Issue #87: Prompts For Uncovering Hidden Value in Your Content

Good morning.

Right now, as you read this, your business is (probably) sitting on a content goldmine.

It’s not new content you need to create.

It’s value embedded in content you've already published, conversations you've already had, and knowledge you've already documented.

I'm not talking about repurposing one blog post into three social posts.

I'm talking about the systematic value extraction from your entire content ecosystem.

Content opportunities so deeply buried in your archives that you've forgotten they exist.

In the past year, I've audited dozens of content libraries (blogs with 200+ posts, YouTube channels with 500+ videos, newsletters with years of issues, course materials, podcast transcripts).

Without exception, every single one was sitting on extraordinary content value they weren't leveraging.

Today, I'm going to show you how to excavate it.

The Content Archaeology Framework is about seeing your existing content through a different lens, so you can uncover opportunities where you currently see "old posts."

Like an archaeologist who knows exactly where to dig and what to look for, you'll learn to systematically uncover content gold that's been there all along, waiting to be rediscovered.

Let's get into it.

— Sam

IN TODAY’S ISSUE 🤖 

• Why Content Value Gets Buried - The Creator's Curse and three types of content blindness that hide your best work in plain sight

• The Four Layers of Hidden Content - A systematic framework for excavating value from surface reformatting to deep remix opportunities

• The Content Value Archaeology Audit - Seven questions that reveal where your content gold is hiding across formats, themes, and audiences

• Excavation Techniques by Content Type - Specific methods and quick wins for blog content, video, podcasts, social media, and newsletters

• Building Your Content Archaeology System - Complete setup guide using Projects, Skills, and three-phase workflow for systematic content multiplication

Let’s get into it.

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1. Why Content Value Gets Buried

Before we dig for content gold, we need to understand why it's hidden in the first place.

The Creator's Curse

There's a painful irony in content creation:

The more you create, the less you remember what you've already made.

Here's why:

When you're in creation mode, you develop what I call "forward focus" - the obsessive attention to what's next at the expense of what already exists.

Your old blog posts are just "the archives." Your past videos are "old content." Your newsletter back catalog is "outdated." Your unused course modules are "cutting room floor material."

But what if:

• Your old blog posts contain your best frameworks, just poorly packaged?

• Your past videos contain insights worth resharing in new contexts?

• Your newsletter archive contains patterns that form a complete system?

• Your unused course modules are actually perfect lead magnets?

You don't see these possibilities because you're focused on the next deadline. You're creating forward, as you should be.

But this necessary momentum creates content blindness.

And there are three kinds standing between you and your hidden content value.

The Three Types of Content Blindness

1. Recency Blindness: You overvalue new and undervalue existing. A blogger with 300 posts keeps writing new ones while their best insights sit on page 47 of the archive. A YouTuber creates new videos while their highest-value content from 2 years ago has been forgotten.

I worked with a newsletter writer who'd published 150 issues over 3 years. They were stressed about "what to write this week." We analyzed their archive. 40 issues had gotten exceptional engagement. We updated and resent 20 of them as "Throwback Thursday" editions. Open rates were 30% higher than new content. Their best content had been sitting there all along.

2. Format Blindness: You only see content in the format you created it. A blog post is a blog post. A video is a video. But a blog post could be a carousel, a thread, a script, a slide deck, a checklist, an email course, and a video.

An entrepreneur I advised had created an excellent 10-part video course. It was 5 hours of content. But they'd never transcribed it.

We extracted the transcripts, turned them into a comprehensive guide, broke that into 40 social posts, created 10 lead magnets, and built an email course. One piece of existing content became 60+ new assets.

3. Connection Blindness: You don't see the patterns and themes across your content. You create piece by piece but never look at the collection. Your content contains frameworks, systems, and methodologies - but they're scattered across dozens of pieces.

