Do you think your blog post from a few years ago is ready to rest on its laurels? Think again! Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is an ever-changing landscape. What worked to get you on the first page of results in 2019 might not even keep you ranked in 2024.
Introduction
To make sure your older content stays relevant and keeps drawing in those valuable clicks, here are some eye-opening stats that explain why updates are essential:
-
Search Evolves: Over 60% of searches now happen on mobile devices (Source: Statcounter). That means Google and other search engines prioritize fast, responsive sites designed for smaller screens.
-
Quality Trumps Quantity: While keywords are still important, search engines focus on the intent behind the search. In 2024, well-written and informative content beats thin pages or posts stuffed with keywords (Source: Backlinko).
-
EEAT Matters: Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (EEAT) are major ranking factors. Nearly 80% of users turn to a different website if they have doubts about a site's credibility (Source: Semrush).
This checklist focuses on updating older content that has potential but needs a refresh. We'll cover SEO techniques for 2024 along with specific ways to demonstrate EEAT to boost your rankings.
Website Health Audit: Key Checks for Updated Content
Before tweaking a single sentence in your old post, you need a fresh picture of your website's performance. Here's where to focus:
-
Duplicate Content: Issues still plague many websites, hurting rankings as your pages cannibalize each other. Free and premium tools like Siteliner (https://www.siteliner.com/) and Screaming Frog (https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/) can uncover these issues quickly.
-
Broken Links: Broken links harm both user experience and your site's trustworthiness. Ahrefs' Broken Link Checker (https://ahrefs.com/) lets you easily find broken links - both internal and external.
-
-
Crawl Errors: Search engines need to be able to "crawl" your site effectively. Google Search Console (https://search.google.com/search-console/about) is free and can alert you to potential crawl issues that cause pages not to be indexed.
-
Indexing and Crawlability
Ensure Search Engines Can Find Your Updated Content
Your post refresh doesn't matter if search engines can't properly catalogue those changes. Old posts sometimes sit unnoticed, so here's how to give them a push:
- Google Search Console: Use the 'Fetch as Google' feature to submit your refreshed URLs for re-crawling. This alerts Google to the changes.
- Sitemap Update: Ensure your sitemap.xml file includes the updated URL structures for changed posts.
- Get Natural Backlinks: Share the revamped post on social media or relevant sites in your niche. These fresh backlinks act as a signal to search engines that the content is updated.
Site Speed is King
Don't Lose Visitors: Prioritize Page Speed
In 2024, consumer patience is thin. Find the most recent studies highlighting how many users will abandon a slow-loading site. Stressing potential lost income – alongside rankings – emphasizes the importance.
- Tools: Google PageSpeed Insights (https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/) and GTmetrix (https://gtmetrix.com/) offer in-depth analysis of site speed areas needing improvement.
-
- Address Slowdowns: Image optimization, reducing heavy scripts, and implementing browser caching are common techniques to address page load
Refreshing 'Local' Signals in Your Older Content
Think your old blog post isn't relevant to local search? Think again! Updates and subtle tweaks can transform an existing article into an asset to help you rank for local searches.
Finding the Hidden Local Angle
- Updated Stats: Start by sourcing fresh research. Look for new information on local search trends in 2024. Emphasize how behaviours have likely shifted – potentially even more towards 'near me' search and mobile usage.
- Analyze Your Post: Scan your existing post for:
- Mentions of your city, surrounding towns, or neighbourhoods.
- Images showcasing recognizable local places or events.
- Reviews or testimonials tied to a specific location.
Amplifying Those Signals
- Keyword Infusion: Sprinkle in location-based terms where it feels natural to do so. But always consider how a user would normally speak or search. Forced keywords hurt readability.
- Images Count: If existing images are relevant, ensure their alt-text includes locations where suitable.
- Encourage Fresh Reviews: Not only do new reviews strengthen reputation, but they also act as fresh content signals for search engines, boosting local relevance.
EEAT Considerations
- NAP Consistency: Make sure your Business Name, Address, and Phone information is 100% accurate across your website. This alignment with Google Business Profile (or other listings) boosts trust with search engines.
- Highlight Local Expertise: If existing authors already demonstrated local expertise, a refreshed bio further signals trustworthiness to those in your area.
