Four Ways to Resuscitate a Dying Blog

This is a guest post by Nadia Jones.

It is not uncommon for a blog to run stagnant and die out. There are countless attempts at successful blogging that just fall short, lose momentum, and lose focus. All too often, however, talented and spirited bloggers give up on their projects, allowing their blogs to slowly fizzle out of existence. Staying focused and active within the blogosphere is a task that many people underestimate. Finding consistent passion, excitement, and energy for your blog is not always going to be easy. For those fantastic blogs that you just simply lost track of, don't scrap them yet: there are ways to bring them back to life. Try these four tips to bring a dead or dying blog back to life.

1. Do Something New

One of the fastest ways to lose interest in your own blog is by losing interest in your blog's focus. Of course, if you are bored with your blog's pattern and interests, then your readers are inevitably bored as well. While getting bored with your blog is definitely not a strong sign, it is by no means a death sentence. The best way to revive some interest in your blog is by spicing things up and shaking things around. Try something new. You can try posting your content in a different way, displaying things in a different fashion, or writing about something new. A great way to spice things up a little without completely altering the direction and niche of your blog is by video blogging. Create an entirely different category for content and allow your readers to access your thoughts in a different format. This way you can still approach the content and subjects that interest you, but present them in a new and enticing way.

2. Do Some Cleaning

Another easy way to lose interest in your blog is by having a site that is unorganized and unfocused. Try to clean some things up by going through old posts and rearranging things. One of the best ways to clean up an old and tired blog is by developing new categories for posts and bringing more symmetry to your category system. By reading through old posts and rearranging things you may find ways to develop various series with existing posts that you can add to. Use the posts that you have already written to encourage growth and spark interest. Try to find a better and clearer focus for your blog during your cleaning session. Also, try out a new theme or plugin. Sometimes all it takes is a new toy or gadget to get you and your readers back into it.

3. Revisit old Posts

This can go hand in hand with your blog Spring cleaning session. Look through your old posts that really interested you at the time. Find some of the posts that really inspired you in the past and re-read them. Try to find more inspiration from these pieces. It may be something as simple as cleaning up these old posts or responding to old comments on an old post anything to get the ball rolling. Perhaps you will find motivation and incentive from your old posts or your readers' comments.

4. Reach Out To Your Audience

Sometimes the best way to find inspiration and encouragement is to ask for it. Showing some vulnerability and reaching out for some assistance may be the key to saving your dying blog. If you were at one time active in the blogosphere, there are likely bloggers and readers whom you have developed professional relationships with ask them for help. Reach out to your blogging community and ask people what they would like you to write about, what is interesting to them, or what they liked about the work you have done in the past. Listening to other's feedback may offer some insight and inspiration for new and exciting ideas for your lonely and forgotten blog. Use the power of the internet to revitalize your own site. Go on social networking sites and forums to get some feedback. Having a conversation about your dying blog may just be the inspiration you need to save it.

Blogging can be a very difficult and time consuming process. Where there is passion and excitement for it one day, there is nothing the next. The key to developing a strong blog is consistency—post regularly, find a reliable voice, and stay in touch often. If for some reason you begin to neglect your blog, don't just trash it and start anew. Bring that blog back to life and utilize the posts and readers you have already accumulated. A good blog takes time and goes through periods of health and sickness. Don't give up on it.

About the author 
Nadia Jones blogs at online college about education, college, student, teacher, money saving, movie related topics. You can reach her at nadia.jones5@gmail.com.