Can old content be re-optimised for SEO?

For companies and businesses that generate frequent content, the encyclopaedia of knowledgeable content helps to improve the authority of your company online, and also increases the range of keywords that your company ranks for on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). However, over time this content can become outdated, and may need to be edited to ensure it is still factually correct. And just like the content on the page, the Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) can also become outdated. So how can old content be re-optimised for SEO? And what are the benefits of this?

Why would old content need to be re-optimised?

So first of all, why exactly would old website content need to be re-optimised? Well, there are actually a number of reasons why older content may need to be re-optimised for performance and quality. In fact, re-optimising old content can be as impactful as creating new content. The most common reasons for this include:

Algorithm updates- As with everything online, search engine algorithms and best practices are always changing, and while your latest content may stay up to date with these changes, your existing content could also benefit from being altered to meet new criteria. This is because algorithm changes mean that content that once performed well may not rank as highly, especially if it does not meet the current criteria. As a result, making SEO changes to older content can help to secure your ranking position.
Existing authority- The older content on your website helps to contribute to the authority of your company online, which is something that plays a role in how search engines like Google view your content, and rank your content. As such, it’s important that your existing older content is protected, and not removed, even if this is outdated in terms of either content or SEO strategy. In addition, existing content may already have important backlinks that support the structure of your website, and bring value to your company online. For these reasons, re-optimising the content and updating it if need be, can help to leverage its existing SEO value, and continue to be useful and beneficial to your company.

How can you identify content to re-optimise?

It’s important to assess and analyse older content frequently, and this can help you to identify content that may need to be re-optimised. But how can you tell which pieces will be worth the effort? Well, there are a number of factors to bear in mind. These include:

High-performing content- Content that already attracts significant traffic is a good choice for re-optimisation. This is content that is clearly bringing value to your company, but if the SEO practices are out of date, or not up to standard, re-optimising has the potential to improve this performance with just a few tweaks.
Content with high bounce rates- A high bounce rate is a clear sign that your content is attracting traffic, but not keeping hold of visitors. This could be a misalignment between the search intent and the type of content produced, or an issue with the keywords/phrase or search terms that the content is optimised for. As a result, re-optimising this content can reduce this bounce rate and turn a negative into a positive.
Declining traffic- If you have some pieces of content that used to perform well but has seen a drop in traffic over time, this can be a clear indicator that re-optimising this for SEO can be a good idea. Re-optimising can help the content rank more highly again on the SERP, regaining its former glory and driving traffic back to your website again.
Evergreen content- Evergreen content is timeless content that remains relevant over the years. However, this doesn’t mean that once it’s uploaded you never need to reassess or revisit it. In fact, evergreen content is a perfect candidate for re-optimising. This can help it stay relevant, up to date, and keep attracting traffic.

Re-optimising content with a low conversion rate

What are the most effective methods for re-optimising content?

There are a number of different and effective options for re-optimising content, once you have identified the right content to work on. These include:

Keyword research- One of the first and most effective steps you can take is to carry out fresh keyword research to identify new or trending keywords that are related to the content. Thai is especially important if your content is no longer ranking as highly as it once was, or content that has a high bounce rate. You should integrate these keywords naturally into the content to improve its relevance.
Content updates- Another step you can take is to revise and update the content itself to ensure accuracy and relevancy. This might include adding new information, statistics, case studies, or updating links to recent sources. By making these changes, you can make sure that your content is bringing value to your website and is meeting the E-E-A-T guidelines from Google, which may have changed since the content was originally produced.
Optimising meta descriptions and titles- You should also be sure to take a look at the meta descriptions and titles. This means making sure that these use the relevant keywords for increased visibility and improved ranking. This can improve the click-through rates from search engine results pages.
Improving internal linking- In addition, it’s important to make sure that your older content has strong internal linking. One of the most understated ways to re-optimise older content is to add internal links to newer content. This can be an easy way to boost SEO performance, and it helps to distribute page authority across the site, while also improving the user journey.
Mobile optimisation- If your content is more than a few years old, it may not have been originally optimised for mobile search, and if it was, the chances are that the guidelines have now changed. As a result, you should ensure that the content is fully optimised for mobile devices, in line with the most recent best practices.

What are the benefits of re-optimising old content?

There are a number of advantages and benefits to re-optimising older content. These include:

Improved search rankings- Updating old content to align with current SEO best practices can significantly improve its search engine rankings. This can lead to higher visibility and more organic traffic for your website.
Enhanced user experience- By improving the readability and relevance of content, users are more likely to find the information they need and stay longer on the site, reducing bounce rates and increasing engagement.
Leveraging existing authority- Older content that has already accumulated backlinks and social shares has an inherent authority. Re-optimising this content allows you to build on this existing strength rather than starting from scratch.
Staying competitive- In the dynamic online environment, staying competitive requires continuous improvement which can include re-optimising. This ensures that your site remains relevant and competitive in search rankings.
Boosting overall site performance- Re-optimising multiple pieces of old content can have a cumulative effect, boosting the overall performance of your site in search engines and improving user engagement across the board.

For more information or advice about SEO strategies, content and website performance, we are the team you can count on here at Pumpkin Web Design. In fact, we are Preston’s leading web design and web marketing experts. Why not get in touch today?