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From Webinar to Winner: How to Give Your Old Content a Refresh
From Webinar to Winner: How to Give Your Old Content a Refresh - Repurpose and Republish
Repurposing and republishing existing content is one of the most effective ways to refresh old material and extend its reach. Even if you created a great piece of content years ago, it likely still contains valuable insights and information. With some small tweaks and updates, you can give that evergreen content new life.
The first step is to identify content from your archives that deserves a refresh. Look for posts, videos, webinars or other materials that cover topics or ideas that are still relevant today. Avoid anything that feels too dated, but don"t be afraid to repurpose something a few years old. The core information likely still provides value.
Once you've selected a piece of content to refresh, your next task is updating it. Read or watch the original and take notes on areas for improvement. Can you swap in newer stats or facts to make it feel more current? Are there new trends or developments related to the topic that you should mention? Even small changes like these can give the content a fresh feel.
You"ll also want to look for opportunities to expand or enhance the original content. Could you add an extra section to explore a related subtopic? Might a new example or case study help illustrate the main points? Think about gaps in the existing content and fill them in with new, useful information.
When you"re ready to repurpose the refreshed content, consider new formats and platforms. Turn a blog post into a video script, or vice versa. Repackage a webinar as a slide deck, ready for a new presentation. Export a script into an audio file for a podcast. Taking content and presenting it in new ways keeps the material feeling fresh and allows you to reach new audiences.
From Webinar to Winner: How to Give Your Old Content a Refresh - New Platforms, New Audiences
Repurposing content for new platforms provides an avenue to connect with new audiences who may not have seen the original material. For example, turning a detailed blog post into a quick tip sheet, infographic or video opens up options for promotion on social media. Someone unlikely to click on a long-form article may happily engage with a snappy Instagram graphic or TikTok clip summarizing key points.
Don't limit yourself to just social when selecting new platforms. Look for forums, publications, events or anywhere your content may find increased visibility. An industry trade magazine likely accepts article submissions. Professional associations often want speakers for conferences. These opportunities get your refreshed content in front of industry insiders who represent expanded audiences.
Shane Barker, an influencer marketing strategist, refreshed a months-old blog post as a podcast episode which allowed him to reach people outside his normal readership. "Many prefer consuming information via audio," Barker explained. "I was able to expose the content to new demographics by leveraging a different format." The podcast also provided a gateway for driving listeners back to his blog and expanding his overall audience.
Look beyond simple format changes to extensive content shifts as opportunities to engage new readers and viewers. One company turned a detailed guidebook into an interactive online course, allowing for animated explanations and quizzes to reinforce concepts. The interactive experience provided value well beyond a static PDF, enabling higher conversion rates for the paid course.
Audiences also differ across industries and interests. Repurposing content on a new vertical or niche allows you to find aligned audiences who may not overlap with your current ecosystem. Monitor vertical publications and influencers to identify options for guest contributions. Use keyword research to identify topics resonating in different niches but overlapping with your own expertise. Then refresh content for submission to industry-specific platforms.
From Webinar to Winner: How to Give Your Old Content a Refresh - Simplify the Complex
Complex ideas don"t have to stay complex. Simplifying the complex allows you to refresh content by breaking down intricate topics into easily digestible nuggets. This clarity opens your expertise to larger audiences who previously felt alienated by the complexity.
The human brain best comprehends information delivered in small chunks rather than overwhelming data dumps. Trying to explain a multifaceted idea all at once buries the key points in a morass of details. Simplification entails extracting the most vital elements and explaining them individually, using succinct language and tangible examples.
Michael Brenner, CEO of the digital marketing agency Marketing Insider Group, has mastered simplifying complex B2B topics to engage broader audiences. He likens technical marketing concepts to assembling furniture from IKEA. "You can hand someone a complicated manual with 50 diagrams and steps, or you can break it down into a super simple process with five basic insights," explains Brenner. "The first approach might be comprehensive, but it completely loses and confuses people. Simple and clear always wins the day."