Further Opportunities
- Explore Locally: If the topic lends itself to it, add a short list of related places or attractions near your business that the original post mentioned. This gives visitors more ways to find and engage with you.
Your Old Post on a Small Screen: Mobile Optimization Essentials
In 2024, the majority of people searching for information will do so from their smartphones. If your older blog post isn't optimized for mobile, it's likely struggling to rank in search results. Here's how to fix that:
- Visual Impact: Ensure images are optimized for faster loading and that they display correctly across different mobile devices. This improves the user experience and keeps people engaged.
- Ease of Reading: On small screens, shorter paragraphs and meaningful subheadings make content far easier to scan. Consider reformatting sections from the old post if needed.
- Font Clarity: Choose a font that's easily readable at smaller sizes. It might be time to refresh the original font choice depending on its legibility on mobile.
Quick Check: After your updates, utilize Google's Mobile-Friendly Test tool (https://search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly) to see how the improved post measures up.
EEAT Considerations
A fast-loading and seamlessly navigable mobile design demonstrates care and attention to detail. This positively impacts visitor experience and, by extension, helps establish your site as a trustworthy source of information.
SEM in 2024: Auditing Your Tag Setup
While Google Tag Manager (GTM) simplifies marketing tag deployment, effective SEM optimization goes further. Your older content provides a wealth of performance data waiting to be unlocked through GTM insights.
- Analyze Past Performance: How did the existing version of the blog post contribute to conversion goals or specific engagement metrics? This data isn't just for ad campaigns, it helps reveal how the content itself performed.
- Data-Driven Updates: If traffic analytics through GTM show high bounce rates in certain sections, consider reformatting that area. Look for where calls to action might be better suited based on past visitor behaviour.
- Staying Ahead: Tag management platforms continue to evolve with greater privacy controls and the rising use of server-side tagging. Keep updated on the latest trends to ensure your setup effectively tracks what matters for a stronger overall content strategy.
EEAT Considerations
This focused, data-driven approach positions you as an expert by going beyond guesswork. You not only understand the importance of tags and metrics but also how to actively leverage them for improvement, enhancing trust and authority.
Onsite Optimisation
How to Revitalize Existing Content for SEO in 2024
Content remains a cornerstone of search engine success, but the game has evolved. When revising an older post, keep these current trends in mind:
- Semantic Search: Search engines like Google are getting smarter about understanding user intent. Write conversationally and focus on covering a topic in-depth rather than fixating only on specific keywords.
- Readability Matters: Clear formatting, concise writing, and meaningful subheadings not only aid readers but signal quality content to search engines.
- Link Up: Integrate links to other relevant pieces within your updated post. This provides further value to visitors and enhances your site's internal linking structure – good for crawlability and user experience.
Don't Neglect These Technicals
Even with amazing content, on-page errors will sabotage your rankings. During your update, look for these often-overlooked problems:
- Title Tags: A new study found that [Insert %] of websites in 2024 still struggle with issues like length, lack of clarity, or poor keyword integration. These short descriptions matter for both attracting clicks and communicating content relevance to search engines.
- Confusing Headers: Duplicate H1 tags, missing headers, or an illogical hierarchy make content harder for search engines to process and hurt usability.
- Check Your Tools: Take advantage of free extensions like Yoast SEO or Ahrefs Webmaster tools to catch such technical issues with ease during your content refresh.
EEAT Considerations
-
- Expertise: Well-written, up-to-date content demonstrates your grasp of the topic and can be further amplified by citations or links to related content you've authored on the site.
- Attention to Detail: Optimizing on-page elements exhibits precision and establishes user trust since even small errors erode a reader's trust in a website.
Image Optimisation
Images Aren't Just Visuals: Optimizing for SEO and User Experience
Images significantly impact a page's search visibility and how users interact with your content. Here's what to focus on when updating old blog posts:
- Visual Search Surge: More people are searching for information through images in 2024. Ensuring your images are well-optimized puts you ahead of the curve.
- Core Web Vitals: Large, unoptimized images slow your site down. Utilize compression tools like TinyPNG or Squoosh to streamline images without sacrificing visual quality. This leads to a better user experience and improves ranking potential.
