Social Media Reposting: A Complete Guide

Fact: Content marketers could be doing much more with their content. Way too many of us just publish, promote our content only briefly (if at all), and then move on to the next piece. We don’t republish our content. We don’t repurpose our content. Do you even repost your content on social media? We know that less than half of us do.

34% of us, to be exact. According to research from Scoop.it, only 34% of content marketers repost their content multiple times on social media. Here’s another stat for you, just to back up these assertions: According to Curata’s 2016 Content Marketing Staffing and Tactics Study, only 21% ― about one in five ― content marketers have a specific process in place to optimize their content reuse and repurposing.

Here’s the kicker: Among leading content marketing companies, that figure jumps to 29%.

In other words, successful content marketers are 38% more likely to repost their content than regular ones. Here’s the thing, we all want a better return on investment from our content marketing. But that often feels like an elusive goal. Heck, even tracking ROI from content marketing seems to be an elusive goal, much less getting a positive ROI.

Only 49% of B2B content marketers are measuring return on investment, even at the first stage of their sales funnel, where they generate leads and build an audience. According to our own sources, it may be even worse: We found that 78% of all marketers struggle with content marketing ROI. But don’t despair!  There’s hope for us all.

What is reposting?

Reposting is sharing someone else’s content, either on the same platform or across platforms, to amplify its reach. It’s common on social media and should include proper credit to the original creator.

6 Reasons to repost on social media

1. Re-using your content = improved ROI!

Publishing a piece of content and then doing so little with it afterward means you’re missing out on most of the traffic and conversions it could generate. It’s like the content version of buying a piece of clothing and wearing it just once.

Given that we’re getting so little mileage out of the content we publish, is it any wonder so many marketers struggle with getting a positive return on investment from their content marketing ― even if they can measure it?

There’s an upside here, though. It’s a good one, too.

If we can get more mileage out of all the expensive content we create, ROI has to go up. In other words, re-using your content will improve your entire content marketing program’s ROI.

tl;dr: You need to repost your content on social media.

Here’s why this works so well, and why you need to be adding this tactic to your work … immediately.

2. Reposting content costs next to nothing

If you’re using a tool like Hiplay or Oktopost, it takes just 3-5 clicks to add a post to a content library that gets reposted randomly and automatically. Many other social media management or marketing automation tools also offer re-sharing features, too.

Don’t say you can’t afford this, either. Hiplay costs $5 a month. Even shoestring budgets can handle that.

It’s not the only re-sharing tool around, though. Buffer (which costs $10 a month) lets you pick posts to repost. Though you do have to pick what to repost manually.

Still, it takes barely five minutes of work to review your social media feed from the last few days, pick about 10-20% of what you’ve posted, and just click a few times to re-queue those shares.

Not only is this getting more exposure for your content, but it’s also saving you time by keeping your social media feeds full.

Which brings us to…

3. Reposting content means you have to spend less time filling up your social media queues

Let’s face it: Finding and preparing first-rate content to share with a social media audience takes time. Lots of time.

There are services like Quuu that can find and post some content for you automatically, but it’s really best to view those as a supplemental service ― not your entire social media queue.

And you can and should also repost other people’s content. But re-sharing your own content, as mentioned above, takes away some of that work. It may end up saving you several hours a week.

4. More of your audience will see your content.

Worried your audience will get bored if they see the same pieces of content more than once?

We have bad news. They probably never saw your content the first time it was posted.

Here’s why: The average lifespan of a tweet is 15 minutes or less. The average Facebook reach is around 6%.

Only a very small portion of our audiences is seeing our content every time we share.

This means you could share the same thing several times ― even many times ― without anyone ever noticing.

Still worried about this? Think some curmudgeon in your following will squawk? Then just create a couple of different formats for each share. Swap images, for example. Change the description a bit. Use different hashtags.

Just don’t feel bad about filling up those queues with “oldie but goodie” content.

We recommend re-sharing your content on social media at least once a week after publication, for up to a year after publication.

5. Reposting content on social media is incredibly easy to do

There are plenty of best practices in marketing. Some are easier to do than others.

