The Ultimate Content Repurposing Checklist: What to Repurpose, Where, and When
Everyone talks about content repurposing. Few people actually do it consistently. And the reason is almost always the same: they don't have a system. They know they should repurpose their blog posts into social content and their videos into clips and their newsletters into posts. But when they sit down to do it, they stare at the screen and think "where do I even start?"
This is the checklist that fixes that. Not theory. Not strategy. A literal step-by-step checklist you can follow every single week to turn your existing content into a multi-platform presence without losing your mind.
Bookmark this. Print it. Tape it to your wall. Whatever works. This is the resource I wish existed when I was figuring this stuff out.
Phase 1: Content Audit Checklist
Before you start repurposing, you need to know what you're working with. This is a one-time exercise that takes about an hour and saves you hundreds of hours over the next year.
Content Inventory
- List all blog posts published in the last 12 months
- List all videos (YouTube, webinars, course content, live recordings)
- List all podcast episodes or audio content
- List all email newsletters sent in the last 6 months
- List all presentations, keynotes, or workshop materials
- List all downloadable resources (ebooks, guides, checklists, templates)
- Screenshot your top 20 social media posts by engagement
Performance Check
- Identify your top 10 blog posts by traffic (Google Analytics or similar)
- Identify your top 10 social posts by engagement (likes + comments + shares)
- Identify your top 5 emails by open rate
- Identify your top 5 videos by view count or watch time
- Note which topics appear in multiple "top" lists (these are your repurposing priorities)
The content that performs best in one format is the most likely to perform well in other formats. Start there. Don't repurpose everything. Repurpose your winners first.
Phase 2: Platform Formatting Rules
Every platform has its own rules. Post the wrong format and your content dies regardless of how good it is. Here's the quick reference guide for what works where.
- Text posts: 1,200-1,500 characters optimal. Short paragraphs (1-2 sentences). Hook in the first line. End with a question.
- Carousels: 5-10 slides. One point per slide. Start with a hook slide, end with a CTA slide.
- Video: 1-3 minutes. Native upload only (no YouTube links). Captions required.
- Best times: Tuesday-Thursday, 8-10 AM local time.
- Tone: Professional but personal. First-person perspective. Insights and lessons learned.
- Feed posts: High-quality images or graphics. Captions up to 2,200 characters. Use 20-30 hashtags in first comment.
- Reels: 15-60 seconds. Vertical format (9:16). Text overlays. Trending audio helps reach.
- Stories: Quick updates, polls, questions, behind-the-scenes. 24-hour lifespan drives urgency.
- Carousels: Up to 20 slides. Educational content performs best. Save rate is the key metric.
- Best times: Monday-Friday, 11 AM-1 PM and 7-9 PM local time.
Twitter/X
- Single tweets: 280 characters max. Strong opinions and hot takes perform best.
- Threads: 5-12 tweets. Number each tweet. Hook tweet is everything. End with CTA.
- Best times: Weekdays, 8-10 AM and 12-1 PM local time.
- Tone: Casual, direct, conversational. First-person. Strong point of view.
TikTok
- Videos: 30-60 seconds optimal. Vertical format. Hook in first 2 seconds or you're dead.
- Text overlays: Essential. Most viewers watch without sound initially.
- Tone: Authentic, unpolished, energetic. Overproduced content underperforms.
- Best times: Tuesday-Thursday, 2-5 PM local time.
- Subject line: 40-60 characters. Personal, curiosity-driven, or specific.
- Body: 300-500 words for newsletters. One main topic. One CTA. Mobile-friendly formatting.
- Frequency: Weekly or bi-weekly. Consistency matters more than frequency.
- Pin format: Vertical (2:3 ratio). Text overlay with keyword-rich description.
- Description: 200-500 characters with relevant keywords. Think SEO, not social.
- Best content types: How-tos, checklists, infographics, step-by-step guides.
Skip the Manual Formatting
Splintr automatically formats your content for every platform. Drop in one blog post, get back LinkedIn posts, Instagram captions, Twitter threads, and email copy. All formatted correctly. All in your voice.
