Look, if you’re anything like me, you’re probably tired of trying to appease the content beast that is Instagram. Creating engagement is harder, reach has dropped, and Instagram wants you to buy ads. But before you give up, have you tried repurposing content on Instagram yet? Using existing posts, and content from other platforms, even repurposing your Instagram content to other places–all these approaches can save time and energy, and get more eyes on your content. In this article, you’ll read exactly how to repurpose content on Instagram.
But first, let me tell you my love story…with content repurposing. It began in 2020. The pandemic hit, and after a case of covid, I started dealing with chronic health problems. I just didn’t have the energy to be creating new content every day.
Although I knew a bit about content repurposing, I decided to learn more because I had a feeling it could be my saving grace.
Not only was I ready to use more content repurposing in my own marketing, but I wanted to make marketing more impactful and less time-consuming for my clients, too. If you are ready to create more impact with your marketing, without getting stuck on the content creation hamster wheel, then it’s time to start repurposing. In this article, you’ll read 17 ways to repurpose your content on Instagram, for Instagram, and from Instagram.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which means I receive a commission if you visit a site and buy something on my recommendation. It doesn’t cost you any extra, and I only recommend products and services I trust. For more details see my disclosure policy and privacy policy.
Table of Contents
Why does it pay to repurpose content on Instagram?
There are many reasons to repurpose on Instagram. Here are a few of them:
Appeal to different types of learners with different types of content
There are visual, auditory, reading/writing and kinesthetic learners. Everyone has a primary way that they absorb information best. Creating content that speaks to different types of learners mean that you have more chance to connect with more people.
Some might love short form video like Reels, while others might like long form video content that delves deep into a topic. Some might be better at absorbing written posts, while others enjoy hearing audio content where they can hear you speak passionately on a topic.
Build reach and engagement
If you’re creating content that appeals to different people, you will create more reach and engagement. Some think they have to create fresh content each time they post. But, if you learn to repurpose and reshape your ideas into different types of content, that will allow you to create more impactful content faster, and build your reach with less effort.
Save time and effort for the other important stuff you need to do
What really moves the needle in your business? Some of my clients report saving 20 hours a week by outsourcing their content repurposing to me. Now, whether you decide to hire someone or do the work yourself, the good news is that learning how to repurpose your content is guaranteed to help you save time.
Create more impact
Studies estimate that people need to see an ad at least seven times before they become aware of what it says. And think about the noisy online landscape. That Instagram post you made? Not every one of your followers saw it. Even if, by some algorithmic miracle (you like this term? I just made it up) they did, sorry, but they didn’t absorb it. Content repurposing is a great way to say the same thing more than once, in a fresh way.
Okay, so now, let’s get into repurposing content on Instagram.
How to repurpose content on Instagram?
You know that existing content you have on Instagram? You’re going to use all that juicy content to create new Instagram pieces that still speak to your ideal client’s needs. Here are some ways to do that.
Repurpose Reels into carousel posts
Review your Reels and find the ones with the highest reach or the most interesting comments. Decide which will translate well into carousel posts. Add additional context or step-by-step instructions and a compelling visual feel. Keep the text on each slide simple. You can get into more detail in the caption.
You can also convert your carousel posts into Reels. Decide what the main point of your carousel post is, and use that to create a Reel.
Use carousel posts to make an outline for an Instagram Live
The expertise you share in your carousel posts could be perfect to share in a Live setting. Make sure to get the word out about your Live so that your community can be there to ask questions.
Turn your Feed posts into Reels
Again, take a look at your insights and see which posts resonated with your audience. Sort through your posts and their captions looking for useful, inspirational, opinionated, funny, or educational content because these categories work best for Reels. Envision how you’ll show these themes visually, and you can map out your plans on paper or in a document to make it easy to film the Reel.
Turn Instagram poll results into data-driven infographics
You know those elucidating convos you’ve been having with your followers in your story? Through polls with well-crafted questions, you may have gotten some important intel about them. Maybe they’ve let you in on their biggest business concerns, what they’re struggling with at the moment, or the type of support they need.
Design an infographic that visually shows trends and evidence that you’ve found through polling your audience. Show them how this data relates to them. And, add a call to action to let people know how they can work with you.
How to repurpose from Instagram to other platforms
A lot of coaches and other entrepreneurs who work 1:1 with their clients have to build rapport with potential clients. That’s why they love to use Reels or TikTok videos to speak to their audience on their expertise. Have you ever thought about using that short form content to inform pieces for other platforms?
Use Reels for long form blog posts
First, find Reels that fit into a specific theme that demonstrates your expertise. For example, let’s say you’re a money coach for artists. You’ve created quite a few Reels that teach your audience how to have a better relationship with money. Collect all the videos that speak to this theme.
Next, use a program like Descript to get the transcript of each video. Start to order the text in a cohesive and informative way.
Another best practice? Do keyword research (here’s a good tool) to make your blogs much more useful to people searching for the topics you teach about and to get more of those people coming to your site. Not sure how to put all this together? Email me; I’ll do it for you.
