by Ali Luke – from Daily Blog Tips http://bit.ly/1jU8Ed6

If you’re in the Northern hemisphere, it’s spring right now. Here in the UK, the sun has been shining almost all week — which feels like a wonderful change from a long, grey, rainy winter!

Spring (and particularly Easter) is a great time to celebrate new or renewed life. And maybe your blog could do with getting in on the action there.

If you’ve been blogging for a while, it’s easy for things to get a little stale. Here are a few ways to kick off a refresh:

#1: Get Outside with a Notebook

I do some of my best thinking when I’m not at the computer … and you might find the same. Grab a notebook (the paper kind, not the small-laptop kind) and head out for a walk. Find somewhere pleasant to sit outside, and start to brainstorm about what might be next for your blog.

#2: Start Budgeting for Changes

Although it’s not an immediate priority, I’m beginning to think about a complete redesign for my blog Aliventures. It’s a good idea to consider this kind of refresh well in advance, as you’ll probably need to put some money aside … or you could save the money you make from #3.

#3: Plan a Product to Make and Launch

Is there something you could sell on your blog? If you normally offer services (perhaps on a “hire me” page), you might find a product helps you (a) reach an audience who can’t afford to hire you and (b) get a source of income that isn’t dependent on the hours you spend.

#4: Dust Off the Cobwebs

Are any parts of your blog looking a little cobwebby? I know my blogs sometimes end up a bit like my shed … full of junk that really needs to be trashed! Maybe you need to fix some broken links, update some old posts, or clear out some spam comments.

#5: Get Out and About

This time, I’m not talking about getting physically outside: instead, I mean you should get outside your own blog (or perhaps your own blogging clique). How about writing a guest post for the first time, or if you’re already an avid guest poster, finding a new blog to write for?

#6: Try a New Type of Content

Do all your posts follow the same formula? While a standard approach can work well for both you and your readers, it’s often fun to shake things up a little. You might try a different type of content altogether (e.g. an infographic or a video), or you might simply write a different kind of post.

#7: Reconsider Your Topic

I’ve put this last because it’s quite a drastic step (probably the equivalent of giving up on spring-cleaning your house and moving to a new one instead)! If you feel like you’ve lost all enthusiasm for your blog, it might well be time to move on. Many successful bloggers have one (or more) “failed” blogs behind them, so don’t feel bad if this happens to you too.

Which of these will you be trying? Do you have an eight idea to add? Let me know in the comments!