Can Updating Old Content Improve Your Google Rankings?
You read and hear that Google loves fresh content. You think you have to keep adding blog posts, update old pages or change the dates on articles.
But that’s not necessarily how Google works. Yes, freshness is important, but spot-on information is more important.
Updating old content makes sense in certain situations. Somewhere along the way, that turned into advice that every website needs fresh content. Then at some point it became a general rule for all business websites.
1. Sometimes, Fresh Content Really Does Matter
Fresh content matters when the answer to something has changed.
For instance, has a technique you used in the past for a specific service changed? If it has then that would be when you need to freshen your webpage.
If the services you described are still the same and the information is accurate, you may not need to change anything.
2. Google Values Useful Content, Not Just New Content
A lot of service information doesn’t change over time.
A good example of that is landscaping. A local landscaping business that has an article about choosing plants for Washington Utah would probably stay the same over time. The same goes for a plumber installing a water heater. The models of the product may change, but the installation has probably stayed the same. There would be no need to change that article.
If the information is still accurate and helpful, you wouldn’t be improving it by rewriting it.
3. Which Of Your Old Articles Actually Need Updating?
The best answer for that is to go through your old articles. If you have some additional thoughts, add them. Maybe you’ve decided there is a better way to explain something in an article by changing some of the wording.You have something genuinely better to add. If you have newer and/or better photographs, change them out. Especially if an old photo no longer represents you or your team.
A new service or different hours of operation are also good reasons to update your website.
4. A New Date Doesn’t Make Old Content Fresh
When searching for certain information, customers might look at the date an article was published or updated. However, that doesn’t mean what they read is new. The customer might even remember reading the same thing, years ago.
Maybe only the date of the article was changed.The information remained the same.
Changing the date alone isn’t an update. There should be a real reason for changing the article. Read over the article and if any of the facts have changed, fix the article.
Note: If there are any links in an article, be sure they are working. Websites and webpages disappear. It’s better if you find broken links than a customer.
5. Fresh Content Isn’t the Goal. Useful Content Is.
When customers look for information on your website, they want it to be accurate. Customers don’t want to read information from years ago if that information isn’t currently how something is done.
That’s when fresh content is necessary.
That doesn’t mean you need to rewrite all of your website content. Business owners should continually look at the information they provide on their website. If something is outdated, bring it up to date. If not, there is no need to freshen it.
Additional Information
6 Signs It’s Time to Update Your Website – M&R Marketing
- Outdated look or UX
- Lack of mobile readiness
- Slow loading speeds
- Difficult update process
- Poor search performance
- Failure to reflect changes in the business