4 Reasons Why You Should Always Revamp Old Content

Let me tell you a little secret. The old adage “out with the old, in with the new” doesn’t apply to content creation.

You might think that getting rid of the ancient skeletons in your closet (read: antiquated blog posts, service area pages, or what have you) is the best approach. In fact, it’s best to edit and revamp your site’s old content.

But what if there’s nothing outdated about your old content? If it’s not broke, don’t fix it—right? Not exactly. Here are four reasons that should change your mind

1) Old content has more authority

Respecting your elders actually applies to Google’s algorithm on where you end up on the search engine results page (SERP).

Older content typically has stronger page authority. This makes it more likely to show up at the top of the SERP when a potential customer conducts a search query.

Don’t squander this advantage. If your older content (and metadata!) is irrelevant and outdated, you can lose clicks or risk users bouncing once they click on your link. That’s why regular content check-ups are important.

2) Search trends change

What was trending 2 years—or even 2 months—ago might be completely irrelevant. Top search trends in 2013 like Grumpy Cat or Gangnam Style (bad examples, I know) are no longer topping the charts.

The way people are phrasing their search queries is also constantly changing. Shout-out to the rise in near me searches! This means that the keywords you used to be targeting could have lost their value.

As search trends change, so should your content. 

3) Poor quality posts can harm your rankings

If you look back at old content and cringe, it’s time to give them some TLC.

Whether you discover pages that are jam-packed with as many keywords or have extremely thin content, it’s time to make a change.

While keyword stuffing might’ve helped you achieve top rankings years ago, Google is no longer a fan.

In fact, Google will penalize you for creating pages with as many keywords as physically possible or for making pages for the sole reason of having more pages.

Every page needs to serve a purpose, with content to prove it. Not sure if your site is keyword-stuffing? Here’s an example straight from Google themselves.

4) Your writing style is not what it once was

Maybe your site’s writing style or brand identity has gone through an evolution. Whether your site’s tone, topics, or site organization has shifted, take the time to ensure that everything aligns with your current strategy.

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There you have it! Your content should have a long lifespan. Don’t let it grow old alone. Check up on all of your site’s content to make sure every piece is optimized, current and relevant.