By Dario Cavallaro · Published · Updated
12 Content Formats: What to Check Before Repurposing
A piece of content may fit several destinations, but each destination has its own requirements. Check the format, audience and work involved before deciding where to adapt it.
Use these 12 categories as a planning checklist, rather than a measured ranking of platforms. Check what your account currently supports and what you need to change to make them fit.
- Short-form video. Check duration, framing, captions and audio rights. Adapt the opening and next step to the destination.
- Image. Check supported file types, dimensions, cropping and accessible descriptions. Keep important text readable on a phone.
- Text post. Check the length limit and how the destination displays links. Edit for the audience and reading context.
- Carousel. Check whether the account supports a photo sequence or document upload. Rebuild the pacing and export for that workflow.
- Article. Check publication rights, formatting and link behaviour. Choose whether to publish the article or share a link to the original.
- Long-form video. Check duration, file size and playback options. Choose a full upload, excerpt or link based on the destination.
- Stories. Check availability for the account, supported media and link options. Make the next step clear within the screen.
- Audio. Check accepted audio formats and publication rights. A social version may need a visual, transcript or edited excerpt.
- Poll. Check native poll controls and response options. Recreate the question where appropriate and keep separate votes distinct.
- GIF. Check whether the destination accepts animation or converts it. Test playback and provide a readable alternative where needed.
- Livestream. Check account eligibility and the supported broadcast setup. Reuse a recording only when you have the necessary rights.
- Groups and communities. Check participation rules and permission before adapting a contribution. A community itself is a destination, rather than a reusable media file.
Choose your repurposing destinations from audience fit, supported formats and the time you can spend adapting. A format that needs little rework may still be a poor fit for that audience.
Repurposing 101 maps all 95 platforms against these 12 formats, colour-coded so you can see where each one travels at a glance. It is free.
Frequently asked questions
Which content format is the most portable across platforms?
There is no universal winner. Compare the destinations you actually use, their format requirements, your rights and the changes needed for each audience. Short-form video is one option, rather than an evidence-based first place.
Which content formats do not travel between platforms?
Groups and communities are platform spaces. Polls often need to be recreated using native controls. Recordings and GIF files may be reusable when the destination supports them.