How to Keep Your Blog Fresh, and Handle Old Content

Blog post updated 19/08/2019.

Managing your blog is a job in its self, its like cleaning out your closets.  It's always there for you to do, but something else always pops up that requires more attention.  Often leaving you with dry stagnant blog posts, and very little traffic.  

Here are 5 reasons why you should keep your blog fresh by revitalizing old content:

Old Blog Content Should Be Managed Regularly

A poorly managed blog might end up costing you a lot more than you think, especially with outdated information.

Check out the reasons below why your blog content should be regularly updated:

Blog Image

You only get one change to make a good impression, don't give your readers archaic information, because they're more likely to view your website as a outdated, and unreliable.

Accountability

By interpretation a blog is a collection of public statements about your business.  Any outdated information may hold you accountable financially and legally.

Disastrous for SEO

Irrelevant and outdated content is bad for SEO, taking up space and offering no value.  Search engines such as Google look for good quality content to increase rankings.

Fall in Revenue

Old content may still be getting some traffic, and could still be a money maker.  Don't delete in haste. These posts should be recycled, and turned into money makers again.  Check out my blog post The Definitive Guide to Writing a Blog Post for tips on maximising your blog content.

Don't Delete Old Posts!

Don't go crazy and start deleting all of your old blog posts, you need to go through each one and see if there is any potential left, and use what you have.

Here are some tips on repurposing your old content:

Update Blog Posts to Gain More Traffic

If your blog post has useful links simply refresh and update them.

Reaffirm Your Blog Post Relevance

Find which blog posts are out of date and refresh them with the latest information.

Updating Content May Save You Time and Money

Your time is taken up by writing new posts, so why not refresh the old stuff you've already written and keep your blog content evergreen.

Tune Up Your Blog

Give your blog a tune up by recycling or updating old blog posts.


Revitalizing Good Content

Make it relevant again by:

• Checking over important information such as people, titles etc
• Checking references to obsolete technology and old business information
• Referencing current trends
• Amending time based references and making them relative to the post date.
• Amending tenses and make them relevant again
• Making sure your reader knows that you've updated a blog post, by letting them know with a simple note above each
• Update your blog post with a new image, to make it more visually appealing
• Turn your new updated blog posts into an e-book
• Make a video, and create a second format

Promote Your Repurposed Content

You've given your old blog posts a face lift, now its time to promote them again.

Make the most of social media, especially Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Facebook.  As soon as you publish them post them!  Link your refreshed blog posts with your current content.

Make Your Blog Evergreen

Work on producing evergreen content, with subjects that have elements that don't change over time.
Stay clear of the latest trends in your blogging arena, these never last.

Make your references strong, for example, say June of 2017 instead of June of last year.

Establish a Regular Blog Post Review

• Review your blog posts regularly
• Go through your Google Analytics for low page performers
• Check incoming links for relevancy
• Do search testing for your blog
• Delete only blog posts that are no longer relevant to your brand, outdated or damaging

In a Nutshell

Keep your blog up-to-date, and don't be afraid to clean and refresh posts every once in a while.

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The Simple Guide to Self-Publishing

Blog post updated 12/08/2019.


Self-Publishing Defintion

To publish independently at one's own expense.

These days you can easily publish your own work on platforms such as Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords and Kobo.

A Brief History of the eBook

With the rise of eBooks in today's market a self publisher can take up 30-35% of all books sold in the US market today with 60% or more of all US book sales (both print and digital) going through online retailer Amazon.

This enables all new writer's to publish without a third party.  The good news is you can access the same level of online retail distribution as a traditional publisher.   Which means you don't pay until your books start selling.

The e-book is a text based publication in digital form.  Very much like a traditional book, containing images, graphs and text of one kind or another.

E-books are designed to be read of a digital device or computer., and can be read on E-readers such as a Kindle or Ipad.  All e-books are stored on devices as electronic files, which can be stored and shared.

