Hey friend,

Most people think they’re doing repurposing right.

They take a long video and slice it into five clips. Pull a quote or two for LinkedIn. Maybe drop a few clips into their newsletter and call it a day.

Technically, yes, that’s repurposing.

But here’s the problem: they’re only recycling the wrapper.

Not the core idea that made the content worth creating in the first place.

And that’s where things fall apart.

Most repurposing misses the point

First, let’s take a quick step back.

The entire point of repurposing is to get more reach. More mileage. And more eyeballs on the message.

But if all you're doing is breaking your content into smaller bits without reworking the idea to fit the format or audience, you’re changing the shape, not the substance.

And look, no rule says you must repurpose video clips from a video. Or text from blog. Or audio from a podcast.

Your audience might not need more chances in one format. They need more chances to understand what you meant.

People don’t miss ideas because you didn’t post enough clips. They miss ideas because you didn’t explain them in enough ways.

Let the idea travel, not just the asset

Instead of asking, “How do I cut this up?”

Try asking, “What’s the core point I was trying to make here?”

That small shift changes everything. Suddenly, you're not just looking at timestamps and transcriptions. You’re thinking about clarity, timing, and delivery. You’re thinking like a teacher, not a content machine.

Let’s say your original content is about building trust with your audience.

You could:

• Write a social post that reframes what trust-building looks like in your industry
• Share a past mistake or overlooked moment that taught you something about trust
• Turn a piece of data or stat into a slide or chart to show how trust compounds over time
• Break the idea into a short list or decision-making filter that others can use

All of these are rooted in the same idea.

But each one gives the audience a different way to hear it, feel it, and use it.

And that’s the point.

Not just exposure. Not just more output. But more understanding.

Because people don’t act on ideas they’ve seen once or twice.

They act on ideas they understand.

3 overlooked places to find your best repurposing opportunities

If you’re thinking, “Okay, this sounds great, but where do I find these ‘ideas’ to break out and reuse?” start here.

Look more closely at what you’ve already done.

Here are three specific places that tend to hide your best repurposable thinking:

1. Frameworks or mental models you’ve built for yourself

You may not even call them frameworks, but if you use a repeated process to explain or solve something, that’s your IP. And most of the time, it’s only been published once. It might be hidden in a deck, buried in a blog, or scribbled in a notebook. Start talking about those in as many formats as possible.

2. Past content that performed unusually well (but you never explored deeper)

Most people treat a hit like a finished product. But what if it’s just Chapter One? Keep pulling the thread. Ask why it worked. And make a plan to get that same idea back out there.

3. Questions that keep showing up in your inbox, DMs, or calls

When the same question comes up in slightly different forms, that’s not a coincidence. That’s a signal. Your audience is telling you, “This still isn’t clear to me.” Your job is to answer it again. Don't be afraid to repeat yourself.

So, start with one of the three places above and dig in.

Then ask yourself,

How else (and where else) could I say this so that more people get it?

That’s real repurposing.

Have a great week!

Justin

P.S. If you want a simple way to turn one idea into multiple pieces of content without starting from scratch each time, there’s a full module that shows you how. It breaks down micro vs. macro repurposing with real examples, so you know exactly what to create, where to share it, and how to make each version count. You’ll find it inside the Distribution First Framework course.

P.S. Want to get more out of your content? Here are 4 ways to grow your reach and ROI without burning out:

🎯 The Content Repurposing Roadmap

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🔁 The Distribution Framework Course

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📬 Distribution First Academy

Every course, coaching, and community—all included. This membership helps content leads and freelancers build systems that get more eyes on their work through smarter repurposing and strategic distribution. Your investment: $995/year

💬 Private Coaching with Me

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Your Investment: Starts at $3k/month