- Accessibility Counts: Descriptive alt text isn't just for tags anymore. Screen readers and those with visual impairments rely on these textual descriptions to fully understand your content.
- Going Further: Consider using structured data (image schema markup) for potential extra visibility in search results. Stay ahead by investigating newer image formats like AVIF or WebP for further speed improvements.
EEAT Considerations
- Building Trust: Accessibility practices like detailed alt text are not just ethical, they demonstrate trustworthiness and a commitment to inclusive design.
-
- Technical Know-How: Well-optimized images and a lightning-fast site signal you grasp technical SEO concepts, establishing expertise in the field.
Social Media Optimisation
Amplify Your Updated Content: Social Media Strategies for 2024
Social networks remain vibrant hubs for potential customers, but it's essential to know where your specific audience is most active in 2024. Find recent studies on platform engagement across industries to guide your efforts.
- Repurpose Your Ideas: Take core concepts from the updated post and consider presenting them in alternative formats. Infographics, short explainer videos, or a "Key Takeaways" Twitter thread can spark fresh engagement.
- Hashtag Research: Target trending hashtags related to the post's topic, but dig deeper by uncovering community-specific hashtags or local keywords to maximize visibility within your niche.
- Content Refinement Tool: Monitor conversations and reactions on social media. Is a specific quote generating discussion? Are people asking questions on certain aspects of the topic? Let this valuable feedback influence future content strategy.
EEAT Considerations
- Open Engagement: Respond to both positive and constructive comments around the updated post. Actively participate in dialogue concerning enhancing your brand's reputation.
-
- Know Your Niche: Pinpointing popular social platforms related to your field, understanding trending hashtags, and tailoring content formats showcases genuine expertise within your speciality.
Monthly Content Production?
Why Consistent Updates Aren't Optional in 2024
Recent research proves that consumers expect fresh content from businesses and authority websites. Regularly releasing new blog posts or updating older ones sends a positive signal to both visitors and search engines.
- The Value of Updates: Refreshing existing content demonstrates that you stay current with your niche and that your site offers timely insights. Updating old posts often creates a resurgence of interest and a renewed boost in rankings.
- Content in Many Forms: Consider ways to expand on the revised post's success. Can valuable insights be turned into a short video series, a comprehensive eBook, or an attention-grabbing social media campaign?
- Personalization Matters: As your post garners feedback with its revamp, identify avenues to further personalize the content by addressing emerging questions or adapting information based on popular reader queries.
EEAT Considerations
- Commitment and Expertise: Consistently updated content signals that you value providing fresh knowledge, positioning you as a subject matter expert and a reliable source of information.
-
- Adaptability Pays Off: The willingness to tweak your content strategy based on user trends and feedback establishes you as a trustworthy figure in your space and showcases adaptability - another sign of authority.
Quarterly SEO Maintenance
Track Your Updates: The Quarterly SEO Check-In
Search engine algorithms evolve rapidly. That's why regular "health checks" are crucial for maximizing the impact of your content improvements. Find recent statistics showcasing how proactive SEO monitoring leads to greater visibility and improved search results.
- Measure the Revamp: Here's what to focus on after updating your older post:
- Ranking Movement: Did your refreshed content gain positions for important keywords? Monitor these shifts closely.
- Search Term Evolution: Is it appearing for slightly different variations or related long-tail keywords? These reflect semantic changes in how search engines "read" the improved content.
- Boost in Referrals: Social shares, organic backlinks... These positive external signals demonstrate your content has gained new authority with its refresh.
- Your Tool Kit: Utilize rank tracking tools (like SEMrush or Ahrefs) alongside Google Search Console to understand how search engines view your site's performance. Stay organized and on top of search optimization trends.
EEAT Considerations
- Data as Proof: Quantifiable performance changes and strategic decision-making based on this analysis boost your reputation as a data-driven, analytical expert in your field.
-
- Addressing Issues: Reacting swiftly to potential red flags, new opportunities, or competitor shifts proves agility and builds user trust in your ongoing management of the site.
Video Marketing
The Power of Video in 2024: Repurposing Existing Content
Video consumption remains dominant and shows no sign of slowing in 2024. Here's how to capitalize on your updated written content's success by harnessing video as a strategic next step:
- Turn Insights into Explainer Videos: Condense essential concepts from the new, longer article into visually-engaging explanations on social media. This attracts a whole new audience to your in-depth content.
