Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose... Your Social Media?

Ever feel like you’re always chasing new content ideas?

If you’re creating content on social media for your company, or as part of a team, then you likely know the feeling of what I’m about to say: you sit down to post and suddenly the pressure is on. New words. New photos. New graphics.

Or maybe you’re on the other side, working with a team that’s creating content for you, and you’re thinking: “I can’t believe it’s time to make more content already. I’m out of ideas…” Social media is fun, but it can also feel like a never-ending cycle of create → post → scroll → repeat. (because it is).

The good news? You don’t always need new content. Sometimes the best move is to rework what you already have and start thinking ahead as you build a library of content to pull from (season to season for example). That’s where repurposing comes in, both now and in the future.

Why Repurposing Works

All businesses share some similarities when it comes to social media, but the deeper details shift depending on your unique brand goals. In another newsletter (What Does Social Media Success Look Like for Your Business?), I shared how success can look different for each business:

• Some want growth and influence

• Some want leads and traffic

• Some simply want to hold space online

My own social media plan is simple. I simply want us to be present online. With that approach, I’ve had consistent social media success for 8 years, even with a small audience. So remember: this advice isn’t one-size-fits-all. But the concept of repurposing can help any business, no matter what your goals are.

Repurposing Content

In a future newsletter, I’ll talk about content pillars (the categories you set to organize your social media). Now that I’m writing this, I probably should have talked about that first…but hey, I’m human. 😅 If you don’t already have pillars in place, set some now. Examples: community, brand trust, behind-the-scenes, projects. Aim for 3–5 total.

👉 Next time you create something such as a blog, a photo, a graphic, etc. ask yourself: How else can I use this? You might be surprised how far one idea can go. People don’t scroll your feed with a magnifying glass. They probably won’t notice if you’ve used the same photo twice, but they will notice your consistency.

Here are some ways to get started

Tip 1: Decide your home platform and then decide what content you’ll prioritize. Ex: video for Instagram has a shorter time limit then TikTok - so if you plan to post both - make sure you create within the time limits upfront.

1. Images. how can I use this image now and in the future?

   • Use as a standalone post

   • Add text overlay and turn into a graphic

   • Repurpose for a blog header

   • Share in stories on social

   • Drop into marketing materials

2. Graphics. Is this a onetime or template graphic?

   • Turn a one-time design into a template for future use

   • Resize for stories or reels

   • Pin to Pinterest (yes, Pinterest still works for many businesses)

3. Blog Posts

   • Split one post into multiple captions and posts on social

   • Example: “5 Tips for Small Business Marketing” = 5 posts + a newsletter recap

4. Newsletters

   • Break them into blog posts

   • Pull sections for social media posts and story content

5. Videos. Video work can be expensive and time consuming so make sure you are multi-purposing it to the best you can.

   • Trim into shorter clips

   • Add captions, overlays, or swap audio and voiceovers

   • Reuse in reels, stories, or as background visuals

Final Thought

Repurposing doesn’t mean boring your audience, it means giving them more chances to connect with you without always having to create something entirely new. Here’s the truth: not everyone sees every post you make anyway (thanks, algorithms). Sharing the same idea in different ways actually helps your message stick.

Consistency isn’t about endlessly creating new material. It’s about showing up. Repurposing gives you breathing room while keeping your digital front door open for business. Final Tip: planning and scheduling your content ahead of time helps you see the bigger picture.

• Free option: Meta Business Suite.

• Paid options I like (some plan levels are free): Pallyy and Metricool

In the next newsletter - I’ll talk about content pillars and content categories.