Repurposing is sort of a buzz word for 2010. Everyone is talking about repurposing content in order to freshen up past bits of writing to use again. It’s also a fancy term used for “I got nothing, Bob. Let me rewrite that post that I wrote six months ago because it brought in a bunch of comments.” My problem with many bloggers is that they’re not saying anything new, they’re just writing what they wrote last year, or rehashing the same things as that other guy.
If you’re truly going to repurpose:
- Make sure you’re saying something different as before, otherwise you’re only copying what you wrote the last time.
- Don’t write the same exact post as another blogger. Think about how you would add your own spin or point of view. Certainly your perspective isn’t exactly the same as others.
- Rather than repurpose, update. Say “this is what I wrote back then, here’s how things have changed since that post.”
- Ask yourself why you’re repurposing. Is it because you don’t have anymore original ideas? If so, you might want to consider bringing in guest bloggers for fresh blog posts, taking a break or finding a new topic to blog about.
There’s a difference between repurposing and copying. Copying means you’re saying the same exact thing, you simply changed around a few words. Repurposing means you took an old topic and breathed new life into it. You added an update, noted how things have changed, offered a new look at old trends, and created an entirely new, fresh piece of content.
It’s a given that you’re going to write about the same topics, even magazines and newspapers do this. However, there’s a major difference between offering a fresh twist on an old story, and copying from yourself. Before you decided to go on a repurposing mission, ask if you’re saying anything new. If not, see what you can do to change that.
Content isn’t king if it’s stale and rehashed.
