How to Update Old Content & Regain Lost Traffic

Published January 1, 2024.

The Essence of Content Refreshing

Tackling Content Decay in Your Content Strategy

Content decay is a crucial concern in content strategy that affects your search rankings and audience interest. As time goes on, even your best-performing content can suffer from a decline in traffic and visibility. Contributing factors to this decay include:

Outdated information becoming less relevant.
Competitors publishing more up-to-date or higher-quality content.
Google and other search engines frequently adjusting their algorithms. In fact, Google averages nine updates per day to its search algorithm (Stan Ventures).

To counter this, All in SEO recommends specifically targeting and refreshing content that is showing the steepest drop-offs in performance.

The Role of Regular Content Updates in Search Rankings

Incorporating a robust approach for updating content into your content strategy can bring several benefits, including:

Enhancing search engine traffic.
Improving search rankings.
Increasing user engagement and retention.

For instance, a case study by Ahrefs revealed that after deleting 49% of their blog posts that weren’t receiving traffic, they observed an 89% increase in web traffic within three months (Neil Patel). This underscores the effectiveness of meticulously auditing and revitalizing your content.

Here's how content refreshment helps:

Boosts Traffic: With relevant, updated information, content becomes more attractive to users and search engines. In a world where 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine (BrightEdge), staying atop the rankings is crucial.
Enhances Engagement: As part of an expert content strategy, refreshing content can lead to higher engagement—vital since 60% of marketers see inbound channels like blogging as their primary source of high-quality leads (HubSpot).

Repurposing old content is not just about tweaking a few words. It's about making content relevant and engaging once again. This process is especially pertinent given that digital content has a finite lifespan before it starts to decay, typically spanning several months to a few years (CopyPress).

Incorporating Stats to Understand the Impact of Content Decay

Attention to search rankings is paramount due to the significant impact on web traffic:

The first five organic search results on Google capture 67.60% of clicks (Zero Limit Web).
A staggering 90.63% of pages receive no organic search traffic from Google (Ahrefs).
A web page holds the top spot in search results only 49% of the time (Ahrefs).

Given that 53.3% of website traffic originates from organic search and SEO drives over 1,000% more traffic than organic social media, it's evident that a loss in rankings due to content decay can have a profound effect on a website's performance (BrightEdge).

Mobile Optimization: An Essential Part of Your Content Strategy

Optimizing content for mobile is critical, as mobile phones contribute 58.99% of global web traffic (Statista). This is reinforced by findings that:

74% of users are more likely to return to mobile-friendly websites.
73% report experiencing slow-loading mobile websites.
By 2025, an estimated 72.6% of internet users will access the web solely via smartphones (BrightEdge; CNBC).

This data indicates the importance of integrating mobile optimization into a content strategy to combat content decay effectively.

Conclusion

A strategic content update plan that incorporates these considerations is essential to sustaining and improving your content's search rankings and user engagement. By prioritizing content refresh as part of your overarching content strategy, you can maintain a competitive edge and continuously deliver value to your audience.

Developing a Content Refreshing Strategy

Formulating an Effective SEO Strategy for Content Refreshing

Maximizing the impact of your content requires more than just periodic updates; it needs a thoughtfully crafted SEO strategy focused on refreshing content. Erik Emanuelli highlights the importance of a choreographed approach to content refreshing. This approach must take into account:

Your audience's evolving search intent
Your marketing objectives
Data-driven decision-making for targeted updates

By developing an SEO strategy that not only updates old content but also refines it to mirror the marketing goals and user search intent, you provide a seamless user experience. Juliet John from inLinks points out that aligning content with current user intent is essential for a successful refresh. Outdated strategies can lead to user disengagement and missed opportunities.