A podcaster had done 200 episodes. Great conversations. But scattered. We analyzed the transcripts for recurring themes. Found 8 major topics they'd covered from multiple angles. Reorganized these into 8 "Ultimate Guides," each combining insights from 15-25 episodes. Each guide became a lead magnet and email course.

Their 200 episodes were actually 8 comprehensive systems - they just hadn't seen the structure.

The Content Archaeology Mindset

Archaeologists don't focus on undiscovered sites. 

They revisit known locations with new techniques and extract more value.

They understand that artifacts don't reveal all their secrets at once.

Content archaeology works the same way.

Hidden content value follows patterns:

• It clusters around your core expertise and repeated themes

• It lives in high-performing content that was never fully exploited

• It accumulates in formats that haven't been fully repurposed

• It compounds when insights are connected across pieces

But you need the right framework to see it.

Let me give you the framework.

2. The Four Layers of Hidden Content

Like geological strata, hidden content exists in distinct layers. Each requires different excavation techniques.

Layer 1: The Surface Layer (Reformatting & Republishing)

This is the most accessible layer and reveals value hiding in content that just needs new packaging.

Surface layer content opportunities:

• High-performing posts that could be updated

• Long-form content that could be chunked

• Old content that could be refreshed

• Text that could become visual

• One format that could become five

The Archaeological Principle: Your best content should be seen by every new audience member, not just those who found you at the right time.

Example Artifacts:

• A blogger takes their top 10 posts from 3 years ago, updates statistics and examples, republishes with new dates - each gets 5x more traffic than the original

• A video creator converts their top 10 performing videos into carousel posts - each reaches 10x more people in new format

• A newsletter writer bundles 12 related past issues into a free PDF guide - generates 1,000 new subscribers

Surface layer excavation is about extracting more value from proven content.

Layer 2: The Aggregation Layer (Combination & Compilation)

Deeper than reformatting lies the value of combining related pieces into something greater.

Aggregation layer content opportunities:

• Theme-based compilations

• Ultimate guides from scattered posts

• Course or product from existing content

• Best-of collections

• Frameworks extracted from multiple pieces

The Archaeological Principle: Individual content pieces are ingredients. Compiled, they become complete meals.

Example Artifacts:

• A writer with 50 posts about productivity extracts and combines into "The Complete Productivity System" - becomes their #1 lead magnet

• A YouTuber with 100 videos creates 10 playlists organized by theme with new intro/outro videos - each playlist becomes a mini-course

• A podcaster transcribes and combines their 20 best episodes on marketing into a comprehensive guide - sells it for $47

This layer requires seeing themes and patterns across your content.

Layer 3: The Extraction Layer (Insight Mining)

Your content contains insights, frameworks, and methodologies that exist within the pieces but haven't been isolated and elevated.

Extraction layer content opportunities:

• Frameworks buried in long-form content

• Checklists embedded in tutorials

• Templates mentioned in case studies

• Systems described in interviews

• Processes explained in posts

The Archaeological Principle: Every piece of educational content contains multiple extractable assets.

Example Artifacts:

• A course creator realizes their 12-module course contains 30 frameworks - extracts each into standalone visual posts and templates

• A blogger who writes case studies extracts the step-by-step processes from each into templated checklists - creates a library of 50 templates

• A video creator identifies they explain their 5-step system across 20 different videos - creates one definitive "The System" video and guide

This layer transforms embedded value into standalone assets.

Layer 4: The Remix Layer (Reimagining & Recontextualizing)

The deepest layer contains content that could serve entirely different purposes or audiences with recontextualization.

Remix layer content opportunities:

• B2B content reframed for B2C (or vice versa)

• Advanced content simplified for beginners

• Beginner content deepened for experts

• Industry-specific content made industry-agnostic

• Your best content answers reimagined as different questions

The Archaeological Principle: The same insight serves different audiences differently. One piece of content contains many pieces.

