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Why You Should Update Old Posts

Why You Should Update Old Posts – Because Google Loves it!

There are a lot of good reasons why you should update old posts and pages regularly, but one of the biggest reasons is that Google loves updated content.

Even if you only know a little about search engine optimization, you probably have heard that Google likes sites with fresh content. Older content may contain outdated facts or not be as up-to-date as new content. This is one of the reasons Google and other search engines favor new content.

If you update old posts, this creates “fresh” content without having to write a brand new article. Little surprise for ya. I just updated this post (again!)

Here’s why YOu Should UPdate Old Posts

To improve the keyword optimization on your page

When I update an old post, I look at the keyword optimization I currently have on the page. I look at my stats in Google Search Console and evaluate how that keyword is performing.

Is my page being found for that keyword? Or is it being found for different keywords or variations of my keyword phrase that I hadn’t thought about optimizing for?

If I find that I am getting more searches from a similar or related keyword, I will update the keyword optimization on that page or write a new related article that I can link to from that article.

To make your blog post look like a brand new post

By updating your posts, you can make an old blog post look brand new.

Depending on how well your post is performing, you may want to change the title of your post. Simply changing the title and publish date can make it look like you added a brand new post.

If your posts are displayed on your blog in date order, this will also bump your post up to the top of your blog.

This will not only make it look like a new post, but it will also place the post more prominently on your website which can bring new traffic to an old post.

To get Google to index your site more frequently

The number one reason why you should update old posts is Google!

Sites that are constantly being updated get indexed more often. This is why you can search Google News and find a new story posted almost as quickly as it was published.

Big sites that post tons of new articles get indexed frequently. If you have a site that’s only updated every 3 months Google isn’t going to crawl it very often.

Making little updates to your pages and posts every day, tells Google that your site needs to be indexed regularly to include your newest updates.

To fix grammar and spelling mistakes

I catch grammar and spelling mistakes on my posts all the time. Nobody’s perfect. I usually don’t catch all my mistakes, even when I proofread my posts. It’s hard to see your own mistakes, especially when you’ve been reading and re-reading them.

If you come back to a post down the road, you’re more likely to catch typos and grammar mistakes.

To improve the quality of your post

If you want your blog posts to be engaging to your readers, you need to make sure each and every post you publish is top-quality.

The quality of your post is an important factor in how Google ranks your posts. This is why sites that get read are more likely to show up at the top of Google.

If people are visiting your post and leaving, it tells Google your post is not that great and subsequently, your post will not rank as well

Updating your posts regularly is one of the best ways to ensure your content is the best, most up-to-date content.

Are you linking to the most current, reliable sources? Has the accuracy of your content changed? Could you have written some of your paragraphs better?

Carefully review your posts and update anything you can make better.

To make your post more visually appealing

blue eye

Adding new or better quality photos can make an old post look better and posts that are visually appealing get shared more on social media!  How a site looks can make a big difference to a user. You don’t always need a design change on your site to make posts look better.

Changing up your photos, where your headers are placed, or how your paragraphs are broken up, can make your post more appealing.

To improve your blog post’s SEO

You really want to know why you should update old posts? SEO! This was one of the first posts I added to my blog. When I reviewed it, I realized I didn’t optimize it as well as I could have. Whenever I write a new blog post, I look through all my existing content and see where I can add links. Adding a new sentence or paragraph allows you to add new keyword links to your new blog post, but also is a way to update existing content.

Should You Update Old Posts or Just Delete them?

Sometimes minor edits are all you need to update your old posts and get them to perform better, but if your content isn’t performing, you may want to do a complete rewrite. I just went through and deleted several posts from my blog. Sometimes it makes more sense to delete a post than to update it.

Google has done numerous updates to filter out sites with low-quality content. If your site has a lot of low-quality posts that aren’t getting read this will definitely affect how your site performs in Google.

Before you rewrite a post, decide if it’s worth saving. Sometimes deleting old, outdated content is the better choice. If you can refresh a post, update it. If the post isn’t getting any page views and doesn’t have backlinks pointing to it, get rid of it. It’s not adding value to your site.

*Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click on any of the links within my posts.  However, all of the opinions shared on my blog are my own.

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4 thoughts on “Why You Should Update Old Posts – Because Google Loves it!”

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Patty Malowney, Owner of Badass Web Goddess Digital Marketing Agency

About Patty Malowney

I am Patty Malowney, the creator of Badass Web Goddess. I am an Albuquerque SEO and digital marketing consultant.  I started my first internet business in 2004 with a $40 garage sale computer and a whole lot of determination.  I sold my first website, JustMommies.com to the dating company eHarmony.com in 2008. My website was acquired by another company where I worked as a consultant and editor until July, 2019.

After encouragement from friends and family, I decided to branch out on my own and start my own consulting business.  I offer advice and services to local businesses on how they can rank better in Google.

In addition to running Badass Web Goddess, I am an avid blogger. I run several blogs including my digital marketing blog here at Badass Web Goddess.  If you love my blog, Follow Me on Facebook or Twitter!

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