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How to Instantly Revive Old Blog Content

By
Real Estate Technology with Imagine WOW! Digital Marketing Agency

One of the greatest challenges for bloggers is content creation. The second greatest challenge is what happens after that content is created.

While promotion is key to a successful blog, the astonishing truth is that most bloggers write an article, hit publish, share across one or two social networks and call it a day.

You might wonder why anyone would take the time to write an article simply to let it gather dust? Mainly because they don't know what to do with it or how to get that content in front of as many people as possible.

The answer? Repurpose your content by putting a new face on it!

Below are eight ways you can take your existing content and repurpose it for a whole new audience!

instantly revive old blog content

8 Ways to Revive Old Blog Content

  1. Follow-Up Post

Have you been blogging for some time? Then you've probably built up a considerable amount of content. If you struggle to continuously come up with fresh topics for your website, using old posts as inspiration can be very helpful.

Go back through past posts in your Google Analytics and scan for those that performed well. Now look to see if there was any one article that felt unfinished or would possibly warrant additional information due to changes or updates.

Writing a follow-up post is a great way to breathe new life into your old post by linking back to it as a reference. And don’t forget the added bonus of additional traffic when you revive a hot topic.

  2. Roundup of Resources

Weekly or monthly roundup posts are a very popular way to highlight articles that deserve a second look. Cultivate a list of your previous articles and include them amidst other relevant blogs within your niche.

Be picky in which articles you choose, linking back to only a select group of your top posts. This will ensure value to your readers, rather than simply feeling like a ploy to gather additional views and shares.

Look to someone like Carol Lynn Rivera who puts together an excellent weekly roundup of posts. Notice how she adds context around each article, sharing her take on why the post is roundup worthy. This is the value in the post. Simply throwing up a bunch of links is not of any value to your readers.

resource roundup post

  3. Design a Graphic for Pinterest

Why repurpose content specifically for Pinterest? First and foremost, Pinterest offers a way to visually brand your business, putting your message in front of a whole new audience.

And it’s an audience eager to buy according to recent studies. In fact, Pinterest has proven to generate over 400% more revenue per click than Twitter and 27% more than Facebook.

Five tips for finding success on Pinterest according to Cynthia Sanchez, Owner Oh So Pinteresting is:

  1. Create a plan
  2. Take a good look at your site
  3. Put in the time 
  4. Leverage what you already have
  5. Patience

Ready to create a graphic, but don't consider yourself a Photoshop aficionado? Use PicMonkey, a free photo-editing tool to create an eye-catching visual.

As one of the best visual content creation tools available online today, PicMonkey offers great effects that can quickly and easily put a little WOW into your images.

Stock image versus a Custom Design:

create perfect pinterest image

  4. Share that Graphic to Google Plus

Now that you have created the perfect image for Pinterest, share it to Google Plus. The image, plus detailed context from your blog post make a striking share that instantly breathes new life into your post and provides an incredible conversation starter on your Google Plus profile.

According to Peg Fitzpatrick, Google+ and Pinterest are the perfect match!“Beautiful images propel content on Pinterest and Google. Use all the real estate that you can on each image by creating a big, vertical image. Add some text and watermark it to boost your branding.”

Peg recommends image dimensions of 600 x 900 for both social platforms and I can attest to the value behind this formula. Since changing the size, look, feel and strategy behind my Google Plus posts, my engagement has increased by a whopping 67%!

  5. Create an Audio, Video or Podcast Recording

Did you write a list post that performed well its first time around? Take each bullet point and turn it into a quick audio or video post. Answer a reader frequently asked question or simply highlight a feature within your business.

If you have contemplated stepping into podcasting, but weren’t sure what to talk about, grab a few points from your article and expand upon each bullet point.

  6. Email Mini-Course

Take a series of related articles and turn them into an email course. Add 5-7 emails to a drip campaign.

You can also break down one article into multiple tip emails. For example, you share home décor tips via your blog. A frequently asked question by your clients is how to mix traditional and modern elements into their home. Helpful how-to emails are a great way to revive an old post and attract new subscribers to your blog.

  7. Webinar Script and Slide Deck

Use your article as the basis for a webinar, presentation or workshop. If you’re a speaker, repurposing blog content can cut your preparation time dramatically.

Haiku Deck is a fabulous app that easily allows you to convert an article into a visually appealing slide deck. Incredibly intuitive, Haiku Deck will save you an incredible amount of time and allow you to create stunning, image-rich slideshows that stand out.

haiku deck

  8. Social Media Posts

While Google Plus and Pinterest are excellent resources for visual content, do not neglect other social networks such Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Each one is a great tool to repurpose and share your content. And if you are worried about filtering through old content, remember that  just because the blog is old to you doesn't mean  readers won't find it interesting.

Use the tool “Save Publishing” to grab snippets or quotes from your post to break up your article into bite-sized tweets. Use a tool like Hootsuite to schedule these tweets throughout the month. And make sure to change up the type of tweet.

For example, tweet a quote linking back to Pinterest or Google+ to cross-promote your content. You can also use the Wordpress plugin Evergreen Post Tweeter to schedule and tweet old posts on a continuous basis. 

How are you repurposing your content? There are many fun ways to keep that post in front of you readers and gain new subscribers while you're at it!

Originally written by Rebekah Radice and found at How to Instantly Revive Old Blog Content 

Comments(78)

Frances Flynn Thorsen
eXp Realty LLC - State College, PA
Author | REALTOR | Educator

Excellent article! 

