The power of updating older blogs
When it comes to websites and SEO, the phrase “out with the old, in with the new” doesn’t really cut it. While creating fresh web content and blog posts is an absolute must for both user engagement and search engine optimization (SEO), updating web content and blog posts can have just as much impact, if not more. In fact, not updating web content could even destroy the credibility of your website.
Inject new value into old content
You’ve done the research, spent the time and written something that’s worthwhile. So why let it go to waste?
According to online marketing guru, Neil Patel, the websites that grew the fastest in their latest four-year study were those sites with a large focus on keeping content up to date.
Updating web content takes less work and can deliver faster results than writing entirely new pieces. It is a cost-effective and often overlooked content marketing strategy and I can do it for you.
Why revisiting and refreshing your website content matters
Google prefers websites that are frequently updated with fresh content. It’s a fact. Google looks at your entire site to see the frequency of your most recent updates. It then uses this information to decide how often it will crawl your site.
Fresh content can positively impact search engine rankings. However, if you’re only publishing new content, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity.
Instead of working hard for your site, your older web real estate – your blog posts or pages – could end up dying a slow death out in the World Wide Web somewhere.
But I can change that
Reviving and updating web content is an easy way to build your traffic because when Google recognises that you have fresh content on your site, every other piece of web real estate can also get a ranking boost.
Enhanced user experience
Wouldn’t you prefer to read something published in the last year, rather than an article from 2010? Yes, of course you would. Outdated information can be so off-putting.
If you do a Google search for just about any term, you’ll quickly spot that the top results are for articles that have usually been published in the past year or so.
Visitors are much more likely to click on recently published articles, so the click-through rate of an article you publish will increase when you update it. Readers are then more likely to engage with your content and explore other parts of your website, ultimately increasing the time they spend on your site. Which Google sees as a very good thing.
If your site makes for a great user experience, Google will like you more and so potential visitors will be able to find your website more easily.
Improved SEO rankings
Updating old content does improve SEO. When you update older blogs and pages with relevant keywords and current information, Google is more likely to recognise your site as valuable or an authority. This can improve your chances of appearing in relevant search results.
Better networking
To Google fresh links indicate fresh content and outbound links are an important SEO ranking factor. You can also add new links to better resources you find on the web, such as statistics, infographics, events, and breaking news, thereby making your content more valuable.
Finding broken links frustrates visitors, both human and robotic. Often resources you have linked to in the past can vanish. Perhaps the website has been shut down, or the URL has changed. Regardless of why, broken links hurt your rankings on Google and push you further down the search engine results page.
Thankfully, I can fix your broken links. I can find the original page you linked to and look for other ways it might be published. Alternatively, I can find another resource that matches the other in quality, and link to that instead.
Internal linking is essential in every post and page
Internal links are a great way to help direct visitors to valuable content. Creating newer internal links in your older content will point both users and Google to your most recent content.
Links from one page to another help users navigate your site and give Google information about how your website works. Therefore, the Google crawler has an easier time finding new content on your site. Every time you write or update a blog post, I can make sure that it links to other pages. That way, you’ll be telling Google that you feel those pages are important, and so Google will also value them.
I can ensure your links are visible. I can ensure links are on every major page of your site, that they flow naturally that they don’t use the exact keyword you’re trying to rank for, nor use too much anchor text.
Once your old content has been beautifully updated, I can then change the date. Then Google will perceive it as nice and fresh.
So, I’ve spent time updating old content. Now what?
I will then link the new content back to your existing resources. If you’ve updated an article, page or blog, I can give it a shout-out on social media. Whether content is new or old, sharing it on social media is one of the best ways to promote it. Social media networks drive 0.8% to 12.2% of a website’s traffic, so don’t miss out on this key opportunity.
And sharing your web content will be even easier if you add plenty of share buttons to your pages. This ensures that if the article is popular with your readers, they can expand its reach for you. Simple.
Bring blog posts back to life
You can revive your blogs and drive rankings in Google by including up-to-date resources and more in-depth content.
It’s the perfect way to increase search engine traffic without spending hours creating new content. But remember, Google looks for quality content first and foremost. So, by updating your old content well and giving it a human voice, you can give the content you put time, effort and money into a second life.
Don’t let your time, money and effort go to waste
With a little freshening up, you can boost your search engine rankings by updating web content. It is generally recommended to update your content regularly every 9-12 months to keep it fresh and signal to Google that your website is active and relevant.
I’ll inject new value into your blogs and web content and prevent your hard work from wasting away on the web.