When it comes to ranking, Google loves fresh content. That’s why you probably add new blog posts to your website on a regular basis.
But what if you’re doing everything right and your search traffic is still down?
One trick you might not have thought of is updating your old content. Just this one strategy can boost your visibility and rankings without tons of effort.
You see, as content gets older, Google no longer attributes the same authority to it as it would to a fresher piece of content. Which makes sense, since one of the ways Google ranks is based on searcher interaction. If a searcher has the option between a post from 2016 and one from 2019, which do you think they will click on first?
But you’ve spent precious time investing in your old content; so let it keep working for you!
Where Should You Start?
If you have a blog on your website that’s been live for a few years, you’re probably thinking, “It would take forever to update all of my old content.”
You’re absolutely right. This strategy is about saving time and leveraging your best content.
You’ll want to use a tool like Google Analytics or Google Search Console to determine which blog posts are performing really well and generating a lot of leads.
If you’ve never taken the time to do this, you might be shocked to find out that a small percentage of your posts are the most influential in generating leads–at least this is the case for most websites.
Once you’ve narrowed down your most powerful content, choose the posts that are considered evergreen content. This kind of content will always be relevant and should only require a few tweaks.
For example, as a digital marketing and web design company, we wouldn’t go back and update a post that talked about SEO trends for 2016, we’d just write a new post. But we would go back and update a post that talked about How to Get Your Google Business Listing Ranking.
What Should You Focus on When Updating Your Old Content?
If a blog post is getting a lot of traffic or has generated a lot of leads for you in the past, we don’t necessarily recommend changing the keyword(s) you’ve optimized for.
We also suggest you keep the URL the same. Otherwise, it could impact the page’s visibility, since that URL already has an established history and has earned some ranking.
Instead, browse over the content and make sure it’s optimized in these four ways:
1. Title, H1 Tags & Meta Description
If you’ve optimized your post for a certain keyword(s), make sure the title, H1 tags and meta description all include that keyword and/or variations of the keyword.
2. Content is Still Accurate
Inaccurate or outdated content is sure to get a high bounce rate. If it’s 2019 and your statistics are from 2015, see if you can find newer stats. If an idea or concept has become outdated, then freshen it up.
3. Links
One way your content can take a hit is if the external (or internal) content it’s linking to cannot be found, or is outdated. If your links are feeling a bit sluggish, freshen them up with links that have a strong DA (domain authority) and PA (page authority).
4. Layout
Is there a more reader-friendly layout you can optimize for? Try adding different headers to break up content, and highlighting key ideas and terms.
There you have it. With just a few simple modifications to your old content, you can be on your way to higher search traffic and better conversion rates in no time. If you’re new to the SEO and digital marketing world, give us a call at New Wine Digital and let us get your business on the fast-track toward success.
Images used under creative commons license (Commerical Use) Pixabay (3/13/2019)