My name is Hugh. I live in the city of Swansea, South Wales, in the United Kingdom.
My blog covers a wide range of subjects, the most popular of which are my blogging tips posts.
If you have any questions about blogging or anything else, please contact me by clicking on the 'Contact Hugh' button on the menu bar of my blog.
Click on the 'Meet Hugh' button on the menu bar of my blog to learn more about me and my blog.
Just in time for Halloween! Oh, wait! Halloween has come and gone. But fear not, because I have something special that will thrill and chill you—an intriguing tale set against the romantic backdrop of springtime in Paris, France!
Introducing “Springtime in Paris,” a captivating story featured on Marsha Ingrao’s blog as part of her successful Story Chat feature. This isn’t just any story; I’ve been told it’s a rollercoaster of emotions that has generated vibrant engagement from readers who couldn’t get enough of its enigmatic charm! After pouring my heart and soul into this short story for six long months, I hope you will agree that I crafted a narrative that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Will you unravel the mysteries intertwined with the beauty of Paris in spring? If you’re longing for a literary escape to this enchanting city, while the rest of the northern hemisphere is in autumn, click the link below. Can it really be spring in Paris when it’s autumn in London, New York and Munich?
I’m eager to hear your thoughts! Although comments are closed here, feel free to share your reflections and feedback on the original post so they can be included with all the other comments.
So, pack your virtual bags and embark on this unforgettable journey to Paris—don’t forget to bring me back some coffee and croissants, and maybe a little souvenir of the Eiffel Tower. Dive in and enjoy your literary getaway!
Feature image created using WordPress AI image creator.
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Old Tom watched the clock, dread clawing at his insides. At two in the morning on the night the clocks went back, they always returned to torment him—haunting reminders of the mistake he had made when he’d forgotten, one year, to turn the clocks back.
However, one fateful night, an hour after the clocks had gone back, the spectres faded, but the shadows lingered too long, and Tom never opened his eyes again.
The day before the clocks went back, Monica moved into Tom’s old house, blissfully unaware of the terror that lurked within its walls. Exhausted from the move, she resolved to set her clocks back an hour at dawn.
At 2:00 AM, Monica was suddenly jolted awake by the unmistakable creak of her bedroom door slowly opening. A cold sweat trickled down her brow as she froze in place, eyes wide, witnessing the ghostly figure of an old man twisting and writhing, a cruel smile stretching across his face as he glided towards her.
“What are you doing in my house and in my bed?” the ghost thundered, his voice echoing through the almost empty room, making her heart race.
For what seemed like an hour, the ghost tormented her with the same words until the clock struck 2 AM for the second time, and Tom’s malevolent spirit dissipated into the air. Monica’s pulse quickened, doubt lingering in her mind. Was it all a nightmare, or a malevolent invitation?
She blinked, and the chill of reality sunk in. The bedroom door gaped wide open, the darkness beyond beckoning like an abyss. She was sure she had locked it tight, a protective measure against the night.
As a cold autumnal breeze caressed her bare skin, a frantic shiver coursed down her spine. Heart pounding, she inched to the door and tentatively closed it, sealing herself in with the echoes of her terror.
Climbing back into bed, she pulled the covers tightly around her, desperate for warmth—a futile shield against her fear. But soon, sleep reclaimed her, its sweet embrace luring her into a false sense of security.
When the clocks struck 2 AM for the third time, a bone-chilling rustle beneath her bed shattered her dream. Something slithered just out of sight, a dread revelation that all was not right, confirming that her nightmare was merely beginning.
Monica never woke up from the nightmare until the following year, on the night the clocks went back, when, with Tom, she visited the new owner of Tom’s house to check if they’d remembered to put the clocks back.
I’m surprised by how many bloggers miss the opportunity of having their posts shared for free by not displaying sharing buttons on their blog posts.
Of course, some bloggers don’t want any of their posts shared, but they tend to be in the minority.
In today’s digital age, having social sharing buttons on your blog is crucial for expanding your reach and boosting engagement. This post will guide you through the steps to add sharing buttons to your WordPress blog and emphasise the benefits of including them.
For the purpose of this guide, I’m using an iMac desktop computer.
To add and edit sharing buttons on your WordPress.com blog, follow these steps:
Log in to your WordPress.com account.
