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How to Refresh Old Blog Posts and Bring Them Back to Life

Julia McCoy

Friday, 24th Nov 2023

Ever put your heart and soul into a blog post, only to see it fade away in the vast ocean of online content? Maybe you’ve poured over each sentence, crafting an engaging narrative filled with valuable insights. Yet as weeks turn into months, that meticulously crafted piece loses its shine. The views dwindle, comments dry up, and before long it’s buried under piles of newer posts.

This might leave you wondering – is there a way to breathe new life into these old gems?

The answer is yes!

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time. Instead, dust off those stale blog posts in your archive and give them a good scrubbing.

Rather than constantly creating fresh material from scratch, savvy bloggers refresh old blog posts as part of their on-page SEO tactics. A little nip here, a little tuck there…and voila! Your revamped blog content is ready for the spotlight once more.

In this blog post, you will learn how to update old blog posts, breathe new life into them, and make them shine again.

Let’s get started.

Why You Need to Constantly Update Blog Posts

Think about your blog as a garden. Your posts are like plants that you’ve lovingly nurtured from seeds to full-grown beauties. But, just like in any garden, things change over time.

Some plants lose their luster or become overshadowed by newer additions. This is where refreshing old blog posts comes into play – it’s akin to pruning and fertilizing those older plants so they can flourish once more.

When you refresh old blog posts, you not only replace outdated information but also update keywords to improve SEO — boosting search engine rankings and drawing more organic search traffic.

Want proof? Ahrefs doubled its traffic overnight after rewriting and republishing its “What is SEO” article a year after its original publication. Ahrefs has now made republishing posts a part of its content marketing strategy, refreshing 75 of its 200+ blog posts for more traffic.

This is good news for every content marketer looking for ways to drive website traffic without constantly creating new content.

The Value Of Evergreen Posts

If there were perennials in the blogging world, evergreen posts would be them. These gems provide timeless value and continue to attract readers long after their publication date — hence the name ‘evergreen’.

Evergreen content works because it targets keywords that are relevant regardless of current trends or seasons — a key strategy behind boosting organic traffic. When you refresh old blog posts that contain evergreen content, you add more value to your readers.

Source: Orbit Media

Identifying the Right Blog Posts to Refresh

To increase blog viewership, it is critical to not just generate new material but also make sure your previous posts remain current. How do you determine which posts are worth reviving?

Your first stop should be Google Search Console. It provides data about average ranking positions and can help identify underperforming pages that might need a refresh. For more precise ranking data, you can try a paid tool like Ahrefs’ Site Explorer.

Start by analyzing your search console data. Look for posts with high impressions but low click-through rates (CTR). These are potential gold mines. They’re already getting noticed by Google but need a bit of polish to lure in those clicks.

You should also assess the relevance of each post to your target audience. Has their search intent changed over time? Is there something more recent or trending that you could include in the update?

Analyze Ranking Positions and Traffic

Dig deeper into the performance of each post by looking at its historical ranking positions and organic traffic patterns over time – both crucial metrics when deciding what needs refreshing.

Google Search Console and Ahrefs’ Site Explorer provide valuable insights into backlink profiles, keyword rankings, and competitors’ activity among other things which can help you refresh old blog posts more effectively.

Finding Broken Links or Outdated Information

A common reason for low CTR is outdated information or broken links. Nothing turns off readers faster than clicking on a link only to find it leads nowhere. So make sure all links work.

Look for outdated information in your blog content and update them. If you’re writing for the technology niche in particular, you know how fast things change in the tech world so make sure your blog content is always fresh.

Your older blog pieces could still hold value if they answer questions relevant to today’s readers or align with current search intent trends – they might just need some sprucing up. However, not all outdated articles need to be refreshed. Sometimes deleting or redirecting certain pages might serve you better SEO-wise than attempting an update.

Screenshot from Search Engine Journal

How to Refresh Old Blog Posts: Step-by-Step Guide

Giving your old blog posts a makeover is like turning an outdated outfit into a trendy ensemble. Here are some steps to breathe new life into your old blog content.

Unearth New Keywords to Match Search Intent

A key strategy in refreshing content is keyword optimization.

In the digital world, target keywords are specific words or phrases that people type into search engines when looking for information. Keyword optimization is the art of strategically using these words throughout your website content, so search engines recognize your site as relevant when someone types in those magic words.

If there are new keywords or trends in your niche, incorporate them naturally into your content. This can give your post a better chance of being discovered through search engines.

It’s not just about stuffing your content with keywords. It’s about thoughtful integration that makes your content genuinely helpful and valuable. Search engines love content that caters to what users are searching for, so think of keyword optimization as your way of speaking the same language as your audience and the search engines.

Remember, while optimizing for search engines is crucial, enhancing readability and user experience shouldn’t take a back seat. After all, nobody likes reading clunky sentences stuffed with keywords that deliver no value.

Make Old Posts More Engaging with Multimedia Content

Refresh any outdated images or add new ones. Visual appeal matters, and fresh, relevant visuals can make your content more engaging.

Incorporating multimedia elements into your refreshed blogs not only makes them visually appealing but also helps explain complex topics easily.

Did you know that adding Pinterest pins to old blog posts could lead to significant increases in blog traffic? It’s like giving people a visual map alongside written directions – it just makes things easier.