May I add some additional input?

1. Graphics are dynamite ... and Infographics are shared a lot! Create Infographics with local market stats, post them to your blog and Pinterest.

2. Turn a blog post in a PDF and (1.) create a downloadable lead magnet with that PDF; (2.) submit the PDF to. PDF sharing sites like SlideShare (and others) ... PDF sharing sites have high PR (Page Rank) and add valuable backlinks to your blog.

3. Is there "news" value in your blog post? Consider writing a Press Release and submit that press release to your local media and online press release publication services. There are lots of free services, and some of the paid services will give you lots of bang for the buck for a paid submission done right.

Oct 26, 2013 11:01 PM
Bryan Robertson
Los Altos, CA

I've been doing some of this by taking old posts and reposting to Twitter, etc.  Right now I'm in the middle of revamping old articles with fresh content, optimizing graphics and keywords, and repubishing.

Oct 27, 2013 12:09 AM
Graziella Bruner
NCS Premier Real Estate - Detroit, MI
Associate Broker - Serving Wayne & Oakland County

I just starting going back through my blogs from 3 years ago and see if I can revamp them or make a fresh new look, plus just started to repost mine on Twitter and Facebook as well. 

Oct 28, 2013 02:59 AM
Helen and Larry Prier- Re-Max Gateway - Residential Real Estate
RE-MAX Gateway- Residential Real Estate Sales - Anacortes, WA
Anacortes & surrounding Skagit & Island Counties

Rebekah, Just wanted to let you know that I featured your post in "My favorites" for last week. Here is the link: My favorites for last week

Oct 28, 2013 03:25 AM
Lani Stern
Toronto, ON
Your lifetime agent

Advice that I will most certainly be implementing, thank you Rebekah!

Oct 28, 2013 02:20 PM
Teresa Cooper
Home Solution Real Estate Services - North Charleston, SC
SC Lowcountry - Charleston, Dorchester, Berkeley

WOW - so many good ideas!  Guilty of being the occasional blogger, or the "low milage" blogger - now committed to getting more out of my blogging hours!

Nov 03, 2013 11:25 AM
Lisa Friedman
Great American Dream Realty - Essex, VT
35 Years of Real Estate Experience!

Rebekah, these are aweseome tips. I am bookmarking this page. Thank you for the great ideas!

Jan 31, 2014 05:16 AM
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC • Short Sale • Probate

Well,

you did it again!

Great post with tons of valuable information.

Suggested!

Mar 17, 2014 05:14 PM
Kathy Smiley
Rodeo Realty ~ Fine Estates Westlake Village - Newbury Park, CA
"Real Estate results that make YOU smile!"

Fantastic ideas! I'm definately going to save this one and use the resources you've provided. Thanks for the great post!

Mar 17, 2014 11:19 PM
Jeff Fisher
PureWest Real Estate - Whitefish, MT
PUREWEST REAL ESTATE/Christies

This is a great source of advice and must do's for my blogs. Thanks for sharing these important tips. Now I need to get to work on them!

Mar 18, 2014 12:09 AM
Cheryl Ritchie
RE/MAX Leading Edge www.GoldenResults.com - Huntingtown, MD
Southern Maryland 301-980-7566

Reblogged with this caption...

Mar 20, 2014 05:00 PM
Travis "the SOLD man" Parker; Broker/Owner
Travis Realty - Enterprise, AL
email: Travis@theSOLDman.me / cell: 334-494-7846

Good points for me to remember. My oldest post isn't quite that old, yet, so this is good for future info as well as just to spread interest.

THANX!!

Mar 22, 2014 07:49 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Great post full of wonderful ideas. So glad Cheryl shared it with a reblog.

Mar 22, 2014 02:34 PM
Sharon Parisi
United Real Estate Dallas - Dallas, TX
Dallas Homes

Rebekah, as always, this is an educational post that will keep us busy!

Apr 11, 2014 01:14 AM
Emcee M. Arah
Remax Excellence - Silver Spring, MD - Silver Spring, MD
Realtor w/Architectural Dimension, AHWD CRS B-Arch

Thanks for some homework! This was highly educational. Thanks for all the great suggestions on repurposing blog posts.

Emcee

Apr 11, 2014 02:53 AM
Jan Green - Scottsdale, AZ
Value Added Service, 602-620-2699 - Scottsdale, AZ
HomeSmart Elite Group, REALTOR®, EcoBroker, GREEN

Congrats on being featured.  And thanks for the info re Pinterest.  Didn't realize it was so powerful!  Thanks!

Apr 12, 2014 08:16 AM
Pete Xavier
Investments to Luxury - Pacific Palisades, CA
Outstanding Agent Referrals-Nationwide

This is a great reminder for keeping things fresh, learned also from the responses.

Thanks!

May 30, 2014 08:24 AM
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC • Short Sale • Probate

I just looked at my first old posts......they are terrible. It is much better for my blog legacy to re-write the topic and delete( kill) the old one:)

Mar 14, 2015 04:37 PM
John Novak
Keller Williams Realty The Marketplace - Las Vegas, NV
Henderson, Las Vegas and Summerlin Real Estate

I see at least five ideas on this list that I can use, and I know I've got a lot of old blog content. Time to get to work!

May 11, 2015 12:38 PM
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Thanks for the tips, I am a fan of recycling old blog posts and giving them a second life.

Mar 11, 2016 12:51 PM