From your dashboard, navigate to ‘Settings‘ and select ‘Sharing.’
Click the ‘Sharing’ option.
You’ll be taken to the ‘Sharing Options‘ page of your blog, where you will see a variety of options that include –
Available services
Enabled services
Live preview
Button style
Sharing label
Show buttons on
WordPress.com Likes are
WordPress.com Reblog button
Comment Likes are
Let’s have a look at each of these options and what they mean.
Available services – This displays any sharing buttons not currently visible on your blog. To add an available sharing button, drag it to the ‘Enabled services‘ box and click the ‘Save‘ button at the bottom of the page.
There is also an ‘Add a new service‘ link that, when clicked, allows a user to add new sharing services that are not currently available on WordPress.
Enabled Services – This section shows all the sharing buttons currently on display on your blog. Here’s an image of the sharing buttons available on my blog posts and pages.
Sharing buttons on Hugh’s Views And News blog.
Notice the ‘Customise buttons‘ link under the buttons. Click this to be taken straight to the ‘Sharing options‘ page of your blog.
You may also have noticed the ‘More‘ sharing button. This is where you can group certain sharing buttons under one button. To do this, simply drag the buttons you want to hide to the ‘Services dragged here will be hidden behind a share button‘ box. On my blog, the ‘More‘ button includes sharing buttons for ‘X’, ‘Email’ and ‘Print.’
Hide sharing buttons behind one button.
To rearrange the order of how sharing buttons display on your blog, simply drag the buttons to the order you want them in. Remember to save any changes.
To remove a sharing button from your blog, drag the button to the ‘Available services‘ section and click the ‘Save‘ button at the bottom of the page.
Live preview – This section shows how the sharing buttons display on your blog.
Button style – There are four options to choose from.
Icon + Text
Icon only
Text only
Official buttons
On my blog, I have chosen sharing buttons to show ‘Icon + Text’ as this helps those using speech software know which sharing button is which. If you use ‘Icon only,’ speech software won’t know what each sharing button is.
Sharing label – This section allows users to change and display their own message above their sharing buttons. Simply add the text you want and click the save button.
Show buttons on – Choose where on your blog you want sharing buttons to appear. Place a tick next to the options and click the save button.
Choose where you want the sharing buttons to display on your blog.
WordPress.com Likes are – This is where you can turn off (or on) the ‘Like’ button on blog posts and pages.
WordPress.com Reblog button – This is where you can turn off (or on) the reblog button on blog posts and pages.
Comment Likes are – This is where you can turn off (or on) the availability of a ‘like’ button on comments on your blog.
Once you’ve added sharing buttons to your blog, remember to always test them. The best way to do this is to visit one of your blog posts to ensure the sharing buttons appear as intended. Click on each button to check that it links correctly to the respective social media platforms.
Top tip: If you have an account on a social media platform, remember to ensure that there is a sharing button for that platform on your blog. You don’t need to remove share buttons where you don’t have an account, as other bloggers and readers may want to share your posts and pages to their own social media accounts. For example, I don’t have a Facebook account, but I allow visitors to my blog to share my posts and pages on their Facebook accounts.
But, at the end of the day, it’s your decision as to how many sharing buttons you want to display on your blog.
Advantages of Having Sharing Buttons on Your Blog
Increased Visibility: Sharing buttons allow visitors to easily share your content with their networks, leading to greater visibility and new readers.
Enhanced Engagement: When users share your posts, it engages their followers, creating conversations and interactions around your content.
Improved SEO: Social shares can boost your search engine rankings. Search engines often view shared content as more credible and relevant.
Brand/Blog Awareness: Every share increases exposure for your brand/blog, helping you capture a larger audience over time.
Traffic Boost: Each share potentially drives more traffic back to your blog, increasing your overall reach and influence in your niche.
User-Friendly: A streamlined sharing process enhances the user experience, encouraging visitors to interact more with your content.
By integrating sharing buttons into your WordPress blog, you not only make it easier for readers to share your posts but also create new opportunities for engagement and growth.
Summary:
Many bloggers miss out on free content-sharing opportunities by not displaying sharing buttons. These buttons are crucial for expanding reach and boosting engagement.