Example Artifacts:

• A SaaS marketer's B2B growth tactics reframed for freelancers - same strategies, different context, new audience

• An expert's advanced content rewritten as beginner guides - doubles their addressable audience

• A niche-specific blogger makes their content applicable to 5 related niches - multiplies reach 5x without creating new insights

This layer requires seeing your content's core value independent of its original packaging.

Now let's get practical.

3. The Content Value Archaeology Audit

These seven questions will reveal where your content gold is hiding.

 Answer them honestly, with inventory not assumptions.

Question 1: The Performance Identifier

"What's my top 20% content that drove 80% of my results?"

Identify across all platforms:

• Top 10 blog posts by traffic

• Top 10 videos by views

• Top 10 social posts by engagement

• Top 10 emails by opens/clicks

• Top 10 podcast episodes by downloads

These high performers deserve multiplication, not burial.

Question 2: The Format Inventory

"What formats do I have content in, and what formats am I missing?"

Current content:

• Blog posts: [X]

• Videos (short, long): [X]

• Podcasts: [X]

• Social posts: [X]

• Email issues: [X]

• Presentations: [X]

• Course modules: [X]

What could be transformed into:

• Carousels

• Threads

• Infographics

• Checklists

• Templates

• Email courses

• Lead magnets

Question 3: The Theme Detector

"What themes do I cover repeatedly across my content?"

Review your last 50 pieces (posts, videos, episodes):

• What topics appear multiple times?

• What advice do you give repeatedly?

• What frameworks do you reference across pieces?

• What questions do you answer over and over?

Repeated themes = hidden systems waiting to be compiled.

Question 4: The Buried Treasure Locator

"What content performed well but I never leveraged?"

Find:

• Posts from 2+ years ago that still get traffic

• Videos that performed well but you never followed up on

• Comments/questions that revealed what resonates

• Content that sparked conversations but never became a series

Past performance predicts future potential.

Question 5: The Asset Extraction

"What valuable assets are embedded in my existing content?"

Within your content, identify:

• Frameworks you've mentioned but never isolated

• Step-by-step processes you've explained

• Checklists you've described

• Templates you've referenced

• Tools or resources you've recommended

Each is a standalone asset waiting to be extracted.

Question 6: The Audience Gap Analysis

"Who could benefit from my content but isn't finding it?"

Your content might serve:

• Different experience levels (beginners vs. experts)

• Different industries (yours vs. adjacent)

• Different formats (readers vs. watchers)

• Different contexts (personal vs. professional)

Same insights, different audiences, infinite remixes.

Question 7: The Forgotten Pile

"What content did I create but never published or underutilized?"

Find:

• Draft posts

• Unused course modules

• Presentations given once

• Internal documentation

• Email responses to common questions

• Unused video footage or outtakes

Your cutting room floor might be someone else's main stage.

4. Excavation Techniques by Content Type

Different content types hide value in different ways. Here's how to dig based on your primary content.

For Blog Content

Primary Hidden Value:

• Top posts that could become full products

• Related posts that form systems

• Old posts with updated relevance

Excavation Method:

1. Identify top 20% posts by traffic over lifetime

2. Update these posts with current examples/data

3. Group related posts into "Ultimate Guide" compilations

4. Extract frameworks from posts into visual assets

5. Turn comprehensive posts into email courses

Quick Win: Update and republish your top 10 posts from 2+ years ago with "Updated [Year]" in title.

For Video Content

Primary Hidden Value:

• Transcripts containing written content

• High-performing videos that could become series

• Videos that could be chopped into shorts

Excavation Method:

1. Transcribe all videos (use AI transcription)

2. Convert transcripts into blog posts and social content

3. Extract best 60-90 seconds into short-form content

4. Create themed playlists from existing videos

5. Turn video series into structured courses

Quick Win: Take your top 10 videos and create 5 short clips from each (50 new pieces).

