We know – you’re short on time, you’re pressed to find new content ideas, and you’re tired of constantly trying to keep up with evolving trends. You’re not alone. What if we told you that you could be sitting on a gold mine of content that will save you time, energy, and effort?

Have you ever considered repurposing existing, raw footage into fresh and new content? All of that footage in the Cloud, all of those unused videos on the Drive, and all of that b-roll waiting to be sorted through in an album – it can all be repurposed and put to use!

 

Raw Footage

Yes, final edited videos may have stolen the spotlight in the past – but raw footage is the foundation upon which all repurposing efforts are built. When we talk about raw footage we’re talking about the unedited, original video recordings that are captured during the production stage. This can include shots taken on professional cameras and also those on iPhone.

Raw footage provides both flexibility and versatility for content repurposing. Specific shots, moments and soundbites can be revisited for all sorts of future projects and often showcase points of brand differentiation, especially personality! It also showcases a glimpse behind the curtain, a BTS look at authentic and unfiltered moments that may not make the final cut but do humanise your brand and foster a deeper connection with your audience.

Raw footage serves as a playground for creative experimentation. If creativity isn’t your strong suit this might sound daunting – but don’t worry! All we mean by this is that you can experiment with editing styles, visual effects, and storytelling techniques without the constraints of a brief or pressure of a polished final product.

Now, we can’t talk about raw footage without talking about B-roll. B-roll is the supplementary background footage that isn’t the traditional, main action-shot. We won’t go into detail on B-roll here, but if you need some topics for shooting b-roll, you can find a quick how-to here.

With your raw footage, try new things like voiceovers, text on screen, whatever you think could work! Don’t adopt the mindset of ‘if it’s not broke, don’t fix it’. You never know, you could be the next big trend setter!

Repurposing Content

Repurposing content? Yes! Work smarter, not harder.

Before you just start reposting old content, it’s important to note that it’s not quite that easy. Set your strategy first. Understand who your target audience is, what platforms they spend most of their time on, and what content and topics they engage most with. Knowing the preferences of your audience is helpful in tailoring content design and messaging to make sure that you hit the mark and keep them engaged.

One of the easiest things to do with existing content is to break down longer videos into shorter, bite-sized clips that are punchy and highly shareable on social media platforms. Extract key highlights, insights and moments from the original video to hook the viewer and keep them wanting more. You can use these shorter clips to also compile a series of related videos into a highlight reel. These are particularly popular on social media platforms as they are engaging, visually appealing, and dynamic.

Shifting away from only visual and video content too, you can repurpose themes, messaging and information from videos and footage for use in audio-only (e.g., podcasts) or written content (e.g., blogs). Really, the opportunities are endless!

Making use of raw footage and repurposing content is both a cost-effective and efficient way to maximise the impact of your efforts. Leverage the power of repurposing to extend the reach, engagement, and longevity of your content across multiple channels, platforms and mediums. So, next time you set out on a content production journey, make sure to plan for future use of content – it could hold the key to unlocking increased reach, connection and engagement. Oh, and don’t forget the B-roll!