Designing infographics for content repurposing strategies involves visually communicating complex information about how to rework existing content into various formats to maximize its value, reach, and impact. Infographics are an effective way to present such strategies because they make the information digestible, engaging, and easy to share. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to design infographics for content repurposing strategies.
1. Understanding Content Repurposing
Before diving into the design process, it’s important to fully grasp the concept of content repurposing. Content repurposing involves taking existing content (like blog posts, articles, podcasts, videos, or social media posts) and reworking it into different formats for broader reach and effectiveness. The goal is to extend the life of content by transforming it into multiple formats tailored for different platforms, audiences, and consumption preferences.
Repurposing strategies could include turning blog posts into videos, creating social media posts from webinars, or transforming infographics into eBooks. The content should remain aligned with the brand’s goals and voice, but it should be reformatted to meet the specific needs of the target platform or audience.
2. Choosing the Right Content to Repurpose
The first step in creating an infographic about content repurposing strategies is identifying which pieces of content to repurpose. Not all content is suitable for repurposing, so focus on the high-performing or evergreen content that has already proven to resonate with your audience.
Types of Content to Repurpose:
- Long-Form Blog Posts or Articles: These are rich in information and can easily be transformed into shorter content formats.
- Videos and Webinars: These often contain a wealth of information that can be broken down into snippets for social media or blog posts.
- Podcasts: Audio content can be converted into articles, blog posts, or transcriptions.
- Social Media Posts: These can be expanded into more detailed blog posts or repurposed for different platforms.
- Reports and Ebooks: These can be condensed into quick summaries or visual content like infographics.
3. Defining the Purpose and Audience of the Infographic
When designing an infographic, it’s crucial to define the purpose and target audience. Is the goal to educate the audience on the benefits of content repurposing? Or is it to show step-by-step how to repurpose content efficiently?
Identify the specific problem or question that the infographic aims to solve. For example:
- Educational Purpose: “How to Repurpose Content Across Multiple Platforms.”
- Process-Oriented Purpose: “Step-by-Step Guide to Repurposing Blog Content into Other Formats.”
Knowing the goal of the infographic helps you create focused, relevant visuals. Likewise, consider the audience for whom you’re designing. Are they content marketers, small business owners, or large companies with a dedicated marketing team? This will influence the tone and complexity of your design.
4. Structuring the Infographic
An effective infographic should follow a clear structure to guide the viewer through the information. Here’s a breakdown of how to structure the infographic for content repurposing strategies:
i. Title/Header
- The title should be clear and specific, such as “Maximize Your Content’s Potential: A Step-by-Step Guide to Repurposing Content.”
- Use large, bold fonts to make it eye-catching and easy to read.
ii. Introduction/Overview
- Provide a short introduction to the concept of content repurposing. This can be a one or two-sentence overview to help the reader understand the value of repurposing content.
- A brief definition of content repurposing can go here.
iii. Step-by-Step Process or Strategy
- Break down the repurposing process into simple steps. You can divide this into sections such as:
- Choose the Right Content: Describe how to evaluate which content to repurpose.
- Select the Formats: Discuss different formats like blog posts, videos, social media updates, etc.
- Platform-Specific Strategies: Briefly explain how to adjust content for different platforms (e.g., Instagram vs. LinkedIn vs. YouTube).
- Optimizing for SEO and Engagement: How to optimize repurposed content for each platform to get the best results.
- Measure Success: Discuss how to track the effectiveness of repurposed content.
Each step can be accompanied by a visual element (icons, illustrations, or flowcharts) to make the process easier to follow.
iv. Visual Flow
- Use arrows or lines to show a progression from one step to the next. A linear or circular flowchart format can work well to demonstrate the process.
- Group related elements together to help the viewer follow the sequence intuitively.
v. Best Practices and Tips
- Offer actionable tips or shortcuts for effective content repurposing. For example:
- Repurpose blog content into email newsletters.
- Break up a long video into multiple shorter clips for social media.
- Repurpose top-performing tweets into more in-depth blog posts.
- These can be presented as small icons with short text, easily digestible.
vi. Conclusion/Call to Action
- End with a call to action, encouraging the audience to start repurposing their content. This can be a button like “Start Repurposing Today!” or a suggestion to download a detailed eBook or guide on the topic.
- You could also provide a final takeaway or summary.
5. Design Elements
The design elements you choose play a critical role in the effectiveness of the infographic. A few key considerations:
i. Color Scheme
- Choose a color scheme that aligns with the brand’s identity, but also ensures that the infographic is easy to read.
- Use contrasting colors to differentiate between sections and emphasize key points.
- Stick to a palette of 2–4 colors to keep the design clean and organized.
ii. Typography
- Select a combination of fonts that are clear, readable, and professional.
- Use bold or larger fonts for headings and subheadings, and smaller fonts for detailed descriptions.
- Keep text minimal and concise to avoid overwhelming the reader.
iii. Icons and Imagery
- Use icons to represent different types of content formats (e.g., a video camera for videos, a pen for blog posts, etc.).
- Use simple, flat illustrations to help explain processes without cluttering the design.
- Images should complement the content, not overpower it.
iv. Spacing and Layout
- Ensure there is enough white space to avoid a cluttered look.
- Align text, icons, and other elements consistently for visual flow and readability.
- Create sections with clear boundaries (either with lines or boxes) to help the viewer distinguish between different types of content or strategies.
6. Tools for Designing Infographics
There are several design tools available for creating high-quality infographics without requiring advanced design skills. Some popular options include:
- Canva: An easy-to-use tool with various templates and a wide selection of icons and images.
- Adobe Spark: Offers customizable templates and integrates well with other Adobe products.
- Visme: A platform with advanced design features, perfect for creating professional-grade infographics.
- Piktochart: Great for infographics with charts and data visualizations.
- Venngage: Focuses on infographics with a variety of templates and an easy drag-and-drop interface.
These tools offer templates specifically designed for infographics, making the design process faster and more intuitive.
7. Testing and Refining the Design
Once your infographic is designed, it’s important to test its effectiveness. Show it to a small group of target audience members and ask for feedback on:
- Clarity of the message.
- Ease of understanding the process.
- Overall visual appeal.
Consider A/B testing different versions of the infographic on social media or within email newsletters to gauge which performs better.
8. Distribution Strategy for the Infographic
An infographic about content repurposing is just as effective as the distribution strategy behind it. To maximize its reach, consider the following channels:
- Social Media: Share the infographic across platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
- Blog Posts: Embed the infographic in a blog post for better engagement.
- Email Newsletters: Include the infographic in your next newsletter to help educate subscribers.
- Press and Media: If you have media contacts or are part of any industry groups, share the infographic to spread awareness.
Conclusion
Creating an infographic for content repurposing strategies requires clear, concise communication paired with engaging design. The infographic should highlight the importance of repurposing content, outline the process, and provide actionable tips. By selecting the right content, defining your audience, choosing the correct design elements, and utilizing the best tools, you can create an informative, visually appealing infographic that helps marketers and businesses maximize their content’s potential.