This post is an excerpt from the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Workbook
Today I’m presenting you with a task that is perhaps a little less involved than some of the days so far. I wanted to give you something that would both help improve your blog but that wouldn’t take too long to either learn or implement (although it is something that you could dedicate a lot of time to if you have time on your hands).
Your task today is to spend 10 minutes interlinking previously written posts in your archives.
Why is Interlinking Posts Powerful?
There are three main reasons why I regularly dedicate time to go back over old posts on my blog and find ways to update those posts with links to other posts on my blog.
1. Usefulness to Readers – my primary motivation for interlinking posts is to provide a better experience for those people who are reading those posts and to make my blog more useful. If a reader comes to my blog and finds a post that not only answers a question that they have but that also provides further reading and suggestions on where they can explore related topics – they’re more likely to go away from my site satisfied. A satisfied reader is what I’m aiming for – they are more likely to return (it makes your blog ‘sticky‘) and tell their network about their experience.
2. SEO – another great reason to interlink the posts on your blog is that search engines look at the links within a blog to both find content to index but also to work out how to index and rank content. Links from other blogs to your blog are the ultimate way to start ranking highly in Google – but internal links also count.
3. Increase Page Views – inserting links into old posts increases the chances of a visitor to your blog viewing more than just the one page. This has a couple of benefits – the first being that it can help you earn more from that visitor if you’re running some kind of CPM (cost per impression) advertising. The second reason is that you’re creating a bigger impression upon the person visiting your blog. I find that when someone views more than a single page on your blog that they’re more likely to remember it, subscribe to it, comment upon it and become a regular and loyal reader.
While these three benefits all seem fairly small when you think about the benefits that a single link might bring – if you start building the interlinking of posts into your daily blogging experience the accumulative impact that it can have on your blog will be significant.
How to Add Links to Old Posts
There are a variety of methods of interlinking posts from your archives. Here are three main ones that I use:
1. In post links – I find that this is the most natural way to add links to an old post. All it involves is making a keyword (or words) in your post into a link that points to another post on the topic of that keyword.
2. Updates – sometimes post in your archives become ‘dated’ and are in need of an update. There are a variety of ways to update an old post but one simple one is to write a new post on the same topic and then leave a link in your old one to the new post.
For example: One popular post here at ProBlogger is How to Market Your Blog in 2007. While the post still contains useful information on marketing a blog it was obviously written over two years ago. As a result I’ve added a link at this top of this post to a page on How to Find Readers for Your Blog that points people to a variety of resources on that topic.
3. Further Reading – many blogs have a ‘further reading’ section that appears at the bottom of each post. In most cases this is a list of ‘related’ posts that are automatically generated using a plugin. While this can sometimes provide readers with relevant results I find that adding manually chosen links for further reading can produce a more relevant experience. You can add these suggested links both at the end of the post and throughout the post itself.
Quick Tip: When linking between posts always try to make the words that you use in the link relevant keywords to the article you’re linking to. This will maximize the SEO benefits of the link and help you rank higher for those words in Google.
Make Interlinking Posts a Regular Task
While I’m suggesting that you set aside some time today to interlink some of your old posts – I’d also highly recommend that you build this practice into your blogging on a regular basis. I personally spend 10-15 minutes a week hunting for opportunities to do this but also find myself doing it in my daily blogging rhythm as I’m writing new posts.
As you write a new post train yourself to be thinking about what you’re written previously that relates to your new post. As you identify related content start to interlink your posts (you can add links in your new post to old content and/or add links in your old ones to your new content). If you force yourself to do this you’ll start to find that it becomes a more natural part of your daily posting.
Go Do It!
Take 10 minutes now to start identifying old posts that relate to one another and get going on adding a few links between them.
Update – Share your thoughts and progress with others over at the forum: Day 8 – Interlink Posts
Want More?This task is a sample of one of the tasks in the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Workbook – a downloadable resource designed to reinvigorate and revitalize blogs. Join over 14,000 other bloggers and Get your Copy Today. |
I linked to an old post in my blog today. Several months back, I wrote about the social aspects of innovation and referenced Malcolm Gladwell’s definition of Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen. Today I wrote about the value of connecting with a Maven and linked back to the original post for more info.
I wasn’t sure how else to apply this task until i read through the comments. I plan to go back tonight and link up the series I have written. Ironic as it is, finding similar themes and connections between posts will definitely help me understand my own blog better.
Thanks, Darren!
Thank you — I link in new posts, but never thought to go back and do it for old posts, and didn’t realize that it would help search engine optimization. I also often use “here” as the link word, rather than a good keyword, so that was a good tip.
Lynn at Chronicle of an Infant Bibliophile
http://infantbibliophile.blogspot.com
Hello- Do labels count as interlinking? I’ve also got a widget that shows thumbnails from related posts at the bottom of every post. Does that count?