Steps for Updating Old Content:

Prioritize Content: Identify high-performing content showing a downward trend. Resources like Content Decay suggest focusing on content with the best potential for improvement and ROI.
Set Goals: Articulate clear, measurable objectives. Define what success looks like, whether it's increased traffic, better rankings, or more conversions. Success metrics guide your campaign and enable performance tracking against benchmarks.
Measure Effectiveness: Use specific metrics to assess the impact of the content refresh. According to Meltwater, consider:
- Organic, referral, social, and direct traffic
- New and returning visitors
- Behavior flow and user demographics
- Visitor location
- Search rankings (by keyword)
- Domain authority
Review Regularly: Address common causes of content decay such as outdated references and unsupported data. Clearscope suggests reviewing content at least every few months to ensure relevance and freshness.

Identifying Content for a Refresh

To find content that needs a revamp, perform a thorough analysis using tools like Google Analytics and AIOSEO. Look for:

Declining traffic
Lower engagement
Drop in search rankings

This analysis will reveal content that, when updated, can strengthen your brand and align with your SEO strategy objectives. Remember, maintaining content freshness is a continuous process that greatly contributes to the overall health and visibility of your website.

The SEO Gardener at Work

Refreshing Content: Step-by-Step Process

Refining Your SEO Strategy with a Content Refresh

To improve your page ranking, begin by conducting a content audit. This process ensures that your material is not only current but also optimized for the latest SEO strategy:

Verify the accuracy and relevance of your content.
Update statistics and examples to reflect the latest trends and data.
Enrich the user experience by adding new multimedia elements.
Cater to the growing use of voice search, expected to reach 8.4 billion digital assistants by 2024 (Voice Search Statistics).

Experts recommend a comprehensive refresh to meet current search intent. "Refreshing meta information is a great way to signal Google to reassess your content," advises Content Refreshing. Yet, there is no specific percentage increase in search ranking guaranteed by just updating meta information (SEO Statistics).

Technical Improvements for Enhancing Page Ranking

For a successful SEO strategy, focus on the following technical enhancements:

Update metadata, such as titles and descriptions, dynamically.
Optimize headings and keywords to reflect current search patterns.
Revise internal and external link structures.
Review schema markup for better search engine comprehension.

John Mueller of Google confirms that updated content is valued similarly to new content by Google (Top SEO Myths). By meticulously updating your content, you can significantly impact page ranking and traffic, as case studies like Ahrefs's 89% traffic increase through content auditing have shown (Update Content).

Remember, Google assesses alterations over time, negating the need for reindexing requests for minor changes (John Mueller Insights). Focus on creating quality content that caters to your audience for the best SEO results.

Promotion of Refreshed Content

Boosting Visibility and Engagement: Updated Content Promotion

The promotion of content is essential when seeking to expand the audience for your updated materials. Here's how you can actively promote content and why it's beneficial:

Promote Content on Various Platforms: Use social media, email newsletters, and online discussion forums to share your refreshed content. This exposes your work to a broader audience and can attract both previous visitors and new ones.
Enhance Visibility with SEO Strategy: Updating your content can significantly improve its search engine visibility. With a robust SEO strategy, your updated pieces can earn higher rankings and drive more clicks to your site. As the experts say, updated content "not only gives your material new life but enhances visibility in search results." ¹
Update Old Content to Maintain Relevance: Target stagnating content that is over a year old. Doing so will prevent your content from becoming outdated and ensure it remains relevant and useful to your audience. This strategy can effectively halt content decay. ²

Measuring the Success of Content Promotion: To gauge the effectiveness of your content promotion efforts, track the following metrics:

Organic Search Traffic
Follower/Subscriber Growth
Engagement Rate
Conversion Rate
Goal Completion Rate
Click-Through Rate
Cost per Lead
Return on Marketing Investment
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
Net Promoter Score (NPS)
Brand Awareness

These KPIs will help you assess the impact of your promotional tactics and refined content on your overall marketing strategy. For more details on these KPIs click up here.

Showcase of Success via Content Strategy: An example of the potential of a refined content strategy is Fisher Unitech. They managed to increase blog traffic by 195% and tripled their subscriber count, demonstrating the potency of strategic content creation paired with effective promotion. ³ While there is no universal guide to the most effective platforms for content distribution, your metrics will tell you where your audience engages the most, allowing you to tailor your promotion accordingly.

