In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, refreshing outdated blog content is crucial. We’ve gathered six strategies from industry experts including Heads of Content and SEO Specialists. From prioritizing blogs with untapped potential to repurposing content into new formats, discover how to breathe new life into your old posts.

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Contents

1 Prioritize Blogs with Potential
2 Use Google Search Console Data
3 Add FAQs to Older Content
4 Incorporate a Table of Contents
5 Gather New Expert Quotes
6 Repurpose Content into New Formats

Prioritize Blogs with Potential

Optimizing old blogs is often overlooked in favor of creating new content, which is a hugely missed opportunity. My top tip for approaching optimizations is to choose your blogs carefully.

Use metrics like keyword rankings and traffic to determine which blogs are worthy of optimizing, then prioritize them according to potential.

The analytics behind the blog give you a clearer picture of what could be improved and how. For example, a blog ranking for several keywords in positions 4-15 is prime for optimizing, but one that doesn’t rank at all isn’t worthy of being at the top of your to-do list.

You’re much more likely to have an impact with blogs that are already doing well than those that are flatlining.

Mel Healy Featured 6 Ways to Use Historical Optimization to Refresh Outdated Blog Content

Mel Healy, Head of Content, Marketing Labs

Use Google Search Console Data

One easy strategy I like to use involves four steps and historical Google Search Console information.

1. Pick a time period; I like to go all the way to the 16-month mark.

2. Get into Google Search Console and set your dates to compare the present performance to the performance from your chosen time.

3. Look for posts that used to drive traffic but have since fallen in rank/performance.

4. Update the post for everything: Does the tone still work for the brand? Does the point of view still make sense? Is there a new take or lesson you can include? Fix broken or irrelevant links, add new ones (especially internal ones), and restructure the blog for present-day readers.

Starting with Google Search Console helps you start with factual data instead of a guess. You then have more time to dedicate to making the necessary changes to ensure the blog is still relevant and helpful.

Lauren Plug Featured 6 Ways to Use Historical Optimization to Refresh Outdated Blog Content

Lauren Plug, Copywriter, SEO Specialist, Copy by LP

Add FAQs to Older Content

One strategy we have only recently employed, but have seen success with, is adding an FAQ list to the bottom of older content.

Find a piece of content that previously did very well but may have dwindled over time. Run the content through ChatGPT and ask for a list of frequently asked questions based on the content. Once generated, choose 3-5 questions and answers, edit for your voice and expertise, and add them to the bottom of the original content. Be sure to add a caveat that the content was edited for additional information on the new date, then republish the content (don’t just update it) with the new publish date.

We found that we began ranking for new keywords and received a decent traffic boost and clicks after implementing this strategy. Adding the FAQs and answers adds to content length and also adds secondary keywords and key phrases, all with minimal work!

Beth Gillem Featured 6 Ways to Use Historical Optimization to Refresh Outdated Blog Content

Beth Gillem, SEO Specialist, Dogwood Media Solutions

Incorporate a Table of Contents

Layer in a table of contents on the page and incorporate jump-links into the table of contents that will allow the user to get to the specific topic with ease. The jump-links help the user access the information more quickly. Equally as important is the impact it will have on search results. When this strategy is utilized on content that’s already ranking within striking distance, the impact can help boost the rankings of the search listing without too much effort.

Leslie Gelina Featured 6 Ways to Use Historical Optimization to Refresh Outdated Blog Content

Leslie Gelina, Digital Marketer, Frizzlie

Gather New Expert Quotes

My favorite strategy for refreshing outdated blog content is using Featured.com to gather new, expert quotes related to the blog topic. This website makes it easy (and free!) to ask relevant questions and receive quotes from industry experts, which you can then incorporate into your older blog articles.

For example, if you have a blog about the benefits of AI for finance teams, you can ask finance professionals to share their favorite AI use cases or the results they’ve seen from using AI. These fresh insights not only revitalize your content but also provide added value to your readers.

Additionally, while updating the blog, it’s also a good idea to update the blog headers. This is another relatively quick lift that can impact your SEO faster than rewriting an entire piece. By incorporating new expert perspectives and optimizing headers, you can effectively modernize your blog content and improve its search engine performance.

Katie White Featured 6 Ways to Use Historical Optimization to Refresh Outdated Blog Content

Katie White, Content Marketing Manager, Centime

Repurpose Content into New Formats

One effective strategy for refreshing outdated blog content is to repurpose it into different formats, such as podcasts, webinars, or downloadable guides. This approach expands its appeal to a broader audience and enhances engagement across various platforms.

By adapting content into these formats, you can breathe new life into older posts and cater to different audience preferences. This method ensures your content remains relevant and accessible, maximizing its impact and interaction with your audience.