Start With One Strong Foundation Video
First things first: you need one well-produced, versatile video. This could be:
A brand story or "about us" video
A product demo or explainer
A customer testimonial
Behind-the-scenes footage
An educational how-to
The key is making sure it's high-quality and covers enough ground that you can slice, dice, and remix it in multiple ways. Think of it as your content mothership—everything else launches from here.
1. Chop It Into Short Clips (3-5 pieces)
Your 2-minute video? That's at least 3-5 short clips right there.
Pull out the best 15-30 second moments and turn them into:
Instagram Reels
TikTok videos
YouTube Shorts
LinkedIn video posts
Twitter/X clips
Each platform has its own vibe, so tweak the captions and hooks accordingly. What works as a punchy one-liner on TikTok might need more context on LinkedIn.
Pro tip: Look for moments with strong hooks, interesting visuals, or quotable lines. These naturally perform better as standalone clips.
2. Extract the Audio (1-2 pieces)
Got a great interview or voice-over in your video? Rip that audio and you've got:
A podcast episode or segment
An audio snippet for Instagram Stories or LinkedIn
Background audio for a carousel post
People consume content differently—some prefer watching, others prefer listening while commuting or working out. Give them options.
3. Turn Key Points Into Graphics (3-4 pieces)
Watch your video and jot down the main takeaways, statistics, or memorable quotes. Now turn those into:
Instagram carousel posts
Quote graphics for Stories
LinkedIn text posts with a visual
Pinterest pins
For example, if your video covers "5 Signs You Need Professional Video Marketing," each sign becomes its own graphic. Boom—five pieces of content.
4. Write a Blog Post (1 piece)
Your video script or main talking points? That's a blog post waiting to happen.
Expand on the concepts from your video, add some extra context or examples, and publish it on your website. Embed the original video at the top for people who prefer watching, and include a full written version for those who like to read (or for SEO purposes—Google loves written content).
Bonus: This blog post can then be broken down into social media posts, email newsletter content, or even a LinkedIn article. We're getting recursive here, and it's beautiful.
5. Create Teaser Clips (2-3 pieces)
Before you even release the full video, create short teaser clips to build anticipation:
"Coming soon" posts on social media
Email newsletter previews
Stories or Reels that hint at what's coming
These work especially well if you're launching a new product, service, or major announcement.
6. Design Thumbnail Images (2-3 pieces)
Pull high-quality stills from your video and use them as:
YouTube thumbnails
Social media post images
Website graphics
Email header images
You already have professional footage—use those frames as standalone images. It maintains visual consistency and saves you from needing a separate photoshoot.
7. Turn It Into an Email Campaign (1-2 pieces)
Your email list wants valuable content too. Send them:
The full video with context and a call-to-action
A "behind the scenes" email about how the video was made
A recap email highlighting key takeaways
Link back to your website, encourage replies, and use it as a touchpoint to stay top-of-mind with your audience.
8. Build a Case Study or Testimonial Page (1 piece)
If your video features a customer success story, turn it into a full case study on your website. Include:
The video
Written testimonial quotes
Results and metrics
Screenshots or additional images
This becomes a powerful sales tool you can share with prospects or reference in pitches.
9. Create "Chapter" Videos (2-4 pieces)
If your original video covers multiple topics or steps, break it into distinct chapters:
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 as separate uploads
A mini-series on YouTube or LinkedIn
Educational content spread across weeks
This extends the lifespan of your content and keeps people coming back for more.
10. Add Captions and Make It Accessible (Bonus!)
This isn't technically a separate piece of content, but adding captions or transcripts to your videos:
Makes them accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences
Increases engagement (85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound)
Provides text that can be indexed by search engines
Always include captions. It's good for everyone.
The Math: One Video = Endless Possibilities
Let's do a quick count:
5 short clips
2 audio pieces
4 graphics
1 blog post
3 teasers
3 thumbnail images
2 email campaigns
1 case study
3 chapter videos
That's 24 pieces of content from ONE video. And we're just scratching the surface.
READ NEXT
