Repurposing Content Across YT Shorts, Instagram Reels, and TikTok Videos: The Ultimate Guide

We’re living in fast-paced digital work, and if you’re in the business, you’ve likely witnessed a huge demand for short-form video content. 

With its rise, these videos have become a pivotal component for the success of any digital strategy. They range from a few seconds to 2 minutes, but they’re very successful in capturing the audience’s attention.

This format perfectly aligns with the modern user’s preference for instant gratification. Platforms like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and TikTok have gained immense popularity – amassing millions of active users worldwide. 

Undeniably, these videos present an unparalleled opportunity for content creators and businesses to tap into a vast and diverse audience. 

In this guide, we’ll talk about how to repurpose short-form video content across the most popular social media platforms and seize the day!

Understanding the Platforms

Let’s get one thing straight – comprehending the unique characteristics of various social media platforms is paramount for success. You need to go through the bits and pieces of social media platforms that are crucial for your business and digest their concept.

Short-form video content has emerged as an extremely powerful tool in this landscape

Here’s a fact that supports this statement.

In 2023, 90% of marketers will increase their budget for short-form video content.

Before we dig deep into the strategies for repurposing, let’s take a minute to explore the significance of these platforms, their specifications, demographics, and the effectiveness of short video content in digital marketing.

YouTube Shorts 

With a maximum length of 60 seconds, YT shorts cater to a diverse audience. Leveraging YouTube’s vast user base, Shorts offers unparalleled reach for content creators. 

This type of content has shown to be particularly effective for tutorials, quick tips, and entertaining content – which is, obviously, among the most popular content for the younger population.

Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels, integrated into the Instagram app not long ago, targets a younger demographic. 

Instagram introduced Reels on August 5th, 2020, featuring short-form videos. Instagram’s move to enhance video sharing directly responds to the video craze ignited by TikTok, signifying their competition.

Users can create 15 to 90-second videos with music, effects, and filters. The platform’s visual nature makes it perfect for showcasing products, boosting Instagram posts, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and creative storytelling.

Reels blew up on this platform!

TikTok

TikTok is the reigning champion of short-form video, and that’s a solid fact. As of 2020, it has taken the world by storm. TikTok videos can range from 15 seconds up to 3 minutes.

With an emphasis on entertainment, it’s the most popular among Gen Z and Millennials, who also create the most content on this platform. As far as content goes, TikTok videos are often quirky, humorous, and relatable, which triggers communication and reaction. 

Marketers can also tap into TikTok’s vast user base to create viral challenges and trends.

Top 5 Strategies for Effective Content Repurposing Across Platforms

Now that you’re fully aware of the basics behind these top-performing platforms, it’s time to dig deep into effective content repurposing strategies and claim your online success.

Cross-Platform Adaptation

First off, let’s elaborate.

Cross-platform adaptation refers to the process of making content, applications, or software compatible and functional across different operating systems, devices, or platforms. 

Simply speaking, this adaptation is essential in a world where users interact with a wide range of devices and platforms, such as desktops, smartphones, tablets, and various operating systems (such as Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and more).

Cross-platform adaptation can be highly beneficial for short-form video platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts in several ways.

For starters, by ensuring that content is adapted to work seamlessly on multiple platforms, creators can reach a broader audience. 

Different people prefer different platforms, so being present on TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts simultaneously can help maximize exposure.

Each platform has its unique features. TikTok boasts duets and stitches, Instagram has hundreds of filters and effects, and YouTube integrates with the main platform. 

Adapting content to utilize these features can make content more engaging and shareable – which is, after all, the main goal, right?

Maximizing your content’s presence on multiple platforms can lead to more significant monetization opportunities as well. This includes brand partnerships, ad revenue, and sponsored content deals.

TikTok’s ad revenue has witnessed a huge increase. It was estimated that TikTok generated around $12 billion in ad revenue in 2022.

Highlighted Reels

Instagram’s “Highlighted Reels” feature plays a crucial role in maximizing the benefits of repurposing content across social media platforms.  One of the primary benefits of using “Highlighted Reels” for repurposing content is that it allows social media brands and influencers to extend the lifespan of their existing content. 

By selecting best-performing or evergreen content, accounts can ensure that it remains accessible to their audience long after its initial publication of 24 hours, keeping the message fresh and relevant.

This increased visibility can attract new followers, drive traffic to your profile, and enhance your overall online presence.

