How to Repurpose Other People's Content

How To Repurpose Content That Doesn’t Belong to You

Hands up if you often feel like you're running frantically on a hamster wheel, tirelessly creating fresh content, or feeding an ever-hungry social media content monster? ! The constant stress of planning and creating a constant schedule of articles, graphics and news updates can quickly feel overwhelming so it's no wonder so many business owners consider using other people's content to save time and bolster their own content strategy. Content creation for entrepreneurs is a massive time suck, so finding clever ways to repurpose another person’s content for your business is nothing short of genius!

If you’re new to the concept of repurposing content, then I’ll briefly walk it through. It’s a savvy method that allows you to create fresh unique content from existing content, without having the constant pressure of creating new material from scratch. Repurposing is working smarter, not harder. And by repurposing your existing content effectively, you can keep your audiences engaged, expand your reach, keep your diary free and your content fresh. What’s not to love?!

Here are my top tips for when you’re repurposing other people’s content:

Tip 1: Always Seek Their Permission

The first step in safely and legally repurposing content is to get permission from the original content creator. This can be as simple as sending an email asking permission. Many creators are open to sharing their work if you ask nicely and explain how you intend to use it. When you ask for permission, you’ll build positive relationships within the creator community in your sector.

Tip 2: Give Them All the Credit

Once you have permission, always give credit on your content piece to the original creator. Tag their social media profile if they have one, mention their name, and provide a link back to their original content. The lovely thing about doing this is that it shows respect for their work and also builds your credibility as a collaborator. It’s a win-win situation, as it can also drive traffic to their content as well as yours.

Tip 3: Add Your Own Perspective

When repurposing other people’s content, try to add your own unique spin on the content or further build on it to give even more value to the reader. Adding your own persona stamp to another creator’s work makes the content more relevant to your own audience. It transforms borrowed content into something new and valuable and you’ll come across as a collaborator.

Tip 4: Understand Copyright and Fair Use Policies

Don’t skip this tip! It's super important to familiarise yourself with copyright laws and the concept of fair use. Fair use means you can reuse copyright-protected material under certain circumstances without getting the copyright owner's permission (a great example of fair use is if you are creating content which critiques copyrighted work). The rules for fair use can vary between countries, so make sure you check when using someone else’s work.

Tip 5: Use Stock or Free Content from Public Domains

If reaching out to seek permission feels a little daunting, then check out content which is freely available in the public domain, or under Creative Commons licenses. These are made available for free and legal sharing, with some content needing to be given basic credit. Sites such as Pexels,  Flickr, and Unsplash offer plenty of great content that you can legally use.

Things That May Trip You Up!

When you’re busy repurposing other people’s content, it’s easy to trip yourself up so here are three things you need to avoid if you want to repurpose it like a pro:

Don’t Assume All Public Content is Free to Use

Just because something is published online it doesn’t mean it’s free for you to use, so make sure you check the ownership and copyright status before repurposing another person’s content. Carrying out simple check will save you from a potential legal headache, and protect your reputation!

Avoid Solely Relying on Fair Use

Yes, fair use is a great safety net, it's a bit of a grey area and is often subject to interpretation. At Repurpose My Socials we don’t recommend you rely on fair use without first understanding its limits, so make sure your ‘need’ to apply fair use qualifies. If you’re no sure, always seek legal advice to stay on the right side of the law.

Don’t Ignore Takedown Notices!

If you ever receive a takedown notice from a content creator, then address it as soon as possible. Ignoring take down, or credit requests can quickly escalate into legal action, and that’s not all, your social media account could be banned by the platform. Don’t be THAT person! Always apologise to the creator, ask their permission and failing that being given, comply with their take down request and find an alternative.

So, repurposing other people's content can be a super smart and efficient way to boost your content strategy without climbing back on that hamster wheel. If you respect your fellow creators and take a collaborative approach you can make your content (& theirs!) add huge value to your audience.

At Repurpose My Socials, we understand the time suck of content creation and we’re here to get you off the content creation hamster wheel. Whether you need fresh content created or want to repurpose your existing core content, we have you covered.

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Embrace content repurposing and you too can break free from the hamster wheel, feed your content monster more efficiently, and focus more on growing your business!

If you’re a content creator then we’d love to work with you to repurpose your Blog, Podcast or Videos!