How To Repurpose Content: Fun New Ways To Develop Your Message

Sitting on the edge of my bed, thoughts swirled in my head about looming deadlines and how I was going to meet them. Then I realized I did not need to think of each assignment as starting from scratch or as being disconnected from one another. 

Ta-da! Introducing a life-changing ministry tool: repurposing content!

We all have our own unique message woven into everything we do, and that message can be developed in many different directions. Here are a few ways I have cultivated messages from existing content to expand my message in creative directions.

Consider Different Formats.

Once you have written a piece, say an article, consider what other formats your writing can be repurposed for. Could your article be converted into a reel? A devotion? A social media post? A podcast? Brainstorm the various avenues you currently use for communicating your messages, and maybe even consider branching out in a new direction.

When I needed to create videos for my Bible study, Make Up Your Mind, I used my book and Bible study but created content that introduced a new, fun way of thinking about the mindsets: taking a road trip. I then wrote 12 different scripts and recorded them in one sitting using the Teleprompter app. New formats are a fun way to help your message have a further reach!

Consider Going Deeper.

Repurposing will likely require a different takeaway from your original piece. You might delve deeper into your topic or approach it from another angle. Each new piece of content should have one overriding point. 

My first book came from this approach. I wrote about hope for 31 days straight (Hope Reinvented) and brainstormed about 31 different takeaways on hope. The possibilities are truly endless.

Consider a Series.

Repurposing can help you organize your content in a new, more powerful way. There are many different directions you could take, which could develop into a series building on your original piece. 

Podcasts are a great opportunity to create a series from original content. I have done this many times, and it has also served to grow my audience. Think of how you can break your topic into three or four different subtopics, and develop those ideas. 

Consider Converting to a Talk.

Sometimes, we think that talks are vastly different from articles, but really, it might just require structuring your content differently and incorporating different teaching aids like slides or other multimedia.

I recently had three women’s conferences in the span of six weeks, along with a deadline for my dissertation, writing a devotion, an article, and a proposal in that time period. I planned out on my calendar when I would carve out time for each. Next, I considered what common threads could be incorporated into the various pieces. One talk I was presenting for a five-talk weekend was completely different but built on the other talks. So I walked around with my phone and spoke ideas that came to my head and wrote most of that talk within an hour. 

Writing in new ways can spark ideas and inspire something you might not have created had you not also repurposed your content. Don’t be afraid to try something new or take your message in a new direction! A lot of time can be invested in writing one piece. Don’t let that investment of time be for only one purpose. 

All for Jesus,

Denise

Do you have a piece you wrote that has done well? How can you recreate or repurpose that piece?