Measuring Success and Making Adjustments

Setting and Assessing SEO Goals

Implementing an SEO strategy requires clear SEO goals and consistent monitoring of key performance indicators (KPIs). To gauge the efficacy of content refreshes on organic traffic, consider these KPIs:

SERP rankings
Traffic volume
Bounce rate
Number of backlinks

Using Google Analytics and Google Search Console, assess the direct impact of your content updates. Track these metrics before and after refreshing content to determine its effectiveness. According to Erik Emanuelli, focus on the "number of page views, social shares, and inbound links" to gauge user engagement and authority growth.

Adapting to SERP Changes with Data-Driven SEO Strategy

Evaluating data assists in refining your SEO strategy:

Measure the pre- and post-refresh impact on SERP rankings. While specific improvement ranges are not provided, substantial changes typically occur in ranking positions following content updates (CopyPress).
Analyze the reduction in bounce rates by employing tactics such as enhancing page load speed and optimizing the user experience. Effective strategies might differ based on the site and audience (WordStream).
Count new backlinks—expect 10 to 50 for a well-established site, depending on content quality and outreach (SEOJet).

Regular SEO audits and reacting to SERP changes are crucial. A monthly review cycle is recommended to observe KPI changes after content refreshes (Hootsuite).

Leveraging SEO Statistics for Long-Term Success

Engage in continuous improvement. Unlike short-term wins, sustained growth in organic traffic hinges on the application of insights from SEO statistics. Stay updated with evolving digital landscapes and SEO practices to keep your content relevant and authoritative. A crucial part of this is mastering the use of internal linking to improve your website's SEO, which can help distribute page authority and guide visitors through your website effectively.

SEO Goals and Victory

Long-Term Content Refreshing Practices

Enhancing SEO Strategy with Regular Content Updates

Crafting an effective SEO strategy involves more than just producing new content. Regularly updating old content is key to maintaining a competitive edge. Follow these guidelines:

Integrate update checkpoints into your editorial calendar for consistency.
Update content to reflect the latest industry developments and algorithm changes.
Review content performance to pinpoint what can be improved.
Extend the lifespan and impact of existing content by keeping it fresh and relevant.

As Moz reports, Google updates its algorithm thousands of times a year. Therefore, incorporate flexibility within your SEO strategy to respond to these frequent shifts.

Maximizing Content Performance with Tactical Refreshes

Ensure the effectiveness of your content strategy with these practices:

Schedule regular audits; aim to review your content at least annually (AAAA).
Align updates with SEO data insights, such as engagement rates, conversions, and brand visibility. Search Engine Land provides a comprehensive list of metrics to consider.
Address and close any gaps by updating critical content that may be lagging behind competitors, as advised by The SEO Works.

Editorial Calendar Management: Timing is Everything

Good editorial management isn't just about producing new material; it's also about revitalizing what you already have:

Plot content refreshes on your editorial calendar.
The SEO Works recommends balancing new content creation with strategic updates.
Timely revisions can boost the longevity of your content, ensuring ongoing performance benefits.

Proactive Content Audits for Improved Content Marketing

Regular content audits are essential. They can guide future marketing efforts and updates. Key steps include:

Analyze content to identify strengths and weaknesses.
Monitor vital metrics such as clicks, impressions, and organic CTR (Search Engine Land).
Respond to significant industry changes with ad hoc audits.
Consider using compliance management tools for a smoother audit process (AAAA).

Long-Term SEO and Ongoing Content Evolution

Committing to long-term SEO success means consistently refreshing existing content:

Stay aligned with evolving industry best practices.
Refresh old posts to maintain relevancy and align with search trends.
As Erik Emanuelli and The SEO Works suggest, regularly updated content helps sustain a strong presence in search rankings.

Incorporate these strategies to maintain a dynamic and successful online presence, ensuring that your content remains king in the ever-changing landscape of SEO.

For a deeper dive into optimizing your SEO strategy, particularly in addressing issues like keyword cannibalization, be sure to read our Comprehensive Guide to Understanding and Resolving Keyword Cannibalization in SEO.