Laura’s Blog

A few weeks ago, a client asked my team to design and print a set of business cards. “What content should I include on my cards?” she asked.

I thought about it, and remembered that several years ago, I published a tutorial on my blog about that topic.

I located the tutorial, realized it needed updating, and spent a couple of hours refreshing the content. Before republishing the tutorial, I:

• Deleted outdated comments
• Created and uploaded a new featured image
• Wrote and scheduled several new social media updates to promote the tutorial

I did not change the tutorial’s URL (permalink), since the post had already garnered quite a bit of “Google juice” via the original URL.

Here is the result.

I use this technique regularly to inject new life into blog posts that perform well over time.

First, I check my blog’s Google Analytics (here’s a short podcast episode on how to do that – 3 Easy Tricks to Help People Discover Your Website and Blog).

I note older posts that have a lot of pageviews, and I update and republish them. I schedule this task on my calendar every other week; otherwise, I’d neglect to do it.

How I Get Extra Mileage from Podcast Episodes

I use a similar technique for older podcast episodes. But rather than republishing a podcast episode with today’s date (a practice that is frowned upon by podcasters), I:

• Group episodes according to theme or series
• Create a promotional graphic in Canva
• Share the graphic and links with my email subscribers and on my social channels

My podcast is “young” and my audience is increasing weekly. Many listeners haven’t heard my early episodes or my first few guest interviews, so I make an extra effort to introduce my audience to that content.

One way I promote my guest episodes is to feature four guests on one graphic, like this:

☑️ Samantha Hanni – Episodes 52 & 53: Shaping a ‘Reader First’ Mindset and Editing With a ‘Reader First’ Mindset

☑️ Ginny Yttrup – Episode 36: The Two Most Common Issues that Hold Writers Back

☑️ Grace Fox – Episode 38: A Sip of Cold Water to Refresh the Weary Soul

☑️ Jeanette Hanscome – Episode 45: Rejuvenate Your Writing Through Creative Non-Writing Activities

I also organize my guest interviews according to:

• Fiction authors
• Non-fiction authors
• Guests who support authors (agents, freelance editors, marketing specialists, bookkeepers, VAs, etc.)
• Topic or theme

How I Promote a Podcast Series

When I have a podcast series going (like I do currently, with Investments for Your Writing Business), I post a promotional graphic from the most recent episode in my newsletter and on the socials. I provide links to all the episodes in the series, so listeners can get caught up.

Episode 69: Bookkeeping Tips for Your Biz, with Vanessa Butler

Episode 70: 5 Quick, Easy, and Free Ways to Gain Visibility as a Writer

Episode 71: Things I Spend Money on to Run My Writing Business

In the show notes, I interlink each episode in the series, so listeners can easily navigate the entire series.

When the series wraps up, I create a graphic that lists all episodes in the series, and schedule it to run several times over the next 6-12 months on my social channels.

How I Promote Popular Podcast Episodes and Blog Posts to New Email Subscribers

I periodically update my first automated “Welcome” message that new subscribers to my email list receive as soon as they confirm their subscription.

At the end of that message, I insert links to five of my post popular podcast episodes. That way, new subscribers are alerted that I have a podcast, and they can check out the episodes my audience most enjoys.

Here are the five episodes I’m currently featuring:

Episode 54: 6 Surefire Ways to Guarantee Your Guest Blogging Pitch Gets Rejected (Includes transcript)

Episode 55: Guest Post Guidelines: What to Include (Includes transcript, plus a free printable swipe file of my guest post guidelines that you can adapt for your own use.)

Episode 65: 13 Tips for Crafting Stellar Social Posts that Link to Your Blog or Podcast

Episode 50: A Dozen Ways to Turn Your Social Media Followers Into Email Subscribers – Without Buying Ads

Episode 39: The Secret to Doing Social Media

Did you notice how this post did triple duty?

1. You received the link to a tutorial about what to include on your business card.
2. You learned my method for getting more mileage out of published posts and episodes
3. You received the links to my latest podcast series so you can get caught up (not to mention 12 additional links).

In the comments, let me know which technique you’re going to try on your blog and/or podcast.