For his book The Content Formula, Brenner condensed over 20 years of content strategy frameworks into seven simple rules. "I wanted to make it as easy as possible for readers to digest and apply the methodology," says Brenner. "Complexity is the enemy of implementing your learning." Since its publication, The Content Formula has empowered legions of marketers to create and distribute content following Brenner"s simplified principles.
Rachel Miller, founder of marketing training company DigitalMarketingEngineers, urges technical experts to avoid overcomplicating explanations when refreshing old content. "Use simple language that anyone can understand, regardless of background," counsels Miller. "Analogies and examples based in everyday experiences make complex topics relatable." She recommends reviewing refreshed content through beginners" eyes, identifying where jargon or dense passages could benefit from streamlining.
From Webinar to Winner: How to Give Your Old Content a Refresh - Cut the Fluff, Keep the Good Stuff
When refreshing old content, resist the urge to simply add more. Instead, focus on refinement by cutting superfluous fluff and highlighting the most compelling parts. Trimming the fat sharpens your core message while creating a more concise, engaging piece.
"We often have a tendency to keep adding more to content, thinking more is better," explains marketing strategist Sarah Smith. "But comprehensive is not always effective. You can actually dilute and bury your most powerful ideas." Smith recommends revisiting old content with a ruthless, focused eye on reducing overall length. "Delete filler words, prune peripheral points and eliminate anything that distracts from your central thesis. Every word should add direct value."
Editing down to the essentials takes discipline but delivers increased impact. "You have to murder your darlings sometimes in pursuit of clarity," says Smith. "Don't be afraid to cut whole paragraphs if they meander instead of getting right to the point." She suggests enlisting a trusted editor to provide an outsider's perspective on where fat can get trimmed. An extra pair of eyes helps spot areas that feel extraneous compared to your core message.
Part of refinement involves emphasizing your best bits. "Make sure powerful stats, compelling anecdotes and profound insights take center stage," counsels speaker coach Tina Chen. "Burying gems under layers of fluff means people miss out on your good stuff." Chen maps old content to identify hot spots with the juiciest tidbits of wisdom. "I highlight those sections for expansion and polish. Then I look for weak or wandering points to cut."
This refinement process strengthens the overall content architecture. Chen explains, "You sharpen the focus by showcasing your most convincing evidence and clearest takeaways. Anything unrelated gets the axe so those nuggets of genius sparkle even more." The result is a piece full of flavor and completely free of filler.
When David Carson prepared to give a presentation at a major conference, he took this advice to heart. His original talk followed a meandering narrative filled with extraneous asides. A ruthless round of editing sliced the 25-minute speech down to an impactful 15 minutes that spotlighted his most engaging insights through punchy examples.
"I had to kill some darlings, but the talk is 1000% better for it," remarks Carson. "Now I get right to the most useful takeaways that actually help my audience. And I know they absorb more value in less time." The streamlined delivery earned Carson the highest speaker ratings of his career.
The risks of refusing to cut the cruft become apparent when content drags on too long without clear payoff for the reader or viewer. "You can literally see the exact moment the audience checks out mentally," warns Carson. Avoid losing people's interest by skipping straight to the good parts most relevant to their needs.
From Webinar to Winner: How to Give Your Old Content a Refresh - Freshen Up With New Facts and Figures
Refreshing old content provides the perfect opportunity to incorporate the latest data, statistics and examples that make your points feel relevant and timely. While the underlying message remains evergreen, peppering in new facts and figures helps anchor ideas to what"s happening right now in the world.
"Updating data-driven content with current numbers is like getting a facelift for mature subject matter," explains analyst and author Tracey Smith. "The right data gives a glow of vitality and urgency." Rather than presenting outdated information, do your research to find the newest, most illuminating metrics.
For instance, Rick Chang refreshed a detailed report on podcasting trends by swapping in fresh stats on both listener demographics and advertising revenues. "Podcasting has exploded over the last few years, so I wanted to showcase its continued growth with numbers from 2021 versus the original 2016 data," he says. "Newer stats tell a powerful story and help me reset the narrative."
