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It’s time to update your content – or is it? Learn when, and how, to update your content to improve SEO and engagement, which content to update, and more.
Have you ever clicked on a blog, started reading, and realized the content was woefully outdated? Whether it had old references, cited data from three years ago, or the information simply wasn’t in line with current best practices, old content is a major turnoff to readers. But wait – what if YOUR site is the one with old content lurking in the corners? Spooky! Sounds like it’s time to clear off the cobwebs and refresh your content. Grab a flashlight, or just log in to GA4, and let’s dig into the specifics of updating your content.
A content refresh is when you take existing content, like a blog, and optimize it for better performance. We’ll get into the details of how to do a content refresh later, but the basics include updating metadata (title tags, meta descriptions, etc), incorporating new keyphrases, updating links, and rewriting content that is seasonal, outdated, or has room for improvement.
Content refreshes affect SEO in several ways. First, Google tends to prioritize newer content in the SERP. That means your two-year-old post may be pushed in favor of a similarly structured, similarly written two-month-old blog.
Next, search engines favor up-to-date, thorough, factual, and helpful content. In other words, if new information has come out about your topic and your blog doesn’t cover it or it only includes the old information, it may start to lose ranking. This can also happen if your content no longer fits within the favored parameters of changing algorithms.
Finally, a content refresh can help SEO by improving the user experience. Remember when you were writing that technical blog post and kind of got lost in the weeds with big, dense paragraphs of information? Yeah, this is your chance to revamp that with more simplified information, more graphics, and easier-to-understand information. This can help improve your bounce rate and possibly improve your chance of being included in SERP features with your shiny new content!
Carefully auditing your content will help you identify which pieces of content can benefit from a refresh.
Traffic, engagement, ranking, clicks, conversions, whatever combination of metrics you typically measure. Tapering performance or sudden drop-offs can indicate issues and a potential need for a refresh – although sometimes drastic changes can also be a sign of larger problems on your site!
Visiting your competitors’ sites might feel like sneaking a look at your friend’s paper during a test, but it can be a helpful way to ensure your topics stay relevant. See who is performing well on the topics you’ve covered, and analyze what they’re doing differently, the information they’re covering that you aren’t, and anything else that sets them apart.
Take a look at your content. Some pieces may be immediately obviously outdated due to updated technology, changing trends, new information, or something else. Use your brilliant subject matter expertise to track down topics with an outdated spin, bad info, old stats, or, let’s face it – just aren’t written that well.
Maybe you’re feeling super inspired and want to refresh all of your blogs right the heck now. We get it. Content refreshes are very inspiring. But if you want to take a strategic approach to refreshing your content, ask yourself:
If you said yes to one or more of these, you may be due for a refresh!
All right, so you’ve looked at your blogs, you’ve looked at SEMrush, you’ve looked at GA4, and you’ve checked on your competitors. You’ve identified the content you want to update…but how exactly do you update it? We’ve got you covered.
Check out SEMrush and see what new keywords are relevant to your content. Add them (naturally, of course, no keyphrase stuffing) to your content, your headers, and even your title tag if it works.
Do your headers accurately reflect your content? Are they organized in a way that makes sense and flows? Rewrite your headers where needed, and rearrange your content if the flow isn’t quite right.
This is the bigger piece of a content refresh. Comb through your content and decide what needs to be updated. Are there more current statistics available? Do your links still work? Do you cover the topic thoroughly, or do you need to add new sections? Is your content helpful, reliable, and people-first? Do you answer FAQs clearly and in such a way that it could be used in an AI Overview? This is your time to “kill your darlings” and pick your content apart.
Do you have a fancy new graph that demonstrates your point? Is there a better stock image available that fits your content better than the one you used a few years ago? Update your visuals! Embed a video, add an infographic, and create more visual interest in your content.
Remember, in order for a content refresh to be effective and for search engines to recognize that you’ve made changes, they have to be pretty substantial. Don’t be afraid to rewrite, rethink, and reorganize your content!
Don’t let your content grow stale! Revitalize your website with GPO’s expert blog services. We create new and refreshed content tailored to keep you ahead in a competitive digital landscape. Reach out today to discover how the right content strategy can enhance your SEO and user engagement.
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It’s time to update your content – or is it? Learn when, and how, to update your content to improve SEO and engagement, which content to update, and more.