Transform Instagram Live videos into YouTube or podcast episodes
When sharing your Instagram Live video, research keywords on YouTube and use one in your title. Also, intersperse those keywords and phrases that reference the same concepts into your video description. Make sure to add links to your website, or services that you’d like viewers to know about.
If you’d like to create podcast episodes, you’ll have to use software like Descript to remove the video. You may also need to remove noise and filler words to make the podcast easy and fun to listen to. If the topics of your Lives were engaging this hard work may be worth it.
Another way to handle this is to use the Lives to inform your podcast episodes and re-record with the equipment you need to make the episodes clear to listen to. By the second time you record these episodes, you’ll be super confident!
Write email newsletters featuring popular Instagram content
Reuse your Instagram captions to create emails for your list. You can use them as short thought pieces or add a few more paragraphs that tell compelling stories about the theme.
Another thing to try? Use screenshots of posts from Instagram to ask questions within your emails, and create conversation about topics that interest your audience.
Use Instagram comments as inspiration for Q&A blog posts
You can learn a lot from your Instagram audience’s comments. What questions are they asking about your service, your business, or about you? Use those questions to inform a new Q&A blog post.
Collect Instagram captions to use in a blog post series
Start by analyzing which captions most speak to your current business goals. Next, start organizing the captions that fall into those categories. I recommend using these captions as inspiration versus just reposting them verbatim. People are looking for deep, informative blog posts that answer their questions, so you can add more detail to give them what they want.
Compile user-generated content (UGC) into a social proof gallery on your website
When shoppers are considering buying from you, they love to see who else has done so. That’s why UGC content is so powerful.
You could also write blog posts detailing reviews from customers (What do they love about your brand?), and share UGC content from one person at a time.
Create blog posts or guest blogs from Instagram captions
Do you start your content creation on Instagram? If so, you can use Instagram captions as starting points for blogs. I recommend beginning with posts that had a lot of comments, or even those where people disagreed with your take. What additional context can you give in a longer-form piece?
Convert carousel posts slide deck presentations
Carousel posts lend themselves to slide desks perfectly. Text is minimal, the slides are bold, and keep people’s attention. Consider reusing carousel posts to share as slide decks on LinkedIn or in a presentation for your business. Make sure that you’re keeping in mind the correct aspect ratio for the specific platform you want to share them on.
Transform Instagram Stories highlights into YouTube video tutorials
Your Instagram highlights are a great place to find authority-building content. (And if you’re saying, wait, I don’t have any highlights, you can fix that with these tips.)
Do you have highlights that teach viewers how to do something? I have a series that teaches people how to repurpose for different platforms. (Hard to believe, I know!)
Take that content and download it or find the original in your archive. Then re-upload it to YouTube with a searchable description. This will allow people who don’t follow you on Instagram yet to get to know you.
How to repurpose for Instagram
You’ve decided you want to keep a presence on Instagram since your clients are there. But you really don’t have hours to spend on Instagram content. Here’s how to take content from other platforms and repurpose it for Instagram.
Repurpose blog posts into visually compelling graphics
You’ve got some great blog posts. Why not find the main message in them, and turn them into visually compelling graphics? For instance, you’ve got a blog post about five things you’ve learned through coaching your clients. Turn that into a graphic that simply states those five points, Make sure to use a legible font and simplify the points if the text gets too unwieldy. It’s about using your existing content to work smarter, but also making these new posts stimulating and scroll-stopping.
In the caption, you can get into more detail, maybe even using sections from your blog post verbatim.
Convert long form videos into short teaser Reels
Splice long form video content from YouTube, webinars, or your website into short teaser Reels. What parts of these videos will pique your viewers’ interest, and get them to do a deep dive into your content, or even DM you?
Transform podcast episodes into Instagram Stories/Audiograms
Whether you have your own podcast or you’ve been a guest on other people’s shows, that content is excellent to repurpose for Instagram Stories and audiograms. In Stories, you have the ability to share the content in short snippets, and link to the episode.
Or you can choose to use a program like Canva to match your audio clips with a stationary visual. Then add an audio waveform so viewers will understand that this is an audio clip and be clued in to turn the audio on.
Turn client testimonials into quote graphics or intentional Reels
Have former clients said great things about working with you? The world needs to know! Think about creative ways to share their words in quote graphics or compelling Reels. I thought this one was funny and great! (Watch it on Instagram by clicking the image below.)
Also, consider making the testimonial more personal by sharing a photo of your client, turning it into a deep-dive case study, or even asking your client to do a Live to talk about some of the same points they wrote in the testimonial.
Why’re we repurposing again?
Look, repurposing your content for and from Instagram is not to force you to create more content. I want you to get off the hamster wheel.
What’s the point of endlessly creating more low-quality pieces that don’t inspire thought or conversation? AI can do that all on its own. Instead, use repurposing to work smarter, and create content that speaks to more people while spending less of your precious time doing it.
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Now, which of these repurposing strategies for Instagram do you plan to try first? Let me know in a comment below.
