Getting the Most Out of Your Old Web Content
As anyone who has had to build a website will tell you, creating a successful online presence requires a LOT of content. We all understand that the best way to keep your audience, or your customer base, actively engaged is by regularly providing them with fresh and relevant material. But all too often, as we constantly shift to the next “big idea,” things can fall by the wayside, forgotten and underused. We all have virtual piles of old blogs taking up space in our archives that are largely overlooked, but all of that time and research does not necessarily have to go to waste. There are several ways that you can repurpose old content, allowing you to get more benefit from these valuable resources. Here are a few ways to breathe new life into old web content.
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
One of the most effective uses for a blog is to educate your customers about the things that you need them to know, but sometimes important old information can get buried where it doesn’t do new customers any good. Blog archives contain volumes of content that has already been researched and tested and can easily be reused. Keep things fresh by updating with some tidbits of new information, adding small details that were missing before, or correcting details that may have changed over the years.
Start a Newsletter
A regular newsletter is a great way to keep your customers abreast of events and specials going on in your business and the perfect platform for introducing them to related information that may catch their interest. Excerpting from your own classic content, or even linking to content from outside sources, may be just the attention grabber you need to encourage customers to engage and share. Just be sure to remember, when using outside articles for the content, to give credit where credit is due and site your sources.
Write “Top Ten” Lists
Everyone wants to improve online engagement, and articles that feature lists get more shares than any other articles on Facebook, with 10 item lists by far the most favorable. These posts tend to work extremely well because numbers stand out in titles, which impacts click-through rate, and a list makes it quick and easy to process and store information. Take some excerpts from your most successful social media posts and create top ten lists out of them. You can then include links back to the original blog post and draw traffic to your site.
Turn Blogs into Social Media Teasers
People tend to be busy, and even the most relevant content-driven advertising messages can seem like an intrusion and an imposition. As a result, some of the most attractive and often shared content does not consist of lengthy articles, but quick snippets that pique the curiosity. Posting brief excerpts from your most popular old blogs with links back to the original post can draw in new traffic without having to reinvest significant amounts of time and effort.
Your time is valuable and allowing the product of good work to go unused is a waste. Old content can become fresh and vital with only minimal effort, allowing you to get more “bang for your buck”. For more helpful advertising and marketing tips, or if you’re interested in learning how to effectively take hold of your entire marketing campaign, contact McCauley Marketing Services today. Be sure to connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.