We've all been under pressure at one point or another to feel like we have to keep pushing out posts to stay relevant.
At one point in my career, I was pushed to publish one high-quality blog weekly, along with all my other priorities. It was quite hectic.
It's easy to focus on creating new content and forget about your website's old posts.
Here’s a little-known SEO secret... Updating old content often is a great way to improve your rankings and drive more traffic to your site.
I will explain why updating old content is important for SEO. I will also show you how to refresh your content with new keywords, statistics, and insights.
Why Regularly Updating Old Content is Crucial to Improve On-page SEO
Google designs its algorithms to deliver users the most relevant and valuable content.
As trends, statistics, and user behaviour change, old content can become outdated, reducing its ability to meet Google's high content standards.
To stay competitive and relevant, your content must remain fresh and accurate.
Here’s why regularly updating your content is essential for SEO:
1. Google Loves Fresh Content
Google aims to deliver users the most relevant content; fresh content is often considered more valuable than outdated information.
When you update old blog posts or articles with new facts, data, or insights, you show Google that your content is up-to-date, improving its chances of ranking higher.
2. Relevance is Key to Ranking
Relevance is crucial for ranking keywords, search intent, and user engagement.
Content updated regularly can better reflect industry changes, meet current user queries, and serve the right search intent.
User intent can change over time, so running a keyword audit every 12 months is best.
For instance, adding the latest statistics, examples, or keywords to a blog post helps ensure that your content matches the search query and answers the user’s question more thoroughly.
3. Improved User Experience
User experience is important for engagement and SEO.
A well-structured, updated, and informative page improves users' interactions with your site, reducing bounce rates and increasing page time—both ranking factors.
Users who find the information they need quickly and efficiently are likelier to share it on social media and engage with your content, leading to even better rankings.
4. Refreshing Old Content Increases Organic Traffic
When you update old content and optimise it with the latest information, you increase its chances of ranking higher. Higher rankings mean more visibility on the search engine results page (SERP), leading to more organic traffic.
Updating blog posts can be one of the most effective ways to boost your traffic without creating entirely new content from scratch.
How to Refresh Existing Content with New Keywords, Statistics, and Information
Refreshing old content doesn’t mean adding a few new words here and there. It requires a strategic approach to optimise your content for search intent and ranking factors.
Here are the steps you should take to update your content for SEO:
1. Conduct a Site Audit to Identify Content That Needs Updating
Before updating old content, it’s important to assess what you have. A site audit will help you identify which pages or blog posts are underperforming or have outdated information.
Tools like Google Analytics, Ahrefs, or SEMrush can provide insights into which pages get the most traffic and which ones might benefit from updates.
2. Perform Keyword Research to Update and Optimise
One of the most important steps in updating old content is keyword research. Over time, new keywords and search trends emerge, so your old content may no longer target the most relevant terms.
Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to find new, high-volume keywords related to your topic.
Ensure that long-tail and LSI (latent semantic indexing) are incorporated to align with the current search intent.
Remember, optimising for semantic search can help you rank for a broader range of related queries, not just the exact keyword.
3. Add Updated Statistics, Facts, and Information
When refreshing content, replace outdated statistics with current data. For example, if you're writing a blog post about SEO trends, make sure you're referencing the latest trends and ranking factors.
This not only makes your content more relevant but also more authoritative. Presenting fresh, high-quality information enhances your credibility and boosts user trust.
4. Improve Content Structure and Readability
When updating your content, consider the user experience. Well-structured and easy-to-read content tends to perform better.
Break down long paragraphs, use header tags (H1, H2, etc.) to organise your content, and ensure that it’s scannable by including bulleted lists, numbered points, and plenty of white space.
This helps with page speed and makes the content easier to digest, especially for users on mobile devices.
How to Optimise for Search Engine Results using on-page best practises
1. Update Your Page Title and Meta Description
The page title and meta description are critical components of SEO. They provide search engines with a concise summary of your page’s content.
When updating old content, ensure these elements are optimized with your new target keywords. An updated title tag and meta description can increase your click-through rate (CTR), an important ranking factor.
Title Tag: Ensure your title tag is relevant, concise, and contains your primary keyword. It should be compelling enough to encourage users to click on your link in the search results.
Meta Description: Your meta description should briefly summarize the updated content and include secondary keywords to improve relevance.
2. Add Internal Links to Related Content
One of the most effective ways to improve SEO on any page is to add internal links to related pages on your site.
Review your other posts when updating content and find opportunities to link back to the refreshed content.
This helps search engines discover and crawl your pages more efficiently, and it can improve user experience by providing users with easy access to related information.
3. Optimise for Featured Snippets
Featured snippets are an excellent opportunity to place your content in position #0 of the search results.
To increase your chances of being featured, structure your content to directly answer common questions in your industry. Use clear, concise answers with bullet points, numbered lists, or tables.
You increase your chances of capturing a featured snippet by targeting search intent and answering user queries directly.
4. Optimise Alt Tags for Images
Images play an essential role in both user experience and SEO. When you update old content, check the alt tags for all images on the page.
Alt tags help search engines understand the context of your images and are an important ranking factor, especially in image search.
Optimise your alt text by including relevant keywords and ensuring each image is described accurately.
Tips for Republishing and Promoting Updated Content
Once you’ve updated your content, the next step is ensuring it gets the attention it deserves. Here are some strategies for promoting your refreshed content:
1. Republish the Updated Content
When updating old content, consider republishing the article to signal to search engines that the content is fresh. You can do this by:
- Updating the publication date.
- Changing the URL if needed (while ensuring proper redirects).
- Adding a “last updated” tag to the post.
This will help your content appear as newly refreshed, which can lead to better rankings.
2. Promote on Social Media
After updating the content, share it on your social media platforms to drive traffic. Create eye-catching posts or share snippets that highlight the updates.
Encourage your followers to share the content with their networks to increase visibility.
3. Email Marketing and Newsletters
Remember to inform your existing audience about the updated content via email marketing. Send out a newsletter with a link to the updated post, emphasizing its new value.
This can help you reach loyal readers and new visitors who may not have seen the original post.
4. Monitor Performance and Make Adjustments
Once your updated content is live, monitor its performance using tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console.
Track the content's performance on the search engine results page (SERP), and adjust your strategy based on user engagement, traffic, and rankings.
Conclusion
Regularly updating old content is an often-overlooked strategy that can deliver significant SEO benefits.
By performing keyword research, adding fresh statistics, and improving the structure and readability of your content, you can breathe new life into old blog posts and articles.
When you optimise search intent, improve user experience, and effectively promote updated content, you’re more likely to boost rankings and drive organic traffic to your website.
Remember, SEO is not a one-time effort—it’s an ongoing process. Updating content should be part of your broader SEO strategy, and by following the tips outlined in this post, you’ll be well on your way to improving your rankings, increasing traffic, and enhancing your overall online presence.
Connect with me today if you'd like help optimising your website using on-page best practices.