For Podcast Content

Primary Hidden Value:

• Transcripts containing blog-worthy insights

• Guest wisdom that could become standalone content

• Recurring topics across episodes

Excavation Method:

1. Transcribe every episode

2. Extract best quotes and insights as social content

3. Identify recurring themes; create ultimate guides

4. Repurpose guest insights as curated content

5. Create "best of" compilations by topic

Quick Win: Transcribe your top 10 episodes and extract 20 quote graphics from each.

For Social Media Content

Primary Hidden Value:

• High-performing posts that deserve long-form treatment

• Threads/posts that are actually hidden frameworks

• Engagement that reveals what resonates

Excavation Method:

1. Identify top 50 posts by engagement

2. Expand top threads into blog posts or guides

3. Extract frameworks from posts into visual assets

4. Batch similar posts into themed collections

5. Turn popular posts into different formats

Quick Win: Take your top 20 posts and repost them 6 months later (most followers never saw them).

For Email Newsletters

Primary Hidden Value:

• Archive issues that new subscribers never see

• Patterns across issues forming systems

• High-performing content buried in old sends

Excavation Method:

1. Identify highest-performing issues (opens/clicks)

2. Create "Best of" compilation as lead magnet

3. Group related issues into themed mini-courses

4. Extract frameworks into visual guides

5. Offer archive access as premium tier

Quick Win: Create "Throwback Thursday" series resending your best old issues to the current list.

5. Building Your Content Archaeology System

Most people use Claude or ChatGPT like a search engine: ask a question, get an answer, start over.

That's fine for one-off tasks.

But content archaeology isn't a one-off task. It's a system. 

And systems need memory, context, and accumulated intelligence.

That's what Claude or ChatGPT Projects gives you.

Pick either one, doesn’t matter. Just do something with your life.

Think of Projects as your persistent archaeology lab. Every file you upload, every analysis you run, every framework you extract—it all stays there, building institutional knowledge that makes every subsequent excavation more valuable.

Here's how to build a content archaeology system that compounds.

Why Projects Enables 18x Value for Content Work

Standard Claude or ChatGPT conversations reset. You paste content, get analysis, then it's gone. Next time, you start from zero.

Projects maintains context across conversations. Upload your content library once. Set your excavation parameters. Then every conversation builds on what came before.

Three advantages for content archaeology:

1. Persistent Content Library

Upload all your content files once—transcripts, blog posts, newsletter archives, presentations. Claude can reference them across unlimited conversations without re-uploading. You build a searchable content repository that gets more valuable as you add to it.

2. Custom Instructions That Travel

Set up your excavation parameters, brand voice, audience context, and business goals in the Project custom instructions. Every prompt you run operates with this context automatically. No more "I'm a [your context]" in every prompt.

3. Accumulated Intelligence

The Project learns your content patterns. After your first theme analysis, subsequent prompts reference those themes. After extracting frameworks, later prompts can apply them.

Now let's set it up properly.

Setting Up Your Content Archaeology Project

Step 1: Create and Configure the Project

Create a new Project called "Content Archaeology" or "[Your Brand] Content Library."

In the custom instructions field, set your excavation context. Here's a template:

PROJECT PURPOSE:
I'm systematically excavating hidden value from my existing content archive to multiply assets, identify patterns, and extract frameworks. I want to transform existing content into new formats, compilations, and products without creating new insights from scratch.

BUSINESS CONTEXT:
- Business: [your business/brand]
- Primary content type: [blog/video/podcast/newsletter/etc.]
- Target audience: [who you serve]
- Content volume: [approximate # of pieces]
- Primary platforms: [where you publish]
- Business goals: [leads/authority/sales/community/etc.]

CONTENT APPROACH:
- Voice/tone: [describe your style]
- Key themes: [main topics you cover]
- Unique frameworks: [any named systems you use]
- What makes my content valuable: [your unique angle]

EXCAVATION PRIORITIES:
- Lead magnets and products from existing content
- High-leverage repurposing (1 → many)
- Framework and asset extraction
- Theme-based compilations
- Audience expansion through recontextualization

OUTPUT PREFERENCES:
- Be specific and actionable, not theoretical
- Provide complete ready-to-use content, not outlines
- Prioritize by effort vs. impact
- Show me what to do next, not just what's possible
- Reference my actual uploaded content, not generic examples

Adjust this to your reality. The more specific you are, the better every subsequent prompt works.

