Anyhow, the gist of the article was that some of your newer blog readers might be interested in your older posts, especially if they're similar to, or pertain to, your current post. This is where a free (and add free) little widget called LinkWithin comes in. If you look below, I've cut-and-pasted exactly what LinkWithin looks like when you add it to your blog.
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The LinkWithin web page has a nice FAQ and describes the widget in detail, but a brief summary of its function is that the widget indexes all your blog posts and displays links (with pictures) to old posts that are the most similar to your current article. It does this by comparing the title, tags, and content of your latest posts to your archived posts.
It's easy to install, works with Blogger, WordPress, TypePad, and 'other.' It comes formatted for both light- and dark-background blogs. You can choose to display between three to five 'referral windows.' Because my blog is less than a year old, I chose to display only the 3 most relevant posts, for fear of repetition. I've been using it for a few weeks now, with no ill effects. I can't really give an indication of how much it's driven traffic to my older posts, but for the small amount of time I invested in installing it, it's basically a no-lose proposition.
So what's the catch--how does LinkWithin make money? Well, their FAQ states that they intend to roll out optional revenue-sharing options in the future, so time will tell. Worst case, if it stops working or being supported, just delete the code from your blog.
Speaking of best-laid plans, I intended to share a Pinterest link and a book excerpt; however, the Pinterest embed code completely messed up the LinkWithin picture formatting above, so I'm throwing in the towel. Happy Monday everyone!
