Refresh and refine your old blogs

Have you got a bunch of old blogs ‘collecting dust’ on your website? You know what I mean – blogs you haven’t look at in many months or years?

Maybe you’re more focused on pumping out new content.

Or maybe you cringe at the thought of re-reading them – knowing how badly they were written back then. (I’m guilty of this one myself!)

Or maybe you’ve completely lost your mojo when it comes to blog marketing.

Whatever the case, I’m here to give you a boost of encouragement to put time aside this spring to review the ‘oldies’ and give them a refresh.

Why should I refresh my old blogs?

Good question. It all comes back to Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).

You’ve probably written about some super-engaging topics in the past that are still very relevant today. Ultimately, these old blogs (if set up correctly) are likely to be indexed in Google and popping up in response to fast-typed queries. So, you must ensure you’ve provided the most up-to-date information if someone was to stumble across your words today.

The thing is – people are even more likely to stumble across your blog posts if they’ve experienced a recent facelift. (The blogs, not the people! Haha!) Because, according to the Google bots, fresh content is relevant content – and that’s what they’re going to boost in searches. But you don’t need to write brand new stuff to keep them happy! A few tweaks here and there – and voila – it’s like a whole new blog.

But with minimal effort. Score!

How do I know if my blog post needs updating?

This comes down to the content featured. After opening an old blog post (eek!), ask yourself the following questions:

Does it still reflect my business and the person I am today? If you’ve upskilled yourself or grown your business in recent months/years, your perspective might be different today than it was two years ago when you originally wrote it. Look at ways to tweak it based on your new-found knowledge.
Is it attracting traffic? Check out your Google Analytics and Search Console and see if the blog post is drawing people to your site. If yes, what terms are people searching? (This can help you with future blogs – and show you which aspects of the blog you shouldn’t touch!)
Is the topic still relevant? You might have poured your heart and soul into a blog post about a government policy update or a service you used to provide – but have since dropped. Is there a way you can make it relevant again for today’s viewers?

To delete or not to delete?

Even if you answered ‘no’ to the dot points above, think twice before pressing the ‘delete’ button. With a bit of tinkering, could you bring it back to life?

Only delete posts if they are irretrievably wrong, outdated, or potentially damaging to your brand. You might otherwise send your viewers to that dreaded ‘Error 404 not found’ message – and that doesn’t look good!

How do I refresh my old blog content?

Here are 5 tips to try:

Ensure everything is in working order

Are there any broken weblinks? If yes, update or remove them.

Create links to newer blog posts

Adding internal links that connect blogs on similar topics encourage your customers to remain on your website for longer. (And that helps with SEO!)

Update the imagery

Sourcing a new image may improve the post’s visual appeal and attract new readers. Maybe you’ve had a recent photoshoot, meaning you can replace stock images with the real deal.

Improve the SEO

Check your Google Analytics to see how the post is currently performing. If it’s going well, avoid making dramatic keyword changes. Otherwise, consider adding new relevant keywords and updating the meta description, image alt tags etc.

Set up a review process

Now you’ve gone through the review process, set yourself a reminder to repeat the process on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis.

Ultimately, don’t just write and forget. Because there’s otherwise so much untapped potential just sitting there on your website!

If you need more help with your blog writing, you’re invited to the Women with Altitude ‘Blogging Building Blocks’ training sessions I’m running on Wednesdays 14, 21, and 28 September. Limited spots available. Reserve your spot here

You can also connect with me at – leanne@writetimemarketing.com.au or on 0412 861 685.

What do I do now?

Don’t let your refreshed blogs sit quietly on the shelf to collect dust once more. It’s repurpose time, baby! This ensures a proactive approach so your social media followers and distribution list are aware of your awesomeness.

I highly recommend:

Using the content to create at least 5 social media posts – including words and Canva graphics that link back to your blog.
Doing Facebook Lives to promote the topic.
Creating a YouTube video version of the blog. (We all like to consume media differently!)
Uploading it to Canva (Yes, there’s that tool again…), adding graphics, and turning it into a free PDF lead magnet.
Collecting a series of blogs on the same topic and creating an e-Book (Following the same process as above).
Using it to pitch your expertise for a podcast guest spot.