You may already know that regularly publishing new content is one of the most important things to improve your SEO and drive blog traffic. But what you may not realize is that updating old content is just as crucial.
All too often, businesses publish a great article and then leave it to stagnate. As a result, their website starts to rank lower in search engine results pages (SERPs), and they begin to lose potential customers.
Fortunately, there are a few simple things you can do to give your existing posts a fresh look – and help them climb back up the SERP rankings.
In November 2011, Google announced that ‘freshness’ is essential in displaying results. By optimizing your content, you can stay ahead of the curve.
By making a few simple changes to your website’s content, you can improve your ranking in search engine results pages and attract more visitors.
Did you know that updating your content can help improve your blog traffic by 106%? Hubspot found this to be true in one of their experiments.
This article will discuss using the ‘freshness’ model to boost your blog traffic. I’ll also share tips on optimizing your existing articles for better search engine visibility.
Finally, I’ll provide a checklist of tasks that you can do to get the most out of your old content. Let’s get started!
What Is Content Optimization?
Is your website content up to date? If not, you’re missing out on an excellent opportunity to improve your search engine rankings and drive more traffic to your site.
Optimizing existing content with current search engine optimization standards (SEO) is called content optimization. This can include adding more details and depth to the content and updating it to reflect changes or developments in the topic. You can also try adding timely or noteworthy mentions, adding updated graphics, or even changing the flow of the content so that it is easier to read.
As we discussed above, optimizing your existing blog articles improves their search engine rankings and helps you increase blog traffic. In short, optimizing your blog articles is an essential step on the path to success online!
Optimizing Your Blog Posts Offers 5 Benefits
When you optimize your blog posts, you can enjoy many benefits. Here are five top benefits:
1 – A Better Ranking in SEO
If you’re looking to increase your blog traffic, consider updating your old posts! Search Engine Journal explains that the freshness of a blog is an important ranking criterion – and by updating your old content, you can potentially double your traffic.
The reason? Google measures the freshness of your content and uses it as a ranking signal. So any effort you make to optimize your website content will have a beneficial effect.
2 – You Can Save More Time
Writing a new blog post can be challenging – you have to find keywords, create an outline and plan the content, write the content, add media, and then proofread. But it’s definitely worth it! Your readers will appreciate fresh and engaging content.
Updating an existing blog post or page is an excellent way to improve what’s already there. This means making sure the content is clear, concise, and relevant to your audience. So take a look at your existing content and see if there are ways you can make it even better!
You’ve done a great job with your original post – it’s informative and well-written. To make it even better, you can add more depth and clarity to give your readers an even better understanding of the topic. You can also update the facts to ensure they’re relevant to the update time.
3 – Building Your Authority
If you want to grow your blog and audience, it’s vital to be seen as an authority in your niche. But don’t worry if you’re not quite there yet – optimizing your older posts for relevant keywords can help.
You’ll see better rankings and more traffic, shares, and blog authority as a result.
4 – Engage Readers and Build Loyalty
To keep your readers engaged, you need to keep your content up-to-date. Stale information will only turn people away. So make sure to invest time and energy into delivering what readers want!
Keep your content fresh and helpful, and you’ll be sure to keep your audience hooked!
5 – Obtain More Backlinks
If you want to increase the number of backlinks to your blog, it is essential to keep your content up-to-date.
People would prefer not to link to outdated content. So if you’re going to build backlinks successfully, make sure you keep your content fresh and up-to-date.
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Choosing the Right Content to Optimize
Don’t worry if you haven’t been able to update all your old posts – it’s definitely good practice. Still, I think you’ll see better results if you focus on optimizing four specific types of pages.
1 – Pages With Quality Links
If you’ve noticed that your pages have gathered many links but don’t rank very well, this may be because the page is not optimized for your current keywords.
To increase blog traffic, be sure to refresh the page and update it with relevant content and keywords.
2 – Pages With the Highest Traffic
If you have pages getting a lot of traffic, optimizing them for even better results makes sense. Updating your content can help keep your visitors happy and attract new ones.
When you make your articles more relevant, there is a good chance they will rank higher.
3 – High Bounce Rate Pages
If you’ve been looking at your website analytics, you may have noticed that some pages have high bounce rates. This generally means that people are leaving your site pretty quickly – which could mean that they do not have a good experience on your site.
There are probably several reasons why this is happening. Your website might be loading slowly, or the content on those pages might need updating. So it’s crucial to check both of these things and see what can be improved.
Make sure to regularly check your bounce rates in Google Analytics so you can track any changes and see what’s causing people to leave your site. Then make the necessary updates to keep them around longer!
4 – Low Ranking Pages With High Keyword Impressions
If you see a lot of keyword impressions, it means that search engines have crawled your page and found it relevant for users searching for those terms. This is excellent news – it means your page has the potential to rank high in search engine results pages (SERPs).