It’s easy to add and display sharing buttons on your WordPress blog. Follow the guide in this post.
Ensure you deal with each option available to you on the ‘Sharing options‘ page of your blog.
There are many advantages of displaying sharing buttons on your blog, including increased visibility, enhanced engagement and improved SEO ratings.
If you have a social media account, ensure you display a sharing button for that account on your blog.
Add as many sharing buttons as you like, even for those social media platforms where you don’t have an account.
Test that the sharing buttons are working correctly at least once every few months.
Make the most of the other options available on the ‘Sharing options’ page of your blog, such as switching on/off the like button and whether or not you want a ‘Reblog’ button to show.
I want to open up the conversation and hear from you. What social media platforms do you find most effective for sharing your blog content? Have you noticed an increase in your blog traffic after adding sharing buttons? How much of a difference has it made? Have you experimented with the different button styles? Which one do you think looks best on your blog? If you could add one feature to the sharing buttons on your blog, what would it be and why?
Layout, content, settings, and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.
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The featured image on this blog post is taken from Pixabay. AI checked spelling and grammar mistakes. Images, which were taken from screenshots of my blog, were created by me.
Copyright @ 2025 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
The majority of bloggers understand the importance of visual content. Posts that include images receive up to 70% more traffic than those that contain no images. However, there is one major pitfall associated with using images in blog posts, which I will address shortly.
Images not only enhance the appeal of our posts but also help us communicate our messages more effectively. However, a key question remains: where do you source your images and photographs for your blog posts?
Are you breaking the law by using images that are not your own?
I’ve become concerned by the increasing number of bloggers using images or photos without giving credit to the owner or specifying the source of the image. Many of these images have been obtained from the internet; some are copyrighted and not freely available for use. Bloggers using these images and photos are breaking the law.
Some bloggers believe they will never be caught using copyrighted images and photos. They argue that their blog is too small for anyone to care. Nobody will come after them. However, I am aware of a few bloggers who have been prosecuted and fined for downloading and using copyrighted images and photos on their blogs.
It may also not have crossed the minds of some bloggers that there are serious consequences for using images and photos to which they do not have the rights in their posts. Hence, this post.
Where do bloggers get their images from?
Some bloggers, including myself, use stock photo websites that provide images and photos for free. However, even some of these can incur costs if the images are only free to use for a limited time or require the user to give full credit to the owner, along with a link to where the image was sourced. Always read the small print before using any images or photos that are not your own.
Here’s an example. The following image is from Pixabay, a website that offers a wide range of free-to-use images and photos.
Notice that I have given credit to the person who created the image and where I obtained it from. The image is free to use, and although the content licence summary states ‘Use Content without having to attribute the author (although giving credit is always appreciated by our community!).’ I always include an attribute along with links to the source of the image.
Always check the content licence summary before downloading an image or photo from the internet and using it in a blog post. Ensure you follow any rules around the use of the image.
The perils of using copyrighted images
While it might be tempting to use appealing images from the internet, downloading and using copyrighted images and photos can result in serious legal trouble. Here are some risks to bear in mind:
Legal Consequences
Using copyrighted images without permission can lead to copyright infringement, which may result in potential legal action against you. This may result in hefty fines, the removal of your post, or even the closure of your blog, not to mention damage to your reputation.
Image Attribution Challenges
Even when images are shared with the intention of being used by others, understanding the precise attribution requirements can be confusing. Each source may have different rules, and failing to follow them can put you at risk.
Quality Concerns
Some free or low-cost images can often be of lower quality, which can damage the professionalism of your blog. Conversely, high-quality images usually come at a price, highlighting the importance of responsible sourcing. However, they can eat into your media space unless you reduce the size, which may then affect the quality.
The Perils of Reblogging
If you reblog a post of another blogger that contains images and photos, don’t think you are safe from prosecution if any of those images or pictures are copyrighted. You, too, could be fined for resharing images or photos that are not free to use, even though all you did was reblog the post. If you are not absolutely certain where those images and photos originated and whether they are free to use, don’t reblog the post.
Availability of Alternatives
Fortunately, there are many alternatives to using copyrighted images. Consider the following options:
Stock Photo Websites: Sites like Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay offer free images that are often licensed for commercial use.
