Google expects you to produce helpful content that fulfills the search intent of your target audience. That’s pretty intuitive and common knowledge at this point, but there’s a tendency to think strictly about the new content we’re going to start from scratch.
It’s often just as advantageous to go through your past content to see if a little refresh might be in order. So, are you ready to dust off some old content and give it new life?
Why Refresh Your Website Content?
Your website is often the first point of contact between your business and potential customers. So keeping your content fresh and up-to-date is more crucial than ever. There are a number of reasons you need to refresh existing content.
Improve Search Rankings
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a pivotal aspect of your website’s visibility. Search engines like Google prioritize websites with fresh, relevant content in their rankings.
In fact, we know that Google has a Freshness Algorithm. This algorithm is designed to identify and prioritize up-to-date content in its search results, especially for queries where fresh information is crucial.
It evaluates the freshness of content based on various factors, including the publication date, the frequency of updates, and the significance of changes made to the content. This prioritization of fresh content helps improve user experience by providing timely and accurate information.
So by regularly updating your site to make sure the content is current and relevant, you boost its chances of appearing in search results. That doesn’t mean you need to rewrite every page from scratch; even minor updates can signal to Google that your content is being maintained and remains valuable.
Enhance User Engagement
Another expectation that Google has been forthright about is “people-first” content. In other words, Google wants you to prioritize content that satisfies the searcher’s intent, not “to gain search engine rankings.”
What’s this have to do with fresh content, you ask? Well, if your content is stale or outdated, it’s certainly not going to satisfy your target audience. Fresh content not only attracts new visitors but also keeps existing ones coming back.
By providing up-to-date information, insights, and analysis, you can improve key user engagement metrics such as time on site and bounce rate. Users are more likely to stay longer and explore more of your site if they find the content relevant and engaging. This ongoing engagement is vital for building a loyal audience base and enhancing the overall user experience on your site.
Boost Conversion Rates
Ultimately, the goal of most websites is to convert visitors into customers or leads. Refreshed content that aligns with current user intent and addresses their most pressing questions or needs can significantly boost conversion rates.
For example, updating product descriptions, reviews, and testimonials to reflect the latest offerings or customer feedback can make a substantial difference in persuading visitors to make a purchase or sign up for a service.
Regularly refreshing your website content isn’t just a good practice—it’s a necessity. By investing in content updates, you’re investing in the long-term success and growth of your online presence.
When Should You Refresh Your Content?
To Update Outdated Content
Even if you aim to create evergreen content, that doesn’t mean your content will always remain timeless. Maybe you’re in an industry that’s evolved since that blog was posted a few years back, and certain aspects covered are either no longer true or don’t tell the whole story. Or maybe you cite studies or statistics that are a little old.
The world is constantly evolving, with new trends, news, and developments emerging at a rapid pace. Updating your content regularly ensures that it remains relevant to your audience’s interests and the current state of your industry. This relevance is crucial for maintaining trust and establishing your site as a go-to resource.
Declining Traffic
A noticeable decline in traffic can be a clear indicator that your content needs refreshing. According to HubSpot, websites that update their content regularly can see a significant increase in traffic, as fresh content is more likely to be ranked higher by search engines. Monitoring your website analytics for drops in traffic can help you identify which pages need an update to regain their visibility and attractiveness to your audience.
Sagging SEO Performance
Changes in SEO performance metrics, such as keyword rankings, page views, and the average time spent on page, can signal the need for content updates. A drop in rankings might indicate that your content is no longer considered the most relevant answer to user queries. Keeping an eye on these metrics allows you to proactively refresh content to maintain or improve your SEO standings.
How to Refresh Your Content: A Step by Step Guide
1. Perform a Content Audit
Begin with a comprehensive content audit to identify pieces that are outdated, underperforming, or no longer align with your SEO strategy. Tools like Google Analytics (see below) can point you in the right direction.
2. Research Updated Keywords
Keyword trends can shift over time. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush to find current keywords that your target audience is searching for. Updating your content to include these keywords can help improve its visibility and relevance.
3. Improve Readability and Engagement
Enhancing the structure, readability, and visual elements of your content can significantly improve user engagement. Break text into smaller paragraphs, use subheadings, and incorporate images or videos to make the content more appealing and easier to digest.
4. Update Internal and External Links
Links to external sources should be checked to ensure they are still active and relevant. Similarly, updating internal links to newer content can improve SEO and user experience by guiding visitors to other useful pages on your site.
5. Incorporate Current Data and Statistics
Refresh your content with the latest data and statistics to maintain its credibility. Citing recent studies or industry reports can significantly enhance the value of your content to your audience.
6. Optimize for Featured Snippets and Voice Search
Optimize your refreshed content for featured snippets by answering questions directly and clearly in your text. Also, consider the rise of voice search by including long-tail keywords in a conversational tone.
Tools and Resources for Your Content Refresh
Google Analytics
Google Analytics can help you evaluate user behavior data such as page views, bounce rates, and session duration to identify which content performs well and which doesn’t. This insight will help you make informed decisions on updating content that better meets the interests and needs of your audience, improving user engagement and website performance.
Semrush
Semrush can be used to help with a website content refresh by providing insights into keyword performance, identifying content gaps, analyzing competitors’ content strategies, and tracking the website’s search engine rankings. It offers tools for SEO, content marketing, and social media analytics, enabling you to optimize your content for better visibility and engagement. By analyzing keywords and trends, Semrush helps you update your website with relevant, high-performing content that meets your audience’s needs and improves your search engine rankings.
Yoast SEO
This WordPress plugin can be used to help with a website content refresh by analyzing existing content for SEO performance, suggesting improvements for better search engine visibility, and providing insights on keyword usage. It helps optimize titles, meta descriptions, and content readability, ensuring that the refreshed content is more likely to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). Yoast SEO can also identify and suggest internal linking opportunities to improve site structure and user navigation.
Canva
Canva is a user-friendly platform to help design and create visually appealing graphics, banners, and images that can accompany your refreshed content. It offers a wide range of templates and design elements such as fonts, icons, and stock photos, making it easier to update the look and feel of your website without needing advanced graphic design skills.
Think of your website’s content as a growing garden. Just be sure to regularly review and update that content so it can continue to bear fruit for many years to come.
