If you weren’t aware, I’ve recently started going through a process of updating all of my old blog posts… I’m currently 40% of the way through, having updated 285 posts! It’s taking A LOT of time, but I’m starting to feel a lot more confident about my old blog posts and it feels good to go through them all and see what needs updating, sorting and sparking a whole lot of new ideas for blog posts, newsletters and everything inbetween!
My blog is 6 years old, and so a lot of my initial blog posts needed a lot of updating….
Anyhow, I remember not knowing where to start, and after looking through other people’s versions of this post, things I discovered online and just personal experience, here is my checklist of things to do to update your old blog posts!
Proof Spelling & Grammar
I mean this is a key one. I’m a bad proof reader at the best of times, but my writing style has changed massively in 6 years. And while I never want to completely rewrite my old posts because I like the fact that they reflect who I was then, I also have learnt a lot about the English language since then. And so it’s always a good idea to check your writing reads well!
Update Formatting
I’ve learnt a lot about formatting, with Headers and short, snappy paragraphs… but also my earlier posts were pulled across from Blogger (where my blog was originally hosted) and obviously WordPress has brought in block editor in the last year or so, so my older posts could do with quite a bit of formatting fixes!
Update SEO
When I started my blog I didn’t even know what SEO was. And while I don’t claim to be an expert on the matter I have learnt a lot about it since then. So using what I know, I’ve gone through updating key words, alt tags and everything else you need for on page SEO to make sure my posts are as likely as they can be to rank in searches
Read More: SEO – The Basics | What Is It? How Do I Ace It?
Update Images
I personally haven’t done this. All my photography is taken myself and I don’t own some of the products any more in older posts, and also my older blog photography is nowhere near bad…. but I can totally appreciate why you may want to update old posts. However, what I am going is updating the Featured (or cover image) with plain images rather that images with text on (as I briefly did for about 2 years), so that my blog looks consistent over the 6 years.
Check Links & Add Links
It’s super important links going around and out of your website aren’t broken. Also, you may have written a follow up piece for an older article, and so why not link between the two of them? A general link check can never go amiss!
Make Sure The Tags and Categories are Right
This sort of depends how your blog is set up. But I know mine is split into categories which you can then search through on my blog. However, a few of the categories I was using are a little dated (such as a 30 day blog challenge I once did) and there are a few categories I felt like I needed to add (such as beauty subscription boxes). There are also tags, which I just went through and made sure they were all still relevant too.
Fact Check
As much as you may have had the best intention back then, you learn as you grow… and that’s super important. And when you grow you learn that things you once knew may not be true. So going back and making sure you’re recommending the right products and tips is always worth a check!
Do you go back through and update your old blog posts? Do you do something I haven’t recommended?
Katie x
Really good tips, sometimes I look back at my old posts and I just think wow these are not good, but they’re who I was at the time and for that I’m grateful to have them up:)
Me too! Hence why I’m just proofing them and checking them as opposed to rewriting my cringy English! haha x
Really amazing tips here, I deffo have gone back a few times. But I probably need to check SEO!
It’s taking time! But I’m going through mine!
I’ve been doing this too as I’ve recently changed theme so my old featured images don’t work with it. I’ve just been updating those posts that are still getting traffic from Google though, I’ve got 2500 blog posts so not doing them all! haha.
Corinne x
wow 2,500 is so many! I’m impressed!
You said everything nicely. Although for me the most annoying part of blogging is updates but it has to be done. Great post as always 👌🤗🤗🤗🤗
I quite like how methodical it is! x
These are some really good tips, thank you for sharing! I definitely need to take some time soon to update some of my old blog posts as the information is sometimes outdated and still drafted in the old WordPress editor. Also SEO needs improvement! I recently even unpublished some of my old blog posts for that reason, because they simply don’t fit with my current niche anymore.