Totally new idea for me – thanks. Will need to work also on linking at a future date – April is a horrid month for me to be taking a course but I’m checking in daily to do the best I can. DId get a chance to check in on Scary Mommy’s blog – impressive what she has had a chance to build up with 3 small children at home. Am slowly working on building up those connections through links and just through reading other blogs. The writing is easy, but the blogging is a full-time commitment.
Yeah! I’m super excited about this one because I’m already doing it. It is almost like getting a day off! I first started linking to my own posts because several of the blogs I read do it. Now I understand WHY! Thanks.
Create an amazing day!
Darren,
Thanks for this exercise. It’s simple, but it once again reinforced something I’m coming to realize – I’m great at promoting others, but way too humble about promoting myself. My blog is chock full of posts linking to other brilliant writers on my topic (freelance writing), but not nearly full enough of links back to my own good information. Again, thanks for setting this task. I think it will help immensely.
Yes, this is working well.
– Jarlin Paul
http://www.jarlinpaul.com/
Today my Yorkie, Aspen, posted to her blog, and tried her paw at some “old-post interlinking” >:-)<
http://www.aspentheyorkie.com/everyones-talking-about-bo-obama/
Thanks for this lesson, looking forward to catching up on the weekend lessons, we were away celebrating our Anniversary and Easter.
Claudia
Twitter – http://twitter.com/happynutrition
I have several old posts which get a lot of hits, maybe 50% of my traffic at certain times of the year. I have thought about updating them, but this gives me the idea of writing a new post and linking back to the old one.
It is so obvious, but I don’t do it enough.
Now I updated some pages, especially with ‘further reading.’
That’s great!
Thanks.
Stefan/DSK
I added a blog archive to my main page and the blog is drirectly linked to my twitter page and pwersonal webaite. I am working on adding more links and interconnections.
http://bettinasettlesrealty.com/Blogspot.htm
Another great tip – will you run out before we get to 30?
I used to do this here and there. The issue, as you said, is to get it into your blogging rhytym. I’m going to set a mini-goal to do two a night. If after a few weeks this works well then I’ll nudge it up to 3.
Our sites has 4 to 8 new posts a day so it shouldn’t be to tough.
I also use Related Posts plugin and love it. Not sure on the exact amount of links though. I think we’re at 6 and I’m worried about overkill. Noticed Darren has 5, what to do – what to do ??
I am glad you posted this as I am highly resistant to it. YET, you are right. It takes 10 minutes. I always figured that each of my category pages is a bit of a sitemap and they link to front page, but you are right!
Deb
increasing page view. I like this. Hoho..
I just get started with my blog. But I am planning to revisit my posts every month and interlink them.
Is interlinking between your own blogs OK? Do serach engine consider them as overlinking?
I manually find 3 posts to add to the bottom of every new post I write. I found that this has directly impacted on my page views. People do use these extra links as a way to navigate through your site.
I might now set aside some time to go back through old posts, updating them and adding a related links section.
Great post, Darren!
I love that this is a bite sized thing you can do in a very short amount of time, that will have a big impact.
I did this with my morning post before I read this! You can see it here: http://www.thecentsiblelife.com/2009/04/13/your-credit-score-more-important-than-ever/
I added links in the text as well as at the bottom of the post.
I’ll have to go back to my older posts and update them.
Keep the great stuff coming!
I love it when people can just get lost in my content. Although it does drive me nuts over at CopyBlogger when every post links you to five new ones. It makes it impossible to get through things! But there are a lot of great posts there.
Just so you know, without even thinking about it, I clicked through to your “Sticky” article via the link in this post ;)
I’ve been inserting links but didn’t know how to get them to open in a separate window. Today I figured it out, and spent over an hour fixing the links so they don’t take people away from the original post they were reading. This way my blog is still there even if they click a link to another site.
I’ve already been doing this but it is also easy to do if you’re writing a series or even a series of list posts!
I also think it’s a good idea to go back to old posts and try to incorporate pictures or link to videos.
http://misscalculate.blogspot.com/2009/04/serial-success-6-more-strategies.html
http://misscalculate.blogspot.com/2009/04/serial-success-final-6.html
I found linking back to existing articles was simply a natural thing for me, but going back to the old articles and linking forward was new for me (other than series posts).
Great advice. Always link to your other related posts as much as possible. This gets easier as time goes on and you have more content to link to. Also, for WordPress users, download the ‘similar posts’ plugin. It’s THE best way to encourage discussion on old posts that otherwise may not get noticed.
http://www.lifewithoutpants.com
Well, applied this lesson to my today’s post. Here it is:
http://www.edragonu.ro/the-anatomy-of-a-blog-post/
I’m enjoying this challenge :-)
Well, applied this lesson to my today’s post. Here it is:
The Anatomy Of A Blog Post
I’m enjoying this challenge :-)
I’ve been doing this lately and can’t wait too see if increases Google search.
