A “compilation post” leverages the content of earlier ones. Imagine writing the article “My Favorite Posts Of The Year” with summaries and links to earlier posts you’ve written. That’s all there is to it.
Here are some reasons why this type of article is appealing to readers:
- Compilation posts contain links to older blog posts, pushing traffic to older posts that readers may have missed or forgotten, and giving them a second chance.
- A compilation post can contain the attractive keywords best, worst, or favorite.
- A compilation post reveals the time and effort spent by the writer over a long period of time.
- A compilation post re-frames articles that may be average on their own but could be more interesting in comparison with others.
Here are some examples:
- The Best Of Copyblogger
- Marc’s Voice: Best Hits Of Last Year
- Every two months, Internet Duct Tape puts out a “digest” linking to his best posts: Digest For December 2007 And January 2008
You can also generate a compilation post based around a particular subject. I write movie reviews on my blog, and wrote The Best And Worst James Bond Films after watching all the James Bond films and posting a review for each.
One could even go a step further and blog about a particular subject with the intent of writing an ultimate compilation post once the subject is exhausted. Once you embark on this project, you’ll always have something to write about.
There’s also something appealing about a dedicated individual trying to do “everything” about their chosen interest. I love articles like the foodie who tried every burrito in the Bay Area. Perfect idea for a food blog.
All it takes is discipline over a long period of time, like the fellow who took a picture of himself every day for six years and made a cool video. The act of taking one photo is easy, but to see something through for an insane amount of time is something else entirely. I’m sure you can think of some ideas for your chosen blogging subject.