The importance of image optimization cannot be overstated – make sure search engines understand what your visuals represent while making your refreshed blogs more attractive and professional at the same time.

This strategy isn’t about merely replacing pictures though; each updated image should add value by reinforcing key points made in the written content.

Update Posts With Fresh, Valuable Information

Fresh information works wonders when refreshing old content too. Think about how much we’ve learned since last year or even last month — don’t let your blogs miss out on the growth journey.

Check for outdated information and statistics. If there are new developments in your industry or topic, make sure your content reflects that.

And remember to keep your tone friendly and conversational. People are more likely to engage when they feel like you’re talking with them rather than at them.

Read through your post and see if there’s a way to improve the writing style, tone, or clarity. Add new insights, examples, or experiences that enhance the overall value of the content.

Revisit Linking Structure

A robust internal linking strategy guides your readers through related content effortlessly, increasing their time spent on your website.

Besides improving navigation, internal links help search engines understand the structure of your site better. This leads to improved crawlability and indexation — key factors that influence how high you rank on Google search results.

Make sure all the links in your post are still active. If you’ve referenced external sources, ensure they are still credible and relevant.

Improve SEO

Review your meta tags, titles, and descriptions. Make them enticing and keyword-rich. This can help improve your post’s search engine visibility.

Repurpose Content

Different people prefer consuming content in different formats. Repurposing allows you to cater to various preferences – some might love reading a blog post, while others prefer watching a video or listening to a podcast. This broadens your audience reach.

Consider repurposing your blog posts into infographics, list posts, videos, or podcasts. Or do it the other way around: turn your YouTube videos and podcast episodes into long-form blog posts. Pro tip: BrandWell lets you do this in just one click!

If you have evergreen content that stands the test of time, repurposing keeps it in the spotlight. Instead of letting it fade into the archives, you can reintroduce it to your audience periodically.

Add a “Last Updated” Note

Include a note at the beginning or end of your post indicating when it was last updated. This not only keeps your audience informed but also signals to search engines that the content is current.

Encourage Engagement

Invite readers to leave comments, share their thoughts, or ask questions. Engaging with your audience can keep the conversation alive and may even spark ideas for future updates.

Promote Again

After you’ve done all the work refreshing and republishing posts, it’s time to promote them again to drive traffic back.

Share your updated post on your social media channels and in newsletters. Let your audience know that there’s new and improved content waiting for them.

Refresh Posts Regularly

To keep things fresh without constantly creating new posts from scratch, it’s crucial to maintain a regular schedule for updating blogs and republishing posts.

There are two ways to go about this:

Both approaches are easy to do if you only have a few posts published. But what if your blog has hundreds of articles? And after running analytics, you discover that half of them are declining in traffic?

The best way to refresh old blog posts en masse is to use a long-form content writer like BrandWell’s RankWell.

First, run your main keyword through the in-app keyword research tool to find new phrases and subtopics you could add to your old post.

If your blog post was written with RankWell, just type the title in the search box and update it on the text editor. If you want a complete rewrite, open the article on the editor and click the Content Brief tab under the Research filter.

Here you can add more sources to update the information of your old blog post. Click “Rewrite Content” and your outdated, low-performing article will get a fresh lease on life within minutes.

But what if your article was written by hand or another writing tool?

Just take the URL of your article and run it through RankWell! You can also turn your YouTube video, podcast, custom audio file, or Word/PowerPoint/Doc file into a 3,000-word fresh blog post in just one click.

These are not mere regurgitations of your existing content. Based on what you have already written, the AI will crawl the internet for high-ranking pieces and produce a fresh take on the topic so you now have content that’s ready to climb up the SERPs again.

While updating blog posts can give your website traffic an unexpected jump, it doesn’t mean you should stop creating new content altogether. Instead, strike a balance between the two by keeping track of which evergreen posts are worth updating and plan your content update strategy accordingly

FAQs – Refresh Old Blog Posts

How do you republish old blogs?

To do a content refresh, replace outdated sections with updated information, fix broken links, and optimize SEO. Then change the publish date to today’s date and hit ‘publish’ again.

How often should you update old blogs?

The frequency of updating old blogs depends on their performance but as a rule of thumb, aim for every 6-12 months. High-performing posts may benefit from more frequent updates.

How do I revive my blog?

You can revive a published post by refreshing its content, optimizing SEO elements, or adding new multimedia elements. Regularly publishing fresh content also helps keep things lively.

Can I repost an old blog?

Absolutely. But before reposting an old blog post, make sure it’s updated with relevant info to provide value to readers while improving search engine rankings.

Conclusion

In the dynamic world of online content, the journey doesn’t end with the publication of a blog post. Rather, it’s a continuous evolution.

Refreshing old blog posts is not just about dusting off cobwebs — it’s a strategic move that boosts SEO and aligns with search intent.

By breathing new life into your existing content, you’re not merely updating words on a page; you’re revitalizing your brand, reinforcing your authority, and extending an invitation to your audience to rediscover the value you offer. It’s a testament to your commitment to delivering accurate, relevant, and timeless information.

Make this practice part of your regular content strategy – breathe new life into forgotten gems and watch them shine once more!

Written by Julia McCoy

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