Investing in your business always needs careful consideration, particularly when you’re thinking about working with freelancers and consultants. You’ll probably have used the services of a website developer and graphic designer in the early days, so you know you have to choose other suppliers (including content repurposing support) who can help your company to progress.

I’d love it if everyone looking for a copywriter or content repurposing help picked me, but that’s not always practical or realistic, so I wrote this post to save you some time if you’re not sure if now is the right time for us to work together. If you’re still not sure, feel free to contact me to discuss your questions.

You Don’t Have Enough Content

If you’re still in the first couple of years of business, your focus has probably been on making people aware of what you do, finding clients and dealing with paperwork. It’s natural that blogging or creating content has slipped down your priority list – it’s hard to make time for it.

You may also have a handful of blogs that you wrote in a hurry and don’t feel comfortable with sharing or repurposing them. There may be busier periods in your industry, so you’d like to come up with a lot of content for that, but you haven’t done so yet.

If this is you, content repurposing may be something to revisit a few months down the line. But even if you’ve only got a small number of posts, these can still be turned into Tweetables, graphics for your preferred social media platforms, republished on LinkedIn or dictated to be used as a video or audio recording. And as a writer, I can also help you create new content.

A Bespoke Content Service is too Expensive

My content repurposing services are aimed at professionals looking for premium support to make sure their content offerings are of the highest possible standards. They want the reassurance that anything that’s transcribed is ready to use straight away and they’re serious about growing their businesses.

I’ve got 20 years’ experience as a writer, I’m a native English speaker and I’m a qualified transcriptionist (accredited by OCR, one of the top exam boards in the UK) and I bring all of that into my work for every client, so they know I’ll do a job that meets that expectation. But that knowledge means my services are priced higher than someone just starting out or who has English as a second language.

[ctt template=”3″ link=”u_8v2″ via=”yes” ]When you’re serious about business growth, invest in premium support services that match your high-quality standards[/ctt]

You can find audiotyping services online and via content mills, and you’ll get a full transcript of your recordings, which you’ll probably need to proofread and edit out filler words, repetitions and mistakes. You will also find people who can create graphics and so on for you, and they’ll be willing to work for a lower rate.

You may need to do more vetting and checking things over, and also make sure everyone sticks to your deadlines and follows your processes. You can read my thoughts on content mills here.

You Prefer to use Your Own Team

If you’ve already got a great VA who can do transcription quickly and competently, then it makes sense to ask them to turn your webinars into blog posts. If they can also use Canva or similar to make graphics, that’s even better.

Just make sure they understand what your aim is with repurposing your content in this way, and be prepared to do some editing yourself once you’ve got the transcripts. It’s unusual to find a VA who’s also got writing experience.

Even a 20 minute recording will give you enough for two blog posts, so don’t forget that someone needs to write the introductions and conclusions for these, as well as identify the most relevant sections for use on other platforms.

If you’ve got a graphic designer in your team, I’d always recommend that you ask them to create your graphics for social media, particularly if they created your logo and other branding too. They’ll have all the relevant fonts and colours at hand, and they’ll be able to produce what you need quickly.

Concerns About Data Protection

Certain professional services industries have strict rules around sensitive information and the sharing of this with third parties. I would absolutely recommend being clear on what you’re able to use, but you’ll find that there are ways around giving specific details.

For instance, when you’re writing a case study, you can combine two similar situations to create a composite story. You can also give best practice examples as scenarios to explain what you do.

Don’t forget, while you’re familiar with your subject and industry, the majority of your clients and potential customers aren’t, and you can create a lot of content about your products, services, and how you work with each client. General information is not only fine to share, but helpful.

I studied data protection and confidentiality as part of my degree, so when you do decide to produce content, make sure you use consultants who understand its importance. If necessary, ask them to sign a non-disclosure agreement or industry-appropriate document.

You Don’t do Video or Audio Content

If you’re not making vlogs, podcasts or webinars, you may not have a need for transcription repurposing services. However, even if you only blog once a month, it’s worth maximising the valuable information in it by creating tips to share on social media platforms. And a copywriter can save you time by doing the writing for you, so you may be able to increase how often you update your blogs.

It’s worth giving some thought to introducing video, however, because its popularity is only going to increase. You don’t need to make it too complicated, but it’s a great way to reach a wider audience. If vlogging isn’t common in your field, being one of the first to use it can help demonstrate your expertise and position yourself as a thought leader.

When you do decide to take on external support, research two or three possible freelancers, and be sure that whoever you pick understands your needs and business goals.