Creative Commons: Use images that offer a Creative Commons license, ensuring you follow any stipulations regarding attribution or modification.
Original Content: Creating your own images can be the most reliable way to ensure your visuals are unique and free of legal concerns.
AI: Make use of the AI image creator on WordPress. It’s easy to use, although it doesn’t always come up with something relevant, especially if you don’t provide a clear enough description of what you want it to create, but I’ve found it very useful.
Summary:
In conclusion, sourcing images for your blog posts is an essential aspect of content creation that warrants careful consideration. However, be aware and always check if images and photos that do not belong to you are free to use!
The simplest way to avoid copyright issues with images and photos is to always use your own.
I want to open up the conversation and hear from you. What resources do you rely on for images? Do you have any favourite stock photo sites, or do you prefer to create your own visuals? Have you tried the WordPress AI image creator? What did you think of the images it created? Let’s discuss the various avenues we can explore to source images, and perhaps you’ll discover new options along the way.
The featured image in this blog post is taken from Pixabay. AI checked spelling and grammar mistakes.
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I’m excited to share that I have published a new post on Marsha Ingrao’s blog, Always Write, dedicated to the captivating art of flash fiction!
If you’re a writer looking to sharpen your skills or a reader eager to explore new narrative forms, this piece offers valuable tips to help you craft compelling stories in a brief format.
But that’s not all! To test your newfound knowledge, I invite you to take part in a creative flash fiction challenge: Write a complete flash fiction story in just 101 words based on the image I have used as the featured image on this post. The image also features in the post.
Whether you’re an experienced author or just starting out, this is an excellent opportunity to unleash your imagination. Jump in, write away, and let’s see what wonderful stories we can create together!
Check out the post on Marsha’s blog for all the details.
Click the image or link below to be taken straight to the post.
If you have any comments or questions, please leave them on the post on Marsha’s blog, as I am closing comments here to ensure all comments and questions are in one place where everyone can see them.
Have fun with the challenge. Happy writing.
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I recently began receiving emails from WordPress informing me that another blogger has recommended my blog.
Of course, there’s an easy way to recommend another blog simply by writing and publishing a post and linking to that blog, but this new way of recommending another blog was something I thought was much better.
After all, once you read a post recommending a blog, it isn’t long before that post gets pushed down your reader list, until it’s probably forgotten about. So, if you haven’t read the post or maybe thought you’d come back to it later, you probably won’t.
However, this new method of recommending a blog is better because the blogs you recommend appear on your Gravatar profile when using the WordPress Reader, which means that anyone checking your Gravatar will see a list of the blogs you recommend.
It’s easy to add the blogs you want to recommend. I’m using an Apple iMac desktop computer to demonstrate this. Here’s how to do it.
On the dashboard of your blog, click the ‘Reader‘ icon (represented by a pair of spectacles).
Click the ‘Reader’ icon.
On the Reader menu, open ‘Lists‘ and click on ‘Recommended Blogs.’
Click the Recommended Blogs link.
Click the ‘Edit‘ button and open the ‘Sites‘ tab. As you will see from the image below, I’ve already recommended some blogs.
Click the ‘Sites’ tab.
To remove a recommended blog, click on the ‘Remove‘ button.
To add a blog, start typing the name of the blog in the ‘Search or enter URL to follow‘ box, and a list of suggestions will appear.
Start typing to display a list of blogs.
Click the ‘Recommend‘ button to add a blog to your Recommended Blogs list. Note that if you are already following a blog, you’ll see ‘Subscribed‘ next to it.
The blog you recommended is now added to your Recommended Blogs list and will appear whenever anyone hovers their mouse over your Gravatar profile in the WordPress Reader. Click the ‘View All‘ link to see a list of all the blogs they recommend.
As you recommend blogs, they will appear on your Gravatar profile.
Whenever another blogger recommends your blog, you should receive a notification email from WordPress with the details of who has recommended your blog, provided you have not switched off notifications. However, I’ve not yet seen these notifications appear under the notification bell icon.
Based on my observations, after clicking on the Gravatars of many bloggers, few have recommended any blogs so far. Additionally, some bloggers haven’t included their blog details on their Gravatar, making it harder for others to find their blog. And remember that if you leave comments on other blogs, your Gravatar will appear next to your comment.
