Two Alternatives to a Full-Scale Re-do

Deciding If Repurposing Is Worth It

Before you pick up a pen or a keyboard, ask yourself the same five questions that guided our earlier discussion in Issue 10 of the eWrite Online newsletter. These questions are simple but powerful tools for determining whether a print document deserves a web makeover or if a lighter touch will suffice. 1) Will my site visitors actually want this content? 2) Is online text the best format for this material? 3) Does the content align with the mission of the site? 4) Can the content fit into the existing site structure without feeling forced? 5) Does the content have a long enough shelf life to justify the effort?

If most of your answers are “no,” you may be better off leaving the document in its original form and directing readers to a PDF download or a static page. But when the answers tilt toward “yes,” you face a practical dilemma: time and staff limits often make a full, deep re‑write impossible. Perhaps the organization needs to make a research report available immediately for policy makers, or a legal brief must be posted as soon as a court decision comes out. In those moments, the temptation is to strip the print piece down, reformat it, and launch it on the web in a day or two. That is the classic “full Monty” approach. It works when you have a small team and a tight deadline, but it can sacrifice clarity, accessibility, or relevance.

Instead of committing to a full rewrite, consider two alternatives that keep the core of the document intact while giving web users real value. The first alternative is the Bite, Snack, and Meal strategy, which treats the print piece like a menu. You post the entire document (the Meal) in its original form, but you also offer a headline that captures the main point (the Bite) and a one‑paragraph or one‑page summary (the Snack). The second alternative, the Value‑Added “Print Plus” method, keeps the print document on the page but enriches it with links, multimedia, and contextual notes that help readers navigate the content. These strategies are not about cutting corners; they’re about meeting your audience where they are and giving them options. They also spare your writers from rewriting every paragraph, letting them focus on adding useful context and making the material easier to find.

By asking the five questions first, you can identify the documents that truly deserve repurposing and the ones that do not. Then, when you choose a path, you’ll have a clear framework that keeps the project manageable, meets your deadline, and serves your audience. Below, we walk through each alternative with real-world examples, so you can see how they play out in practice.

The Bite, Snack, and Meal Strategy

Imagine you’ve just finished a comprehensive market‑research report. The full document spans 80 pages, dense with charts, footnotes, and technical jargon. Your readers include senior executives who want quick insights, mid‑level managers who need actionable data, and analysts who may dig into every detail. The Bite, Snack, and Meal strategy gives each group what they need without forcing them to read the entire report.

First, keep the report as a PDF on the site (the Meal). Users who prefer the full context can download or view it. Next, create a headline that captures the report’s most important takeaway (the Bite). A strong headline might read, “Retailers See 12% YoY Growth in Online Sales.” Under the headline, provide a brief one‑sentence hook that invites deeper exploration. Finally, write a concise summary (the Snack). This summary could be one paragraph or one page, depending on the report’s length. It should highlight the key findings, trends, and implications, and include hyperlinks that jump to the relevant section in the PDF.

Accenture’s e‑Europe 2000 report illustrates this approach nicely. Rather than re‑writing the 200‑page document for the web, Accenture posted the PDF and added eight short headlines - one for each chapter - along with one‑page summaries that linked directly to the corresponding chapter in the PDF. A visitor could scan the headlines, click on a chapter that intrigued them, read the summary, and then jump straight to that part of the report.

Another example is the “Hot News” page on the FirstGov for Workers website. The page hosts time‑sensitive releases, executive orders, and regulatory updates. When an order is issued, the page displays a headline (Bite) that delivers the full message in one line - e.g., “Bush Revokes Clinton Union Policies.” A one‑paragraph summary (Snack) follows, outlining the main points and linking to the full executive order PDF. This structure lets users stay up to date without wading through dense legalese, yet still gives them the option to read the full document if they wish.

The Bite, Snack, Meal method is effective because it respects the hierarchy of information that web users expect. Headlines capture attention, summaries satisfy curiosity, and full documents serve those who need depth. It also keeps your team’s workload manageable: you create a headline and a summary, and you rely on the existing PDF for the rest. When you need to update the content, you only tweak the headline and the summary, not the entire document.

The Value‑Added “Print Plus” Method

In some cases, the print document itself is the product. Legal reports, policy manuals, or government directives cannot be altered without risking misinterpretation. Instead of re‑formatting the text, the Value‑Added method keeps the document intact and supplements it with contextual tools that improve usability. Think of it as adding seasoning to a dish that already tastes great.

ABC News faced exactly this dilemma when the Starr Report on President Clinton’s investigation went live. The 200‑page report, with its double columns, footnotes, and dense language, would have been almost impossible to read on a standard web page. ABC’s solution was to upload the PDF and then add a series of value‑added links and summaries. The table of contents was hyperlinked so readers could jump straight to the section that mattered to them. A sidebar menu offered quick access to supplementary materials: video clips of key testimonies, transcripts of witness statements, a timeline of major events, and daily headlines. Each of these links was carefully selected to give readers a fuller picture without re‑writing the document.

The right‑grrl.com website also showcased the Starr Report, providing the PDF alongside a set of interactive features. They added a “Major Players” list, linking each name to a short biography that contextualized the individual’s role in the investigation. These additions helped visitors understand the stakes and the relationships involved, turning a daunting PDF into an engaging resource.

When applying the Print Plus approach, choose enhancements that truly add value. Think of hyperlinks to related policy documents, definitions of technical terms, embedded videos that illustrate complex processes, or interactive charts that allow users to drill down into the data. Avoid cluttering the page with unrelated links; keep the focus tight. The goal is to let the original document stand as the authoritative source while giving readers tools to navigate, interpret, and apply the information.

This method is especially useful for legal or regulatory content, academic papers, or technical specifications where accuracy is paramount. By preserving the text and layering it with contextual aids, you maintain integrity while improving user experience. And because you’re not rewriting the document, the project stays within tight deadlines and budget constraints.

Marilynne Rudick and Leslie O'Flahavan, partners at

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