That’s totally fair!! Your blog develops over time! x
I definitely need to check some of my very old posts, and this list will help me for sure since I wouldn’t even know where to start! As usual, a great post from you Katie x
Awww thanks! It’s so interesting looking through old posts though! x
These are some great tips. I’m in the middle of doing this for my own blog, and none of my old posts have any kind of SEO keywords. It’s time consuming,but I think it will be worth it in the end.
Oh 100%! When you master SEO it really helps your blog views! x
I’m in dire need of updating some old posts, this post has motivated me to get on with doing it! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Haha! Good luck! x
Great post! Thank you for sharing this as it’s very helpful! I am hoping to update some of my old blog posts soon and I will definitely be doing these things!
Hopefully I helped! x
WOW, kudos to you! This is quite the undertaking. Excellent tips and advice here, thanks for posting!
Allie of
http://www.allienyc.com
It’s taking so much time! haha x
This blog is about to turn 4 and even looking at my old pins on Pinterest has me cringing! I need to set aside a day (or an hour a day) to update everything!
I do around 10 a day! It’s taking time but I’m getting there! x
Great tips! I’ve been wanting to go back to update some of my old posts. I’m sure a few of them are a absolute mess.
It’s mental how much you learn while doing it! x
Great tips! Updating SEO on older posts and checking links always feels like such a chore but it’s definitely worth it x
oh 100%! x
These are great tips! I love updating the images in old posts!
Gives it a good refresh doesn’t it! x
These are interesting tips – I’ve never even thought about updating old blog posts before!
Oh I’m going through mine now! It’s taking time! haha x
Such good tips! I updated a load of links this year but i could do with checking out my SEO or lack thereof haha xx
Danielle’s Beauty Blog
It’s actually such a fun process.. but it takes so much time! x
This is very helpful and interesting post. Sometimes when I look my old post I wish change everything but then I lose so much time on that and don’t focus on creating new posts. So I decide to left them and focus on quality of future posts.
New Post – https://www.exclusivebeautydiary.com/2021/03/face-cleansers-exfoliators.html
That’s totally fair! I guess don’t dwell on the past! xx
Great tips! Now, I have grammerly but didn’t use to and wow…the mistakes were bad 🤦♀️ Updating old posts is a bit of an effort because I didn’t use any SEO but wow when the light goes green, it’s very satisfying haha x
I need to get Grammarly! haha x
Love a good L’Oreal concealer! x
Fab tips! I also switched from Blogger to WordPress so all of my old posts need re-formatting which I’m slowly starting to do. I also didn’t know anything about SEO when I first started so I’m having to do that too!
Tash – A Girl with a View
It’s so weird to know how much you’ve learnt over the years! x
This is such a helpful post! I’ve started updating my older posts & I’ve been researching keywords, restructring paragraphs, checking for broken links, adding internatal links & creating a featured image too!
Amazing! Updating old blog posts is so fun! x
Great post! I’ve updated a quarter of my old posts for sure. I’m aiming to do one a day but I don’t have any posts to begin with so props to you! Thanks for sharing these tips xx
Lynn | http://www.lynnmumbingmejia.com
Yeah it’s taking me TIME! But I’m learning so much while I do it! x
This is such a useful post. I am just about to start going through all my old blog posts as I’ve had my blog for four years! It’s nice to clarify what I should be checking and updating.
Have fun! It’s a long process, but it’s soo cool to look back at all your old posts! x
Great tips! I personally apply all these tips while having a kind-of revamp-old-blog-posts day xx
Lovely! I love going through all my old posts! x
Great list! I’ve recently did the updating of tags and categories on my makeup and skincare posts, it’s better organized now. The links tip is also super important!
Love it when you have your categories down! x
Currently I need to go back and check all of my old post for grammar and SEO. I am still learning SEO and keywords and need to make some edits. Awesome tips.
SEO is such a minefield, but there are so many amazing tip posts out there! x
Updating old posts is so important! I’m working on all of my old content and getting them up to date. It’s nice to see where my blog started, but some of the older posts really need some TLC. Thanks for sharing!
Love, Em blog x
Yeah the earliest posts are always interesting! x