You set out to make money blogging, learned everything you could about it, set up a blog, and started writing. And writing some more.
One day you look up and realize you've been blogging for eight years straight. Blog, blog, blog, blog, blog.
What happens to the blog post you wrote last year. Or for that matter, the blog post you wrote last week?
Are there cobwebs on your Blog Archives?
I actively use my Blog Archives in a number of ways. Why? Because it's easier to work with something that's already created, than it is to create something new. 😉
Creating fresh blog content consistently is important of course, but don't discount how much easier it is to increase your revenue by working with what you already have. And I'm going to show you 8 simple ways to do just that...
Perhaps you're wondering HOW there's "a goldmine in your blog archives." In my recent post on how to make money creating content, I discussed the value of each individual blog post you publish. But the revenue you earn from each post doesn't stop once the initial buzz dies down. Not if you really want to make money blogging...
Your blog content can continue being a consistent source of income for years!
8 Ways to Make the MOST of Your Blog Archives
1. Analyze & Update Keyword Optimization
You likely understand Keyword Strategy and Web Page Optimization better now than when you first started blogging. If they need updating, go back and re-optimize your archived posts appropriately.
Depending on how long you've been blogging, this could seem like a big job. But the results will be worth it when you achieve better rankings and an increase in traffic! Simply set aside time each day, or once a week, to analyze and optimize your archives. Tip: Focus on your best posts, and those with a strong call-to-action.
2. Improve the Call-to-Action
Make sure each post has a very clear call to action and gives your reader the "next best click." Start by looking over your site stats, and analyze the top blog posts that get the most views each month. Do they have a call to action? If not, add one! How well is that post converting, and how could you improve that conversion rate?
3. Get Fresh Inbound Links
Have great posts hiding in your blog archives that aren't getting any traffic? Improve the rankings of those posts by making sure they are properly optimized (see Tip One) - and getting fresh, high quality inbound links to them.
4. Reference Blog Archives in New Posts
Internal links from within your own blog are important too. Not only for SEO, but so that new readers can find some of your best archived content. Reference your older posts in new posts that you write, as a resource for your readers.
You'll notice I've done that in THIS post. 😉
You can also create a new "best of" or "top x tutorials on abc" type blog post that lists your best content, or all of your posts on a certain topic.
5. Content for Your Autoresponder & Mailing List
Your best posts can be used as resourceful links in your autoresponders, or as content for your newsletter. This is a great way to introduce some of your best content to your email subscribers. As an example, I just shared one of my posts with my mailing list this week in an email titled New to Online Business?
6. Social Media Content
In addition to sharing your best posts with your email subscribers, you can also use them for content across your Social Media channels.
Here's an example where I did that just this week:
Here's another example on my Low Carb Facebook Page where I shared an older post. When I originally wrote that post, I had far less Facebook friends - so many of my newer connections may have never seen that post!
7. Create a Resource Page or Sidebar Feature
You'll notice that I have a section in my sidebar labeled "Hot Topics." I created that list manually, and update it when I want to add a new post there that I want to get more exposure. I also set up a Hot Topics page, and a page specifically for Internet Marketing Reviews. Not only does this give those "top posts" more exposure, it gives them more quality internal links. 🙂
8. Turn Your Blog Archives Into Info Products
Another way to make money blogging that many blogger's haven't even considered, is to repurpose some of your best content into Info Products. You might create checklists for your readers, or turn a series of posts on the same topic into a valuable short report. Have great recipes on your blog? Compile them into a cookbook!
If you can blog, you can write reports or create info products. And if you're not, you're leaving some serious money and traffic on the table...
* * * * * * * * * *
Sure, it's extra work. But why let your Blog Archives go to waste? You have time and energy invested in that content, and it's well worth it to make sure it's yielding the absolute best return on investment for you.
Besides, working with what you already have... is much easier than creating something new. 😀 So while you want to continue putting out fresh content and new blog posts, always consider how you can make the absolute most of it - long term.
So make sure your best content has a strong call to action, is displayed prominently on your blog, targets a specific keyword phrase that your market is searching, is ranking well in the search engines for that phrase - and is getting the most traffic and the best conversions it possibly can!
