Though you are likely busy blogging for the holiday season, now is the time to start thinking about the new year. Do you have new plans for your blog? Are you wanting to start new topics, or create different products? Get a new look?
There are a list of things you need to do to get your blog ready for 2017. I have listed a few of these below, but you can access the full list by downloading the free printable checklist with 15 tasks to do now to ensure your blog is looking great in 2017!
Get the Free Checklist!
Get my FREE "15 Tasks to Get your Blog Ready for 2017" checklist and start organizing your blog today!
15 Tasks to Get your Blog Ready for 2017
1. Update your “About Me”.
Take a look at the photo on your About Me page. Is it more than a year old? Replace it with a newer one. Read through the details on the page, and update ages, locations, or anything else that has changed. Add a few new links to the page, showcasing newer posts that have been popular on your blog.
2. Check for broken links.
It’s not good for your readers to have dead and broken links throughout your blog. If they click and can’t find what they need, they may get frustrated and leave your site altogether. Use a broken link checker plugin to easily find URLs that need to be replaced or removed.
3. Clean up categories and tags.
Throughout the year, you may have created new categories or tags for your blog with great intentions. However, if you only have 1-2 posts in these groups, you can certainly do some clean up. To keep your blog user friendly, limit your categories to 10. Add the most popular ones to your navigation menu so your readers easily find what you have to offer.
4. Update social media bios.
Your blog isn’t the only thing in your online business that needs to be updated for 2017! Make sure your Twitter and Facebook bios are up to date. Reword them to include new keywords and phrases that are pertinent to you and your blog. Consider new cover photos if the ones you have been using are more than 6 months old.
5. Refresh older blog posts.
It’s possible your blog contains outdated information. You may have written about something time-sensitive that is no longer happening, or has changed dates and times. Make sure you venture back through older posts and add or remove any necessary details. This is a great way to have new content to feature when you are too busy to write something completely original!
6. Create new pinnable images.
Take a look at your Pinterest analytics. Is there a certain style of images that have been getting more pins than others? If so, it’s time for a refresh! Sort through older posts that you want more traffic to – or that deserve more traffic.
Create new pinnable images using one of these 3 simple image creation tools and pin them. You can also schedule them to pin with a service like Tailwind – which I recommend in order to really get your content out there on Pinterest.
7. Reflect on your most popular posts.
Now it’s time to look at more stats, this time from Google Analytics. Look into your most popular posts for 2016. Create new post titles from the ones that are getting your blog the most traffic. That way, you can interlink the posts and boost your traffic in the new year.
8. Get a new blog design or logo.
Many bloggers like to get a new look for their blogs when a new year is starting. It’s like a chance to start fresh! You can purchase a theme to tweak on your own, or hire a professional to create new logo or design for you.
9. Declutter your sidebar.
Evaluate the banners, images, and other items you have stashed in your sidebar. Are there any outdated ads? Feature some of your most popular posts in your sidebar to put your blog’s best foot forward in 2017. You can also feature banner ads for affiliate products to increase your blog income.
10. Create new opt-in forms.
It may be time for a refresh in the freebies you are offering to build your email list. Sometimes, just the look of a new opt-in form will get more people signing up. The difference may catch more eyes. Better yet, leave the current form and add a new one somewhere else on the blog to double your chances of getting more subscribers!
Grab the free checklist for all 15 tasks to get your blog ready for 2017!
Get the Free Checklist!
Get my FREE "15 Tasks to Get your Blog Ready for 2017" checklist and start organizing your blog today!
What are you doing to get your blog ready for 2017?
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this is genius. i just bookmarked to reference. thank you so much for putting this together for fellow bloggers!
You are a rock star Kecia! You need to hire yourself out to do blog analysis. I know that I would take advantage of such a thing.
Great list! I was just thinking I hadn’t checked for broken links in a while…
I’ve never done anything at the beginning of this year, so this list is incredibly helpful! I need to do pretty much all of this. I need to do that broken link checker way more often. I’m going to go through most of these and get them done at the beginning of the year.
I need to do some of these things. This would be great to do once things slow down.
This info is so cool! Thank you for sharing!
Kecia!
Thanks for reminding me to check my broken links! I know both my sites need a look. Thanks for this awesome list!
Great ideas! This checklist will come in very handy next month when I start my second year of blogging.
Haha! I need to do #3. I was teaching a beginner blogging course a few months back and meant to do it then. Great list!
These are GREAT tips! Thank you so much!
I feel like I’m constantly updating things! But – thanks for that broken link checker. I know I have a bunch, but NO clue how to fix it. Hoping (fingers crossed) that this link you included will do it for me. I hope. 🙂
Yes, YES and YESSSS to every single one of these (HA!) I desperately need to update my ABOUT ME page so I love that it is #1 on your list! I am so bookmarking this to come back to later
This is seriously one of best blog post that I have seen on this topic. I will be implementing many of your ideas. Thanks!
Wonderful tips! I have a few of these on my list. Thank you.
These are great tips that I need to do. Time to get ready for 2017!
OMG this is totally awesome! Yes I have been thinking about 2017! More than I have about my Christmas Content to be honest hahah. I am so glad you wrote this! I have so much updating to do before the new year!