- Utilize Live Video: Address popular questions or expand on updates you made to the text piece with a live Q&A or community panel discussion, demonstrating you actively engage with readers.
- Content Teasers: Share enticing clips from explainer videos or discussions as social media 'hooks' to draw viewers back to the main blog post's comprehensive resource.
- Accessibility Matters: Remember that transcripts or accurate captions on all videos create an inclusive experience while optimizing the related text for searchability.
EEAT Considerations
- Multiple Formats Boost Expertise: Providing options to engage through text, video, or social interaction caters to different learning styles, solidifying your authority in the subject matter.
-
- Staying Current: Embracing video platforms relevant to your audience shows flexibility and a willingness to adapt. This further amplifies your industry leadership and strengthens user trust.
Infographics
Making Your Updated Content Easy to Digest
Visual assets like infographics remain powerful tools to simplify complex information. Consider distilling crucial points from your updated text post into a visually appealing and shareable format. Here's why an infographic could be a potent upgrade:
- Data with Impact: Updated stats or important findings within your post are ideal infographic material. Visual presentation helps viewers grasp key data points quickly and effectively.
- Sharability Factor: Well-designed infographics encourage social sharing, leading to natural backlinks and traffic back to your main article.
- Brand Reinforcement: Use consistent colours, fonts, and styles to make your infographic feel uniquely linked to your website, bolstering recognition and recall.
EEAT Considerations
- Accessible Information: Infographics cater to a wider audience, including those who respond better to visual information as opposed to solely text-based articles. This inclusivity reflects favorably on your commitment to a positive user experience.
-
- Demonstrates Understanding: Visualizing data requires interpreting and synthesizing information effectively – a subtle signal of your mastery within the subject.
Conclusion
Your Old Blog Post, Revitalized for 2024 Success
By now, you might be surprised at the transformation your older blog post can undergo. It's tempting to only focus on new content, but applying these focused updates breathes new life into existing assets on your site. You'll boost visibility, user engagement, and establish the site as a trustworthy resource within your niche.
Consider it this way:
- SEO and User Experience Combine: Updated statistics, refined keywords, and image optimization aren't just about rankings. They improve how visitors understand the information you provide. That's a cornerstone of Google's EEAT philosophy.
- The Work Is Ongoing: Quarterly audits, consistent refreshing, and repurposing older successes as videos or infographics aren't optional tasks. It's about fostering a constantly evolving, user-centric website strategy.
- Content Is an Investment: Your time and effort in revitalization pay off by creating an asset with greater ROI over time. Fresh insights, timely updates, and strategic SEO optimization transform a seemingly "done" blog post into a dynamic driver of growth for your business.
Ready to Maximize Your Content?
While these improvements can create a powerful impact, a comprehensive SEO approach often takes an expert eye. If you'd like support in analyzing your site's older content for a strategic refresh, let's talk. Reach out for a personalized content strategy consultation today!
FAQ: Revitalizing Your Blog Posts for Greater Visibility
Q: My original post already ranks well. Do I really need updates?
A: Even content performing well in search can benefit from a refresh. Search algorithms change, audience preferences shift, and updated statistics or visuals strengthen your authority. Remember, it's easier to maintain rank than regain lost positions.
Q: Isn't content freshness only about publishing new articles?
A: Not at all! Updated insights, improved readability, and optimization tactics applied to an older post showcase you provide the most current information regardless of publish date. This impacts ranking and engagement.
Q: How often should I revisit old content?
A: It depends on your industry and blog style. However, quarterly SEO audits should include identifying "quick win" older post candidates. In-depth refreshes of significant content could happen every 1-2 years based on your analysis.
Q: Will these updates work on long, in-depth content only?
A: While substantial posts generally offer bigger potential for improvement, even seemingly brief posts gain. Updated images, better headings, or adding new insights gleaned from comments all lead to increased value.
Q: This feels overwhelming. Does it require specific technical skills?
A: Basic refreshes are accessible via easy-to-use tools and plugins. However, an SEO agency offers a thorough audit. They leverage data-driven knowledge and current tools to identify high-value content candidates for updates, helping you prioritize for best ROI.
Additional reading
