December 18, 2025
Once a Year Blog Maintenance–Are You Up to Date?
Keep your blog up to date–photo credit: Nemo
This week, I’m providing tips for end-of-year technology maintenance. Sure, you should do it once a month if you’re active on your computer, but AT LEAST do it yearly.
Like today.
For most writers I know, life zooms by with few breaks to pause, glance around at the surroundings and clean up the clutter and confusion that grows like mold from our everyday authorial life.
Here’s my short list–one I hope is do-able during the Holidays:
- Update my profile. Have I changed my focus? Changed jobs? Adding new pieces readers would like to know about? This, btw, should be done regularly, but at the new year–it’s critical.
- Check old posts for grammar and spelling. I start with the most-visited articles (under Site Stats) and work my way down (in case I run out of time). I’m always surprised what I catch with a fresh eye.
- Check individual post tags and categories to see if I can whittle down the options while still clearly cataloging my writing. Sometimes, I haven’t even added a category–fix all those, too.
- Check sidebar for out-of-date and no-longer-relevant widgets and links. Add new pieces (like awards and links) that add to the blog’s utility. Move pieces around to give a fresh look.
- Check list of ‘pages’. Sure, I’m on top of the Home page, but are the others still relevant? Up to date? Like my WIP page? Hmm…
- Check blog in different browsers to see if I should recommend one over the other for best-viewing.
That’s it from my end. Do you have any maintenance issues you suggest for the new year? I’d love to hear them.
