Day 26: Highlight the best of your blog.

Throughout January, The Social Path is running daily tips on how to improve your social life — online, at least. Click here to learn more.

Whether you've been blogging for years or weeks, you've probably got a few posts you're proud of.

Today, I encourage you to think back through those posts and find some that best represent your voice, your value, your goals — you know, the ones that show why someone should be reading your site in the first place.

I've always loved blogs that feature their "best of" posts. When you first discover a new site, this is a great way to get a feel for the place.

And yet I've never created such a list for The Social Path. Why not? Maybe I don't like playing favorites, or maybe my general aversion to self-promotion has kept me away. Whatever was holding me back, it ends today.

Featuring your best content isn't about bragging. It's about introducing yourself to new readers and taking pride in your work. Think of it like a portfolio for your blog.

So how do you do it? Well, there are a few approaches you can try.

1. Create a "Best Of" sidebar on your blog.

This takes little more than a few minutes to create, though you might need longer to pick your favorites. Mine is a simple list on the ride sidebar of TheSocialPath.com.

2. Get scientific with it.

If you just want to highlight your most popular posts, there are quite a few tools at your disposal, especially if you're on WordPress.

One of my favorite WordPress gurus, Tammy Hart, recommends the aptly named "Popular Posts" plugin, which you can see in action on her blog.

If you're using a third-party comment system like Disqus, it probably offers a similar feature for your most-viewed, most-commented or most-Tweeted posts.

3. Feature related posts with each entry.

One simple way to keep readers on your blog is to offer up some related content at the end of each post.

To this end, I'm a fan of LinkWithin, a simple blog add-on that uses thumbnail images and headlines to link to related items on your blog.

After we began using it for AdFreak, I quickly grew to like this tool, even if its idea of "related content" can be a bit quizzical at times.

I hope these tips inspire you to unearth the best of your blog and give it a bit more prominence. If you've already had a "best of" list, maybe now's a good time to revisit it and see if it could use some freshening up. Or maybe you're just so good, every new post is your BEST EVER. Hey, at least then you know that your best work is always right at the top of the fold.

Estimated time needed: 30-60 minutes.
Benefits: Increased internal traffic and loyalty on your blog.

Photo credit: terren in Virginia on Flickr.

Comments

[Arik Hanson]

Great tip on LinkWithin. Somehow I had never heard of that specific tool, even though I had noticed that plug-in on many sites I read regularly. Installed and up-and-running in less than 3 minutes. Top notch.

@arikhanson