Repurposing content sounds sexy on paper.
Repost the same content all over the internet and watch your audience grow, right?
LOL.
Repurposing done wrong can lead to content burnout and wasting your time and money.
I’ve been repurposing content since 2021 and have made a lot of mistakes.
A few months back, I completely revamped my approach after realizing I was spending hours repurposing with minimal return.
Here are the biggest mistakes to avoid:
1. Stupid Copy-Paste
This is the cardinal sin of content repurposing.
You know those people who blast the exact same post across LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and Instagram?
They don’t work.
Each platform has its own culture, formatting, language, and audience expectations.
What works on LinkedIn often bombs on TikTok.
How to fix it:
Adapt your message to match each platform’s unique environment.
For example, if you’re repurposing a YouTube video about “5 Investment Strategies”:
- For LinkedIn: Focus on the professional application and data points
- For Instagram: Create visual slides showing the key points with more casual language
- For X: Extract the most surprising insight for a hook, then build a thread
- For TikTok: Lead with the most counter-intuitive strategy and use casual, direct language
BONUS TIP: Create a simple “translation guide” for your content across different platforms. You can then pass this over to AI to help you streamline the process.
2. Ignoring platform-specific features
Each platform gives you the tools to stand out.
Ignoring them is like showing up to a costume party in your everyday clothes.
I see experts doing this constantly – posting a wall of text on Instagram or failing to use LinkedIn polls when discussing industry trends.
Platform features you should be using:
- Instagram: Stories, Reels, Carousel posts, Location tags, Shopping tags
- TikTok: Duets, Stitches, Challenges, Text overlays, Trending sounds
- LinkedIn: Polls, Documents, Articles, Newsletter features, Events
- YouTube: Chapters, End screens, Cards, Playlists, Community posts
- X: Threads, Polls, Spaces, Communities
How to fix it:
When repurposing content, ask: “What native features of this platform can enhance my message?”
For example, when repurposing a blog post about “Client Onboarding Strategies”:
- On LinkedIn, turn it into a document carousel with clear steps
- On Instagram, create a series of Story polls asking followers which strategies they use
- On X, create a thread breaking down each strategy with real examples
3. Forgetting calls-to-action
I’m amazed at how many experts spend hours creating content but forget to tell people what to do next.
Each piece of repurposed content needs a clear next step for your audience.
Without a CTA, you’re essentially creating entertainment, not a business asset.
The problem with CTA-less content:
- Audience consumes and leaves
- No way to capture leads
- No pathway to monetization
- Impossible to measure conversion effectiveness
How to fix it:
Always include a relevant, platform-appropriate CTA.
Different platforms have different CTA expectations:
- YouTube: “Subscribe and hit the notification bell”
- LinkedIn: “Share your thoughts in the comments” or “Connect with me to discuss this further”
- Newsletter: “Reply to this email with your biggest challenge”
- Instagram: “Tap the link in bio to download the free guide”
- Blog: “Sign up for my newsletter to get weekly insights”
Make sure your CTA aligns with where this person is in their journey with you. Don’t ask a first-time viewer to buy your $2,000 course.
4. Inconsistent messaging
This is subtle but crucial.
While the format and delivery should adapt to each platform, your core message must remain consistent.
I’ve seen experts contradict themselves across platforms, confusing their audience and damaging their credibility.
Examples of messaging inconsistency:
- Promoting “slow, sustainable growth” on your blog while pushing “10x your business in 30 days” on Instagram
- Advocating minimalism on your podcast but showcasing luxury products on TikTok
- Emphasizing “quality over quantity” in your newsletter while pumping out daily low-effort LinkedIn posts
How to fix it:
Before repurposing, identify the 2-3 core messages of your original content.
These core messages should remain intact across all platforms, even as the delivery adapts.
Create a simple one-page document outlining your brand’s core beliefs and review it regularly to ensure consistency.
5. Overwhelming yourself
The most common mistake I see experts make is trying to be everywhere at once.
They start repurposing content on 6 different platforms simultaneously, burn out within weeks, and abandon the entire strategy.
Signs you’re overwhelming yourself:
- Missing your posting schedule regularly
- Quality significantly drops as you try to keep up
- Feeling exhausted by your content calendar
- Dreading the repurposing process
- Not having time to engage with responses
How to fix it:
Start with repurposing to just 1 platform before expanding.
Here’s my recommended approach:
- Master your pillar content platform (blog, YouTube, or podcast)
- Choose ONE additional platform that:
- Your ideal clients already use
- You personally enjoy
- Complements your content type
- Develop a simple workflow for repurposing this platform
- Once you’re comfortable and consistent (usually 4-6 weeks), add another platform
For example, if you create YouTube videos, start by repurposing to LinkedIn before adding X, Instagram, and TikTok to the mix.
How I fixed my own repurposing workflow
Last year, I was doing everything wrong – trying to repurpose my blog content to 5 platforms with no real system.
The results were predictable:
- Inconsistent posting
- Poor engagement
- Minimal growth
- Constant stress
Here’s the simple 3-step system I developed that changed everything:
1. Created platform-specific templates
I created simple templates for each platform that I fill in when repurposing content. This ensures I’m adapting properly while saving massive time.
2. Reduced my platform count
I focused on just 2 platforms initially: my blog (pillar content) and LinkedIn (repurposed content). Once I mastered those, I added X.
3. Batched my repurposing
Instead of repurposing after creating each piece of content, I now batch repurpose once a week. This saved me hours and improved quality.
The right way to approach content repurposing
Now that we’ve covered the mistakes, here’s a quick blueprint for effective repurposing:
- Create high-quality pillar content on your primary platform
- Choose 1-2 complementary platforms to start with
- Develop platform-specific templates to streamline adaptation
- Maintain consistent core messaging across all platforms
- Include appropriate CTAs for each platform
- Use native features to maximize impact
- Schedule and batch your repurposing to save time
Remember, the goal of repurposing isn’t just to be everywhere – it’s to be valuable everywhere.
Start small, focus on quality adaptation, and expand only when you’ve mastered your current workflow.
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