Chang recommends maintaining a running list of sources for timely data points that you can easily drop into refreshed content. Follow thought leaders sharing the most cutting-edge research. Monitor publications releasing annual data reports. And set a Google Alert for relevant keywords like your industry name + "statistics."
While adding new facts keeps content timely, not all data deserves inclusion. Stick to metrics tightly aligned with your core points. "Don"t overload just to have the latest numbers " make sure they directly underscore your message," urges Chang. "Choose potent data nuggets over flooding with unnecessary figures."
For her finance blog, Maggie Thompson strives to incorporate emerging trends into evergreen investing principles. "I don"t want to rewrite timeless content from scratch each year, but I need to address how current events and data influence my recommendations," she explains. Thompson lightly sprinkles new facts around strong foundational content as a seasoning that enhances without overpowering overall flavor.
"My goal is helping readers contextualize universal advice like portfolio diversification using recent examples and benchmarks," says Thompson. "So I mention which specific asset classes shined in the past year based on financial reports. This grounds my core advice in real performance numbers."
Thompson enjoys weaving in pop culture references and current events to refresh perspectives. "For a piece on inflation, I used the soaring chicken wing costs during the 2021 sports season to illustrate rising prices," she laughs. "Updating old ideas with cultural cues makes the content engaging and fun."
From Webinar to Winner: How to Give Your Old Content a Refresh - Give it a New Angle
Giving old content a fresh perspective or angle breathes new life into the material and gets audiences thinking about familiar topics in an entirely different light. Even without changing the core information, a shift in framing pushes people to re-examine assumptions and conclusions. This mental jolt grabs interest while uncovering new applications for evergreen insights.
Patrick Thomas specializes in refreshing and repurposing existing content for maximum impact. He understands that a new vantage point acts like a mental reset button for audiences. "Presenting the same ideas from a completely different angle challenges people"s habitual thought patterns," explains Thomas. "It forces them to reconsider the way they look at things and makes the content feel stimulating and new."
According to Thomas, the techniques for angling content differently fall into two main buckets: 1) Change the viewpoint 2) Recontextualize the framework. Altering viewpoint involves telling the story through another narrator"s eyes. For example, a post about customer loyalty shifts from the business perspective to the consumer experience. Recontextualizing changes the situation surrounding the ideas, like using football analogies rather than baseball metaphors to explain business tactics.
Marketer Keisha Freeman gave corporate innovation advice new life by switching from generalized business examples to lessons learned from stand-up comedians. "Explaining how improv performers embrace failure and build on ideas aligned perfectly with the content," she says. "But the unexpected comedic context encouraged readers to think beyond traditional models."
Thomas also underscores the value of flipping arguments around to present opposing angles. "Don"t just preach to the choir," he urges. "Play devil"s advocate and argue against yourself occasionally. It adds balance while turning concepts upside down." Presenting counterpoints and engaging alternative ideas stretches mental muscles.
A banker pitching financial literacy refreshed dated material by adopting a beginner"s mindset. "He imagined explaining complex money topics to a child and broke down principles using simple language and everyday analogies," describes Thomas. "It was incredibly engaging and made the content feel new."
While shifting angles provides variety, Thomas cautions against going too far afield. "Make sure the new frame still supports your core point and gives context," he warns. "Too much of a stretch disorients more than intrigues." He urges repurposing content across multiple angles over time to provide a mix of perspectives that keep ideas fresh.
From Webinar to Winner: How to Give Your Old Content a Refresh - Make it Shareable
Giving refreshed content increased shareability extends its reach beyond existing readers to new groups via social sharing and word-of-mouth recommendations. Building buzz around evergreen content amplifies its second life. The key is crafting updates with infectious, viral elements that prompts audiences to pass material along to peers and communities.
According to marketing expert Anna Chan, shareability stems from content that provides social currency. "People share things that make them look informed, amusing or aligned with causes they care about," she explains. Refreshing content with these goals in mind turns existing efforts into viral juggernauts.
