How to effectively improve old content to rank better
Did you know that updating old blog posts can boost organic traffic by as much as 106%? With Google updating its algorithm on a continual basis, it’s no surprise that some blog posts end up losing their power in terms of search engine rankings. However, rather than forgetting about these older posts and focusing on new content entirely, it makes sense to revisit the old blog posts and improve them so you can improve their results.
Let’s take a look at how to do this successfully.
Identify content that’s worth refreshing
The first step is to do an audit of your existing content so you can figure out which posts might be worth refreshing.
You can use the following approaches to do this effectively:
- Traffic analysis - Use Google Analytics or a similar tool to identify posts that once had high traffic but have since seen a decline.
- Keyword potential - Check if your old content is ranking on the second or third page of Google. These articles may need just a nudge to reach the first page.
- Engagement metrics - Assess the average time spent on the page and the engagement rate. If users are leaving quickly or not engaging, the content might need an update.
- Conversion rates - Look at how well the old content converted visitors into leads or customers. If conversion rates were high, it's a good indication that this content is valuable and should be refreshed.
- Content freshness - Older articles, especially those over a few years old, may be perceived as outdated by search engines and users, even if the topic is evergreen.
Update outdated information
Stale data can significantly hinder your credibility. So, make sure that you do the following:
Replace old statistics with current ones ✅
Remove outdated SEO practices ✅
Use a "Broken Link Checker" to identify and replace dead links ✅
Enhance your content
Now you need to look at what you can do to make your content better and more comprehensive to improve the user experience.
Some ideas include:
- Add related subtopics - If you wrote about social media marketing, for example, can you include sections on newer platforms or trending strategies?
- Incorporate visual elements - Infographics, relevant images, or even videos can break content and provide a visual understanding.
- Add some internal linking - Link to your newer articles or other relevant pieces of content. This not only aids in SEO but keeps the reader engaged.
Optimise your content for SEO
Your older content may not have been effectively optimised with the latest SEO practices.
Start by making sure that your content is optimised for current high-ranking keywords. Tools like SEMrush or AHREFS can help.
Next, update meta titles and descriptions to be more enticing and include relevant keywords.
Finally, make sure that all images have alt texts and are compressed for faster loading.
Improve readability
Now that you’ve gotten rid of outdated information and optimised your content effectively, it’s time to improve readability so that users have a better experience.
Here are five ways you can do this:
- Break up your content with relevant H2 and H3 subheadings (while retaining your all-important H1 tags, of course);
- Avoid long walls of text; keep paragraphs short and concise;
- Use bullet points and lists to make your content skimmable and more digestible;
- Ensure that fonts, colour schemes, and design elements remain consistent throughout;
- Integrate relevant images, videos, charts, and infographics.
User engagement
An engaged audience is more likely to spend more time on your page and share it with others.
Here are some of the ways you can improve old content to boost engagement:
- Add or update Calls to Action (CTA) - Encourage readers to comment or share related articles.
- Incorporate interactive elements - Incorporate polls, quizzes, or interactive infographics to keep readers engaged and make your content more memorable.
- Highlight social proof - Display testimonials, case studies, or user reviews to bolster your content's credibility and encourage more interactions.
- Personalise content - If possible, use dynamic content to tailor the user experience based on their previous interactions, location, or preferences. Personalised experiences are more engaging and can result in longer page visits.
- Use storytelling - Narratives and stories are engaging. Where applicable, structure your content in a storytelling format, guiding readers through a journey that captures their attention and answers their questions from beginning to end.
Optimise for mobile viewing
More and more people are viewing the web using their mobile phones today, so make sure they can access your content. You may want to consider using Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) for faster loading on mobile.
Republish and promote
Once you have updated your content, make sure you do the following:
Change the publish date ✅
Highlighting the fresh content gives it new visibility on your site.
Promote the post ✅
Share your revamped content on social media platforms, email newsletters, and other channels.
Reach out to websites that have backlinked to yours ✅
If there have been significant updates, reach out to websites that previously linked to you and inform them about the fresher, more comprehensive resource.
Monitor and adjust
Finally, bear in mind that improvements may not deliver immediate results. You’ll need to continuously monitor metrics to gauge the effectiveness of your updates. Also, keep an eye on reader comments, as they may provide insights into further improvements you can make.
Revamp old content and feel the benefits
Revitalising old content is a highly effective strategy for law firms looking to boost visibility and engagement. Not only does this approach capitalise on work you’ve already done, but it ensures that your content remains evergreen, valuable, and ranking-friendly.
With the evolving nature of digital landscapes, making this a habitual practice can set your content, and by extension, your brand, apart from the rest.
Contacting Social Hive
Share this page...