (weekly?) Throw Back Thursday and republish older content without any polish but with new keywords or a new introduction.

2. Boost your SEO

Every B2B marketing strategy has SEO as a tactic.  When you are selecting content, and if your technology is searchable, look for the keywords you are using in your content strategy.  Start there.  Using the content with some new copy (see tips in #1) is a great way to get more mileage out of content already written while you give your SEO a boost.

3. Reach new markets or customer personas

Business strategies evolve over time and it could be that you are now tasked with approaching a new market or launching a new product.  Dig into your content archive and see what you have written already and use it again to help you support this new strategy.  Simply ensure that the messaging appeals to the new market and voila – you are ahead of the tactical effort and can use your resources elsewhere.

4. Add a twist

Was one piece of content particularly good? You had good engagement but it was time to shelve it for a while? Dig it out and turn it into a different type of content. For example, if it was a whitepaper – can you write a blog series (assuming you didn’t already do so). Or create an infographic? This approach lets you renew the interest in a successful piece of content marketing while respecting the different ways people want to digest content or their learning styles. Or, get really creative and turn it into a campaign, game or contest. Remember that your content needs to be viewed several times before it makes an impact.

5. Look for a spinoff or other inspiration

While you’re looking through your content pay attention to the little thoughts flitting through your head.  They’re there!  They are the new, creative ideas or topics that pop up.  Perhaps, you could create a spinoff of a great piece of content that you forgot about – and it would pair nicely with your other recycling strategy and help extend the life of both pieces of content.  Spinoffs are common in entertainment (who hasn’t seen or heard of a Marvel comic movie?) so consider using them in your B2B marketing strategy as well.  Or, maybe you’ll end up with a list of new content ideas that can add a fresh boost to your content calendar. 

We have some final pieces of advice if you’re considering this strategy:

1. Less is more

Recycled content must be released at timed intervals.  You can’t run older content week after week or campaign after campaign.  Sprinkle it into your existing content calendar for maximum results.

2. Find a theme or a unifying reason

Make sure you have a theme or a good reason to reuse your content.  A scattershot approach won’t be successful and you won’t see the SEO benefits that you were expecting.

We create content calendars for all of our clients to support their content marketing strategy.  If you would like to speak to us about reusing content, building a content calendar or a content marketing strategy, please contact us today.  Or, explore other topics in our blog.