6 ways to repurpose old video content from home

Let’s be real, sometimes, (in or out of lockdown), the creative ideas just don’t flow like they should. Don’t stress though. There are sooo many ways to reuse, recycle and repurpose content that will keep your content calendar full and your followers happy. Check out our six top tips below:

1. Blooper reel it 

There’s a reason movie producers include outtakes at the end of films and blooper reel compilation videos on YouTube have millions of views. People love to lol.

Go on a trip down memory lane, combine your funniest outtake footage and make some totally feel-good content. Your followers will enjoy seeing a different BTS side of your content, boosting your engagement and authenticity. Plus, you don’t have to film anything new – a win-win. 

For a quick chuckle before you read your next content repurposing tip, check out this blooper video from the popular movie ‘Hot Fuzz’ – over 3.4 million views and counting. 

2. Get it on the gram

Give your old videos an extra boost by promoting them on social media. Crop your footage into short snappy teasers and post on your favourite social platforms to boost old videos and reach new audiences. Make sure you include a hook early on so people watch the whole video.

Using a free tool like CutStory will help you quickly edit your videos to fit with popular story formats on Instagram and Facebook. 

You can also use Instagram’s ‘create’ mode to make polls or design quizzes to promote your content via social media. This is a great way to interact with your audience and get their opinion on which types of content they like best. 

3. ‘Simply the best’ it

Create a ‘best of” video with your favourite moments from your most popular videos. Look back through your content and pick clips from your best-performing videos. This will ensure you’re repurposing content that your audience already loves and is likely to engage with again.

You don’t have to do a channel wide ‘best of’ video either, if you have an especially popular playlist or series, consider creating a mash-up of just those videos. Doubling down on content you know your audience like will often yield the best results. Check out the ‘best of’ video below from comedy Creator, Stephen Tries.

4. Write it down 

If your content includes helpful advice – whether it’s learning how to cook the perfect bolognese or top tips on getting back into fitness – write it down. 

If you don’t yet have a blog, consider starting one. They’re fantastic for reaching new audiences who would rather read than watch and can provide a huge boost in visibility. Repurposing your content in written form means it can appear on both online video platforms and Google search results, doubling your chances of being found online. 

Having your own site can also help if you have future plans to monetize your content. Once you’ve started a website it’s relatively easy to start selling from it. From fun merchandise to e-learning resources, the opportunities are endless.

4. Condense it 

Create shorter, more engaging videos out of your longer video content. Concentrate on the funniest scenes or a key piece of information that will help a viewer solve a particular problem. 

For example, the video interview with John Newman below could be chopped up into shorter videos focusing on the most laugh-out-loud sections. These can be repurposed on social media and online video platforms with attention-grabbing titles like ‘John Newman on Popping Spots’.

6. Trailer it 

Make or update your channel trailer. Just like on Netflix or at the cinema, trailers are a great way to encourage new people to engage with your content. This is a great place to include some of your ‘best of’ content, as well as some extra funny footage from your blooper reel. It’s best to show people what your channel is about rather than tell them so repurposing this content will work well. 

Remember, don’t make your trailer too long and make sure you include a hook in the first few seconds to pique people’s interest. Check out the Try Guys’ trailer for inspo below – 2.7 million views.

A great way to inject new life into your repurposed content is by using a winning soundtrack. This can give your content more energy or help bring a collection of video snippets together. It’s sad that up until now it wasn’t possible to use popular, recognizable music in videos on YouTube.. but that’s all changed now! Check out music licensing platform, Lickd. There’s a library of over 1 million tracks from recognizable artists that are totally claims-free. Whaaat? Yep, it’s true. Even better? Your first track has a 25% discount!