This is a great checklist update for any kind of blog out there. A good cleanup if you will. 🙂
Great check list! Pinning and sharing on Twitter!
This is perfect timing. My partner and I just had our meeting about the new year, rehashing this year, and changes we want to make. Your list will be invaluable getting things done.
I like the tip about updating your about me – that is such a small thing and so easy to do.
YES! New Year New Blog right? or at least a cleaned up blog. All of these things are on my list. It’s a great list – I love it 😉
Love this list…such important tasks! I’m scheduling this right now on social media so other bloggers can use this great resource as well
This is a very important post. We all get so caught up and often forget to look back and do these tasks. The list is helpful and a great reminder. Thank you!
Checking your blog for improvements or changes before another year starts is a great idea! There’s nothing more awesome than changing for the better! These are great guidelines!
These are good tips to start the new year off right. I love the free printable also, super helpful.
Such great tips. I’m pinning this for later. I definitely need to do everything on this list.
I as you may know migrated over to WordPress and I am very pleased with my decision. There is still so much that I need to do.
As a new blogger, these are great tips to start the year of right… heck they are great tips for me to do now and last month haha…. I need to declutter and make sure my links are working properly!
This is absolutely a great info! Glad you share this wit us
Thanks for this, have bookmarked to refer to later. Definitely need to check for broken links.
There are so many things that I need to do to update my blog! I have posts from 2011-2013 that I really need to go back through and update, put pictures (this was before pictures in a blog post were a big thing). It is daunting…thanks for the checklist!
Great ideas! I need to do a lot of these.
Awesome list! I will be working on redoing most of my images to make them pinterest friendly in January. Actually that is my goal for January. I wish I had enough time to do it before then, but I just don’t!
You reminded me to update my About Me + check for broken links, thank you! I love New Year time, it motivates me to clean and get organized!
Great tips! I need to set aside some time to do all of these things before January strikes!
I seriously need to do every single thing on this list. I’ve been neglecting my About Me page for years! Thanks for the reminder!
Solid suggestions! Thanks so much!
Great info!!! I didn’t meet my goals in 2016, so 2017 I MUST do it. This checklist will help!
I’m about to sit down to plan for the upcoming year. A checklist will help tremendously.
oh these are great tips! These features are often being overlooked by bloggers.. I think I should start doing a revamp in my blog and update everything possible to prepare it for the coming year! Thanks for these wonderful blogging reminders
This comes right on time. I want to do some clean up for my blog in 2017, and the tips are just what I need. I bookmark this post right away. Thank you.
I like this list! I am printing it out. I so need to update my blog with information!
These are great tips!! Blog maitence is so important to do, regularly checking everything is still working helps things to go smoothly!
Thanks for this checklist. I’m getting ready to do my annual review of my site and this will come in handy. I think starting the year with a new look is a great idea!
I never even thought about doing all these things at the beginning of each year! I am pinning this to remember to do it later!
Thanks for the really helpful reminders! I wouldn’t have remembered to refresh my bio, but I always enjoy reflecting upon my top 5 most popular posts.
This is such an awesome tips! I just bookmarked it for reference. Definitely a great idea to declutter the blog for a new 2017. Thanks
These are definitely some fantastic ideas. I need to do this so bad but I have to find the time to stop and sit down to do it. Hopefully I can have some “me time” soon.
These are all so great. I have so much to do to get prepared for the coming year over Christmas break. I feel like I am already behind! LOL. I love the checklist
Love this list! SO helpful for any blogger, thank you so much for making this!
These are all Great Tips! I have been trying to clean up my blog, but will most likely have to wait until after Christmas!!
This is a really cool checklist. I’ve already started my new year clean up. Now I just have to check my analytics and figure out my numbers + stats.
Awesome list! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your tips.
I did a clean up on my blog yesterday and noticed a broken link and I totally fixed it.
I am looking forward to changing things up a little bit for 2017! Cheers to rocking out the rest of 2016! 🙂
I need to do so many of these things. Especially updating my entire blog look and About me page.
I love this! I’ve been working on updating some of my old posts but I desperately need to work on my about me page!
I love this. All things you should be doing with your blog. Pinning this!
What a great list! Thank you for putting this together! It’s clear, succinct, and every task will improve my blog (while saving me the time of coming up with each of these tasks!).
Great tips!!! I always update my about me every few months. It’s crazy how many people never do!
You really read my mind. I already updated my header, my about me sidebar and my about me photos. Can you believe those photos on there were basically 3 years old? Also I want to do new headshots and photos and a new rebranding for my blog by early 2017. Its time.
Hi, Kecia! Excellent list.
Checking for broken links is so easy to forget, but so important. Sometimes readers will let you know if they find one, but it’s always best to be proactive.
I love your image in this post, too! The picture of the checklist within the image is enticing. Had I come across this image on Pinterest, I would definitely click through. Another one of your tips I’ll implement 🙂
This blog post as come at the right time! I was only thinking the other day how I need to sort mine out for next year and racking my brains as to what I needed to do etcc so Thankyou!
This is an awesome list, and so timely!
I think I need to work on some more branding and my tags–they’re crazy right now.
Thank you, I cannot wait to check these off of the checklist!
I am pinning this post for the few days I am off over christmas so I can start making these updates. I have started already on the older posts updating them.