If you’ve ever hit “publish” on a blog post, case study, or campus spotlight feature and immediately wanted to move on, you’re not alone. It’s a common trap in higher ed marketing. We pour time and talent into creating amazing content. It makes a splash — and then it gets buried. 

But here’s the truth: your best work deserves a second (and third) life. 

Repurposing content isn’t just efficient. It’s one of the smartest ways to extend your reach, stretch your team’s bandwidth, and increase ROI on the content you’ve already invested in. Whether you’re facing tight budgets, a lean team, or the pressure to constantly churn out new material, repurposing can help you do more with what you already have. 

Let’s talk about how to go treasure hunting in your content archives — and how to turn those hidden gems into strategic assets. 

First, Shift Your Mindset 

By the time you’ve edited that article 14 times and battled through five rounds of approvals, you’re probably ready to never look at it again. But that’s exactly when your content investment is just beginning. 

If a piece of content is worth publishing, it’s worth repeating. It’s worth redistributing. It’s worth reimagining. That blog post could be a social carousel. That video transcript could fuel a series of pull quotes. That student spotlight could become an evergreen story on your admissions site. 

My colleague Chris Rapozo summed it up succinctly in a recent LinkedIn post: “You might be tired of the message. But your audience is just starting to hear it.” 

Getting past that “one and done” mentality is key. Great content doesn’t expire. It just needs a fresh frame. 

COPE—and Then Some 

You may be familiar with the “Create Once, Publish Everywhere” model, or COPE. A successful content strategy will take that approach even farther. It’s OK to break down those assets into smaller chunks and repurpose them for other campaigns and one-off filler contents. 

Here’s what that looks like in action: 

• Dig into your archives: Read past blog posts. Skim your press releases. Scroll your student newspaper. Ask for video transcripts and podcast outlines. Comb through your digital viewbooks. 

• Pull out your differentiators: Zero in on the quotes, stats, and student voices that tell a deeper story. 

• Repackage and republish: Turn a quote buried in a press release into a testimonial. Use a student interview as the basis for a social campaign. Turn event video clips into micro-moments that shine. 

Your content archives reflect how your organization truly lives your brand. A deep dive into existing digital assets and marketing collateral can bring light to unexplored stories and unnoticed snippets. It’s an easy (and budget-friendly) initiative that can revitalize your team’s creativity.  

Repurposing Ideas You Can Try Today 

Here are five ways you can breathe new life into the content you already have: 

1. Create a LinkedIn carousel. Break down a long-form post into a few slides that highlight the key takeaways. 

2. Record a quick video. Summarize the biggest insight from a white paper or article in 60 seconds or less. 

3. Share a quote. Isolate a student or faculty voice that packs a punch and share it on social as a visual quote card. 

4. Send it in an email. Give your blog content a second run by sending it out with a story or stat that ties it to your readers’ daily challenges. 

5. Host a short webinar. Use an existing content piece as the springboard for a live Q\&A or mini-session. 

Remember: the audience you’re trying to reach probably didn’t see the first post. And even if they did, repetition builds recognition—and trust. 

Press Releases, Podcasts, and Publications 

Need more ideas about where to start digging? Here are some other content assets that often go overlooked: 

• Press releases: Look beyond the announcement. What’s the story? Who’s the face of the impact? Pull a quote. Highlight a partnership. Create a testimonial. 

• Video transcripts: These are goldmines for clean, compelling copy. Use them to write blog posts, edit clips, or post visual quotes. 

• Student newspaper or literary journal: You may already have student storytellers on staff. Partner with faculty advisors amplify student talent and extend their reach. 

• Student research repositories: Work with undergrad research coordinators or an academic librarian to surface compelling examples of your institution’s research goals. 

• Podcasts: Link the transcript in your linktree. Pull stats and quotes. Embed short clips in your content. It’s already recorded—use it! 

• Newsletters and magazines: Repurpose short newsletter highlights and alumni updates into full blog posts. visual storytelling, or even social campaigns. 

And don’t forget your image and video libraries! Smiling students, active classrooms, and faculty interactions can give repurposed stories a fresh visual spark. Have some fun with cropping and resizing for unusual angles and perspectives. Convert to black-and-white, then add a pop of color from your branding palette.  

Get ready to repurpose 

If you’re feeling stretched thin, start small. Choose one strong story from your archives and brainstorm three new ways to share it. Set aside time each quarter to identify evergreen content. Add a repurposing checklist to your editorial workflow. 

You don’t always need more content. You need to maximize what you’ve already built. So open that dusty folder of past campaigns. Rewatch that five-minute video from last spring’s open house. Re-read the award-winning student profile from last year. 

Chances are, a treasure trove of assets that will maximize engagement and boost conversions is already sitting on your desktop. 

Want help unearthing your own hidden gems? Stamats can help you dig deep, think big, and bring your best stories to life — again and again.