Top 5 secret tips for updating your old content for SEO 

Did you know that updating 20% of your website content can bring in 80% traffic to the site? Now imagine — if updating website content regularly can bring a substantial spike in traffic, what will happen if you upgrade the entire old blog content?  

SEO-updating old content can get you more visitors and ultimately more revenue than before without investing resources to create fresh content. 

You might wonder, what are the reasons to update your website rather than create content from scratch?  

Well, website owners work hard to create new content. Website blogs, if properly SEO-optimized, may rank high on SERPs for the first few days or months of publishing. However, with time they are nowhere to be seen on the search page. 

So all the efforts and resources to create content are in vain after a couple of months! 

If you’ve had this experience with your content, do not worry! The most important thing to remember is that you can still improve your website by SEO-updating old content and refining it. This will help ensure your site's relevance on Google. 

Old content tends to perform better, and there are high probabilities that your target audience will still visit it. So, keeping it up-to-date and aligning it with your marketing strategies is essential. 

Our guide today shares how to update old content for SEO. Dive in! 

Top 5 Secret Tips to Update Your Old Content for SEO 

Incorporate New Keywords 

When you published your blog, you probably didn't have the SEO expertise you have right now. Also, your focus on target keywords was likely based on the search volume and the word’s difficulty. 

The two mentioned above could have worked then, but the SEO scope keeps changing. So you should find new keywords that match the industry terms and develop long-tail keywords using keyword research tools. 

Also, the new keywords to use will depend on the search volume and keywords’ difficulty. Evaluate them to incorporate new keywords while updating website content regularly.  

Adjust the Content’s Format 

Changing the blog layout can also update your old blog to fit the current SEO criteria. Ensure that the format of your existing blog is up-to-date with the SEO trends. 

For instance, you can add a summary to your content. It increases the chances of your content being placed in a featured snippet. Also, you can use proper headings and subheadings based on the keywords' groupings. 

Refine the On-Page SEO 

To update the on-page SEO, you can focus on several key areas. It includes the article title; don’t use the previous one. So, edit the title of that old blog with new and relevant keywords. 

Also, ensure your subheading features the keyword and is relevant to the content. Further, adjust the meta description to include the target keywords and add information that will make the reader pursue the rest of the content. 

Answer the “People Often Ask” Questions 

Another ideal way to SEO-updating old content is by answering the recent frequently asked questions. Remember, as times changes, audiences are in quest of new information and knowledge. Answering what they want to know enhances your chances of moving up in the rankings. 

You can search your keywords on Google, which will display a list of questions people often ask. So, create an FAQ section on your blog to answer these queries. 

Update the Year in the Heading Tag 

When readers are looking for information, the heading tag is the first thing that draws their attention. It shows the year you published your blog. In a sea of daily-published content on the World Wide Web, why would someone want to read your blog from 3 years ago? 

Imagine — we are in 2022, and your heading tag still reads 2016! The audience will likely skip your blog since it's old and thus considered outdated. So, as you update the content, adjust the date on the H1. It can help you get better click-through rates. 

You can start refining the body content step by step. Start by rewriting the introduction. Then change the irrelevant content that no longer resonates with the audience or the current trends. Replace it with new and up-to-date information, and as you do so, do not forget to build internal links. 

We hope the above tips give you an insight into why to update your website regularly. If you have any questions about achieving better rankings on search engines or on how to update your website, feel free to talk to us. Iron Marketers, a leading digital marketing expert, is always ready to serve you! 

Speak to our team at (916) 301-4766 to create a gold-like SEO strategy for your business.