Nearly every successful blogger says to interlink posts. There must be something to it.
I’m finding other people’s comments almost as helpful as your excellent guidance Darren.
I like the idea of using this exercise to also do an inventory of past content for a snap shot of what’s been covered, unobvious repeating themes (not to mention the SEO benefits).
geez, I just received the email 40 minutes ago and already there are 120 comments.
Can anyone let me know how you get and give links to a specific post. I guess if it’s you own you can copy and paste your permalink.
But what if it’s to someone else’s blog or you are sharing it on a social site that only allows urls. I am not sure if a permalink is the same as a url.
Sorry I hope my confusion didn’t confuse anyone else.
This is a wonderful post. However, if you’re a newcomer like me, you may just want to put this advice in your use for later file folder. It’s so true though. Hopefully, I’ll be able to update my blog sooner rather than later.
I love this tip & I try to do it with almost every post. I’m always referring to past articles, tying things together and such.
Great way to get some flow in your blog!
I love using interlinked post to tell some background information. There could be a reason why I have a particular stance on something, but my readers wouldn’t know that. It helps a great deal on their part.
This is my post on the Nikon f/1.4g.
http://limetouch.com/archives/nikkor-50mm-f14g/
Interlinked in it was my dilemma on which particular lens I wanted to get.
I also used this assignment to go back and review all of my blog entries since moving to my current blog URL. It was a great review and then I made my own top 10 favorite blog entries list.
Thank you. I have completed the assignment. My current blog is a merge of two similar ones so it was good to blend them together this way.
I went for the recipe option as they were scattered throughout so this is a great way to tie a few together. http://cherrymag.com.au/wordpress/?p=1152
I have a page that shows examples of what my blog’s purpose. I have just updated it to more recent posts (usually the con reports).
Here’s the page:
http://ani-long.freehostia.com/wordpress/?page_id=2
Great point. I frequently do ‘series posts’ that link to each other, but the exercise made me realize that including more links to further reading in each post will keep people around longer. Here’s an example–
http://blog.deneki.com/2009/04/sage-8134-4-z-axis.html
Andrew
I’m trying to interlink, but I don’t yet have enough posts to really make it worth it. i do understand the principle behind it and how to do it. I will be sure to do it in the future.
As my blog is, in some ways, a series of vignettes or a continuing story this is a strategy I use quite often. Kind of like a flashback. Today’s:
The Sound of Ugly
http://www.sex-lies-dating.com/3032900
Thanks for the reminder Darren. I’m covering part of the riots in Bangkok and I could use some interlinking.
This strategy has worked very well for me, although I often foget to do this properly.
Where has everyone had the most luck, in text or a link at the end of your posts?
I use WordPress and there are many plugins can do such things.
A good related post plugin or something like that will save a lot of time.
This worked out perfect for today’s assignment. I fell behind due to the holiday weekend but found a perfect article to link back to yesterday. In the process of adding my 2 cents to Her article I was able to perfectly link back in one of my top posts.
Thx
I loved this post! I went back and started linking my recent posts together that were related. I realized that it will not only help out my readers, but it will keep them on my site longer. That’s a good thing! I am wondering what to do about cleaning up the categories in my blog. Does anyone have some tips relating to that?
Phewww! I am finally caught up with the rest of the class!
This assignment works very well for my chick flicks movie blog. Each week I do a New On DVD post. I went back and interlinked the DVD titles with previous posts about the movie or the starring actor.
http://justchickflicks.com/2009/04/07/new-on-dvd-more-oscar-winning-performances/
I also did double duty on the Day 2 assignment. I interlinked some of the items on my list of 15 Great Chick Flick Characters: http://justchickflicks.com/2009/04/09/15-great-chick-flicks-characters/
Hi!
I have a question about all this linking we have been doing these past two or three days. How much is too much linking?
Thanks!
Fernanda
Hey Darren, ok this was pretty cool – I had published a post (with video) early this morning (April 13) that linked three internal pages before I read today’s challenge.
Without realizing the value until recently, I’ve made liberal use of linking previous posts at Blog Harbor. And thinking about it now, it makes perfect sense.
This is one of those little gems that served as a great reminder of why interlinking is valuable.
I haven’t written too many posts as of yet, so I connected a bunch of the few that I have, added some other stuff, and came up with a sort-of intro to me:
http://meredithelaine.wordpress.com/2009/04/13/i-have-no-idea-why-people-even-like-me/
Another good tip, this one I practice and wish more people would too: http://budurl.com/v2js
I find that it’s easy to add as I write a new post. I definitely need to go back and link in the old ones. At that time I didn’t have content available to link too.
I’m doing interlinking my blog post before but I forgot to do it for the fast months. This post is an encouraging one. I will do my interlinking works again.
Interlinking to post in a blog can defintely increase pageviews for old posts as well as readers stay a longer time reading old articles as well.