Every business produces content, and you likely have a backlog of useful marketing materials even if you're just getting started with content marketing. The materials that you use to attract new business, demonstrate your services, and even lure top employees can all be re-purposed for your content marketing efforts. As you build up your blog, website, and social media presence, you'll generate new content, which you'll be able to re-purpose in the future. Your internal data and analytics may also yield insights, which – you guessed it – can be turned into new content as well.

The Simple Case for Re-purposing Content

The big benefits of re-purposing content start with saving time and money, but it's also a practical choice. Even your most popular blog posts or marketing materials will eventually slip into your archives, as you continue to produce new content. When a new prospect encounters your website for the first time, they'll typically start by looking at current content, rather than digging through your archives. You want to cycle your best stuff into the spotlight over time, so everyone gets a chance to see it.

Old Content, New Medium

One of the most effective ways to re-purpose content is simply to present it in a different medium. If your readers keep coming back to a specific content topic, consider creating a whitepaper for a deeper dive into a popular subject. The data that you use to prove your value to prospects can be re-purposed as an insightful, easy to share infographic. There's plenty of room for creativity in these areas, and switching mediums has the added advantage of making content feel brand new, even when it isn't.

• The little details are always important in content marketing. No matter what type of content you choose to re-purpose, be sure to update any relevant facts, links, and references, as needed.

• With high-speed internet and powerful mobile devices widely available, video content has seen a sharp rise in popularity. According to HubSpot, video now accounts for 50 percent of all content consumed on mobile devices.

• Re-purposing content into video is a great way to provide useful tips from an authoritative source, introduce prospects to your key staff members, and show off your company culture.

• Presentation matters in content marketing, but you don't need perfect production values or expensive equipment to create effective, high-quality video content. As with any type of content, the value of the information you share is the first priority.

• Looks do make a big difference when creating an infographic, because the data needs to be woven into a story, with context. The most widely shared infographics tend to be visually appealing and factually compelling, so a bit of graphic design experience goes a long way.

Extending the Life of Your Best Blog Posts and Marketing Materials

For our purposes, your best blog posts and most popular blog posts go hand-in-hand. There's nothing wrong with re-purposing quality content that just missed the mark the first time around, but you'll want to focus most of your efforts on existing content that generated a positive response. Once you've built up a collection of content, including your most effective non-digital marketing materials, there are plenty of options for getting your best stuff back in the spotlight.

• Blog posts and traditional marketing materials tend to be relatively brief in nature, because you're trying to grab the prospect's attention. You won't always be able to cover an entire key topic in one post, brochure, or advertisement.

• Your how-to and tips content will be among your most popular, because they give you a chance to share your industry expertise. If you're looking for the right content to re-purpose, this is the place to start.

• A round-up of posts on the same topic provides an opportunity to link to your existing content, show that your expertise goes beyond the surface, and provide big-picture conclusions with deep context.

• We've talked a lot about building short content into something larger, but you can also take things in the opposite direction. The most interesting quick-hitting facts in your longer content will provide plenty of fodder for quick social media posts, along with a great excuse to link back to popular blog posts and marketing materials.

Inspiration for compelling content has many sources, so it's important to use all of the tools at your disposal. Your corporate communications materials, advertising, and existing Web presence should all yield content that's just waiting to be re-purposed into something new. Follow the data, look for creative ways to connect disparate content, and always remember to keep your target audience in mind.