7 Ways to Rejuvenate Your Dead Blog Posting articles on your own website is still an excellent way to extend your professional reach.
By Brett Relander Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
There are as many dead blogs on the internet as there are stars in the Milky Way, maybe more.
Is your blog one such dormant entity that once throbbed with life?
You can have those days back again. This is the best time there's ever been to be a blogger. If you already run a blog, it's time to assert yourself and achieve the business and blogging objectives you have secretly resolved to. (And if you don't yet have a blog but wish to start one, these tips work too.)
Related: You've Got a Blog. Now, Get Readers.
Follow these tips to bring your dead blog back to life:
1. Figure out why your blog lapsed the first time. Many blogs have tanked because the blogger chose to give up instead of knuckling down and weathering a time when Google made changes. If this has happened to you once, wisen up. Know your keywords and use them appropriately in title tags, headlines and copy. Keep the content relevant and valuable to readers; using keywords should be part of the process but not the focus.
Some bloggers lose their enthusiasm when a desired traffic flow fails to materialize from the start. Or they have set targets for the number of posts (five a week or five a day) that are too ambitious.
Keep your spirits up! Give yourself time. Set reasonable targets and stick to them. Start with one post each week and work up from there. The goal isn't volume when you start out; it's simply to begin posting and be consistent. The volume will come later.
2. Respond when search engine change their rankings. Google often updates how it ranks websites in the interest of providing the most relevant search results to users. Such changes could have affected your website's ranking. Learn and grow from the experience. Don't despair.
Many blogs have tanked because the blogger chose to give up instead of knuckling down and weathering a time when Google made changes. If this has happened to you once, wisen up. Know your keywords and use them appropriately in title tags, headlines and copy. Keep the content relevant and valuable to readers; using keywords should be part of the process but not the focus.
Some bloggers lose their enthusiasm when a desired traffic flow fails to materialize from the start. Or they have set targets for the number of posts (five a week or five a day) that are too ambitious.
3. Give your blog a health checkup before you start adding content. Does the blog's template need an update? Are you using the latest version of Wordpress or other publishing platform? Does the software in your plug-ins (for SEO, social sharing and comments) need to be updated? Don't forget to remove broken links as well.
4. Do market research. A lack of insightful niche content is a big reason why visitors pass over a blog in favor of others. Reconsider the direction of your blog and prepare a list of future article titles in advance. This may save you some time and get you into a routine.
Related: How to Promote Your Business Blog with Social Media
5. Work on your social media presence. I've met people from all around the world on social media and so can you. Through promoting your blog on social media, people will want to read it; they'll want to listen to what you have to say and learn from your experience. They'll eagerly share ideas with you, collaborate, partner, share your content and provide reviews and testimonials, but they need to know and trust you first. Just be yourself and be willing to help others as much as you would like them to help you. Treat social media like a networking event and start conversations, answer questions, pose solutions, say "happy birthday," and do it all with a smile.
6. Give your blog personality. An essential act for breathing life into a floundering blog is to revamp it with a new design, logo and tagline. Or alter the vision and mission. Infuse the blog with character. The blog can serve as an extension of your business persona; so demonstrate your character and personality there. To be heard above the noise, share your ideas, opinions, expertise and experience in a distinctive voice. Don't blend in; stand out!
7. Mix things up. Your freshly revived blog will gain traction quicker if you present different types of content. Infographics and videos catch the eye and have a chance of going viral. How-tos, top-10 lists and other hands-on types of content are evergreen attractions. Try a variety of content types and measure their effectiveness. Listen to what your audience and the data tell you. Over time you'll recognize the types of content that perform best.