Have you seen this new feature on WordPress? Has anyone recommended your blog in this way? Will you start using the ‘Recommend Blog’ feature? Have you added your blog details to your Gravatar?
Layout, content, settings, and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.
The featured image in this blog post is taken from Pixabay. AI checked spelling and grammar mistakes.
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Something strange happened this month. For the first time since I’ve been blogging, one of my blog posts received more engagement on social media (Mastodon) than on the actual post. I wasn’t sure how to feel about it, but could it be that claims of real engagement in the world of blogging are on the decline?
However, August turned out to be a bumper month for me. Although I only published three blog posts, four if you include this one, my stats soared. August 2025 was the highest month for views of any August since I started blogging in 2014. And to top it all off, engagement remained high.
How was your August blogging-wise?
Here’s your opportunity to catch up on my three blog posts from August 2025.
Did you know that keeping old, outdated blog posts can damage your blog? What do you do with your old blog posts? Join the discussion.
What do you do to make it easy for your readers to contact you?
Most bloggers aim to connect with their audience. This is mainly achieved through the comments section of blog posts, but sometimes someone may wish to contact you privately, which may not be suitable for public view. For example, I receive messages asking for help with WordPress or requests to buy a signed copy of one of my books. Nobody wants to share their address, email, or contact number in the comments section.
A ‘Contact’ page is an important connection point between a blogger and their readers, offering a convenient way to get in touch privately. If you look at the menubar of my blog, you’ll see a ‘Contact Hugh‘ link. That’s where any visitor to my blog can contact me privately.
Here’s why you should prioritise having a Contact page on your blog and how to easily set one up.
Benefits of Having a Contact Page
1. Establishes Credibility
Having a dedicated Contact page gives your blog a welcome and friendly impression. It demonstrates that you’re open to communication and approachable, increasing your credibility with readers and new visitors.
2. Facilitates Communication
A Contact page offers a clear and straightforward way for visitors to get in touch with you. Whether they have questions, feedback, or collaboration ideas, this page acts as a direct link to you, preventing confusion about how to contact you.
3. Encourages Engagement
By encouraging readers to contact you, you’re promoting engagement with your audience. This can lead to meaningful discussions, valuable feedback, and even new ideas for content, further benefiting and enhancing your blog.
4. Supports Networking Opportunities
For the majority of bloggers, networking is essential. A Contact page makes it easy for other bloggers to reach out for collaborations, sponsorships, or guest posting opportunities, contributing to your blog’s growth and visibility.
5. Keeps Your Private Details Private
Having a contact form means you don’t need to share your personal details, like an email address, on your blog. After all, do you know everyone who visits your blog? Even if you provide an email address solely for your blog, advertising it will attract spam, spammers, and trolls.
Some bloggers might prefer not to engage with their audience, so a Contact page may not be essential. However, if you choose not to engage, ensure you turn comments off.
How to Install a Contact Page
Creating a Contact page is a simple process. Here’s how you can set one up on your blog. For this purpose, I’m using an Apple iMac desktop computer.
Go to the dashboard of your blog, click Pages and then Add Page.
Click ‘Add Page.’
Title your page ‘Contact’ or ‘Get in Touch’ or choose a title you prefer.
Add a Contact template. WordPress offers several ‘Contact’ templates. To find them, click the ‘+‘ symbol in the top-left corner of the page, then select Patterns and Contact.
Click ‘Contact’ to find the WordPress contact templates.
Choose the template you want to use and make any edits to it. For the contact form on my blog, I used Template Number One.
Preview your contact form before publishing it. Once you’re happy, click the publish button so it appears on your blog.
Tip: Yes, you’ll likely receive spam or spam bots trying to contact you. To quickly sort out those messages, add a line to your Contact form giving instructions on what to do. I added the following details to my Contact form –
Please complete and submit the form below to contact me securely. To verify that you are not a bot or spam, please start your message with ‘Dear Hugh.’ I will then get back to you as quickly as possible.
Messages that do not start ‘Dear Hugh’ will be marked as spam.
And guess what, it works!
You can also find additional Contact forms under Jetpack – Forms (select the ‘About‘ tab) on the dashboard of your blog.
Next, to make it easy for readers to contact you, add your contact form to the menubar of your blog.