Reposting has to be one of the easiest best practices to execute.

It takes just a few clicks to add your old posts to a reposting library if you’re using the right tools.

And even if you aren’t using one of the dedicated reposting tools, almost any social media management tool lets you repost old posts with just a click or two.

Getting back to the ROI mindset, this is a fantastic return for barely a few seconds’ worth of work.

6. Reposting content on social works

Reposting your content is a free way to increase its ROI, get more traffic, and save time. And it’s practically free.

We marketers need every edge we can get. Especially if those edges can be had for very little work, very little time, and very little money. When you repost your content on social media, it hits all three of those sweet spots. It’s a no-brainer.

How to repost on LinkedIn

To repost on LinkedIn:

1. Find the Post: Locate the content you want to share in your LinkedIn feed.
2. Click “Repost”: Click the Repost icon (two arrows forming a circle) below the post.
3. Choose an Option:
   • Repost: Shares the content directly without adding anything.
   • Repost with Thoughts: Lets you add your own comments before sharing.
4. Share: Click Post to share it with your network.

Your repost will appear in your connections’ feeds.

What to say when reposting on linkedin?

When reposting on LinkedIn, it’s best to add a brief comment to provide context or share your perspective. Here are a few examples of what you can say:

1. Sharing Insights:
   “Great insights on [topic]. Worth checking out for anyone looking to improve [specific aspect].”
2. Adding Value:
   “This post highlights some key trends in [industry]. How do you think this will shape the future of [specific area]?”
3. Asking a Question:
   “Interesting take on [topic]. What are your thoughts on this? Do you agree with the approach?”
4. Simple Acknowledgment:
   “Highly recommend this post for [industry professionals/teams] looking to stay informed on [subject].”
5. Personal Experience:
   “I’ve seen firsthand how [idea in the post] can impact [industry/company]. This post perfectly captures that perspective.”

Tailoring your comment to the content and your professional audience will make your repost more engaging and valuable.

How to repost on Instagram

To repost on Instagram:

1. Repost to Stories:
   • Tap the paper airplane icon below a post.
   • Select “Add post to your story.”
   • Customize if desired, then tap “Share to your story.”
2. Repost to Feed:
   • Use a third-party app like Repost for Instagram or take a screenshot.
   • Credit the original creator in the caption.

Always ensure you have permission to repost someone else’s content, especially for the feed.

How to repost on Facebook

To repost on Facebook:

1. Locate the Post: Find the post you want to share in your feed or on a page.
2. Click “Share”: Tap the Share button below the post.
3. Choose an Option:
   • Share Now (Friends): Posts it immediately to your timeline.
   • Write Post: Add your thoughts before sharing.
   • Share to a Group/Page: Share to a group or page you manage.
4. Customize and Post: Add any comments, select your audience, and click Post.

The repost will appear on your timeline or in the selected location.

How to repost on TikTok

To repost on TikTok:

1. Find the Video: Locate the video you want to share on your For You or Following page.
2. Tap the Share Icon: Click the arrow icon on the right side of the video.
3. Select “Repost”: Tap the Repost button (yellow icon).
4. Add a Comment (Optional): Add your thoughts, which will appear with the repost for your followers.

The video will be shared with your followers, but it won’t appear on your profile.

What does reposting do on TikTok?

Reposting on TikTok shares a video to your followers’ For You feed, increasing its visibility. It doesn’t appear on your profile, but you can add a comment that your followers will see alongside the reposted video. Reposting helps amplify content you like or find relevant without creating new videos.

Does reposting on tiktok help gain followers?

Reposting on TikTok can indirectly help you gain followers by:

1. Engaging Your Audience: Sharing relevant or entertaining content can keep your followers engaged and interested in your profile.
2. Showing Your Personality: Reposting content that aligns with your niche or interests gives followers insight into your tastes.
3. Building Connections: Reposting can encourage interaction with the original creator and their audience, potentially leading to more visibility.

However, reposting alone isn’t a direct strategy for gaining followers. To grow your audience, focus on creating original, engaging content and interacting with your community.