By Dario Cavallaro · Published · Updated
How to Choose 3 to 5 Platforms for One Piece of Content
Posting everywhere can feel productive. It can also spread one idea thinly across platforms where it doesn't fit and use up time you could spend elsewhere.
A better default is to let one idea travel only to the places it suits. The workflow has four steps. Start with one idea, consider the platforms it could go to, adapt it where needed and choose deliberately where it gets published.
Begin with the idea itself and ask where a version of it could fit.
Then filter the options on three things:
- Fit: does the format work naturally on that platform, or would it need a proper rebuild?
- Audience: are the people you want to reach on that platform, and do they use it in a way that suits your content?
- Capacity: do you have time to adapt it properly, or would you end up pasting it in and hoping for the best?
Aim for a shortlist of three to five platforms and cut it back if the fit or your capacity is weak. A smaller set is easier to do well and keep up with than a long list.
Choosing this way also protects the work. Repurposing without checking fit can come across as spam. A deliberate shortlist lets you test one idea in relevant places without posting everywhere for the sake of it.
If you ask only one question before republishing, ask where this content fits.
Repurposing 101 provides a starting reference for comparing content formats across platforms. It is free by email.
Frequently asked questions
How many platforms should I post one piece of content to?
Three to five can be a useful shortlist, but it isn't a required number. Use fewer if the content or your capacity calls for it. Filter each idea by fit (does the format work naturally there), audience (are your people there) and capacity (can you adapt it properly). A smaller set is easier to do well and keep up with than a long list.
What's the one question to ask before reposting content?
Ask where this content fits. Start with the idea and then look at platforms, and only send a version to places where it would suit the format and audience.