9 Tips on How to Revive an Old Blog Post

Mitz Pantic 3770 Views, ,
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To revive an old blog post is like digging up gold. Old blog posts usually get buried in mountains of old content and you need to bring it to the surface to shine. Would you leave a gold nugget in the ground?

Webmasters often leave old content for dead and neglect the fact that it is possible to revive an old blog post.

Here are 9 Tips on How to Revive an Old Blog Post

1#.  Reassess Your Keywords

I can hear you screaming right now! It was bad enough that you had to research your keywords in the first place, let alone do it again. But let’s face it, your content is your asset and you need to take care of your assets.

Great keywords are not set in stone because at one stage a keyword could have a fantastic search volume, and the next minute you know, the searches are disappearing. This is because keywords are greatly related to trends that people follow. If the people that are searching are not interested in your keyword anymore, you need to reassess your keywords and target something else.

2#.  Build Internal Links to Revive an Old Blog Post

I believe, through my own experiences, that building internal links greatly contributes to your search engine rankings. If you want to revive an old blog post, building internal links using various keyword anchor text, can really bring your post back to life.

Internal links show that the page is important to your website. If you are not giving the thumbs up to your own post then you are not confidently telling people about your great content.

3#.  Add a Video or Podcast

Adding a video or podcast to an old blog post can not only lower your bounce rate, but it can also be an easy way to add updated content, therefore making the post fresh. If you do not have a video to use, contact someone that does have videos and ask permission to use their videos. Often they will say yes. I would definitely let you use my videos from my Computer Basics Youtube Channel if you asked nicely.

4#.  Add a Groovy Image

Images can really attract people to click just as much as a good post title can. This cannot be any old, boring image, it should be groovy. I know I sound a bit crazy here, but I just love the word groovy and I’m hoping that you know what I mean. If you have read this entire article, can you mention the word “groovy” in your comment below?

5#.  Check Conversions

You should regularly check if your post is actually converting to your expectations. This means that if you had a goal in mind for the post, is it working for you? For example, if you have an affiliate link to sell a product placed within the content and you have not made any sales, there are many things you can do to improve that situation.

People often have an attitude “Oh this is only one post on my website and therefore I won’t worry about its conversions”. This is a bad attitude because every little bit counts in the blogging world. You really never know the potential of a page until it shows a small amount of success. Therefore you need to tweak your monetization methods if they are not working.

6#.  Bring it to the Frontline

Once I have optimized the old post and refreshed this valuable content, I like to bring it back to the frontline. I never republish a blog post unless it has been revived and is still highly relevant content. Today, for example, I have revamped an old post from 2008 and republished it. I added my new experiences to the blog post and gave it a fresh new feel. That’s what good blog post writing is about. Please note: I never change the URL (permalink) of an existing post..

7#.  Promote it like it is New

When I publish I always promote the content as soon as I post it. This can apply for either new content or old content that has been revamped. An old post definitely loves a bit of extra promotion and I guarantee that you will see an increase in traffic. Generating traffic for each new or old blog post will create a solid, unbreakable website.

8#.  Guest Post About it

As part of the promotion, make sure you include guest posting in your travels. Spreading your content around through guest posting is not only about search engine optimization, it is also about instant targeted traffic. Therefore we have a win-win situation.

9#.  Send it to Your List

Send a message to your e-mail list telling them that you have revived an old post. Tell them a few points that you added to make this post fresh content and you will definitely spark some interest. Now that you have optimized your monetization method by checking your conversions, you might possibly make some new sales.

Now it’s your turn to share your tips on how you revive an old blog post?

Mitz Pantic

My name is Mitz and I am a serial full-time blogger. I started out with one website many years ago and it went so well, I sold my businesses and began living the internet dream. Since then I have been perfecting the system of blogging by building Wordpress websites that are set to earn money online. This is an ever changing business and I love the challenge.

38 thoughts on “9 Tips on How to Revive an Old Blog Post”

  • Mitz,

    I agree. It is definitely a good idea to try and do a little housekeeping on old posts. I have been trying to do this for about 1 post every couple of days.

    I don’t go through all the steps (pretty much your steps 1,2,5 plus whatever I feel is NEW info) but I do not bring them forward either.

    I may reaccess this (not bringing them forward) and maybe do a formal “bring an old post forward” once every couple of weeks. and follow all your steps.

    It does make some good sense. (specifically since I have some 50oish old articles now)

  • Hi Steve
    I am also trying to routinely revive old posts and I have found it well worth the effort. Also if your doing it that also proves that it is an important job! 🙂

    When my blogs are new and I are adding content there is less audience for it..So when I have a blog pumping I bring back a hot article and no one knows any better..It just looks like new content. Hate to waste the content…

  • Some solid suggestions here. Personally I have used the Twitter idea to tweet old post, article round-up and deep linking to old blog post. Sometimes we need to be a good “modifier” to get it done.

  • Nice post,

    No doubt in that old is gold. It’s a great idea to post your old blog post with some exciting modifications beside that you mentioned nicely that thing remind them you post a old blog post with added some another great things.

    So overall it’s good to do post a old blog post which is some challenging work to do.

    • The problem is the further you go into the blogging business the more old posts you end up with… OH no what I have I got to look forward to?

      Thats when you have to pick the best and leave the rest! 🙂

  • Here are two ways you can revive an old post, combine all of your old post that you think is valuable and put them in series of a newsletter for your subscribers or secondly you can combine them and create a ebook and give it away to your readers or better to your join venture partners or friends and ask tell them it is a free gift to their readers or subscribers.
    I will choose the second one because who knows, it might go viral and you can become well known just by giving away your old content.

