The more consistently you post content on your website, the better your blog will perform, but coming up with 4-8 new blogs per month can be a real challenge.
Here’s a pro tip: repurpose what you’ve already written.
Why You Should Update Old Blog Posts
What’s old can be new again when you’re on a quest to fill your content calendar with relevant, value-first messaging.
Taking old content, dusting it off and putting a little polish on it enables you to put your marketing where your website is and demonstrate your ongoing relevance to readers. What’s more, web crawlers love fresh content. By adding at least 4 pages of updated content to your site each month, you can improve rankings and attract new traffic.
Now, be warned: duplicate content is still a big no, no in the online world. Not only does Google frown on dupe content, it has been known to flag your site and reduce or remove your rankings altogether. So, when we say “refresh” we don’t mean “reuse.”
Where to Start When Refreshing Content
Now that you know why you should post consistently to your website, here are a few places to start when digging through the archives to look for old blogs to update – or write afresh.
- Review Google Analytics – Good contenders for refreshed content are those that already resonate with readers. If certain topics tend to pull favorably, keep ‘em coming. Look at your data for the most-viewed pages and use those as a launching point for refreshing content. Giving readers more of what they want is always a good idea.
- Refresh old posts with current trends and data – Here’s an example we can all relate to. Like most businesses, we produced a ton of content during the pandemic and much of it spoke directly to the crisis at the time. No one wants to read pandemic-era posts anymore, but that doesn’t mean the meat and potatoes of those posts aren’t good. Take the winning ideas you have tucked in those blogs (because they likely are still good) and write new content to reflect the current times.
- Produce evergreen content – Evergreen content is that which stands the test of time. Its relevance does not come with an expiration date (whereas something like “2024’s Hottest Trends in Marketing” does). Adding a mix of timely and evergreen content to your publication schedule helps you reach a range of readers. And one of the best parts of evergreen content is that it can endure with just a little “sprucing” (pardon the pun) every now and then.
Before we go, we wanted to say one more thing. Refreshing old blog content doesn’t mean you’re lazy. On the contrary. It means you’re being resourceful and staying attuned to your audience’s needs. That’s winning at its finest.
Now, stand a little taller, pat yourself on the back and go out there and churn out some old (new) posts. If you don’t have time, we do. Just fill out this super short 3-question form and we’ll call you right back.