Step 2: Organize and Upload Your Content Library

File organization matters. Projects can handle lots of files, but structure creates usability.

Recommended file structure:

/top-performers/
  - blog-top-10.txt (list of your best posts with URLs, traffic, dates)
  - video-top-10.txt (best videos with views, engagement)
  - social-top-20.txt (best social posts with engagement data)
  - email-top-10.txt (best newsletter issues with open/click rates)

/content-archive/
  - blog-posts-2023.txt (all posts from a specific period)
  - video-transcripts.txt (transcripts of your videos)
  - podcast-transcripts.txt (podcast episode transcripts)
  - newsletter-archive.txt (past newsletter issues)
  - presentations.txt (slide decks, workshop content)

/frameworks-extracted/
  (as you extract frameworks, save them here for reference)

/compilations-in-progress/
  (drafts of ultimate guides, ebooks, courses being built)

File format tips:

• Text files (.txt or .md) for written content—easier to work with than PDFs

• One comprehensive file per content type beats dozens of tiny files

• Include metadata in each file: date published, performance metrics, URLs

• Transcripts are gold—if you have video/audio content, transcribe everything and upload

You don't need to upload everything at once. Start with your top performers and most recent 50 pieces. The system improves as you add more.

Step 3: Add Relevant Skills

Skills turn your excavation work into finished deliverables. Instead of just getting ideas from Claude, you get actual assets.

Essential Skills for content archaeology:

• docx: For creating ebooks, guides, and lead magnets from compiled content

• pdf: For creating form-fillable worksheets, checklists, and templates

• pptx: For transforming content into presentation decks and slide carousels

• xlsx: For content calendars, repurposing trackers, and performance analysis

Add these Skills to your Project. Then your prompts can say "create a PDF checklist" or "compile this into an ebook" and get actual files, not just descriptions.

Now you're ready to excavate.

The Three-Phase Excavation Workflow

Content archaeology isn't random digging. It's systematic excavation in phases.

Each phase builds on the previous. Run these sequentially for best results.

Phase 1: Discovery & Mapping

The goal: Understand what you have, identify patterns, find hidden opportunities.

Prompt Sequence 1A: Initial Content Inventory Analysis

Analyze my uploaded content library to map what I have and identify excavation opportunities.

Review all files in my content archive and create:

1. CONTENT INVENTORY SUMMARY
- Total pieces by type and date range
- Topics and themes that appear repeatedly
- Content clusters that could form systems
- Format distribution (what I create vs. what I'm missing)

2. HIGH-PERFORMER ANALYSIS
Based on the performance data in my /top-performers/ files:
- What made these pieces successful? (topic, format, angle, timing)
- What patterns exist across high performers?
- Which deserve multiplication vs. compilation?
- What related content could support each high performer?

3. HIDDEN PATTERN DETECTION
- Themes that appear 3+ times across different pieces
- Frameworks or processes mentioned but never formalized
- Questions I answer repeatedly
- Content series that started but never completed

4. PRIORITY EXCAVATION TARGETS
Rank opportunities by:
- Impact potential (audience value)
- Effort required (how much work to extract)
- Business alignment (supports my goals)

Give me specific pieces to start with, not general categories.

What this does: Creates your archaeological map. Everything else builds from here.

Pro tip: Save Claude's response as a new file in your Project called "excavation-roadmap.txt" so future prompts can reference it.

Prompt Sequence 1B: Theme Compilation Identifier

After you have your roadmap, go deeper on specific themes:

Focus on [THEME] based on the patterns you identified.