    • Yup, agree with you Wong. That was the first thing that I thought of when I read the post. Create an eBook or Newsletter.

      The other thing you can do is try and break it down into 140 character chunks and create a series of Tweets about it.

    • Thats totally true Bad Blogger but here I am reviving it not re-using it… I love to do what you said though…People often waste their content big time!
      If I gave you something to giveaway would you do it?

  • Hi Ditesco,

    Just popped in to check out CommentLuv Premium in action on your blog.

  • Hello Ditesco. I revive old blog posts by making a carnival of them and including good posts from others and mixing it in there. I re purpose them by making books of them. New ways of monetizing content.

    Also, I see you’ve got ComLuv premium. Have you used your recommendation yet? I want to get it for Blogengage and to do a review for it on the platform.

  • It’s usually very common with all bloggers that there quality and relevant post get buried just because it’s old now. Optimizing it with new or relevant keywords is one of the best way to attract readers and you can email of-course.

    • Sure is Priya
      Revive and the post will survive. Also after you have done all this you can re-use the content as others say to make ebooks and so on…
      But the important thing is to fix it all up first.

  • Great post, I like to make updates to some of my old post to give them a fresh look and expand on previously written material.

  • It’s amazing how many bloggers seem to forget about their old posts, I revamp some of my posts from time to time, specially if they have been getting some hits coming in from the search engines, a sure sign that they can be brought bang up to date 😉

    • Very true Karen
      The posts are sitting there in the blog wasting away.. That is your asset and you must maintain it.

  • Love this post because it completely agrees with what I am doing at the moment 🙂 I am re-doing some stuff on both my blog and one of the niche sites and there is nothing better for a good push as redoing older posts that are getting the traffic, like optimizing them a bit better, for the keyword as well as the traffic it is already receiving. I republished two old posts on my blog in last few months and they were both hits so I can not stress enough how important it is not to forget them.

    Great guest post!

    • You are right Brankica
      It is very important not to forget them.. This is one of the biggest traffic getters and keepers..
      By the way my name is from Yugoslavia. 🙂

      • I am from Serbia (born in Bosnia though) and I knew you had to have something to do with us. The name is sooooo ours 🙂

        • Yes I had a feeling your name looked familiar. 🙂

  • Mitz, you always inspire me with your ideas. Come to think of it, I have an old blog full of great stuff I can revive!! Thanks for showing me how it’s done my friend!

    • Funny you should mention old blog…I have one I left for dead full of great content and I am thinking of transferring that old content into another pumping website..

      Then I am going to revive some of the posts and bring them through as if new…

  • Great tips in here Mitz. My on way of reviving an old blog post is via including them into one of my “LIST” post. It is kind of relevant to your tip number 2.

    • Hi RonLeyba
      Your right! Lists are great and can easily bring back a post. 🙂

  • Mitz, these are great tips. I usually guest blog about my old posts, recently I’m also doing keyword research and work on changing them a bit.

    You know, it’s not really pleasant to do keyword research AGAIN for a post. But as you say, we gotta face it 🙂

    Thanks.

    • I know I hate keyword research too but it has to be done…And to revive a post you need the latest info…

      Guest blogging is great for everything..I never say no to that! 🙂

  • You see this alot of the time. Even a large site like freelance switch reuses articles it post about once or twice a year because it just so happens that the same type of article is required.

    • Hi Zachary
      You are right that big blogs do this..Why write another post when you have one that is relevant already.

  • Great tips, another way to take advantage of old posts is to convert old articles to videos and put them on your old posts, this will attract more visitors and reduce the bounce rate, additionally this can bring a lot of traffic if you publish these videos on sites like YouTube and add a link to the video description!

    • You are right there! Converting your articles to video and then adding that to the post does wonders.

  • Video works wonders to revive old tips. You can also do an update on some initiative you’ve had and link to it as well.

  • Do you ever change the date so the old article appears new? Obviously this would need to be non time sensitive information or need updating, but I’ve seen blogs do this in the past.

    • Hi Nick
      I never have the date in my permalink structure. I always have /%postname%/ and thats it…

      That way I never change the URL…

  • Rather than revive old blog posts. I prefer to inform my readers. That whatever important points or advice. That I have made in the post is. For that moment in time.

    However.

    I do agree with points 2, 3, 6, and 9 of your article.

    • Hi Paul
      I like to revive a post to also keep my information up to date and current.. Your way is good too..might give it a try! 🙂

  • Great article, Mitz!

    Another reason I like rehashing old posts is they can be a confidence builder. If you start looking at the posts and realize how good some of them really are, you ca’t help but become more encouraged and energized. It’s easy to become weary slogging out post, after post, after post. . .

    • Your right Gibson
      It is good to go back and appreciate your good posts and pat yourself on your back! 🙂 It also feels good when you can come back and update a post with something new that you now know..

  • I’ve found a couple of my old posts that might bring in more visitors into my blog. I’ll definitely follow your tips here. Thanks!

  • It is a good idea to try to dig up old posts. I use the following methods: LinkedWithin, a Table of Contents page and I encourage readers to use the Google Custom Search engine to look for posts on a particular topic. I am not sure if re-posting old posts is good idea because they just get buried anyway and get out of chronological order.

    Since I added Linked Within, I have had a lot more hits on older posts.

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