E-book Origins

A precusor to today's e-readers was invented by a woman named Angela Ruiz Robles, in Spain 1949.  After watching her students struggle with carrying heavy books around all of the time, Robles invented a reader that was smaller, printed onto spools and operated by compressed air.  Her first prototype was created in 1949.  Even though this book wasn't electronic, it's still seen as the first automated reader. 

The Internet and E-books

The birth of the internet brought about the act of file sharing and the birth place of electronic books.

Michael Hart a student at the University of Illinois used his unlimited computer time on a Xerox mainframe computer to type out the Declaration of Independence (typed out in upper case), which he then published on ARPAnet saying it was available to download.  Six people downloaded the text, and the rest is history.

1999

It wasn't until 1999 that American Publisher Simon & Shuster created a new imprint, ibooks, and started trading the first eBook.  These included works by Arthur C Clarke, Irving Wallace, and Raymond Chandler.  

Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Publish Digitally

• Would your readers prefer print or digital?
• In your chosen genre is it common place for author's to release an eBook?
• Does your eBook require a lot of colour and is it highly illustrated?
• How are you going to reach your readers online?

The author's that come prepared will appear more comfortable online and more likely to succeed. Once you start writing you're in it for the long haul.  If you don't already have a established presence online you could start by creating your own website.  With your website and social media accounts you can expect sales to start snowballing.

E-Publisher's and How They Work

E-publisher's aren't publisher's in the traditional sense that they used to be.  This means they don't take any responsibility for your work (e.g.Amazon).

3 Distinguishing features of an e-publisher:

1. If there's no upfront fee you can expect a percentage of the sale to be taken.

2. Self-publish at will and non exclusive,  with any book retailer your work can be uploaded or taken down at any time.  This allows you the freedom to, change the price, cover and description, whenever you want, and you can sell your books through as many retailer's as you want.

3. No technical knowledge required, larger retailer's offer automated tools, free guides and tutorials to ensure your files are formatted correctly. If you're approached by a traditional publishing house you don't lose any rights to the work you've written.

E-Publishing Services Categories

Services fall into one of these two categories below:

1. The single channel distributor - These retailer's (i.e. Kindle Direct Publishing, Nook Press) sell your work through only one channel or device.  They don't offer any assistance in preparing your book files.
2. The multiple channel distributor - They act as a middle man, by putting your book out to multiple retailer's and distributor's.  These are Draft2Digital, BookBaby and Smashwords.

A Quick Note About ISBNs

Your book will usually get an ISBN number through most distributor's and services.  In the UK you can buy it from:

• Nielsen Book
• or a broker such as Compass Publishing

Converting Your Book

Most services will ask you to upload the appropriate format.  File formats can vary from company to company.

The most common ebook formats:

• PDF
• Mobi
• EPub

You can also find a couple of useful formatting and converting tools below:

• Calibre: Free software for conversion.
• sigil: Free WYSIWYG both edits and formats books in the EPub format.
• Kindle Create will format a document for their publishing platform, and turn the document into an eBook or paperback ready for publishing.

What You Need Know About Book Cover Design

Book cover design plays an integral part in the selling of any book, be it fiction or non-fiction.  Creating an attractive and unique design can be challenging for those of us who aren't art smart.

A well-designed book cover can be both a curiosity, and hint to the true content of a book.

Related: How to Design a Book Cover on Fotor

For the avid reader a book cover needs to be memorable, simple and unique.  Just enough to make you want to buy the book.  This compels most readers into buying the book, all because the book has a cover that stands out from the rest. 

Here are some crucial points to consider when you design a book cover:

1. The Book Cover is a Reflection of its Contents

In other words you need to know what's written inside before you start your design.

2. Don't Complicate It

Don't confuse your audience with a meaningless design, people need to understand what it's about within seconds of  setting their eyes on the cover.

3. Don't Overdo the Design

Don't be overly ambitious when you start creating your book cover, this could leave your design lifeless, and a detriment to you the author.


