Finish Strong

Bybobbi

Finish Strong: Wrapping Up 2024 with Intentional Content
Issue Date: December 4, 2024
Memo No.: 026
Read Time: 5 minutes

Hey there!

The countdown to 2025 has officially begun! While holiday playlists are on repeat and calendars fill with year-end to-dos, it’s tempting to let your content strategy coast.

But here’s the thing: the effort you put into these final weeks of 2024 can be the foundation for a thriving 2025.

This week, we’re diving into actionable steps to help you reflect on your content wins, understand what didn’t land, and set clear, focused goals for next year.

Reflect: What Worked, What Didn’t

Before planning for 2025, let’s analyze the lessons from 2024.

How to Find Your Top-Performing Content

  • Use Google Analytics:
    Navigate to: Behavior > Site Content > All Pages
    Sort by metrics like pageviews, average time on page, and bounce rate.
    Identify blog posts or pages that consistently attract traffic and engage readers.
  • Check Social Media Insights:
    Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn show engagement metrics (likes, shares, comments, and saves). Look for posts with unusually high reach or interaction—these are audience favorites.
  • Email Analytics:
    Review newsletters to identify those with high open and click-through rates. Analyze which subject lines and calls to action (CTAs) resonated most.

How to Identify Flops

  • Low Traffic Pages:
    In Google Analytics, sort by the least-viewed pages. Look for high bounce rates or short time-on-page metrics—they’re clues your content didn’t click with readers.
  • Unengaged Social Posts:
    Review content with little interaction. Was the topic off? Was the timing wrong?
  • Missed Email Opportunities:
    Check newsletters with low open rates. Analyze whether the subject line lacked clarity or intrigue.

What to Learn from Flops

Ask yourself these questions:

  • Was the topic relevant to my audience’s interests?
  • Was the headline compelling enough to draw attention?
  • Did the content deliver on its promise (was it actionable, valuable, or entertaining)?
  • Was it published at a suboptimal time?
  • Did it lack visuals or formatting that enhances readability?

Pro Tip: Compare your “flops” to your top-performing content. Look for patterns or gaps in the lower-performing pieces and think about how you can refine or rework them.

Refresh: Polish What You Already Have

Repurposing and optimizing old content saves time while maximizing impact.

Steps to Refresh Content

  • Update Evergreen Posts: Refresh outdated stats and links. Add new insights or examples to keep the content relevant.
  • Reformat for Engagement: Turn long blog posts into digestible listicles or infographics. Add a CTA that aligns with your current goals (email signup, product promotion, etc.).
  • Optimize for SEO: Add trending keywords and refine meta descriptions. Ensure readability with shorter paragraphs, bullet points, and headers.

Pro Tip: Use Google Search Console to identify pages with low impressions or clicks and optimize them to improve performance.

Your Content Audit Checklist

  • Log into Google Analytics or Search Console: Identify top-performing pages by traffic, engagement, or conversions. Highlight underperforming content for revision or repurposing.
  • Review Each Page: Is the information current and accurate? Are the visuals high-quality and relevant? Does the content align with your audience’s needs today?
  • Decide Next Steps:
    • Optimize: Refresh evergreen content or add internal links.
    • Repurpose: Turn blogs into short videos, Instagram carousels, or email snippets.
    • Retire: Archive content that’s no longer relevant.

Dive Deeper: Should I Delete Posts?

A common question I get is “Should I delete posts that are irrelevant or not performing?” Check out this post for my take.

Your Assignment

This week, choose one piece of content from your top-performing list and one from your flops. Refresh and repurpose them using the tips above. Then, track their performance to see how these tweaks improve engagement.

Finishing 2024 strong isn’t just about content—it’s about intention. By reflecting, refreshing, and refining, you’ll walk into 2025 with clarity and confidence.

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