Updating and republishing an old blog post can boost website traffic by more than 100 percent. Got your attention? Sure, it’s a great feeling to wrap up a post, publish it, and get started on another one but why not get more mileage out of work you’ve already done?
Writers have used a similar strategy—write once, get paid twice—for generations and the blogging world is taking notice. In fact, a new term out there called “historic optimization” highlights the generation of monthly customer leads through old blog posts.
Staying power
Before you rush out and dust off your “next big thing” post from five years ago, take the time to sift through them for those that are worthy to be seen again.
- Did the post deliver good leads?
- Was the post a hit with readers, inspiring longer view times?
- Was the blog widely shared?
- Will the blog deliver even stronger results if updated?
Once you get a handle on these details, it’s time to consider the best strategies for breathing new life into your old posts. Here are some proven ways to make it happen:
Add (quality) content
If you have a post that proved successful in the past, it likely has the potential to be even better the second time around. Start by making the post a bit longer. In general, long-form content (more than 1,000 words) consistently generates more likes and shares. Choose quality content that adds value to the post’s already solid foundation.
One way to do this is through quoting authorities in a particular field or linking to reliable references. Quotes from experts, news articles, and recent research studies are excellent resources and it establishes you as a credible expert as well. Adding data is another big hit with customers. Check out the latest intel on a subject and weave into updated narrative for a fresh look.
Dress it up
One of today’s new web design trends is using illustrations to attract customers. Use that same approach to revamp a blog. It’s no secret that images mixed with content have big results. Consider including a unique illustration matching your company’s brand, or optimizing images to make them more shareable.
Add internal links
Looking for a quick way to breathe new life into a blog post? Add more internal links. A little interlinking between posts will keep visitors on your site longer and ramp up visibility of your archived posts.
Read through some select posts from the past; somewhere in there are opportunities to link to related posts and this approach also has the potential to boost search engine rankings.
Follow it up
Here’s a hot tip: Find a compelling post from the past and create a series of different posts, all linked together. A related strategy is to publish a follow up post on prior content that attracted readers the first time.
The great thing about blogs is that they are timeless. Old and new posts show up in search results and your list of archived blogs is effective ammunition to ignite new business. Update the old stuff and you’ll generate the business results your company deserves.
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