4. Does it Require a Personal Photo?

This usually comes more into play with autobiographies than any other kind of book.  You only need a personal photo if the personality is fairly well-known or prominent in the public eye.

5. Make Sure Its Clear Enough to Read as a Thumbnail

Amazon is the largest current self-publishing platform online today, so it makes sense to create a cover that can be seen by people using their tablets, mobile phones and computers.

6.  Don't Give it All Away on Your Book Cover

This pertains more to fiction more than non-fiction titles, your cover design needs to reflect the book content without giving away the story.

7.  Follow the Rules

A book cover image should be a high resolution of 300 PPI (DPI), at least.

8. Disclose the Hook

The hook is is there to keep the reader both engaged and interested, this should be incorporated on the front cover.

9. Recognise the Various Publishing Techniques

Consider whether your book will be sold electronically or as a paperback, e-books are different to paperback or hardback books, which can have an impact on the design of the book.

10.  Make Your Design Compelling and Captivating

Your book cover should be adequate enough to attract potential customers, and visually appealing to draw your audience's attention.

11.  Choose Your Colour Motif Carefully

Each colour has a specific basic meaning, so care needs to be taken when choosing the final graphic design of your book cover.

12.  Choose the Right Typeface

This will bring personality to the book cover, used in your title, tagline and author's name.

13. Adhere to the Message of Your Book

Make sure all of your typography and colours convey the right message, don't confuse your audience with a mixture of colours and typography that doesn't match up.

14.  Avert Banality

Make your book cover as memorable as possible, it needs to jump out of the web page, and be tantalising to the eye.

I'd love to hear your thoughts your experience self-publishing in the comments below.

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How to Generate Blog Post Ideas

How Long Does It Take to Form a Blog Post Idea?

Often ideas can just pop into your head and you don't get the chance to write your thoughts down properly.

Follow these 8 simple points to generate blog post ideas:

1. Make Notes

Have a notebook and pen close by, especially when you're out and about.  I've mentioned this is in a couple of other blog posts.  Scribble down ideas that pop into your head. 

Why Confidence is an Important Part of Writing

Unfortunately there's a belief floating out there that you have to be a seasoned writer, with years of experience, for anyone to take notice of what you're writing.

This is true, to a point. But this eats away at anyone wanting to make their way in the world as a writer.

If this sounds quite harsh, fear not, I have good news.

Why Social Media is Essential for Writers

Blog post updated 22/07/2019.

Social media has gone from being a simple "friend finder" to a full-time "pastime" for many, both old and young. 

Currently used by over 2.6 billion people worldwide, social media platforms have become a part of everyday life.  With many people glued to their screens by the daily activities of friends, family, and followers.

Way back in 2005, this wasn't always the case, the world hadn't caught on to the social media bug.

Taking  a deeper look into the turbulent history of social media will help us better understand how the world has drastically changed, and is still changing around us. And why social media has become an integral part of most writer's lives.

The Writers Guide to Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate Marketing What's It All About?

With the ever widening innovations of the internet, and technology with cookie trackers capable of predicting which products you're likely to purchase, and interactive web pages.  It's know wonder that people have been taking advantage of this important technology.  With advertisements popping up, showing products you're looking for.

6 Reasons Why "Just Write" is the Best Advice for Writers

I've been writing online for a number of years now and the more I read, the more I realise why "Just Write" is the best advice, especially when times get tough.

Basic Writing Tools Every Writer Should Use

3 Must-Have Tools for Writers

It's pretty clear these days, that many writers are relying on technology rather than real books, such as dictionaries, style guides, and grammar reference books.

Email Marketing Tips for Writers

Email marketing has become a great tool for writers to connect with their audience.  This blog post is going to talk about how email marketing can be used effectively, and how simple it is to create a newsletter campaign that will help you relate to your audience.

The Essential Guide to SEO for Writers

Every website owner needs to understand both the importance and meaning of SEO and what relevance it has to their blog.