On the dashboard of your blog, go to Appearance – Menus.
Search for your Contact form by clicking View All, tick the box next to it, and click the ‘Add To Menu’ Button.
Add your Contact form to your blog’s menubar.
Click the Save Menu button at the bottom of the page.
To reposition the Contact form on the menubar, on the Menus page, click on it and drag it to the desired location. Remember to click the Save Menu button after any changes.
Click and drag the contact form button to move it on the menu bar.
Check the menubar of your blog to ensure the Contact form is visible and in the correct place.
WordPress also offers Contact forms plugins.
Contact Form 7:
Install and activate the plugin.
Go to Contact – Add New in the dashboard.
Customise your form fields as needed, then save.
Copy the shortcode provided and paste it into your Contact page.
Add the Contact form to your menubar.
WPForms:
Install and activate the plugin.
Create a new form using their drag-and-drop builder.
Save your form and copy the shortcode.
Paste the shortcode into your Contact page content.
Add the Contact form to your menubar.
How do I know when somebody has contacted me via my Contact form?
WordPress sends an email to you whenever anyone contacts you via the Contact form (except when they consider it as spam). Users will also see a notification under Jetpack – Forms on the dashboard of their blog.
Anything considered spam by WordPress goes straight to the spam folder. Spam is deleted automatically after 30 days, so there’s no need to worry about it.
Conclusion
Having a Contact page is essential for fostering communication and building relationships with your audience. By following these simple steps, you can easily set up a Contact page on your blog and start engaging with your visitors today!
Do you have a way that visitors to your blog can contact you directly? Any questions? Leave them in the comments section or contact me directly.
Layout, content, settings, and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.
The featured image in this blog post is taken from Pixabay. AI checked spelling and grammar mistakes.
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Nobody took much notice of the small Halloween pod that appeared in the Griffiths’ small front window on the night before Halloween. They’d sold the place because it was too small, and the neighbours thought the new owners had placed the pod there. But they were wrong!
The mesmerising, faint green glow out of the eyes and mouth of the pod during daytime Halloween became brighter as the sun set and dusk arrived. It was a sight to behold, especially for the innocent local small children who couldn’t resist posing with it for photos. Their innocence, a stark contrast to the small danger lurking within, made them all the more vulnerable.
Halloween
Little did they know that the small creature inside was not just observing, but also making intricate plans. Its intelligence, a chilling reminder of the impending threat, was something to be feared and respected.
At the stroke of midnight, the pod cracked open, and the small, agile creature darted out. It was now a master of disguise, mimicking all the costumes it had seen. Its constant shifting and learning, and planning its next move, was a clear sign of the magnitude of the threat.
By dawn, the small population of the street had shrunk, mostly of children. Of course, nobody took any notice of me, the new owner of the Griffiths’ house, as I blended in seamlessly into your world, now a perfect mimic of your kind.
They asked me about the small pod and the missing children, but I denied any knowledge of them. Over the following twelve months, the city’s human population decreased.
On the run-up to Halloween, keep your eyes peeled for a small alien pod in your neighbourhood. But more importantly, keep a close eye on your neighbours. After all, every invasion starts small.
The featured image in this blog post was created using AI.
I’m taking a proactive approach to comments to keep conversations meaningful on my blog. Please leave some constructive feedback. Short comments like ‘Nice story’ don’t help anyone.
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Should You Delete, Update, or Republish Your Old Blog Posts?
As a blogger, you likely know that maintaining high-quality content is crucial for your blog’s success. One of the key aspects is dealing with old blog posts. What should we do with them? Give them a new lease of life? Delete them? Should we allow them to rot away in our archives, where nobody sees them anymore?
Many blogging experts agree that outdated articles can harm your blog, especially its SEO (search engine optimisation) rating. Even if you are regularly publishing fresh content, any remaining outdated information can diminish your efforts and lower the rankings of your new posts.
Search engines favour accurate, up-to-date information and often direct readers to sites that provide it. That’s one reason I recommend updating your ‘About Me‘ page every six to nine months (I update mine every three months). This also applies to all posts on your blog—outdated content is pointless and can deter readers. Imagine you’re an author and have new visitors to your blog reading out-of-date information. Are they likely to buy any of your books?
