Reusing Articles For Marketing

Article and content reuse can be a valuable way to save time in producing the quality content that drives productive online marketing. It can also be a crutch that leads to repetition, disinterest, and obsolescence.

It’s rare that I encounter a trainer, consultant, or professional coach that isn’t strapped for time. Any strategy for decreasing the time commitment to sustain marketing efforts is a welcome one. However, in content reuse, what starts as a one-time shortcut often becomes a habit.

In meeting with a trainer recently, I asked if they would need help with content creation. The trainer said, “No I don’t need anything like that. I recycle the same group of articles so we’re set for content.” In asking about the content it worked out that the articles repeated on about a two year cycle. I asked if there was any indication that his audience had lost interest in his articles and he replied, “No one’s ever complained about it. Heck if someone was paying that close attention they’re probably already a client.”

However, in looking over his marketing metrics his audiences engagement was significantly lower than average. While there could be several factors weighing in on that, the fact that he was repeating himself over and over didn’t seem like a motivating factor for people to remain engaged.

If you find you chronically reuse content then you are likely suffering in three primary ways:

• New articles are not being added to your website so there is not a consistent feed of fresh content to assist in your search engine optimization efforts.
• Social and email subscribers may not recognize specific articles have been repeated but almost always recognize a similar topic and begin to disengage or ignore the messages.
• Content online often gets dated quickly and using old articles with current dates can often make you look out of touch. (One of the trainer’s articles referenced cellular phones as a “new” technology)

While some content reuse is often valuable and effective, too much is often a problem. It’s OK to revisit past content from time to time, especially when a time crunch prevents new material from being created. However, be sure to edit it to ensure that the article is still relevant and makes a valid point.

If you find that you are habitually reusing content then it’s time to evaluate your marketing strategy. It’s unlikely anyone will complain about repetitive content, instead they’ll disengage or stop paying attention. Take a good hard look at your metrics, is it providing the complaint that your audience is tired of hearing the same thing over and over?