Pull every piece of content from my library related to [THEME] and analyze:

1. CONTENT AUDIT FOR THIS THEME
- List every piece that covers this theme (with title, date, format, key points)
- How I've approached this topic differently across pieces
- Evolution of my thinking on this theme over time
- What's missing (gaps in my coverage)

2. COMPILATION STRUCTURE
Design the ideal "Ultimate Guide" for this theme:
- Suggested title and positioning
- Logical structure (not chronological—best learning path)
- How to integrate content from different pieces
- Where I need to create connecting tissue
- What new introduction/conclusion would frame this

3. MULTIPLE FORMAT POTENTIAL
This compiled content could become:
- Lead magnet (PDF guide, email course, etc.)
- Paid product (ebook, course, workshop)
- Content series (blog posts, videos, podcast episodes)
- Social media campaign (thread sequence, carousel series)

4. EXTRACTION PLAN
Specific next steps:
- Which pieces to pull from
- What order to compile them in
- What to add/update/remove
- Which format to start with
- Estimated time to complete

Give me a clear path from scattered content to finished compilation.

What this does: Transforms abstract themes into concrete compilation projects.

Pro tip: Run this for your top 3-5 themes. You'll quickly see which compilations have the most existing content and require the least new creation.

Phase 2: Extraction & Development

The goal: Pull valuable assets out of existing content and develop them into standalone pieces.

Prompt Sequence 2A: Framework Extraction

Extract all frameworks, systems, and processes from my content library.

Review my uploaded content and identify:

1. EXPLICIT FRAMEWORKS
Named systems or methods I reference:
- What I call them
- Where they appear
- How completely they're explained
- Whether they're consistent across mentions

2. IMPLICIT FRAMEWORKS
Unnamed but consistent approaches:
- Step-by-step processes I describe
- Decision trees or criteria I use
- Principles or rules I apply
- Methods that appear in multiple pieces

For each framework found:

3. FORMALIZATION
- Give it a memorable name (if unnamed)
- Document the complete framework clearly
- Identify best original source in my content
- Note variations across different pieces
- Fill gaps where I've been incomplete

4. ASSET CREATION PLAN
- Visual format (diagram, infographic, flowchart)
- Text format (template, checklist, worksheet)
- Where to use it (lead magnet, course module, social post)
- How to package it (standalone vs. part of larger system)

5. IMPLEMENTATION TEMPLATE
Create a ready-to-use template for applying this framework.

I want to transform every implicit framework into an explicit, shareable asset.

What this does: Turns buried intellectual property into standalone valuable assets.

Next step: After getting your frameworks extracted, use Skills:

Take the [FRAMEWORK NAME] you just extracted and create a PDF worksheet that guides someone through applying it step-by-step.

Include:
- Framework overview
- When to use it
- Step-by-step application process
- Spaces for users to fill in their answers
- Examples from my content
- Additional resources or related frameworks

Use the pdf Skill to create a professional, form-fillable PDF.

Prompt Sequence 2B: Content Multiplication Engine

Take [SPECIFIC HIGH-PERFORMING CONTENT PIECE] and multiply it into multiple formats.

Original content: [reference the file in my Project, or paste the specific piece]

SOURCE ANALYSIS:
1. Why did this perform well?
2. What's the core insight or value?
3. What formats would amplify this value?
4. What audiences could benefit from different versions?

MULTIPLICATION PLAN:

Create ready-to-publish content in these formats:

1. SOCIAL CAROUSEL (10 slides)
- Hook slide that stops scrolling
- 8 content slides with one clear point each
- CTA slide with next step
- Specific visual descriptions for designer
- Alternative text for accessibility

2. EMAIL SEQUENCE (3 emails)
- Email 1: The problem/hook (sent Day 1)
- Email 2: The framework/solution (sent Day 3)
- Email 3: Implementation/CTA (sent Day 5)
- Subject lines for each
- Complete email copy, not outlines

