Lessons in Content Marketing from '80s Action Hero MacGyver

With a paper clip, a pen tube and a piece of chewing gum, he could build anything. He could turn a radio antenna into a detonator, a car tire into a satellite, a banana into a tracking device. His name is synonymous with creativity.

MacGyver wasn’t just an ’80s prime time action hero, he was… well, maybe that’s 100 percent all he was. BUT, if he were anything more than that, he would be a role model for the content creators of 2017.

The comparison might be a bit ambitious, but the more you look at the above infographic from Smart Insights and think WWMD (What would MacGyver do?), it all starts to make sense.

Today’s content marketing professionals, from novice to elite, are constantly looking for unique content. Sometimes the most difficult part of the job can be finding that next story line, a fresh statistic, a new case study — anything that can be turned into a blog, a Facebook or Twitter post or, maybe if you’re feeling ambitious, a YouTube video.

If you’re struggling to come up with new ideas for content, it might be time to think a little bit more like MacGyver and find ways to repurpose the things you already have at your disposal. Stop thinking about content topics; instead, start thinking about content types.

For example, one case study can be so much more. The data can be turned into an infographic or data sheet. Use its anecdotal properties to create a video, a podcast or an article. Webinars can be built from the case study’s lessons learned. If the case study features a particular product, turn that into online community forum material, product feature or review.

And while I like the breakdown of quadrants in the infographic, there is certainly more than one way to position the likes of a branded video, demo video or e-book. Any of the content formats can be leveraged in any direction.

So the next time you’re faced with a content drought, just think WWMD. If you have a battery, a staple and a rubber band, find a way to turn it into a bomb. At the end of the day, you’ll be the hero walking away from the scene exploding behind you in slow motion.

Have you repurposed content in some creative ways? If so, tell us about it in the comments. And also check out these five questions to consider when brainstorming for your organization’s next content calendar.