Original research can be a gold-mine for content marketers. But only if you get the results you need – and repurpose them effectively.
So what does effective research repurposing look like?
Michele Linn, marketer, data repurposing expert, and founder and Head of Strategy at Mantis Research, joined The Content 10x Podcast to share how marketers can maximize their original research findings.
She revealed her techniques for repurposing data and research into engaging content, tips for marketers embarking on a research project, and examples of real data repurposing in action.
Listen to the podcast episode here…
Watch the highlights below or catch the full video interview on our YouTube channel...
Or keep reading for the top takeaways from Michele.
Why repurpose your research
Whether you conduct your own surveys or work with an agency to get original research, data can have a huge impact on your marketing. Especially your content marketing. Why?
Because data is valuable and shareable.
If you publish your findings on your website, for example, it not only positions you as an authority on that data’s topic, but it’s also brilliant for SEO. More people will link to your content and your site will become highly trusted by search engines.
We’ve spoken before about how to strategically repurpose research into a webinar – which is another example of authority-building content, but in a completely different format.
Michele says there’s so much potential for repurposing your research, it’s even possible to get a year’s worth of content from just one report!
This is dependent on the quality and quantity of data you get – but you get the idea. Data & research = repurposing opportunities.
The 4 Rs of repurposing research
Michele takes 4 different approaches to repurposing research findings. These are reuse, reflect, reveal, and reimagine. Here’s how you can use each one.
1. Reuse your data elsewhere
If you’ve done a survey and are constructing a report, you might be looking for data points that support one key theme or narrative. But the extraneous data shouldn’t end up on the cutting room floor.
Keep note of interesting stats or stories and reuse them on other platforms. For example, statistics make excellent graphics that you can share on social media.
Or perhaps several findings could come together to create a narrative best shared as a Twitter thread or carousel on LinkedIn or Instagram.
You could also include them in sales presentations, your creds pack, or even virtual or in-person talks. There’s really no limit to where your stats could end up!
2. Reflect on your findings
Sharing your research is one thing, but how about really opening up the conversation?
Discussing your thoughts on the findings can inspire others to share their opinions. You could record a podcast episode sharing your reflections, write some social media posts to get the conversation going, or publish a poll on Twitter or LinkedIn to see what your audience think.
But don’t just leave it there. As your audience respond with comments or by getting in touch, respond to them to keep the momentum going.
This may lead to follow-up pieces of content reflecting on the reaction to your reflections!
3. Reveal solutions
It’s very likely that your findings will tell you things you didn’t expect or perhaps show you some gaps you weren’t aware of.
Gathering data helps expose you to new opportunities, and these could be content-related. So perhaps your data tells you that your audience really likes watching YouTube videos. You could pivot your content strategy to create more YouTube videos.
Or maybe you discover that your audience are really successful when they use your product to achieve one particular goal. How about repurposing that data into content which shows potential new clients how to attain that goal using your product?
4. Reimagine your data
Your final report will usually discuss your findings from one particular angle. But if you’ve gathered large amounts of data, you don’t have to draw the line at just one.
Presenting your findings from different angles is a great way to find new connections with your audience.
Michele says you should try and unpack your data in alternative ways, such as looking at it through different segments. Will a B2B audience feel the same about the findings as a B2C audience? Or is there a gender split that’s interesting? There could be countless different ways to analyze and reimagine your data, so why not repurpose your research into content that explores them?
You could create a mini-video series for YouTube, or even TikTok, sharing these reimagined data points.
What to avoid when repurposing research
Those are 4 ways you can and should repurpose your research findings, is there anything you shouldn’t do?
Michele suggests one thing marketers need to pay attention to before they even begin their research. It’s the survey design itself.
The biggest mistake marketers can make is to rush out a survey which doesn’t result in the right data.
You need to ensure enough time and attention is paid at the planning stage, to design a comprehensive and clear survey that will give you everything you need for a great report and amazing repurposing potential.
It’s like we always say, create your content with repurposing in mind! It’ll really help you out in the long run.
For more from Michele, listen to the podcast episode at the top of this page, connect with her on LinkedIn or check out Mantis Research.
If you want to create and share more content in less time, we can help. We take repurposing your content off your plate so you can focus on all the other tasks needing your attention. Find out how by watching this video.