Spring Clean Your Blog
The first day of Spring is right around the corner which means you are probably busy cleaning out your closets and deep cleaning your house. But don’t just stop there. Don’t forget to do a little spring cleaning on your blog!
Clean Up Your Sidebar
Take a look at your sidebar. Is it getting cluttered? Do you have outdated buttons or ads that have expired? Clean out the tchotchkes and get some white space back on your blog.
Fix Broken Links
If you’re on WordPress, you should install Broken Link Checker. Why should you fix those broken links? Valid links help search engine spiders navigate your blog. One of your goals for SEO is to make your site friendly for the web spiders. If they can navigate your site without hitting a roadblock, your site can be indexed and you will get more page views. If you have broken links, the spiders can’t follow them.
Update Your About Page
Update your kids’ ages (or better yet, remove your kids’ ages and add the years instead), add new accomplishments, and whatever else you would like to show off on your about me page. Also, don’t forget to update your site’s stats.
Update Plugins and Themes
It seems like there is a new update every day when it comes to plugins and themes. But sometimes, it pays to wait. Many times when there are new releases there are also bugs to the update. I tend to wait a while before updating to make sure there isn’t any issues.
Delete Unused Plugins
Do you have a thousand plugins like I do? Chances are you aren’t using all of them. Go through and delete any unused plugins you may have to keep your site moving quickly.
Go Through Drafts
How many times have you sat down to write a blog post and then not finish it? If you have a bunch of posts in draft, go through them. Pull out the posts that you can salvage and finish those posts! If the post is outdated, trash it.
Update Old Posts
Did you post about a sale or coupon? Chances are those posts are no longer relevant. Instead of deleting the post, update the post to give it longevity. Throw in some affiliate links and remove the sale or coupon information. This is also a good time to go through and interlink your posts with each other.
Get a New Headshot
I know, I am guilty of it too. We all want to use the headshot of us pre-kids (and minus 10-15 lbs) but you need to do it. You don’t want someone to meet you at a blog conference or meet up and not know who you are. Invest in yourself and hire a professional photographer. Your headshot should look clean and professional, not like you took it on your cell phone and ran it through an Instagram filter. Check out my tips on what to wear for headshots.
Update Your Disclosure Page
Go through your disclosure page and make sure that the programs are current and relevant.
Clean Up Your Categories
Another thing I am guilty of: too many categories. I blame blogger and not really knowing what I was doing back then. When I made the switch over to WordPress, I started cleaning up my categories and utilizing tags more often. I don’t know what the right amount of categories should be, what the golden number is. But I do know, I have way too many!
Spring Clean Your Blog Checklist
To help you Spring Clean Your Blog, I put together this checklist! Not only will this help you get better organized but they will make your site look cleaner and run smoother. Just click on the photo below or click here!
Want more blogging tips? Make sure you follow my Better Your Blog – Blogging Tips and Tricks Pinterest Page. Don’t forget to pin this Spring Clean Your Blog Checklist to help you out!
You have such good ideas! I am totally updating my about page today! Then I am off to skinny down the categories! Thanks!!
Oh lots of great tips. I need to do some blog spring cleaning (when I find the time, lol).
I just updated my about me page! Love getting things cleaned up and updated!
This is on my March to do list! Thanks for reminding of all the tasks I should follow for it.
So many great tips! I need to make a switch… soon!
I *just* cleaned out my categories but have a feeling they could use a little more tweaking. I think I’m going to use that link widget thingy because I recently moved to WordPress after 7 years on Typepad, and two before it, on Blogger and I KNOW I have a ton of broken links that need to either be deleted, or fixed.
Thanks for the link-checker, and the great reminders that this is something we need to spruce up in addition to clearing the cobwebs behind the fridge!
Great tips, I keep telling myself I need to go through and update things just have to make time.
Great tips! I really need to update my about page with a couple new pictures.
Great tips! Very useful! Thanks. 🙂
I have already cleaned up my sidebar, and got a new header. What I want to do next is update some pages like my about page, some affiliate pages, and my contact page. I think even if you don’t have kids in the mix, you still need new photos every now and then,
I am soooo overdue for a headshot. I was pregnant in mine!
I desperately need to check for broken links and my about me page is due for an update, too. Thanks for the reminder! Adding these to my to-do list and pinning this!
Ooo. I really needed this post. There are a number of these things that I need to do. Guess who’s gonna be Spring Cleaning (Blog & House) this weekend! Yep, ME!
great ideas! I didn’t even think about giving my blog some spring cleaning love
Guilty…I haven’t even thought about doing any of that!
My sidebars are pretty good but I need a new headshot for sure.
Especially one that is loaded onto this computer.
OOPS!!
It is funny you mention this because I was thinking about doing it the other day. As soon as I read, “Broken links” I went over to my blog and fixed mine. I have that plug-in too. I need to update all the other stuff too. I checked my about me page and had last updated when my now 10 month old was only 4 months. Eeek. At least it wasn’t too bad. But now I’m going to go through my site this week thanks to your prodding. 🙂
I NEVER thought of spring cleaning my blog! These are great ideas!
I desperately need a new headshot, but I am SOOOO photophobic!! lol Great post, I like your highlighted blog post buttons in your sidebar!
Great suggestions! I actually just went for a new headshot last night! Now to get it up on the blog.
Ugh, I’m terrible about getting new headshots. I’m putting that at the top of my to-do this.
Here I am thinking about all of these things to clean around the house and it never dawned on me that my blog could use some spring cleaning too. Gotta put that on my to-do list.
I really need to do the categories. I have way too many. I also need to update my headshot but don’t know how LOL.
I am deep in the process of cleaning my blog right now. It feels so good.
This is great advice! I’ve been working on all of it too! We just made a family photo shoot and I can’t wait to use them too!
Ive been working on broken links for two months now!
All good advice. my blog needs a little cleanup. I really need a new headshot!
Agh. Yes, a new headshot (guilty of the instagram selfie headshot). And this weekend is a perfect time to clean up the blog and make a list of to-dos for the site! Thanks for the reminders!