3. SHORT-FORM VIDEO SCRIPT (60 seconds)
- Hook (first 3 seconds)
- Core insight delivered quickly
- Visual suggestions for each section
- On-screen text callouts
- CTA

4. TWITTER/X THREAD (10 tweets)
- Thread hook tweet
- 8 insight tweets (one point per tweet)
- Thread CTA tweet
- Optimized for retweets/engagement

5. EXTENDED BLOG POST (if original was short)
OR CONDENSED VERSION (if original was long)

For each format:
- Adapt content appropriately (don't just cut/paste)
- Maintain core message while optimizing for platform
- Provide COMPLETE ready-to-use content
- Note which formats likely to perform best and why

I want finished content, not content ideas.

What this does: Transforms your best content into 20+ new pieces from one source.

Pro tip: Create a tracking file in your Project called "content-multiplication-log.txt" where you document what you've repurposed from what. Prevents duplication and tracks what works.

Phase 3: Production & Packaging

The goal: Transform extracted insights and compiled content into finished deliverables using Skills.

Prompt Sequence 3A: Ultimate Guide Production

Create a comprehensive guide from the [THEME] content we compiled earlier.

Based on the compilation structure you designed in Phase 1:

Pull content from these sources:
[List the specific pieces to combine, which should be in your Project files]

Create a complete guide with:

1. TITLE & POSITIONING
- Compelling title
- Subtitle that clarifies value
- Target audience description
- What problem this solves

2. COMPLETE MANUSCRIPT
- Introduction that frames the system
- Logical chapter/section structure
- Content from my pieces woven together coherently
- Transitions between sections that create flow
- New examples where my originals are dated
- Conclusion that synthesizes and activates

3. ENHANCED VALUE
- Pull quotes and callouts for design
- Sidebar tips or warnings
- "Quick Win" boxes for fast implementation
- Checklists or worksheets embedded
- Links to related resources

4. MULTIPLE FORMAT VERSIONS
- Long-form guide (comprehensive ebook)
- Short-form guide (lead magnet PDF, 8-12 pages)
- Email course version (7-day sequence)
- Presentation deck (workshop/webinar slides)

Start with the complete manuscript. Once approved, we'll use Skills to format it.

After you review and refine the manuscript:

Use the docx Skill to create a professional ebook from this guide.

Format requirements:
- Professional title page
- Table of contents with hyperlinks
- Clear heading hierarchy
- Pull quotes highlighted
- Action boxes or checklists as tables
- Consistent spacing and professional layout
- Footer with page numbers
- Branded (if I provide brand colors/fonts)

Make this look like a professional lead magnet, not a formatted blog post.

What this does: Transforms your scattered content into a polished, downloadable product.

Prompt Sequence 3B: Visual Asset Creation

Create a library of visual assets from my extracted frameworks and key insights.

From the frameworks we extracted, create:

1. ONE-PAGE FRAMEWORK SHEETS
For each major framework:
- Visual representation (describe layout for designer or create in pptx)
- Brief explanation (2-3 sentences)
- When to use it
- Key steps or components
- QR code area for "learn more" link

2. QUOTE GRAPHICS (Top 20 insights)
From my high-performing content, extract the most shareable insights as:
- Quote text (edited for standalone clarity)
- Attribution to me
- Context hint ("From: [content title]")
- Visual style description
- Suggested background imagery

3. CHECKLIST/TEMPLATE LIBRARY
For each process I describe:
- Create form-fillable PDF version
- Professional layout
- Clear instructions
- Space for user input
- Branding area

4. INFOGRAPHIC SERIES
For complex concepts:
- Break down into visual steps
- Data visualization where relevant
- Icon suggestions
- Color-coded sections
- Shareable sizing (1080x1080 for social)

Use pptx Skill for slide-based visuals and pdf Skill for worksheets.

What this does: Creates a complete asset library from your content archaeology work.

Advanced Excavation Techniques

Once you've run the basic workflow, these advanced moves multiply value further.

