I have created new meme pictures even. I use them in my current posts... but these I will for sure not go back and fix. I mean... who looks at old Waiting on Wednesday posts? I also highly doubt these show up in Google search, and if they do well... oops. I have seen people go back and fix posts after switching from Blogger to Wordpress. Though I think this is to line posts up with the new look rather then change the actual look of the post. I just don't know if I want to spend the time doing this.
I have also seen a lot of talk about labels lately. When I first started blogging way back when... I thought the labels helped SEO. I just guess that the labels were what helped google find a post. Then this past year I learned that SEO doesn't actually have anything to do with labels ( Nose Graze talks about labels/tags here which is where I have been learning a lot about it). Seriously you guys.. I have a lot of labels. A LOT! I have debated going through and deleting a bunch but I am sure it doesn't really matter if I don't have all these labels on the homepage. I think the labels do help linkwithin find similar posts but that is about it.
I guess the point of this post is that in the end we each need to just figure out whether or not we want to take the time to go back and fix it all. It sure is a lot of work and I suppose I would rather work on newer posts and newer topics then go back and fix everything. Though I will admit that the rating system not matching does bother me... just a little bit. What about you guys?? Would you/have you gone back and fixed old posts???
I changed templates too and never went back to fix my old ones. Some of them look awful, but meh. I doubt anyone reads them anymore. lol
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's too much work for me - I'd rather just hope that no one really looks at them! I think if someone does through a google search they probably don't care much about the formatting anyways, they just want to read the content. But now this post is making me want to go back and look at some of your very old posts. LOL
ReplyDeleteI switched from Blogger to a self-hosted WP blog earlier this year and I did go back and revise old posts because they became all wonky in the switch (images disappeared, font size changed etc etc). I had done a lot of manual manipulation of my posts when I was at Blogger (changed fonts/colors etc), and my new blog system did NOT like that :P So for me it was a necessity to go through and update (and in some cases posts were so messed up that I had to delete them).
ReplyDeleteI'm the type of OCD personality that does go back and change them. I have in the past and with my new blog look, I plan to this time around. But, I don't think anyone else notices. I think it's just for me. The ones I concentrate on first are my reviews and then I just work on the other odds and ends posts after that.
ReplyDeleteI've been debating going back to update old reviews with the UBB Plugin. I can't decide if it is worth it, but I do think it would make things look marginally better. But I am not in a hurry to get to it.
ReplyDeleteIf they're readable I wouldn't go back and fix anything. If there's a few favorites that were reviewed under the old system you could always do a best of series or something and repost and reformat those but for the bulk of them I'd just leave them alone. Of course I'm very much a function over aesthetics person. It drives my husband nuts! The Conan O'Brian gifs made me smile. I used to watch him all the time when he was just starting out. He seems like an old friend!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same. I think the only old posts people read are my Project Disney post. Those people aren't even blog followers they might even get to the blog through the images. So it really doesn't matter to me if they see a cohesive blog template.
ReplyDeleteLOL! WHOA. Some of those old book reviews are so short. Like seriously one paragraph with a few sentences. I have become sooo much better at writing reviews. It feels good actually.
ReplyDeleteI've been considering going back on my old reviews at least because I want the formatting to be right and people might actually go back and read them. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't bother... who knows when I'll have the time to get to it though! Lol.
ReplyDeleteQuinn and Angela, the UBB Plugin is one of the reasons I'm contemplating going back and reworking some of my reviews after my move to WP. I want to easily be able to connect/index my reviews.
ReplyDeleteRight now I'm taking it one review at a time. If I'm reading a book in a series or by an author I've already written a review for, I go back to the old review and reformat it.
Oh man, when I converted to self hosted a bunch of my old posts lost their images. I just don't have the time or energy to try and fix them all. C'est la vie.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice that UBB would allow you to change the format of all reviews without having to go into each review. I love love love that. UBB sounds like the best Plugin ever!
ReplyDeleteExactly.. so much time. I suppose if my blog were more of a business or made money. But this is a hobby and I really don't know how fun it would be to go back just to change some colors on the book description.
ReplyDeleteI agree... a little at a time with everything. Such a good idea to go back and fix it when you mention it in a post. Then you know people are going to look at that older post and you would want it to match then for sure.
