As I'm sure many of you have noticed, I regularly highlight posts I wrote here at Free Money Finance "one year ago today" (sometimes I do "almost" one year ago today because I want to spread them out a bit and because last year's day may have been a Saturday or Sunday -- slow posting days -- etc.). I always highlight them as posts from the prior year both in the post itself as well as in the category I list (which, BTW, is the One Year Ago category.) But since these posts are a bit out of the ordinary, I thought I'd take a post and let you know why I do them. Here goes:
1. There are many new readers since last year. Free Money Finance has continued to grow over the past year and we have hundreds of new visitors every day who weren't readers one year ago. By highlighting posts from that time, they get to read some of the good stuff from the past that they've missed.
2. Not everyone caught every post one year ago. Even if you've been a Free Money Finance reader for over a year, it's likely that you've not been able to read every post on every day. You take breaks from the site, you get busy, you go on vacation, and on and on. Add this to the fact that I post quite often and it's highly likely that even regular readers missed something good from one year ago. So I pull out the nuggets to highlight and give them a second opportunity.
3. We all need reminded. Even if you've read for over a year and you've seen all the posts, a reminder of the best posts of the prior year is a good way to reinforce solid financial principles. By seeing a tip again, it may make you take action (where you didn't last year), remind you of something to do, or simply bring a solid financial principle to light. No matter which of these happens, it's a positive result in my mind.
Those are the three primary reasons I post "one year ago" posts. That said, I have a few other comments on this topic to add to the discussion:
1. Let's face it, there's not a lot new under the sun when it comes to personal finance. Saving on car insurance is pretty much the same today as it was a year ago. As is planning your retirement number. As is saving for college. As is how to calculate your net worth. And on and on. But there is benefit in reinforcing these principles because of the reasons listed above.
That's why you see sites like Consumerism Commentary and Five Cent Nickel (sites I love, BTW) highlight their financial posts from one year ago. Even non-money sites like LifeHacker note what they posted one year ago today. Why? There's good stuff there that's never out-of-date.
Just to prove this point, consider this: I've had some magazine articles I've written take a couple YEARS from the time I've written and been paid for them before they were published. But they still get published with no changes because...saving on car insurance is pretty much the same today as it was a year ago.
Furthermore, don't think magazines and top websites don't do the same thing. They just don't call them posts from a year ago -- they just republish them as "new." But I read enough money articles (and have written/commented on them) to know when I see a "new" article on a website that's been published "today" that I also saw a year or so ago on the same site. And I'm not talking about blogs, but mainstream financial sites getting millions of visitors. I could simply re-post the entire post from one year ago as "new" myself, but this would take more time and cut down on my other posts so I don't do it. Besides, why bother?
2. Just because something is from one year ago doesn't mean it's old, tired, and useless. (Read the point above again in case you missed it.) Besides, I only pick the best topics from one year ago. I sort through all the entries from last year and only highlight one to three that are the best from that day. You don't get ALL the pieces I posted a year ago, though I may consider that for the future. ;-)
3. It's not easy to find articles from one year ago yourself. Typepad only lists my last ten months of posts and digging through categories is a hard way to find some great stuff. I'm thinking of adding a list of "extended archives", but since this would have to be updated manually every month, I've put it off.
4. I post one topic per post generally but do so almost daily. Others post less frequently but list 10-15 older posts when they do. It's just a personal preference thing to me -- I like to focus on one point when I do these. That said, I don't mind the way others do it -- that's their choice for their blog.
5. If you don't like these posts, don't read them. Same goes for retirement posts, investing posts, and any other posts I write. Not everyone likes everything, I know that. But complaining about any sort of post (not to mention doing so anonymously) only makes me write on it MORE. If you want to make a scathing comment, at least have the class to say who you are by linking to your site. If you don't want to "go public" you can always email me for privacy.
6. I'm not sure how long I'll do one year ago posts, but for now they're going. Who knows what the future holds?
7. It's my blog. Na, na, na, na, na. ;-)
In the end, it's my choice what to write. It's your choice whether to read or not.
I agree. Keep the OYA going. As long as new content keeps coming (along with the OYA posts), I'll keep reading.
Posted by: Binary Dollar | October 23, 2006 at 08:39 AM
I'm looking forward to next year when you give us your thoughts on why you make "two year ago posts."
Yes that's sarcasim ;-). I'm one of the new readers and appreciate the recaps.
Posted by: Lazy Man and Money | October 23, 2006 at 08:58 PM