Have you ever sat down to write a blog post only to realize after a few paragraphs that you’ve written something similar only months before?
If you’ve been blogging for any length of time, chances are good this has happened to you.
In fact, it happened to me yesterday. And, when I flippantly tweeted it, several people responded that they have that same problem all of the time.
Since this is common issue that bloggers face, this is the perfect opportunity to explore some options for remedying this issue.
So, the next time you start blogging on something you’ve already written about, you won’t waste any time determining what to do.
- Republish the content on your own blog. Although this is something you shouldn’t do all the time, you can give your old content new life by republishing it. This is something Copyblogger often does with their vast archives. And Michael Hyatt did it last year when he was on vacation. Not only does this give you a blogging break, but it introduces new readers
to some of your best work that may be buried on your site. - Submit the content somewhere else. As I’ve said before, guest blogging can be a great way to get in front of a new audience. You can either write something new or you could submit your old post to be syndicated on another site. Either way, it gives you an opportunity to further spread your ideas.
- Write a new angle. You may have talked about a particular topic or idea before, but maybe this time, you can take a different approach. Look for unique ways to talk about the topic. Or, maybe you could bring someone in for an interview on the topic. See what you can do to present the information in a new and exciting way for your readers.
- Update the information. If it’s been a year or more since you wrote about that particular topic, it might be time to take the information and provide an update. For instance, if you wrote about your favorite productivity tools last year, you might want to update it to include some new tools that are now on the market.
- Use a different format. If you’ve previously written about a topic, this time, you could publish the information using a different medium, such as photos, videos, podcasts, slide decks, infographics, etc. Maybe you could even interview someone on the topic or try out Vine, Twitter’s new 6-second mobile video creator. Whatever you choose, this is a great opportunity to use multimedia to reach your audience in a new way.
- Repurpose for other uses. If you keep grooving on a particular topic, maybe it’s time to move the information off of your blog and use it other ways. Perhaps the information could be great fodder for e-letters, eBooks, whitepapers or other collateral materials.
What about you?
Certainly, if you keep coming back to the same ideas, you might need to spend some time finding new blog post inspiration and topics to write about. But sometimes, it just takes thinking about creative ways to get the most out of the good ideas you already have.
What do you do when you keep coming back to the same blog post idea?
Image credit: De Shark
8 replies on “Stuck on the Same Blog Topic? 6 Ways to Give it a New Twist”
There is always a new angle to write about; I think reading news helps. Not so much reading others’ blogs b/c people seem to write on similar topics.
I invite your post at my house for The Happy Friday Series. What makes you smile, Laura?
You’re right – reading is great for new ideas. I know I need to expand my palate in the reading department. Any good recommendations?
Tell me more about your Happy Friday series. Would love to know. As for what makes me happy, there are many things (a brand new niece, a loving husband, etc.). But, right now, I’m excited to celebrate my one-year anniversary as a fullt-time entrepreneur later this week!
Good stuff, Laura. I would add that one of the best things you can do is to think strategically about how old content can best be presented and accessed.
It’s funny, in the world of blogging – the day you publish a post, everyone is all about it – 24 hours later, it’s already in the “old post” graveyard and no one gives a damn.
One of the things I’m working on (totally revamping my own blog at the moment) is reorganizing the archives so it’s easier for visitors to find exactly what they want (based on topic, etc.) Right now, it’s clunky to dig through my archives – most of my posts never see the light of day – and heck, even *I* don’t remember half of what I’ve written over the past 4 years.
In a world always about creating NEW – we forget to create a sustainable platform for what we’ve already created. Something to think about – I know it’s something I’m thinking a lot about myself.
Totally agree – especially for those who have a ton of archived content. It has such a short lifespan online, that you need to find other ways to leverage it – both online and off. I think repackaging content is a completely underutilized approach.
I’d love to see what you do with your archives. My site is 2 1/2 years old and I’m looking for ways I can retool mine as well. Maybe this would be great fodder for discussion when we get together for coffee!
Thanks for your thoughts, Matt!
I’ve been thinking of Fanny Howe’s essay “Bewilderment” ever since I read your post this morning. She talks about how writers can circle and circle a topic and come at it from different angles. It’s one of the things I love about writing. I can write about different things, but if I look at the whole of my work, themes begin to emerge.
I think if a person keeps coming back to the same idea, the person hasn’t exhausted the topic yet. He or she has to work away at the idea, which usually leads to other ideas and breakthroughs.
I haven’t read that essay. Sounds interesting! I think you’re right – there are so many different ways to process a topic and it might take several angles and passes to get it right. Thanks for weighing in, Erin!
Timely post for me Laura. I’ve really been looking at #5 — use a different format — lately. We are looking at ways to leverage existing content in different mediums. Of course, besides simply being efficient and a way to maximize the value of work already done, I think there is another advantage from a pseudo- “medium is the message” perspective — each format gives the content a different spin and a different way for people to relate to it.
I think that we all have a tendency to produce content in the way we like to consume it (or like to produce it). I’m a writer by nature and would rather read. But, I know that plenty of people would rather watch a video or listen to a podcast. I think producing different kinds of content definitely helps us reach people in the different ways they like to learn. Can’t wait to see what you’ve got up your sleeves, Adam!