But if you do not see the desired ranking position, then there may be something wrong with how well your page is optimized for those keywords or how recent the content is. You’ll need to update your information where necessary or optimize for newer, more popular keywords. Doing both can help improve your chances of ranking higher in SERPs.
How to Increase the Traffic to Your Blog With Content Optimization
Updating your existing blog content is a great way to boost traffic levels. By looking at the pages that need to be updated and making changes accordingly, you can keep your blog posts fresh and exciting for your readers.
Here are some tips on how to optimize them.
1 – Add More Depth to the Content
If you’re looking for ways to increase traffic to your blog, adding more content may not be the answer. Instead, consider taking a closer look at the depth and research that’s already going into your posts.
Adding well-researched and credible sources of information will help build trust with your readers and make your posts even more valuable. This will also help you stand out from the competition.
Identifying gaps in your content can also help you develop new ideas to keep things interesting for your audience.
2 – Try to Add New Keywords
If you find that your older blog posts are still relevant for new keywords, don’t worry – you don’t have to write completely unique content. Just update the existing content with the new keywords by studying your competitors or observing relevant keywords in your Google search console.
Also, consider using keyword research tools like Ahrefs or Semrush to discover new search queries asked by your target audience.
3 – Content Consolidation
If you’re looking to increase your website’s page rank and attract more search traffic, this is a great strategy to try. Posts with good keyword impressions but low rankings can be consolidated into a single post, increasing its page rank.
This will make your website cleaner, faster, and easier to navigate – an added bonus!
Consolidating posts will deepen the concept you’re already covering and strengthen your article. This also reduces the chance of duplicate content appearing in your blogs, improving the overall quality of your blog.
4 – Include Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re looking for questions your target audience asks, look at the “People also ask” section in Google search results. This can give you some great ideas for keywords to target.
You can also find relevant questions in the “Related searches” section. If you come across common questions in your support queries, be sure to answer them! These sections of your content are doing well in the featured snippet section, improving the overall quality.
You can consider using Schema Pro to improve your content’s rank in the featured snippets section and boost your search appearance overall. This tool can help you add Q&A schema to your pages, giving you an edge over the competition.
5 – Use the Current Year in Your Headline
Ensuring your content is up to date is vital for your website’s ranking. One way to do this is by adding the current year to the end of every post you optimize.
Adding the year to your post titles is a simple way to ensure your content stays fresh and up-to-date. It can also give you a ranking boost, as people are more likely to search for trending topics.
Including the year in your title can help people find your content more quickly. Updating the information within the post will ensure that it’s as relevant as possible.
It’s a simple change, but it makes a big difference.
6 – Updating Meta Tags
If you have pages with low click-through rates (CTR), keep an eye on them using Google Search Console. This means that your title tag and meta description are not attractive enough. In this case, look at your competitors and see what is working for them.
Then, update your meta tags accordingly to increase traffic to your website. Having more clickable meta tags helps increase traffic to your website. It sends a positive signal to the search engines crawlers, indicating that people want to read your pages.
7 – Enhance Your Search Intent Matching
Make sure your blog post fully matches the search query you’re targeting. For example, if your title and heading say ‘Best WordPress themes for Restaurants in 2022’, ensure the post covers WordPress restaurant themes.
Looking at Google as a vast Q&A website can help you create blog posts that provide people’s answers. By thinking about what questions people might ask and addressing them in your posts, you can attract more readers and improve your blog’s standing in search results.
8 – Link Internal Pages
By creating more content, you can link internally to relevant posts. This is a great way to keep readers engaged and on your website longer. You’ll have more opportunities to connect related articles together with each new post.
Internal links are vital to driving traffic and keeping people interested in what you have to say.
Keep your blog posts fresh and up-to-date by linking newer posts to older, relevant ones. This will automatically update and refresh your older content!
9 – Link to New Research and Case Studies
If you’re using old research content in your blog posts, it’s time to update it.
Linking to research proves what you’re saying and backs up any claim you make with evidence. As research and opinion change, keeping your proof updated and relevant makes sense.
I’ve added Hubspot’s research to this blog post, as it is the most suitable for the current topic. We’ll revisit that research in a few months or a year to ensure it’s still up-to-date and relevant.
Unless it has changed, we’ll leave it alone. We will replace the research source if the study is no longer appropriate or replaced by new findings.
10 – Delete Broken Links
You need to keep an eye on the internal and external links you add. Suppose the page or post you link to from one of your articles gets deleted. In that case, your visitors might end up on a broken page – which is a severe concern to the user experience.
The Broken Link Checker plugin makes it easy to find and fix broken links. You can also use the free broken link checker by Ahrefs to find any broken links on your website.
If you come across any broken posts on your website, it’s a good idea to remove them and replace them with relevant, active posts. Not only will this make your website more authentic, but it can also help improve your SEO.
11 – Implement Schema Markup
Adding schema markup to your content can help search engines better understand what your product is all about. This, in turn, can create an enhanced description of your product (known as rich snippets) in search results.