Best,
p.s. This fabulous post (which is completely unique content, of course) was inspired by Peggy Baron's Easy Article Starters. 😉 Worth checking out!
About Lynn Terry
Wonderful advice! I highlight old posts quite often on Facebook and Twitter (with great results) but that is pretty much it for promoting old content. Thanks for the ideas!
AMAZING how much time has gone by since we first started blogging. Really enjoyed this post and gave me lots of ideas for using my old content. Actually, I still have pages on Idea-Queen.com that predate blogging, which would be AWESOME for new blog posts. Plus since I just got around to making a Facebook page for IQ, I have a daily stream of content to post in front of the growing subscribers. Makes it a whole lot easier to use an old site while building a new business. 🙂
Thanks for highlighting those ideas again Lynn! I've been doing a few of those, specifically calls to action on archived posts. It's amazing how much it makes a difference. I've even been going back and completely re-editing some of the posts with a better product. After just one week I was getting more click throughs to products and a few extra sales! I'm also in the process of making some of the archives a report too. And I often share archives on social media 🙂
These are great ideas for reviving old content. I've read on Pat Flynn's blog that he too used old blog posts and compiled them into an info product which he uses as a giveaway on his squeeze page.
Thanks Lynn! Excellet post as always! I am trying to work on my call to action more. I think that I just need to get a little more traffic.
It's smart to optimize your content and call-to-action first, so that when you do increase your traffic it will convert better for you. 😉
This is a great list! I think the only one I am doing is consciously putting in a Call to action, because you suggested it 😉
Also, our blog is just 6 months old, so it hasn't that much content on it yet.
However, I have a question. Sorry to show my ignorance, but where are my blog achives? lol
Caroline
You can work through each category one at a time (in your right sidebar), or you can go into your WordPress dashboard and click "Posts" at the top left. 🙂
Great ideas, Lynn ! I especially like number 5 and 6. 5 I'm already doing, but I will start using more of my archived content for Social Media updates. I also like the WP plugin "Tweet old post". What's your opinion about that one?
Personally, I prefer to do my social media updates manually. If you use a plugin you lose the ability to include hashtags or edit the wording - which can make a BIG difference. 😉
Awesome, awesome. I've just moved my blog to a different server and have had to make some updates/changes etc. In doing this I realised how there is a lot of information and recipes that are still favourites and generating traffic that could do with a 'freshen up'. This gives me a great checklist for going back and reviving my archives and I particularly like #8 🙂
Another idea is to update any links, add new internal links to the old posts and maybe try some different affiliate/monetization links if the conversions could be improved.
Great ideas - and definitely adding contextual links referencing newer posts for internal link building, and as a service to your readers. Good one!
Great share , very useful tips to make money , will surely take your tips
thanks for sharing
Important info especially for the beginners. I think I am one of the people losing traffic because of keyword optimization missing in my older posts. Thanks for the article.
Wonderful post Lynn! TY. I'm learning quite a lot with your posts and advice/tips. 🙂
I lik 4. Reference Blog Archives in New Posts
and
8. Turn Your Blog Archives Into Info Products
🙂
This post resonated with me because I've just been looking at my oldest posts recently wondering if there is a way to use them more effectively. I had thought of a couple of these, and this list gives me many more way to use those posts that are still relevent. I've got dozens I can use. Thanks!
Old blogs and posts can be re used at various places and also to aid while creating new blogs or posts. Many a times we are short on topics and ideas to write on after a long time of blogging and we suddenly go blank. In this situation, we can take help of those old blogs and recreate some fresh content using the keywords or ideas complimentary to them.
Great ideas! Definitely will be implementing several of these. Thanks for pointing me toward it!
Letting people advertise on our blogs can also be an option to earn that extra income through blogging. I know these advertisements should not turn irritating for the visitors, they should be limited and genuine. Allowing a limited amount of ads on our blogs that do not turn the entire blog into an ad space can work wonders.
True! 😀
Thanks for the tips! It's numbers one and two that I need to work on. I do numbers 4, 5, and 6 regularly. With around 700 or so blog posts, it's hard to update them all. I'll have to start thinking one at a time. 🙂
I start by looking at my highest traffic posts in my stats. Work on those first, then work your way back through the rest to increase traffic & conversions on those next. 🙂
Ah, didn't think of that. Thanks!