Marketing is exhausting.
There. We said it. Because we know it!
You’re told to show up everywhere: LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, your blog, and email. And if you’re like most business owners, you’re trying to create different types of content to fit every platform.
Write a blog post. Then a newsletter. Then a carousel. Then a Reel. Then a caption. Then another caption. And oh look, it’s Tuesday and you’ve already run out of steam.
Content production can feel like a never-ending slog because it’s never done. You can’t tick ‘marketing’ off your list because there’s always the next thing. A never-ending list of micro-tasks that can feel insurmountable.
But what if there was a better way? (Psst: There is!)
The problem: Marketing feels hard because you’re doing it backwards
Most people build their content strategy on the shaky ground of random (if creative!) ideas, reactive content, and siloed creation. Every blog, video, and post is a separate project.
That’s not a strategy. That’s content chaos.
The result? Burnout. Inconsistent messaging. A marketing presence that feels disjointed and, frankly, a bit all over the place.
To make the most of your marketing investment, you need to develop a content creation process that’s reliable, repeatable and sustainable. The old ‘working smarter, not harder’ adage fully applies here.
The solution: A video-first approach
Because the prevalence of video has come after our text-based online world was established, this might feel like flipping everything on its head. But hear us out – we know this actually works.
Start your content creation process from one longform video – say, a 10–20 minute piece of content that covers a key topic your audience cares about. This is your pillar content. Just like any longform written content, you use to initiate social posts. Everything else flows from here.
Now you’ve got the beginning of a ‘video-first strategy.’ From this one video, you extract multiple pieces of content, each one tailored to the platforms where your audience hangs out.
No blank page horror, scrambling for ideas, or starting each piece of content from scratch.
The content cascade: One video, 3 layers of content
Here’s how you build these 3 layers of content, in practice.
Layer 1: Core longform video
Your long-form hero content. Think:
- A YouTube video
- A podcast with video
- A recorded webinar or workshop
This is your main piece of content—the one that does the heavy lifting. It’s where you dive deep into a topic, deliver real value, and showcase your expertise.
For example:
- A 15-minute YouTube video titled “How to Create a Month of Content in One Day”
- A webinar recording: “Scaling Your Service Business Without Hiring a Team”
- A video podcast episode discussing common pricing mistakes service businesses make
This content should be rich in insight and actionable advice. Think of it as your anchor.
Layer 2: Platform-specific video content
Now you slice that core video into short, punchy clips that meet your audience where they already are. You don’t need fancy edits. Just sharp, engaging snippets that drive interest and point back to the full video.
From your core video, you pull short-form clips that work brilliantly on:
YouTube Shorts
- A 45-second tip from the video: ‘Why batching content saves hours every month’
- A myth-busting clip: ‘No, you don’t need to be on every platform’
TikTok and Instagram reels
- A 20-second snippet: ‘The 3 types of content you should stop creating’
- A quick win tip: ‘One question that helps you plan content for a whole quarter’
LinkedIn video posts
- A 1-minute clip: ‘What most service businesses get wrong about repurposing’
- A behind-the-scenes insight: ‘Here’s how I outline every video before filming’
💡 Pro tip: Add captions and a simple call to action like ‘Watch the full video on YouTube’ or ‘Link in bio.’
Layer 3: Written and visual content
Now we use your wisdom from the initial video to create a package of written and visual content.
Using your transcript or key takeaways, you can create:
Blog posts
- Start with a summary article like ‘5 Ways to Repurpose One Video Into 20+ Pieces of Content’. Then break that down into 5 further posts, focusing on each of the 5 ways.
Email newsletters
- Subject line: ‘Why you’re always behind on content – and how to fix it’. Written from a personal perspective, with one tip included and referencing the video link to get more advice.
Text + image carousels for Instagram and LinkedIn
- Slide 1: The Content Repurposing Cascade
- Slide 2: Start with one long-form video
- Slide 3: Break into short-form video content
- Slide 4: Turn into blogs, carousels, and email content
- Slide 5: Why it works: speed, consistency, reach
Downloadable lead magnets
- ‘The Content Cascade Template: Plan Your Next 30 Days of Marketing Using One Video’. A free download that outlines the exact system from your video.
Quotes or audiograms
- A quote pulled directly from your core video, turned into a branded visual for social. For example: “You don’t need more content. You need a better system.”
This layered approach means your content is everywhere, without requiring a ridiculous time investment. And, crucially, everything is aligned with the core message from your key longform video.
Why a video-first approach fast-tracks your marketing
Using a video-first technique is a shortcut to a unified marketing strategy that helps you create more assets with greater efficiency.
And it’s not just about the speed of production and publication. It helps you connect to your audience more quickly.
Here’s what you get:
- Less creative pressure: You’re not constantly dreaming up individual ideas for every platform, every day.
- Faster content production: By batching your content into 1 day of planning and 1 day of recording per month, you get weeks of content.
- Consistent messaging: Your audience is left in no doubt about your core messaging because they hear the same thing, reinforced in multiple ways.
- Higher trust: People don’t just remember you because you’re everywhere. Repetition of your expertise builds authority and establishes your position as a thought leader in your industry.
- Accessibility for different-sized businesses: This approach works well for small and solo business owners, not just massive companies with dedicated marketing departments.
By taking a video-first approach, you’re removing the pressure of continuously creating more individual pieces of content. It focuses your creativity within strategic thinking that’s designed to reach your business goals.
Start with the right strategy, not more content
Do you feel like you’re playing constant catch-up with your content calendar? You know, ‘OK, I need 3 video shorts for this week, I just need to think of something to say!’
Stop trying to build every bit of content from scratch, every single time. Get consistency, clarity and structure with a video-first strategy.
We know that building a consistent, multi-platform content presence can feel out of reach. That’s where our Video Strategy Plan comes in.
You get a detailed, 6-month content strategy that covers everything you need to get off to a flying start.
No more last-minute panic, no burnout, just a brilliant start with a video-first marketing strategy you can comfortably repeat…well, forever!
