How And When To Update Content – You don't need a redesign. You need edits.

Updating Website Content for SEO: When, What, and How (Without Playing Whack‑a‑Mole)

Yes, "fresh content" matters. No, randomly changing adjectives and slapping on a new date isn't an update - it's cosplay. If you want sustainable gains, you need a cadence, a shortlist of high‑ROI targets, and a process that improves pages instead of just touching them.

Here's the practical playbook.

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What "Updating" Actually Means

An update is any change that improves usefulness, accuracy, or coverage - not just activity for the sake of it.

Counts as a real update

• Rewriting sections to match current search intent and fill gaps

• Adding new data, examples, screenshots, citations, FAQs

• Restructuring headings for clarity; tightening intros; improving conclusions

• Consolidating overlapping pages and 301‑redirecting to the best one

• Refreshing media (compressed images, diagrams, video with captions)

• Fixing internal links/anchors and adding relevant cross‑links

• Updating schema (e.g., dateModified, FAQ, HowTo)

Doesn't count

• Swapping synonyms; re‑ordering bullet points

• Changing the publish date without substance

• Tacking on a paragraph of fluff at the end

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When to Update: Cadences That Work

There's no magic number; there is a sensible rhythm.

Monthly

• "Historical optimisation" of 2–4 posts that already rank on page 2 (positions ~8–20)

• Fix pages with high impressions but weak CTR (title/meta problem)

Quarterly

• Category/hub pages and key service pages: check accuracy, internal links, and structure

• Seasonal pages: refresh before the season (remember, AU summer is Dec–Feb)

Ad‑hoc (trigger‑based)

• Major product/service changes, new regulations, pricing shifts

• A competitor publishes genuinely better coverage and leapfrogs you

• Content decay: steady traffic/ranking slide over 60–90 days

Consistency beats binge‑editing and then ghosting your site for six months.

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Triggers That Tell You It's Time

• Decay: Impressions or clicks down ≥20% vs the previous 60–90 days

• CTR problem: High impressions, low CTR compared to SERP peers

• Intent mismatch: SERP shifts from "what is" to "how to" (or vice versa)

• Thin or outdated: Stats older than last financial year; obsolete screenshots; broken links

• Cannibalisation: Multiple URLs competing for the same query

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What to Update First (High‑ROI Targets)

1. Positions 8–20: closest to a page‑one win; small improvements pay off.

2. Pages with strong links but stale info: leverage existing authority.

3. High‑intent service/product pages: money pages deserve priority.

4. Hubs with traffic but poor paths: fix structure and add spoke links.

5. Cannibalised clusters: merge, redirect, and clarify page ownership.

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Types of Updates (and When to Use Them)

• Light refresh (30–60 mins): Update stats, examples, screenshots, broken links; tighten intro and headings. Use when CTR is fine but content is dated.

• Re‑optimisation (1–2 hrs): New title/meta, clarified H2/H3s, add FAQs, improve internal links. Use when impressions are good but CTR or engagement is weak.

• Expansion (2–4 hrs): Add missing sections, tables, step‑by‑steps, comparisons, case notes. Use when competitors cover more ground.

• Realignment (rewrite): Shift the angle to match current intent (e.g., "guide" → "tools" or "pricing").

• Consolidate & redirect: Merge thin/overlapping pages into one canonical URL. Keep the best slug, 301 the rest, and port unique value across.

• Deprecate: If a page is obsolete and has no search value, 410 or 301 to the nearest useful alternative.

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Implementation: A Repeatable Update Workflow

1. Benchmark * Record current queries, positions, clicks/CTR (Search Console) * Note engagement (scroll depth, conversions) * Screenshot the SERP: who ranks, what formats (FAQs, videos, People Also Ask)

2. Diagnose * What does the winning SERP intent look like now? * What sections, entities, or comparisons are you missing?

3. Plan * Write a one‑sentence focus statement * Outline the revised H2/H3s; assign additions/deletions

4. Update * Rewrite the intro to promise the outcome in 2–3 lines * Restructure headings; add missing sections, examples, and tables * Refresh media (compress, add width/height, srcset, alt text) * Tighten title/H1; rewrite meta description like helpful ad copy * Add/adjust internal links with descriptive anchors * Update or add schema (Article, FAQPage, HowTo, BreadcrumbList)

5. Publish & index * Show "Updated" on‑page (don't fake it) * Ensure lastmod in your XML sitemap updates * Use URL Inspection's "Request indexing" if you made major changes

6. Monitor * Watch for query mix changes and CTR moves over the next 2–4 weeks * Iterate once based on data (not vibes)

Tip: Keep a change log. Future‑you will thank you.

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Technical Touches That Help

• dateModified JSON‑LD (example):

<script type="application/ld+json">
{  "@context": "https://schema.org",  "@type": "Article",  "headline": "How Often to Update Website Content for SEO",  "datePublished": "2023-08-10",  "dateModified": "2025-08-09",  "author": {"@type": "Person", "name": "Your Name"}
}
</script>

• Sitemap lastmod: keep it accurate; don't roll dates without real changes.

• Avoid URL changes during updates; if you must, 301 with care and update all internal links.

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How Often Should Each Area Be Updated?

Blogs

• New content: as often as you can maintain quality.

• Historical updates: top 20% of posts every 60–120 days, or when decay triggers.

E‑commerce

• Products: when inventory, price, images, or specs change.

• Categories: quarterly; strengthen copy, filters, internal links, faqs.

• Seasonal collections: refresh 4–6 weeks pre‑season.

Service pages

• Quarterly sanity check; update offers, process, proof (case studies/testimonials), FAQs, local signals.

Resource hubs/guides

• Semi‑annual review or on major industry changes.

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Promotion After Updating (yes, it matters)

• Resurface the URL in your newsletter and social channels; tell people what changed.

• Add a "Recently updated" block to relevant pages.

• Re‑link from new posts where it makes sense.

• For big rewrites, pitch an update note to sites that previously linked to the piece.

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Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Faking freshness: changing dates with no substance invites rewrites and distrust.

• Keyword stuffing during "optimisation": if readability drops, rankings tend to follow.

• Over‑editing winners: don't break what's compounding - tweak, don't reinvent.

• Leaving zombies: thin, outdated pages that nobody visits still eat crawl budget - merge or retire them.

• Forgetting the hub: updating spokes but not the hub wastes internal link equity.

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Quick Recap

• Update for usefulness, not motion.

• Use cadence + triggers: monthly quick wins, quarterly deep passes, ad‑hoc for changes/decay.

• Prioritise positions 8–20, high‑impression/low‑CTR pages, and cannibalised clusters.

• Choose the right update type: refresh, expand, realign, consolidate, or deprecate.

• Measure → iterate in Search Console and analytics. Document changes.

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Useful Resources

• Wix: How to Update a Website - https://www.wix.com/blog/2019/08/how-to-update-a-website/

• Databox: How to Update Old Blog Posts for SEO - https://databox.com/how-to-update-old-blog-posts-for-seo

• Search Engine Journal: Guide to Updating Content - https://www.searchenginejournal.com/guide-to-updating-content/413666/

• Neil Patel: Updating Old Content to Boost Ranking - https://neilpatel.com/blog/updating-old-content-to-boost-ranking/

• Google Search Central: Create Helpful, Reliable People‑First Content - https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content