The Recursive Repurposing Loop

Your repurposed content performs. That performance data reveals new excavation opportunities.

Add to your Project custom instructions:

RECURSIVE RULE: 
When I share performance data from repurposed content, analyze:
- Why this version performed better/worse than original
- What this reveals about audience preferences
- What other content should be repurposed similarly
- What format combinations are worth systemizing

Then track what works:

Update my excavation roadmap based on new performance data:

REPURPOSED CONTENT PERFORMANCE:
- [Piece name] as [new format]: [performance metrics]
- [Piece name] as [new format]: [performance metrics]
[etc.]

Based on what's working:
1. Which other content should get the same treatment?
2. What patterns do you see in successful repurposing?
3. What formats are overperforming expectations?
4. What should I prioritize next?
5. What's not working that I should stop doing?

Update my priority list and suggest next 3 excavation projects.

The Cross-Content Framework Builder

Your best content shares underlying frameworks you haven't articulated.

Analyze my top 10 performing pieces together to identify the implicit meta-framework.

These pieces [list them or reference your top-performers file] all worked.

What do they have in common that's not obvious?
- Structural patterns
- Approach to solving problems
- Types of examples used
- How I frame value
- Underlying principles

Create "The [My Name] Framework" for [my content type] that captures what makes my best content work. This should be the system underneath my successful content that I can now apply deliberately.

The Audience Expansion Remixer

Same insights, new markets.

Take [HIGH-PERFORMING CONTENT] and adapt it for [NEW AUDIENCE].

Original audience: [current audience]
Original context: [how they use it]

New audience: [different industry/experience level/use case]

Create adapted version that:
1. Maintains core insight (the value doesn't change)
2. Changes examples/metaphors/terminology for new audience
3. Adjusts complexity level appropriately
4. Reframes the problem this content solves
5. Modifies CTAs for different next steps

This should feel native to new audience, not "adapted for" them.

Building Your Multiplication System

After running through the excavation workflow a few times, you'll notice patterns. Systemize them.

Create a Content Multiplication SOP in your Project:

Based on what we've excavated so far, create my standardized Content Multiplication SOP.

For each new content piece I create, define:

1. IMMEDIATE REPURPOSING
- What formats to create automatically
- Which audiences to adapt for
- What assets to extract
- Timeline for repurposing (don't let content go cold)

2. PERFORMANCE CHECKPOINTS
- When to check metrics (7 days, 30 days, 90 days)
- What performance triggers deeper excavation
- What underperformance means (stop vs. reframe)

3. QUARTERLY ARCHAEOLOGY
- Archive review process
- Theme compilation check
- Framework extraction audit
- Ultimate Guide development pipeline

4. TOOLS AND TEMPLATES
- Prompt templates for each excavation type
- Tracking spreadsheets
- Performance benchmarks
- Repurposing checklist

Make this a system I can hand to a VA or follow myself consistently.

Save this SOP in your Project. Now every piece of content enters an excavation system, not a black hole archive.

Quick Start Checklist

Build the system. Start here:

• Create Content Archaeology Project in Claude

• Add custom instructions with your context

• Add docx, pdf, pptx Skills to Project

• Upload top performers file with metrics

• Upload your best 50 pieces of content

• Run Discovery Phase prompts

• Save excavation roadmap as reference file

• Pick top theme and run Compilation Identifier

• Extract your first framework

• Use Skills to create first lead magnet

• Track what works, feed back into system

The system builds from there.

Every business is asset-rich.

They just don't realize it yet.

The Content Archaeology Framework isn't complex. It doesn't require new skills, expensive tools, or stopping your content creation.

But it does require seeing your existing content as assets, not archives.

Start with the audit. Just identify your top 10 performers.

What resonated once will resonate again, in new formats, for new audiences, in new contexts.

Your competition is burning out trying to create more, faster, constantly. 

You'll be systematically extracting 10x value from what you've already created.

Until next time,
Sam Woods
The Editor

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