If you’re like us, you probably have quite a bit of old sponsored content lying around on the ‘ol blog.
I like digging back 2 or 3 years and sometimes I see old sponsored posts from before I really learned how to do sponsored posts well and I just cringe! Images are sub-par, or it’s just one big commercial. And don’t get me started on the posts riddled with sponsored links that don’t go anywhere because the brand took the site down after the promotion.
What’s a blogger to do? There is actually a lot you can do to make sure these sponsored posts aren’t bringing your site down and leverage them to help you get more sponsored posts in the future!
How to update an old sponsored post
First off, update the images. Yes, it’s true you’ve already been paid for the post and in that sense it’s “done”, but you always want to showcase your BEST on your blog. If it’s a recipe post, maybe snap a new and better photo next time you cook it.
Spruce it up with a nicer collage or better pinnable image and make sure it’s still in your pinning rotation. (Tailwind makes this super easy, you can also get a free trail through our affiliate link for the Pinterest scheduler, Tailwind here.)
After the images look great, it’s time to check out the content. If it sounds like a commercial, change things up! Make it sound more like your voice now, or add in some extra tips to make the post one of your best, even if it’s old!
Next, look at the links in your old sponsored posts. One way you can monetize your posts going forward is by adding in affiliate links. Generally your posting agreement will have been for 30-90 days. After that time has passed, you can start editing the sponsored post. You can add affiliate links in to the post after the time.
This is a great way to earn a little bit of extra money when people go ahead and purchase the product you are recommending. It’s great incentive to continue promoting the posts too!
Do not add in links to competitors because that would discourage brands from working with you again. This is another reason to only accept sponsored posts with companies that you are really proud to promote long-term!
If you have specific tracking links from a brand, you want to leave those in, and add others around it. Brands and networks continue tracking these links, and you don’t want to remove them and lose their ability to track how super your post is still doing!
The other side of that is when, brands delete the page they had you promote after the season, this is especially true for holiday promotions.
Having dead links makes your post useless to readers, and can bring down your site overall since you are directing people nowhere!
I had some ideas about this myself, but wanted to hear it straight from “the other side” so I talked to David Ullrich, the Senior Manager of Client Services with IZEA (our referral link). He’s been working with brands and bloggers doing sponsored posts for a long time, so I knew his input would be invaluable! Here’s his perspective:
I believe the best practice would be to leave the content, but remove the link. That way we still have the post on the report to go back to if we need it.
Remember, this is ONLY if the links are dead, if the links still work, you’ll want to leave them in. Brands keep an eye on our sponsored posts and are likely to re-approach you if you did a great job and they see the long term impact that your marketing campaign is doing for their brand.
You can see more about how brands and networks like IZEA track posts long after the initial promotion period is over in this interview Becky and I did with David and Jennifer below. The part about old sponsored posts starts around 18:20
Lastly, make sure you keep your disclosures firmly in place to remain compliant with the FTC.
Have you ever updated any of your old sponsored posts? Tell us about it!
If you are looking to get MORE sponsored posts, be sure to check out our packet on how to pitch brands yourself. You have so much to offer a brand, and this packet will help you see what you have to offer, and figure out how to play to your strengths when you pitch a brand, including how you create evergreen, long term content for them! We even share several sample pitch letters you can use and even an example phone call, if you are calling about local services you’d like to promote! See it all here:
This is good stuff! I sometimes take out the weird required stuff, like the ugly in-the-Walmart-aisle photos after 90 days and some of the specific wording that sometimes you have to use with particular brands. Not all brands do this, but when a company or brand requires stuff that is a little more aWkward (WHY DO THEY WANT A PICTURE OF THE INSIDE OF WALMART??!?), I remove it after the set time period.