How to Instantly Revive Old Blog Content

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 it 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!

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.

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 Canva, a free photo-editing tool to create an eye-catching visual.As one of the best visual content creation tools available online today, Canva offers great effects that can quickly and easily put a little WOW into your images.

Stock image versus a Custom Design:

4. Share that Graphic to Google Plus

Now that you've 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.

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!