Towards the end of each year, I do a bit of a content audit. I go through all the blog posts on my website and decide which ones to keep, which ones to scrap, and which ones to update, merge, or recycle.

Think of it like having a wardrobe clearout. You get rid of anything that is no longer fit for purpose, recycle stuff that still has life in it, and find the odd piece that you once loved, but had completely forgotten about.

A content clearout is the same. You’ll have content that is no longer relevant or that has served its purpose. You’ll have stuff that can be updated and given a new lease of life. And you’ll rediscover the odd gem that still has plenty of wear in it.

Having a regular content clearout also has other benefits.

Better for SEO: Outdated content can hurt your rankings if it contains broken links or out-of-date information.

Better for website users: Streamlining your blog makes it easier for readers to navigate and ensures it only contains relevant and accurate content.

Better for conversions: Old blog posts might still be linked to products or services you no longer offer or contain references to old pricing, which could cause confusion and frustration.

Scrap it: If your post is completely out of date or no longer relevant, and none of it can be salvaged, then you’re probably best deleting it from your website. Don’t forget to set up a redirect just in case someone comes across a stray link. And you might also want to save the text somewhere in case you decide you can make use of some of it in the future.

Save what you can: If most of the post is out of date, but there are still a few sections that are relevant or well-written, use those sections to create new content. This could be a new blog post or a social media post. I quite often use single sentences or paragraphs from blog posts as standalone social posts.

Update it: If the post is still relevant, then you can simply update it. Use the latest stats, make sure links work properly, and add any new information or perspectives. This is a good option if your blog post still performs well in search results, as the search engine gods will see that you have updated it.

Merge with other content: You might find you have a couple of blog posts on similar topics that could be merged into one post. Consolidating posts makes it easier for your readers to find the info they need without having to read through several different posts. Long-form articles also perform well in searches.

Keep it: If your post is still good and the info is up to date, keep it as it is until your next content audit.

Repurpose: I’m a huge fan of repurposing content, and there are loads of ways you can recycle, repurpose and reuse your blog posts…

It’s ok to share your blog posts multiple times and in multiple places.

You can also turn blog posts into PDF guides, infographics, social media posts, videos, audio files or even combine some posts and turn them into a book.

I re-use content in different formats all the time. It makes complete sense. After all, you wouldn’t only wear your favourite pair of jeans once, so why would you only use your best content once?

So get digging in your content closet and see what’s hiding in there. You’ll be surprised at how much you can find when you start looking for it.

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