Inserting surprising statistics and little-known facts boosts value for resharing by helping others appear in-the-know. Chan ensures refreshed posts sprinkle in consequential data that readers will want to inform colleagues about. For example, a sales technique piece could cite a new statistic about how certain outreach subject lines see higher open rates.
Humor also encourages sharing, as people flock to forward funny finds that will amuse their friends and followers. Sarah Wu refreshed an old blog post with wry cultural observations and witty turns of phrase. "I wanted to add some lol moments to balance the serious financial advice," Wu says. "Giving people jokes and quips they can retweet makes content more fun to pass along socially."
Finally, appealing to human emotions spurs shares when content evokes anger, joy, inspiration or other intense feelings. Connecting ideas to current issues and causes creates this emotional catalyst. Advocacy pieces and opinion editorials garner heavy engagement as people applaud perspectives aligning with their own principles.
Wu incorporated how-tos for supporting girl empowerment programs into an article on corporate social initiatives. "Explicitly linking business practices to urgent social needs makes the content shareable for impact," she says. "People want to spread ideas that help causes close to them."
Beyond packing shareability triggers into your content, Chan says structuring information for mobility removes friction from redistributing. "Break core insights into bite-sized nuggets perfect for sharing as individual images or short segments," she recommends. "Modular content spreads far and wide."
David Roberts, an entrepreneurship author, restructured dated advice on start-up lessons into a threaded tweetstorm. "I wanted followers to easily retweet each tip and take part in spreading the message," he explains. Roberts kept concepts under 280 characters to optimize sharing.
From Webinar to Winner: How to Give Your Old Content a Refresh - Turn Insights into Actionable Takeaways
Refreshing old content presents the perfect opportunity to re-examine insights through the lens of practical application. Beyond conveying interesting ideas, ensure your refreshed content converts findings into concrete, tactical takeaways audiences can implement for measurable impact.
Summarizing key lessons as bulleted lists, step-by-step instructions or templates transforms stale information into action plans primed for immediate testing. According to marketing strategist Tyler Wu, "Readers appreciate when you spoon-feed advice into bite-sized directives telling exactly how to put insights into practice." He encourages sprinkling clear guidance and recommendations throughout refreshed content.
Wu suggests formatting actionable tips in bold text or callout boxes for easy skimming and reference. He also favors including downloadable resources like templates and worksheets to give readers tools for executing outlined tactics. "The more self-contained and structured the takeaways, the easier they are to directly apply," he explains.
Leadership consultant Aisha Thomas refresh repackaged a lengthy analysis of team dynamics as a concise tip sheet. "I extracted the top lessons for improving collaboration into a checklist format with specific steps to take," she says. Repackaging insights this way focused readers on what to do versus just absorb more information.
Thomas made her action steps highly tactical through use of imperative verb forms. "I told readers to "Define collective goals with shared rewards and accountability" versus just explaining the concept of goal setting," she explains. Direct language prompts followers to engage versus passively consume content.
Another technique she recommends is using the "you" voice to make refreshed content feel like helpful suggestions rather than lecturing. "Try "You can build trust through weekly check-ins sharing team challenges" versus academic language like "Frequent peer exchanges mitigate obstacles"," she illustrates. "It frames insights as peer advice instead of top-down theoretical pontification."
While detailed research forms your content"s foundation, resist overloading refreshed pieces with data at the expense of articulating next steps. "Don"t just present analysis describing what happened or what works," Wu cautions. "Tell readers what they can do right now to make something happen themselves."
Wu helps his consulting clients distill old presentations into what he calls "new action spotlights." These segments directly reflect core insights back as digestible strategies. Repackaging a chart of leadership traits into a one-page rubric frames data as usable evaluation criteria. Turning stats about email open rates into a best practice checklist presents key findings as optimize steps.
At the end of your refreshed content, Thomas recommends clearly stating the call to action you want audiences to take. "Wrap up by explaining exactly how readers should implement one new idea from your piece right away in a small, tested way," she says. Clarifying desired outcomes produces greater results than leaving audiences adrift in possibilities.
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