Five years ago I read a short blog post by Darren Rowse of ProBlogger. He suggested creating a blog post comprised of links to seven other blog posts. The goal was to introduce readers to great content both on your own site as well as other related small business blogs.

I didn’t follow his outline exactly, but I did create a series of blog posts over a period of two months. Each was a collection of related posts on a different theme. You can find the links to all of the original posts at the bottom of this post.

It was a smart blog strategy then and it still is today. Here’s why:

Shine a Light on Great Content

At the time, we had about 1,000 posts. Not every post was awesome, but there definitely was a lot of great content worth sharing a second time. I remember enjoying the process of  browsing through our archives rediscovering some of my favorite posts. Linking to them as part of a series gave me a chance to introduce the content to readers who missed them the first time around.

Cross Links Still Have SEO Value

Back then, there was more SEO value in cross links and internal links. If you actually check out any of the old link posts, one of the things you will notice is how short the posts are, 150 – 300 words. Even though the emphasis has shifted to richer content and not just superficial links, there is still value in helping your readers and search engines discover related content. And, if you take moment to expand a little on the original content, that is beneficial too.

Take a Break

Coming up with fresh content daily or even weekly can be challenging. This is especially true if you have been writing about the same topic for a long time. Sometimes you need a break. A quick roundup, particularly if you add a bit of explanation about why the posts should be linked together, gives you that break.

The Original Seven Link Posts

• Great Blogs – This was a roundup of what I read at the time. I still check out many of these blogs on a regular basis, but I have added DeMilked to my list of favorites. If you are going to write a link post like this be sure you include trackbacks so the site owners know you appreciate their work.
• Posts by My Team – Today, blogging is everyone’s job. Five years ago, we were just making the transition as Business Notes from Roundpeg moved from being primarily my blog to the voice of the company. This roundup helped me realize how much we had to say as a team.
• Animals – It’s Roundpeg, so of course there was a series about animals. Clearly this was a trend which continued to grow over the years.
• Guest Posts – This is a great way to take a break. Invite someone else to share content on your blog. Better yet, do a blog swap, let them write for you and you write for them. This was a collection of some of my favorite posts by friends in the business community.
• Ramblings – For the most part the Roundpeg blog is about small business, marketing, social media and web design. But every now and then I have something to say which isn’t strictly business. Those posts end up in a category called Rambling. They may be motivational, sentimental or even rants.
• Video – Even back then it was obvious that a good blog needed to include more than just written content. In this roundup I shared some of my favorite video posts.

While I don’t think you should become dependent on this format these roundup posts are a good way to recharge your creative batteries. So take a little time and dive into your archives. Reread blog posts you wrote two, three or even four years ago and share the links. Then tell me how it worked for you.