I make it a point to clear out old blog posts at least once a year, usually in December, when the blogging scene tends to slow down.
Before you hit delete: Things to consider
Before deleting old posts, take a moment to assess each one. Should bloggers update, rewrite, or simply delete older posts?
If a post remains relevant, provides valuable information, and includes evergreen content, it is advisable to update it. This is especially true if it contains valid pingbacks to other live posts on your blog, other blogs, or reputable external sites.
If a post continues to receive traffic, it may be worth updating. Did you know that you can check how much recent traffic every one of your blog posts has had? On the ‘Posts’ page of your blog’s dashboard, look for the ‘Stats’ column, and check the numbers.
How many recent views have my blog posts had?
Also, check for incoming pingbacks from other blogs that are still valid; you’ll find them in the comments section of your posts. For example, I recently had to remove several pingbacks to one of my posts because the original content on other blogs was deleted. Broken links can harm your SEO—too many of them, and readers are likely not to return to your site because links don’t work or lead to a ‘404 Content Not Found’ page.
When is it time to rewrite?
If you have an old post with outdated or low-quality content (including low-resolution images) that you believe still holds value, then it’s time for a rewrite. Just remember to delete the older version before publishing the new one.
While rewriting, consider creating a new title that encourages your readers to learn more. A captivating title can significantly boost your click-through rates.
If a post is irrelevant and can only be salvaged through a thorough rewrite, do it! Your audience will value fresh and engaging content, and many of them will never have read the original post.
This post is a rewrite of a popular post from 2022.
Checking for broken links
After deleting any old posts, take a moment to check your blog for broken links. Using a free broken link checker, such as Brokenlinkcheck.com, can assist you with this. However, if it’s your first time, the initial results may seem overwhelming. I recommend pausing the report after identifying about 20 broken links, fixing them, and then running another check.
WordPress also offers a broken link plugin, available depending on your plan or if you’re self-hosted.
Once you’ve finished a broken link check, I recommend doing it at least monthly or whenever old posts are deleted. Also, remember to remove any pingbacks on posts you’re about to delete, as well as delete any images or photos from your media library that are on the post. This helps free up library space.
Is it worth reading old blog posts?
It depends, but if you hear someone celebrating their 5000th blog post, it’s hard to ignore that many of those posts are likely outdated and probably never received any traffic a few days after publication. They may be keeping them for a reason, but don’t hold your breath for any real engagement on them. Many of the comments will also be outdated and probably from readers who no longer have profiles.
If you have posts you want to keep, consider moving them from your blog to a secure location (such as a memory stick).
Can rewritten blog posts be successful?
Absolutely!
I’ve rewritten and republished several of my earlier blog post tips. Initially, these posts had low views and lacked depth, but I revitalised them with improved procedures and high-quality images. I also added links to some of my most successful posts for context.
Many of these revamped pieces have since become top performers on my blog.
Are there any blogs that don’t require regular updating?
No! Every blog needs to be updated. Although some blogs, such as photography blogs, may not require frequent updates to posts, and some blog owners may not prioritise SEO rankings, the ‘About’ page will always need to be updated and links checked to ensure they still work.
Conclusion:
Delete any old blog posts that contain outdated information that cannot be salvaged.
Before deleting, deactivate any incoming and outgoing pingbacks associated with the post.
Delete images from your blog’s media library from posts you are about to delete to free up space.
Conduct a broken link report on your blog at least once a month or following the deletion of old posts.
SEO benefits rely on your blog’s capacity to provide updated information; lack of it can hurt your new posts.
If a post remains relevant and useful with evergreen content, be sure to update it, especially if it contains valid links to other relevant content and continues to receive traffic.
Rewrite posts that feature outdated or poor-quality content but still hold some relevance and give them a fresh title.
Always remove older versions of rewritten posts before going live with the new content.
Every blog needs regular updates, especially the ‘About’ page and a check for broken links.
What criteria do you use when deciding whether to update or delete an old blog post? Have you ever resurrected an old post? What changes did you make to breathe new life into it? How often do you check your blog for broken links, and what tools do you find most effective? Have you ever regretted deleting a post? What would you have done differently?
Layout, content, settings, and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.
The featured image in this blog post is taken from Pixabay. AI checked spelling and grammar mistakes.
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