Repackage Your Long-Form Article Into Something Memorable Reach a bigger audience using repackaging ideas.
By Ann Smarty Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Everyone has that one piece of content that they are really, truly proud of. It is long, thorough, full of information and entertaining enough to keep people reading. It stands on its own and has remained for some time as the most popular item on your website. The amount of traffic from that single long-form article trumps every other piece of content you have ever written.
In spite of its incredible popularity, you could be getting even more out of that post. It all comes down to repackaging it into more awesome content, which takes the core of what made it so beloved and stretches it further. You will reach a bigger audience this way, and it will lead to more content successes in the future.
Related: 10 Tips for Creating Effective Business Videos
Examples of content repackaging.
Break into email lessons
You don't have to recreate the wheel here. You can repackage your original content into smaller pieces to appeal to an audience who doesn't want to spend a lot of time reading content online. Here is one of those inescapable facts of the web -- most people skim.
So while that article you have written is a masterpiece, not everyone who comes across it is going to get through the whole thing. If you break it up into smaller pieces that address certain ideas brought up in that article, you will appeal to the skimming crowd.
Set up an email course using email marketing tools like Mailchimp and GetResponse and regularly send to your subscribers. It's one of the most effective ways to give your old content wings again.
Make access to content exclusive
One of the best things I ever did was take my long-form article, turn it into a series with some updated content and items, and give access to the people who subscribed to my email list.
Not only did it build up an incredible email list -- which has been my single greatest tool for marketing ever since -- but it made them feel like they had opted into something special. It made promoting other content the same way in the future a breeze -- plus, it was very lucrative.
Create an ebook
Long-form articles, especially multiple ones, make great ebooks. These can be big or small, but they all start with those posts and are turned into something more.
There are tools to help you do this, such as Beacon and Bloxp. These programs take your piece of content and formats it into an ebook that you can edit. I personally prefer to do it manually, using a free tool like Google Docs. That gives me full control from beginning to end, and allows me to pick and choose from content, then add to it without going back through an automated format.
An ebook really is one of the best things you can make from repackaged content. It's best to do this in a timely manner. These usually spread like crazy. For example, M-Connect Media has launched their Black Friday Guide just in time for the holidays. Most of the guide is the collection of common sense tactics that they probably re-packaged from their regular content, changing the angle towards the holidays. There's always an opportunity!
Repackaging tools and more ideas.
Here are seven tools and tips for effortlessly repackaging your long-form articles into something awesome.
1. Answer the public
How can keywords possibly help you with anything other than SEO? Actually, keywords are a fantastic brainstorming tool that will give you some insight into what your next piece should be about. Take the primary keywords and phrases from your article, and see what comes up as natural and related questions.
Related: 5 Things I Didn't Know a Year Ago That Are Essential to Starting Anything 'Big'
Not only will this give you some ideas, but it shows you what else your audience is searching for and interested in that directly relates to the first piece. This also gives you natural linking opportunities, which is a no-brainer foundation for promoting old content.
2. Slideshare
I am an absolute maniac for Slideshare. Of all of the social networks that are considered on the fringe -- think Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, LinkedIn -- this is the one that I have found to have the most application.
The whole point of a slideshow is to be concise and to the point, with visuals that help backup your point. Slideshare makes it easy to create and share those presentations, taking all of the bullet points of your long-form article and providing it in an easier to digest manner for the skimming crowd. Plus, it can be embedded anywhere.
I always use lost of graphics and charts for my Slideshare uploads which I can then repackage into infographics too. eMarketer and Sitegeek are just two awesome sources of charts I often use.
3. Infogr.am
Just how popular are infographics? They are three times more likely to be shared on social media than any other kind of content, and they are now considered by most marketers to be an integral tool for brand storytelling, which is of course, the way you get noticed on the web these days.
Infogr.am is an easy to use tool for creating simple and attractive infographics and charts. It isn't hard to see how that article's message could benefit from a visual makeover.
4. Piktochart
Another awesome infographic generator, Piktochart, is the more popular of the two. It makes more professional quality infographics, in my opinion, but it is also a little more complicated to use. If you have a bit of experience with art or graphics, even if it isn't a lot, this one will be more up your alley.
5. Wow Slider
Are you absolutely hopeless at anything even vaguely requiring code? Do you need a slideshow that is as easy to use and free? Then Wow Slider is available and may be for you. I questioned putting this on the list, because I have never liked it as much as other visual generators, but ultimately it is a worthy open source program that makes creating slideshows a breeze, even for those who have no idea what they are doing.
6. Podomatic
Ah, podcasts. A lot of traditional bloggers are very leery of entering into this bold new world of online content, and that is understandable. The written word offers a certain screen -- some protection, anonymity and safety -- in the ability to edit and re-edit as needed.
Related: How to Promote Your Podcast
Podcasts are more loose, less controlled and certainly less anonymous. But they make a great platform for addressing an audience that prefers to listen instead of read. Podomatic is an awesome tool that makes podcasting simpler.
7. Animoto
Videos are another great way to go. You could do a simple screen capture or voice over, but Animoto gives you a more involved video with tools that make it easy to create professional quality videos.
