Turn one post into five

You already post, but coming up with something new every day takes time you don’t have. This guide shows you how to take one post that people liked and turn it into five different posts, so one good idea fills a week across the places you post.

Before you start

• One post that got a good response. Step 1 helps you pick it.
• A list of the places you post, for example Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, or your Google Business Profile.
• Any photos or short clips that go with the idea. Phone photos are fine.
• About 30 minutes, plus a few minutes each day to post.
• An AI chat tool such as ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini for step 4. You can also write the versions yourself.

Want to do it yourself?

Difficulty

4 out of 10

Estimated completion time

1–2 hours for five versions

Skills you’ll need: Adapt one idea to different formats, edit each version for its platform, and schedule the results.

I’ll do it myselfI’d rather get help

How this helps your brand

Useful website answers and strong posts can support several formats without changing the underlying facts. Relevant versions may draw people to your profile and matching pages, where a clear action can continue the conversation.

1. 1

   Step 1: Pick one post that people responded to

   Look back over the last few months and find a post that got comments, shares, saves, or messages. Those take more effort than a like, so they show the idea really landed.

   It doesn’t have to be a social post. A question customers keep asking, a review you’re proud of, or an email that got replies all work just as well.

   A useful website article, FAQ answer, or service explanation can also be the source. Choose the customer question behind it and keep the approved facts consistent in each version. Where a post needs a link, point to the matching page with a clear next action, not an unrelated destination. Check that the page and enquiry route are ready before asking people to visit.

   Tip: Not sure which post did best? Most platforms show the numbers on a business or professional account, under a name like Insights, Analytics, or Performance. The guide “Find out why your posts aren’t working” walks through it.

2. 2

   Step 2: Write down the one idea behind it

   Before you make anything new, sum up what the post was really about in one sentence. For example: “Most leaks start small, so check under your sink once a month.” Or: “Our sourdough takes two days, and that’s why it tastes different.”

   This sentence is what every version will share. The look and length change from post to post, but the idea stays the same, so people who see two versions recognise you without feeling they’re seeing a repeat.

3. 3

   Step 3: Choose five formats

   A format is simply the shape a post takes. Pick five that suit where you post. A good mix for most businesses:

   • A short video: you or your team explaining the idea in under a minute, or showing it being done.
   • A swipe-through post: the idea split into a few simple slides or photos, one point per slide.
   • A single photo with a short caption that tells the story behind it.
   • A question for your followers: ask what they think, or whether this has happened to them.
   • A quick tip or update: two or three lines with a clear next step, such as call, book, or visit.

   Tip: Use what each platform is built for. Instagram and Facebook: photos, swipe-through posts, short videos (Reels), and Stories. TikTok: short videos, plus photo posts. LinkedIn: plain text posts with a photo, and short videos. Google Business Profile: updates with a photo and a button such as Call or Book. Features change often, so check what your app offers when you post.

   Illustrated exampleOne bakery idea, five different formats

   One idea to keep

   “Our sourdough takes two days, and that’s why it tastes different.”

   Short video

   ▶

   Say it on camera

   “Why does our sourdough take two days? Let me show you.”

   Swipe-through

   1. 1The two-day loaf
   2. 2Show day one
   3. 3Show day two
   4. 4The finished loaf

   Use your own process photos.

   Photo + caption

   “Two days in the making. Here’s today’s sourdough.”

   A question

   “Our sourdough takes two days. What do you love about a good loaf?”

   Quick update

   “Our sourdough takes two days. Visit us to try a loaf.”

   Same fact. Five different ways to tell it.

4. 4

   Step 4: Draft the five versions with AI, then make them yours

   Paste the original post and your one-sentence idea into an AI tool using the prompt at the end of this guide. It will draft all five versions, each written for its format.

   Then edit. Read each one out loud. Change anything that doesn’t sound like you, and check every fact, price, and promise. AI sometimes adds details that weren’t in your original, so cut anything you didn’t say.

   Tip: If you used the guide “Teach AI your brand voice”, paste your voice guide in first. The drafts will need far less editing.

5. 5

   Step 5: Spread them across the week

   Post one version a day, or every other day, rather than all five at once. Spread them across your channels too: the video on one platform, the photo and caption on another, the tip on your Google Business Profile.

   If you post the same version in two places, change the first line and the ending so it fits each one. A post that mentions “link in bio” won’t make sense on LinkedIn.

   • Write the week down: which version, which platform, which day.
   • Most platforms let you schedule posts ahead, either in the app or in a free tool from the platform, such as Meta Business Suite for Facebook and Instagram. Do it all in one sitting if you can.

   Illustrated exampleGive each version a place in the week

   A sample week for a bakery using three channels

   1. 1Monday
      Short videoShow the two-day process
      Instagram
   2. 2Tuesday
      Swipe-throughOne process photo per slide
      Facebook
   3. 3Wednesday
      Photo + captionThe story behind today’s loaf
      Instagram
   4. 4Thursday
      A questionAsk what makes a good loaf
      Facebook
   5. 5Friday
      Quick updateInvite people to visit
      Google Business Profile

   Reusing the same version elsewhere?

   Change the ending to fit the place you’re posting.

   Instagram

   “See our opening hours at the link in our bio.”

   LinkedIn

   “See our opening hours: [your website link].”

6. 6

   Step 6: Note which version did best

   At the end of the week, look at the comments, shares, saves, and messages each version got. Write down which format did best and on which platform.

   Next time, start from that format. Over a few rounds you’ll learn which shapes work for your customers, and making a week of posts gets quicker each time.

   Tip: One week is a small test. Treat it as a hint, not a rule, until the same format does well a few times.

I run [what your business does] for [who your customers are]. I post mainly on [platform], and also on [any other places you post, or “nowhere else”].

This post got a good response:
[paste the post, or describe it if it was a photo or video]

The one idea behind it is: [your one-sentence idea]

Please turn it into five different posts I can spread across a week:
1. A script for a short video under a minute, with a strong first line.
2. A swipe-through post: the text for 4 to 6 slides, one point per slide.
3. A caption for a single photo that tells the story behind the idea.
4. A short post that asks my followers a question about it.
5. A two- or three-line tip with a clear next step, such as calling or booking.

For each one, say which of my platforms it suits best and why, in one line. Then suggest which day of the week to post each one.

Write in plain, friendly English that sounds like a real small business, not an ad. Use only the facts in my original post. Don’t add prices, numbers, promises, or claims I haven’t given you, and don’t make claims about how the [platform] algorithm works.