Adding rich snippets can help your search results stand out and attract more attention. This can lead to more people clicking on your blog, increasing traffic.
When updating your old post, make sure it has the relevant schema markup if it doesn’t already have it. Many WordPress themes include schema markup by default.
If you want to add more schema types or enhance your search rankings, you can use the Schema Pro plugin.
12 – Upload Images and Videos
If you want your blog posts to rank high on search engines, be sure to add engaging content that will keep readers hanging around for a while. Images and videos are particularly good at doing this, so make sure to include them in relevant places throughout your posts.
Adding the right images and videos can help keep your blog post updated and relevant. However, if you add too many large photos or videos, it can slow down your website. To prevent this from happening, resize any images below 1000px and use WebP image formats.
Avoid uploading videos directly to your website – instead, embed them from a separate video hosting site like YouTube. This will save bandwidth on your end and ensure that your website loads quickly for visitors.
13 – Updating and Optimizing Your Existing Images
If you’re updating an old blog post, be sure to check the images you use. Screenshots and product photos can quickly become outdated, ensuring everything is still accurate before publishing.
The accompanying images may change whenever a company updates its products or apps. So make sure to keep your photos up-to-date by using the latest product shots and app screenshots! And don’t forget to optimize them with the correct names and alt text. Including relevant key phrases will help optimize your SEO.
14 – Schedule Regular Updates
It’s a good idea to update your blog posts regularly. Figure out your old posts’ potential and when would be the best time to update them to achieve success.
It can be tough to keep up with regular content updates – it takes time and energy. If you wait too long between updates, the blog post becomes irrelevant and won’t bring traffic to your website.
So we suggest auditing your content regularly – if possible, once every quarter. That way, you can make sure that the content you have published is still relevant and appealing to visitors.
15 – Update Your Blog Posts and Promote Them
Make sure you promote your blog posts to your followers and potential customers. You can do this by sharing them in your newsletter or email outreach, as well as on your social media channels.
If you have the budget, consider investing in ads to drive traffic to your blog.
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Questions & Answers
I know you may have questions about increasing blog traffic by optimizing posts. I’ve got answers to some of the most common questions we’re asked.
What Is the Best Frequency for Updating Old Blog Posts?
It’s a good idea to audit your content every quarter so you can keep track of how your blog is performing and make any necessary updates. This will help ensure that your blog always has relevant information for your readers. If you see an opportunity to update the blog, don’t hesitate!
If you’re looking to increase blog traffic from search engines, consider updating your older posts! Fresh content is more likely to rank higher and bring in the visitors you need.
What Should I Do to Optimize My Existing Blog?
If you’re looking to improve your blog articles, we’ve got some great tips for you! I’ll share 15 ways to optimize your existing content in this next section. Here are the most important takeaways:
- Identify new keywords through keyword research
- Identify and address the search intent
- Update your meta tags
- Consolidate content that is average-performing
- Title your article with the current year
- Increase internal linking in relevant places
- Give your content more depth
- Add a FAQ section
- Include videos in your posts
- Add schema markup where appropriate
- Link to a new study or research
- Removing all broken links
- Update your blog posts and promote them to your existing audience
- Optimize images with appropriate alt texts
- Establish a regular schedule for updating
These tips will help you improve your user experience and rank higher in search engines.
Is It Necessary to Update Old Blog Posts?
It’s a good idea to update your old blog posts. If you’re not regularly posting new content, it might be time for an update. As time goes on, the information you share can become outdated. If you don’t update, your articles could lose their relevance.
Your articles gain more value when you regularly update your content. By doing so, you ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information on your website. People keep coming back because they know that they can rely on the information you provide.
Is Posting Date Important for SEO?
Post-dates indeed affect SEO; in addition to helping to rank higher, they also increase click-through rates. Having a post date in your meta description enables users to understand when you published your content and how relevant it is to the current times.
It’s important to update existing content to remain fresh and valuable as often as possible.
Suppose you’ve made any noteworthy changes to your blog. Then, you can choose to update the publication date with the appropriate schema.
What Should You Do With Old Blog Posts?
If you have any old blog posts, it’s a good idea to update them with new information. This will help keep your blog fresh and maintain your authority. You can add relevant links and media to justify the change and ensure the information is still accurate.
Boost Your Blog Posts’ Search Engine Rankings Today
If you want to improve your website’s search engine ranking and boost blog traffic, you can do so by editing old blog posts. You can do this without writing a new post. Researching new keywords, adding expert quotes, and adding more depth are all great methods for optimizing blog posts for SEO.
If you’re not updating your blog posts, you’re missing out on some fantastic benefits!
Updating your blog content keeps your audience engaged and builds trust over time. It also gets you more traffic, improves brand reputation, and boosts revenue through increased sales.
So don’t wait – update those old blog posts today! And if you need help getting started, let us know in the comments. We’d be happy to give you a hand.
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