If you grew up watching Lizzie McGuire, you probably remember the iconic moment when Lizzie gets called out for being an “outfit repeater.” If you don’t, see here.
If you think about it, that line is soo middle school, and yet here we are, finding ways it applies, even to something like social media.
I’ve been thinking about how much pressure we put on ourselves to constantly come up with the latest and greatest social content. The newest idea. The coolest graphic. The post that’s never been done before in the world of economic development.
And yes, creativity matters. We should care about storytelling, originality, and putting thoughtful, high-quality content out for our clients.
As someone who creates content and is chronically online, it can be easy to forget: not everyone is constantly on social media.
Most audiences aren’t scrolling on every platform every day. They aren’t seeing every post the moment it goes live. They take in information at different times, in different formats, and in different ways. What feels repetitive to us – the people living, breathing, and creating content – often feels brand new to your audience.
That’s why repeating yourself on social media isn’t a failure of creativity. It’s actually good practice. Sharing the same information more than once, maybe with different wording, or an original graphic or video, helps reinforce key brand messages. It increases the chances that the right people see and absorb what you’re trying to say. Sometimes (a lot of times) people need to hear something more than once before it sticks.
Think of your messaging like an outfit. You don’t wear something once and never touch it again. You style it differently. You wear it in new settings. You wear it around different people. You pair it with different shoes, accessories, etc.
Your content works the same way.
Repeating it gives you valuable insight into how your audience engages with your content. You start to learn which formats resonate most when people are paying attention, and how they prefer to receive information. That’s not being an outfit repeater! That’s refining your strategy!
If you’re stressing about having to reinvent the wheel for every post, I’m here to offer you some peace of mind. Remember that outfit repeating is not a fashion faux pas (no matter what Kate Sanders said), and it’s not a social media one, either.
If your company had a cartoon inner monologue, it would probably be saying: “We need NP Strategy’s help with our social media.” Our social media experts know how to develop authentic social media strategies and lean into the right trends for your brand. Learn more here.
