Do you want to get your blog into great shape for the new year? But not sure how?

No problem. I’ve got you covered.

In this article, you will discover 18 high‑impact tasks you can work on to set your blog up for success in the new year. This will ensure that you see as much growth as possible—more traffic, subscribers, and revenue as a result.

Let’s get started.

Note: I recommend working on these tasks during the holidays or early in the new year, but the majority of them are effective all year round.

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1. Remove unnecessary clutter

If you’ve been blogging for a while, you’ll likely benefit from taking some time to declutter your blog.

• Plugins: Review your WordPress plugins and keep only those that help you or your readers. Removing unnecessary plugins can improve page load times.

• Front‑end clutter: Clutter diverts readers’ attention from your content and can fatigue them. Most clutter resides in the sidebar, so consider removing or moving the following:

  • Tag clouds – useful for data, not for users.

  • Blogrolls – link out in context, not as a static list.

  • Social media widgets – limit to footer buttons.

  • “Not‑so” social proof icons & badges – only display credible, relevant badges.

If an element doesn’t help you or your readers, consider removing it.

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2. Give your blog a fresh look

Your template/theme should be modern, readable, and fast. If you’re using WordPress, there are countless themes available, including great free options. I switched to the Kadence theme and love its customizability and pre‑made templates. After changing themes, manually check your blog for any issues.

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3. Find and fix broken links (404 errors)

Broken links hurt user experience and SEO.

Finding broken links

Use a site‑auditing tool (e.g., SEO PowerSuite, SE Ranking) to crawl your site.

Fixing broken links

• External links: Replace or remove dead links.

• Internal links: Update URLs or add 301 redirects to preserve traffic and SEO value.

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4. Find and fix underperforming content

1. Identify under‑performing pages using Google Search Console.

2. Re‑evaluate keywords—focus on impressions and average rank.

3. Analyze competitors with tools like Frase.

4. Improve content—add stats, update facts, improve formatting.

5. Re‑optimize using content‑optimization tools, but avoid over‑optimizing.

6. Bump the post by updating its publication date.

7. Promote the post beyond a simple tweet—tag brands, reach out to contacts.

8. Add internal links with varied anchor text.

9. Acquire high‑quality backlinks if the term is competitive.

Minor tweaks (e.g., adjusting sub‑headings) can dramatically improve indexing and rankings.

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5. Create your first digital product

Selling digital products is a top way to monetize a blog. Options include:

• Bundling blog posts (e.g., for Amazon Kindle)

• Writing an ebook

• Creating a course

• Offering a membership with recurring income

Tools like Sellfy (for products) and Thinkific (for courses) work well.

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6. Set up email automation

Use your email marketing tool’s automation to send a welcome series or personalized sequences. Tag subscribers based on link clicks and trigger relevant product offers. Automation can also handle cart abandonment, referrals, and more.

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7. Launch a merch store

Print‑on‑demand services let you sell merchandise without inventory. Sellfy’s native print‑on‑demand feature makes setup quick and easy.

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8. Learn more about your audience

Create audience personas by noting challenges, demographics, needs, and dreams. Gather insights from comments, Quora, Facebook Groups, and surveys (e.g., using Typeform).

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9. Create landing pages for each lead magnet

Dedicated, distraction‑free landing pages convert far better than sidebar opt‑ins. Tools like Leadpages let you build and split‑test high‑converting pages.

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10. Learn a new skill

Invest time in learning copywriting, SEO, email marketing, social media strategy, content strategy, or web design. Apply the skill to your blog and consider offering services or freelancing.

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11. Set up social listening

Monitor mentions of your brand, products, and competitors with tools such as Brand24, Semrush, or free Google Alerts. Use insights for outreach, guest blogging, and giveaways.

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12. Run a giveaway

Giveaways boost engagement and grow your audience. Choose relevant prizes, partner with brands, and run the giveaway using tools like SweepWidget.

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13. Refresh your logo

A professional logo builds credibility. Use Canva for DIY designs or hire a designer (e.g., via Fiverr or 99designs). Avoid low‑quality, generic logos.

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14. Plan content for the next 12 months

Create an editorial calendar (Google Sheets works fine). Source topics via keyword research, Quora, social communities, and reader surveys. Mix post types—how‑tos, tutorials, listicles, reviews, interviews, personal stories—and consider repurposing into infographics, videos, audio, or Slideshare presentations.

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15. Stockpile content for the new year

Produce and schedule a batch of posts during the slower holiday period so you can focus on promotion and product creation in January and February.

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16. Put systems in place

Document processes for tasks like content creation, SEO, promotion, and editing. Checklists and SOPs help you scale and maintain consistency.

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17. Prepare for the next phase of your blog’s evolution

Periodically reassess your blog’s direction, audience, and content strategy. Be open to pivots that better serve your readers and goals.

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18. Orientate yourself with a foolproof plan

Treat your blog like a business:

• Executive summary – Who you serve and how.

• Mission statement – Your “why.”

• Business objectives – Define a primary metric and target.

• Market research – Audience personas and niche analysis.

• Competitor research – Identify opportunities.

• Revenue channels – Outline income streams.

• Marketing plan – Align content, email, and social strategies.

Review analytics regularly and adjust your plan as needed.

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How will you prepare for a new year of blogging?

Pick a few ideas from the list, focus your time on them, and revisit this post throughout the year. Bookmark it, and remember to take some time over the holidays to unwind.

Have a great new year!

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