ReplyDeleteLove your point of view!!!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same. If I sit around for 10 hours fixing posts when I could be reading during that 10 hours and getting new content for the blog. I envy those who do take the time to go back and match old posts to a new blog look. Bravo to them!
ReplyDeleteEh, when I first moved from blogger I went and formatted a few pictures. But that lasted no time at all. I have tried to keep my categories updated though because my archive depends on it.
ReplyDeleteThis is something I struggle with since I do link to old posts and find them round and about. So like my Must Reads lists. I'm always linking to older reviews in those and it just about kills me that some have the old formatting from way back. I mean. It drives me nuts. With meme ones not so much since I really haven't done too many of those but the reviews. Kills me.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I wouldn't bother! When I moved to Wordpress, I reformatted some reviews but that was only to add them to my Ultimate Book Blogger plugin so they would show in my index. The others look a bit of a mess but like you said Whatevs!
ReplyDeleteHmm...interesting question Angela! :D Honestly, I think it really depends on how much time you're willing to spend and how these differences might affect your blog (from the differences you've mentioned, I honestly don't think many people would notice). Anyhow, let me know what you end up doing, okay? :D Thanks for sharing and, as always, BRILLIANT post! <3
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't, because I have no patience for extended periods of time fixing things on the computer. I can focus on heaps of small things, but going and editing all my old posts would be something that would only give me a headache, and I do actually have two or three rating systems appearing through my different posts, when I'd been trying to work out what way to go, but I kind of like it. My blog is a land of posty memories!
ReplyDeleteI tagged you in the Book Tag, by the way! If you wanted to do it, I'd love to see your answers, but really I wanted to thank you for your kindness and support. You're great! xx
I will vote for a waste of time..however I admit I totally did it when I moved my blog because personally can't stand things not to be uniform LOL
ReplyDeleteI went back and fixed my old posts when I switched from Blogger to Wordpress, and, yes, it took a lot of time. Some posts, though, I just got rid of because they weren't relevant anymore.
ReplyDeleteIf I were you, I'd at least update the reviews, since people do look at old reviews (especially if you have a place on your website that links to them all).
When I switched to wordpress.com to wordpress.org, a lot of the formatting on my old posts looks a little wonky. This is exactly the kind of thing that drives me INSANE, but I decided to let it go. If I don't really notice it on other blogs, I am going to assume people don't notice it on mine. I hope.
ReplyDeleteFunny you mention those blog tags (and catagories while we're at it)...I just spent a few hours this weekend tidying those up. I actually feel relieved that I went back and did that because I had way too many, and there was no consistency. Organization was a bear. Next weekend I'll probably be going through and making alt-tags for images more relevant. Suddenly I care about SEO and organization, and I'm not sure why-- I've not cared too much about in the three years I've been blogging. I'm not going as far as changing the formatting of past blog posts though-- I may have had different rating systems or different templates, but...that's a little too much for me. Besides, I'm certain my templates and rating systems will continue to change the longer I blog, and do I really want to go back and change all those all blog posts again?
ReplyDeleteThe categories are a nightmare for me. When I first started I had no idea that they didn't really mean squat so I labeled everything that I thought was a good word to lead people to the post. Oh well. Those are going to just be stuck there forever.
ReplyDeleteYeah.. I have linked back to an old review and I was like whoa. The one thing I have thought about changing is what ratings I used to use. This is why I haven't switched to a new rating system that matches this blog design. I just don't want to go back and change all the other ratings.
ReplyDeleteLOLOL! Whatevs is right. I mean.. is it that serious? I think not. I feel like I have too much other things going on in life to sit around and do this. I spend enough time commenting and visiting other blogs. Perhaps if I got paid that would change my mind.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. Yeah... I just don't know if it is even going to make a difference. Will it add followers? Get rid of followers? The answer is no.
ReplyDeleteIt is time consuming enough to go to EACH Project Disney post and link up the new Project Disney I just completed. Even that frustrates me. So I know going back and trying to change things would be awful. I will check out the book tag!!
ReplyDeleteLOL! See... you just can't help thinking about it.. right? I have been thinking about it for a couple months. In fact.. I started writing this post two months ago and only just now published it. It's because I am still thinking about it!
ReplyDeleteThat is true... I do have a place on the blog that links to all the reviews. So people may go back and look at those.
