You wake up to see an article trending like there’s no tomorrow. But it’s not the piece you published last night, or even the follow-up article you tweeted about while grabbing your morning coffee. It’s a story you barely remember writing. It sounds like you might have a ‘zombie’ article on your hands, and this just might just be an opportunity to take action.

So what do you do when an article that was produced ages ago starts picking up steam?

First, find out how this zombie managed to find its way out of the graveyard. Checking an article’s top referrers can be the best way to quickly find out why this story is taking off. Perhaps it was linked to in a current editorial, recently picked up by a social media maven, or for all one knows you did in fact predict the next zombie apocalypse. In any case, this is your opportunity to capitalize on your article’s momentum and reach out to a new audience.

So your article’s blowing up on Facebook? Get involved in the conversation. Posting your newly undead story to other social media networks can breathe new life into your story and further grow your new visitors. It’s already taken over the social sphere? Consider updating headlines, adding new photos, or linking to other relevant articles to keep your audience reading. You might even consider writing a follow-up and promoting it on today’s homepage.

Helping your visitors to discover engaging content can be a key factor in building audience loyalty and ultimately keep your readers coming back time and time again. Here at Chartbeat, we’ve found that visitors who continue to read beyond their initial article are more likely to return than those who just read just one page and then dip out. By taking the time to freshen up what may be an oldie—but a goodie—you have the opportunity to help your readers uncover the quality content they’ve been craving and keep them coming back for more.

So the next time you find a zombie creeping out of the closet, don’t worry. Open the door and let ‘em run wild. And if you ever want to pick our brains… support@chartbeat.com