Content is the foundation of every successful website and plays a crucial role in search engine optimization. However, even the best content loses relevance over time.
Search algorithms, user needs and market trends change, so regular updates are necessary. If you neglect to revise your old content, you risk falling rankings, less traffic and poorer visibility in the search results.
In this blog post, I’ll show you why it’s worth optimizing existing content and the best way to go about it.
TL;DR – Revise old content
- Ensure relevance and topicality:
content that worked well years ago may be outdated today. Regular updates ensure that content remains relevant, covers current search queries and meets user expectations. - Adapt your keyword strategy:
Search queries and keywords change over time. Keyword research can be used to find new terms that better match the current content strategy in order to improve visibility in search results. - Optimize technical SEO and usability:
In addition to content adjustments, the general website performance should also be right. - Use content recycling for more reach:
Existing content can be reused in new formats – e.g. as a social media post, newsletter or guest article.
Why should you revise old content at all?
Search engines such as Google often rate high-quality content that is up-to-date and informative better than outdated texts. If a page is regularly revised, this shows that it remains relevant. This often leads to better rankings in the search results.
Greater relevance for users
People are looking for the best and latest information on a topic. If your post is not up-to-date or contains outdated data, visitors will quickly leave the page. This can increase the bounce rate and worsen your ranking.
Improvement of the click-through rate (CTR)
Sometimes you can get more clicks without even touching the content itself. Optimize your meta titles to achieve a better CTR.
Potential for new keywords and topics
Search terms change over time. Keyword research can show which terms are now more relevant than the original keywords. By updating the post, it can be optimized for new keywords and thus generate more traffic.
Is it always worth revising?
Not every old page or outdated article necessarily needs to be revised. There are three possible scenarios:
- Refresh: If a page still generates traffic but contains outdated information, it makes sense to optimize it.
- Merge: If several similar posts exist, they can be combined to create a more comprehensive and better content.
- Redirect or delete: If a page no longer offers any added value or has been replaced by another, better page, it can either be deleted or redirected via 301 redirection.
First analysis: Is the content still relevant?
Check thematic relevance
First of all, you should check whether the topic being discussed is still in demand. Questions that help with this:
- Is the topic still being actively sought?
- Are there any new developments or trends in this area?
- Does the existing content contain outdated or incorrect information?
Tools such as Google Trends or keyword analysis tools can help to find out whether the topic is still relevant or whether it should be updated.
Does the site bring traffic?
A look at the Google Search Console can show whether a page is still attracting visitors. The following aspects are important here:
- Is the page indexed and does it still rank in the search terms?
- How has traffic changed in recent months?
- Are there high bounce rates that indicate that the content is no longer relevant?
If a page hardly receives any traffic, this is a clear sign that an update is necessary.
Keyword analysis: For which terms does the page rank?
Review of the current rankings
The Google Search Console shows which keywords a page ranks for. The following points are important here:
- Which keywords generate the most traffic?
- Are there terms that can be brought forward through better optimization?
- Which terms could be supplemented by a keyword extension?
Avoid keyword cannibalization
If several subpages compete for the same keyword, this can lead to poorer rankings. Solutions:
- Remove or forward the weaker content.
- Expand and optimize the better content.
This strategy helps to create clear structures and improve SEO performance.
Competitor analysis: What do the top 5 do better?
Looking at the most successful websites or blogs that rank well in search terms for the same topic is essential. The top 5 of a Google search often have proven SEO approaches and a well-thought-out content strategy that helps their posts perform well.
In order to find out what these pages do better, a detailed analysis should be carried out:
- Which aspects do the top pages cover better? Do they contain more detailed or more up-to-date information?
- What is the structure of the content? Are the articles divided into easily understandable sections, are there bulleted lists, subheadings or tables?
- What type of media is used? Videos, infographics or interactive elements often improve reader-friendliness and engagement.
- What is the writing style like? Is the content factual, emotional or particularly detailed?
This comparative analysis provides valuable insights that can be used to raise your own article to a higher level.
Analyze scope and structure
Another crucial point is the length of your own article. Is it too short or too long? To assess this, you can use the top pages as a guide. A keyword analysis can also show whether there are certain subtopics that have not yet been sufficiently covered.
Important questions about the structure of the contribution:
- Does the article contain a clear introduction, main body and conclusion?
- Are there any paragraphs that overlap in content or are unnecessarily long?
- Are relevant questions answered that users enter into the search engine?
If the competition offers more comprehensive articles with more depth, your own content should be adapted accordingly.
Check the backlink profile of the competition
Backlinks are a decisive ranking factor. The top pages often have high-quality backlinks from renowned websites that refer to their content. Tools such as Ahrefs, SEMrush or Moz can be used to find out where these links come from.
Questions about backlink analysis:
- Which websites link to the top pages?
- Are these links organic or targeted?
- Are there ways to get in touch with these websites and get a mention for your article?
If you can build high-quality backlinks, you not only improve your SEO performance, but also your authority in the respective industry.
Content optimization: How to make content better
The most important aspect of content revision is the targeted improvement of content. This means not only replacing outdated information, but also expanding the article if necessary.
Possibilities for improving the content:
- Incorporate new perspectives: Are there any current developments or trends that have not yet been considered in the original article?
- Add expert opinions: Quotes from experts increase the credibility and quality of the article.
- Update data and statistics: Outdated figures can affect reader confidence. New statistics improve relevance.
Optimize click-through rate (CTR)
The click-through rate (CTR) is a decisive factor for SEO success. If many users click on a page, Google rates it as relevant.
Optimization possibilities:
- Improve the meta title: The title should be attractively worded and contain the main keywords.
- Customize the meta description: A concise and interesting description can increase the click-through rate.
- Use structured data: Rich snippets can improve visibility in search terms.
Correct grammar and spelling mistakes
Error-free texts are essential for professional perception. Tools such as Grammarly, Duden-Mentor or LanguageTool help to identify and correct grammatical and spelling errors.
Improve the accuracy of content
The accuracy of information is crucial for the credibility of an article. Incorrect or outdated data should be regularly replaced by up-to-date sources.
Improve technical optimization and usability
In addition to content improvements, technical optimization also plays a major role.
Important aspects of website optimization:
- Improve internal linking: Link important subpages with each other to optimize user guidance.
- Reduce loading times: Fast websites have better SEO performance. Tools such as Google Page Speed Insights help to identify potential for improvement.
- Optimize mobile usability: More and more users are accessing websites via smartphones. The presentation should be mobile-friendly.
Replace broken links
Broken links are not only detrimental to the user experience, but also to SEO performance. Regular checks with tools such as Screaming Frog help to identify faulty links.
Reuse old content
Another question you should ask yourself when revising older content: Can you reuse the content elsewhere?
Content recycling for new reach
Older articles can be repurposed in different formats to achieve a wider reach.
Opportunities for content recycling:
- Convert blog articles into social media posts
- Fill newsletter with updated content
- Derive guest posts from existing articles
- Create e-books or whitepapers from detailed articles
Regular content revision
As you have seen, revising old content can have many advantages. So plan to take a regular look at the performance of your existing content. At least once a year, all your content should be put to the test to see whether it is still relevant.