Try Splintr FreePhase 3: The Repurposing Conversion Checklist
Here's exactly what to create from each type of source content. Use this as your go-to reference every time you publish something new.
From a Blog Post, Create:
- 3-5 LinkedIn text posts (one per main point)
- 1 LinkedIn carousel (summarize the full post in slides)
- 1 Twitter/X thread (key points as individual tweets)
- 3-5 Instagram captions with relevant images
- 1 Instagram carousel (visual summary)
- 1 email newsletter featuring the blog's core message
- 3-5 quote graphics (strongest lines from the post)
- 1 Pinterest pin (if visual/how-to content)
- 1 short video script (summarize in 60 seconds for Reels/TikTok)
From a Video/Webinar, Create:
- 1 full blog post from the transcript
- 3-5 short clips for Reels/TikTok/Shorts
- 5-8 social media posts from key insights
- 1 email newsletter
- 4-6 quote graphics from standout lines
- 1 Twitter thread summarizing the video
- 1-2 LinkedIn carousels from main frameworks
From a Podcast Episode, Create:
- 1 blog post from the transcript
- 3-5 audiogram clips with waveform graphics
- 5-8 social media posts from key discussions
- 1 email featuring episode highlights
- 3-5 quote graphics from guest or host
- 1 Twitter thread of top takeaways
From an Email Newsletter, Create:
- 2-3 LinkedIn posts from key sections
- 1-2 Twitter/X posts from the best line or stat
- 1 Instagram post or carousel from the main topic
- 1 blog post if the topic warrants deeper coverage
- 1-2 quote graphics from the strongest statements
Phase 4: The Weekly Scheduling Template
Repurposing without scheduling is just creating a pile of content that never gets posted. Here's the weekly template that keeps everything organized and consistently published.
Weekly Repurposing Schedule
- Monday: Publish primary content (blog post, video, or podcast). Begin repurposing immediately.
- Tuesday: Post LinkedIn content (text post + carousel from Monday's piece)
- Wednesday: Post Instagram content (feed post + Stories + Reel from Monday's piece)
- Thursday: Post Twitter thread + email newsletter
- Friday: Post quote graphics across platforms + schedule Pinterest pins
- Weekend: Share behind-the-scenes or casual content. Light touch. Review analytics from the week.
This template means one piece of primary content published on Monday fuels your entire week across every platform. By Friday, you've posted 15-20 pieces of content and it all came from one source.
Phase 5: Quality Control Checklist
Before publishing any repurposed content, run it through this quality check:
Before You Hit Publish
- Does it stand alone? (Would someone who didn't see the original still get value?)
- Is it formatted for the specific platform? (Not just copy-pasted)
- Does it match the platform's tone? (Professional for LinkedIn, casual for TikTok, etc.)
- Does it have a clear hook in the first line?
- Does it have a call to action?
- Are images/graphics sized correctly for the platform?
- Does it sound like your brand voice, not like a robot rewrote it?
- Would you engage with this if someone else posted it?
That last one is the most important. If you wouldn't stop scrolling for your own post, neither will anyone else. Be honest with yourself. Repurposing doesn't mean lowering your standards. It means maintaining them across more channels.
Frequently Asked Questions
What content should I repurpose first?
Start with your highest-performing content. Check analytics for your top blog posts, social posts, and emails. Content that's already proven to resonate with your audience will perform well in new formats too. Repurpose your winners first, not your entire library.
How often should I repurpose content?
Make it a weekly habit. Every new piece of long-form content should be repurposed within one week. For your existing library, aim to repurpose 2-3 older pieces per week. Build a sustainable routine, not a one-time sprint.
Do I need different content for every platform?
Different formats, not different content. The same core message appears on every relevant platform but packaged to match what each platform rewards. LinkedIn wants long-form professional text. Instagram wants visual content. Twitter wants concise takes. Same message, different wrapping.
Automate the Hardest Part of This Checklist
Splintr handles the formatting, platform optimization, and voice matching automatically. You focus on creating great source content. Splintr handles the rest. 60 seconds per piece.
Try Splintr Free