In the autumn of 2021, BOSS unveiled its second collaborative collection with Russell Athletic, titled BOSS x Russell Athletic. To mark the launch of this collection during Milan Fashion Week, BOSS leveraged Instagram Live and Reels ads.

Additionally, a complementary campaign aimed at enhancing brand awareness occurred from September 27 to October 17, 2021. This campaign was exclusively conducted on Instagram and had a frequency cap of four times per week. It featured Reel ads and ads within Instagram Stories and the feed, showcasing prominent fashion influencers and creators who participated in the fashion show.

While the campaign had a global reach, it specifically prioritized the UK market to reinforce the message that BOSS extends beyond its reputation as solely a suit brand.

As assessed by a brand lift study, the campaign yielded impressive results, including a 6.4-point increase in favorability and a 1.6-point rise in preference in the UK. 

Furthermore, there was a remarkable 1600% surge in social engagement on the BOSS Instagram account within just four days. 

Storytelling Series

Creating a storytelling series for repurposing content can be an effective strategy for engaging your audience and maximizing the value of your existing material. 

You can begin by taking an inventory of your existing content. This includes blog posts, videos, podcasts, social media posts, and any other relevant materials you’ve previously created. Identify content that can be grouped into a series based on common themes, topics, or narratives – and craft your master plan.

Next, determine the overarching theme or message for your storytelling series. This could be an educational journey, a case study, a step-by-step guide, or a narrative that unfolds over several episodes – think about what your followers would like to see. 

Why?

Storytelling captivates and engages the audience’s emotions and imagination. It makes content more relatable, memorable, and enjoyable.

Rihanna got the memo and excelled at brand storytelling with her Super Bowl performance. Rihanna’s immense talent and creativity likely played a significant role in the success of her performance, which reached a substantial 118.7 million viewers, demonstrating her ability to connect with a massive and diverse audience.

This 15-minute performance yielded unimaginable results for her brand. 

To learn more about this, take a moment to watch Carina’s YT video. 

User-Generated-Content (UGC) 

User-generated content (UGC) refers to content created and shared by your audience or customers. It can take the form of reviews, testimonials, social media posts, images, videos, and more.

UGC is authentic and unbiased. It reflects the real experiences and opinions of your customers, which can build trust for your brand. Creating original content can be time-consuming and costly.

Repurposing UGC allows you to leverage content that is readily available and doesn’t require as much time and resources to produce.

According to TINT’s State of Social & User-Generated Content, 60% of marketers indicate that their audience exhibits higher engagement levels with User-Generated Content (UGC) in marketing and communication channels compared to branded content.

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Behind-the-Scenes (BTS)

Repurposing Behind-the-Scenes (BTS) content is a clever way to leverage the unique and engaging content created during the production of a project or event. 

BTS content offers a glimpse into the process, personalities, and work that goes into making something happen, whether it’s a movie, a product launch, or an event. 

Sharing behind-the-scenes content demonstrates transparency and authenticity, helping to build trust with your audience. Note that  BTS content comes in various forms – videos, photos, interviews, and more. 

Here are a couple of BTS content from cinematic masterpieces:

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By repurposing these materials, you can diversify your content strategy.

Here’s an example:

ReferralRock’s recent survey delved into the practice of recycling content and its perception among marketers, yielding fascinating insights.

The survey revealed that a remarkable 94% of marketers are actively engaged in content repurposing. The remaining 6% intend to incorporate it into their marketing strategies in the future. 

Interestingly, the survey also included a third option – ‘No, we do not plan to repurpose content,’ but intriguingly, this choice received zero votes.

When inquired about the most effective content marketing strategy among content creation, content repurposing, and updating old content, 46% of marketers highlighted content repurposing as the strategy that yielded the best results.

Here’s a visual:

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If this evidence doesn’t emphasize its significance, it’s challenging to fathom what would.

The Final Verdict

So far, we’ve embraced the significance of short-form video platforms like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and TikTok in today’s fast-paced digital world. These platforms offer a truly unique opportunity for content creators and businesses to engage with diverse audiences.

Understanding the specific features and demographics of each platform is essential for a successful digital strategy, though. 

Repurposing content is a powerful strategy, and it’s essential to adapt content to suit the unique features of each platform. You can choose between cross-platform adaptation, highlighted reels, storytelling series, UGC, and BTS.

One thing is certain – leveraging these strategies and platforms is crucial for success as they allow you to capture the audience’s attention and build meaningful connections.