Change Your Angle: 5 Approaches to Get More Content Out of Every Idea

This piece is adapted from an email that demonstrated each of the 5 approaches. In that version, readers saw how I got ideas for 21 pieces of content from one concept. See what you're missing when you subscribe to twice-monthly 🍊Content Quick Starts.

When I was a reporter, there were some repetitive stories that had to be covered.

Back to school time. Graduation time. The local festival.

People read those stories. Expected them. Demanded them.

But no writer wants to write virtually the same story every year. So every year, we had to find some way to reinvent them. Some new angle or point of view.

That’s probably why I don’t get retiring a content idea once you’ve tackled it. From where I’m standing, there’s a lot of meat left on that bone.

When people think of repurposing content, they usually think of things like cutting up long posts into short social media clips. Which is great, and you should definitely do that.

But you should also repurpose your concepts. Take that idea you addressed and address it again in a different way.

Here are 5 different approaches you can take when presenting a single idea. This list is not exhaustive; in fact, it’s limited only by your imagination. But these should get you started.

Approach 1: Analytical How

This is the classic “how-to” content you probably create lots of.

Explain the steps in how to do something. You can get even more juice from this idea by creating new content about each of the steps.

Approach 2: Analytical Why

Knowing how to do something is well and good, but what really builds a reputation is being able to explain the why. That shows deeper expertise and mastery of the subject.

I call this approach “Analytical” Why because it’s not philosophical. It’s the hard data, fact-based reasons why this concept and each step in the process exists.

Approach 3: Metaphorical

Metaphors exist to make abstract concepts more concrete and relatable.

For instance, many people have never seen a “content plan” and have a hard time imagining what that looks like. It sounds like a good idea, but it’s kind of vague and they’re not entirely sure why they should want one.

But if I describe it as a roadmap to achieve your marketing goals, that feels more concrete. We’ve all seen a map before. We understand the purpose and value of a map. So it’s easier to understand how a map will take us where we want to go.

Approach 4: Aspirational

This is the dream outcome approach. You might use a case study to illustrate the happy outcome.

The aspirational approach gets away from the technical “how to” and outcome-based “why” and taps into your audience’s desire for what you really offer — time savings, money savings, clarity, increased revenue, etc.

Approach 5: Personal Storytelling

This isn’t quite a case study, because a case study tells a client story. This approach tells your story, as a creator or company.

It might be the story behind why you built this offer — the need you saw in the marketplace and how you knew this was the way to address it.

It might be the story behind how the offer evolved, a story about your first success with it, or a story about a time you were challenged and almost gave up.

This is humanizing, credibility-building content that shows I don’t just offer this thing because ChatGPT said I should.

That’s repurposing the concept. You can, and should, also repurpose the content: each one of those long-form pieces can be cut up into short-form chunks, could be illustrated as an infographic or carousel, could be read into a video (if written) or transcribed into text (if video).

If coming up with new things to talk about is a challenge, step back and ask yourself whether you’ve really talked about all your past topics in all the ways you could. My guess is you probably haven’t.

🍊PS: I’m looking to build some targeted case studies in the next quarter. Qualifying businesses or leaders will get a discount of up to half off their package in exchange for agreeing to be featured in a case study.

If there’s an offer on my services page that interests you, and you’d like to apply to be a case study, email me to set up a free call and see if you qualify.