ReplyDeleteLOL! Yes.. I hope that if people do look at old posts they will see the date on it and realize it was just done long ago and that things have changed on the blog. Plus I have become a better blogger. I know how to format posts better.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh my blog tags are a mess. I love how you said you would probably go back and change your template again. Then you will be fixing ALL those posts AGAIN. Maybe if I hadn't been blogging as long as I have been and had less posts I might do that.. but I have like 1000 posts and there is NO way I am going through all those.
ReplyDeleteI moved over to wordpress in March and still have not fixed all of my post formatting. Even when I switch designs, I often don't go back to fix old posts. I watch my stats often enough to know that it is very rare for someone to go and view an old review/meme/discussion. The only posts I keep updates at all times are my DIY tutorials because most of them are viewed every day. I wouldn't go back and try and reformat every post you've ever written. I'd especially skip the memes. I'd recommend keeping an eye on your stats and see what people view most. Maybe only fix those types of posts then :)
ReplyDeleteI do try now and then when I have some time to go back and fix old posts. I know no one probably reads them anymore, but still it's something I feel I need to do. It's not high priority though
ReplyDeleteohh, I now need to look up this plugin. I've never heard of it! What does it do?
ReplyDeleteI'm sloooowly going back and formatting my old posts from before I started using the Ultimate Book Blogger Plugin. As to other formatting issues, I think it's worth it. But I'm doing such things in tiny bits. Like you said, not many people are going to look at the ancient posts, so it doesn't matter much how long it takes to make the changes.
ReplyDeleteI went back and formatted some old posts after re-designing my blog, but soon realized it's a lot of work for nearly nothing. Eventually, I'll re-design again and then I can format again and again and again and so on. I'm sometimes worried if people stumble upon my old reviews mainly, but also other type of posts, it won't be pretty, but if I delve into it, I won't have enough time for new posts and that's the worst case the way I look at it.
ReplyDeleteIf it bothers you then fix it, if only so you can feel better. YOU have to like your site. I changed my template recently, (moved my whole blog to a new domain actually), I needed to fix posts from the past. I want it all to look good, if only for me. My OCD demanded that I fix things, that's me though.
ReplyDeleteI have given this a lot of thought actually. I really want to find a new template for my blog to make it more me. Not just one of the standard Blogger ones you get when you first sign up. I have just under 200 posts and that seems daunting to me. I can't imagine how may post you would have to change. I think unless the new template really messed up formatting then I will leave them alone. If I get bored and want something to do I might convert my favorite ones, but even with my incessant need to have everything uniform I would skip re-doing my old posts.
ReplyDeleteI went back through and added categories... it wasn't too bad, lol.
ReplyDelete@April @ My Shelf Confessions wow, I just looked it up. It seems awesome. Are you using it on your blog, April? I just went and looked and it seems like you are using it, but not sure.
ReplyDeleteLOL! Everyone is talking about this plugin.. but since I don't have wordpress I am stuck with what Blogger offers me.
ReplyDeleteYeah I feel the same way. The memes are a big one. I never see hits on those unless they are new that week. Then they will get lots of hits. Otherwise no one ever goes and views those again. My Project Disney gets the most hits and I always want to go back and fix those up.. even the content! But I leave those alone... since I could spend hours and hours adding to the post itself.
ReplyDeleteI agree about feeling like it's something you need to do. I just feel like nothing matches!! LOL! Let me know if you try out that plugin.. I am curious if you will like it or not.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm using it :D it does so many awesome things, the ONE thing that is SO worth the price alone (and I'm not one who's paid for any other plugins) is the Review Archive Index, being able to create how many pages you want and make them so easily, with just a copy and paste short code - no more manually having to add in every book you read etc! And the sidebar widgets are cool too, esp the one that shows every book you've reviewed that month with the covers displayed - and you don't have to do anything on your part except put the widget in your sidebar and make sure that you categorize your book reviews as "book reviews" ..can't talk it up enough! There's a lot of features I'm not even using but I plan to start utilizing more :D
ReplyDeleteWhen I first moved I fixed a few old posts a day for a few months..but seriously they don't get a lot of traffic. Instead if I read another new book by an author..i fix any old reviews linked to new book..otherwise nope.
ReplyDelete