What is a content refresh and why it matters

If you have prospects regularly comb through your content, the last thing you want is for them to come across outdated statistics that don’t speak to today’s reality. At best, they’ll be confused, but forgive the mistake. But at worst? It weakens the case for doing business with you.

The last thing you want is to look like a relic of the past - here’s how to do a content refresh.

But first, what is a content refresh?

Content is the backbone of digital marketing, but over time, even the best content can become outdated or irrelevant. A content refresh is the process of updating existing content to ensure it remains optimized for search engines while still being valuable for your audience.

Refreshes involve revisiting and improving older content.

It can include:

• Adding new images, or multimedia

• Enhancing readability and formatting

• Updating outdated statistics and facts

• Fixing broken links and outdated references

• Improving search engine optimization (SEO)

Unlike a content rewrite, a refresh keeps the core topic intact while refining its relevance and value.

Why should you do a content refresh?

1. Improve SEO rankings

Search engines favor fresh, updated content. By refreshing your blog posts, and website pages, you signal to search engines that your content is relevant, which can lead to higher rankings and increased organic traffic.

2. Save time and resources

Creating new content from scratch requires time and effort. Refreshing existing content allows you to maximize the value of what you’ve already created while maintaining an efficient content strategy.

3. Strengthen authority and credibility

Outdated information can harm your brand’s reputation and become invaluable for the readers. Keeping your content fresh ensures you maintain authority in your industry and continue to provide trustworthy, high-quality information to your audience.

How to refresh your content

There is no one-size-fits-all strategy when it comes to refreshing your content. However, here are a few key steps to help you get started:

1. Identify underperforming content

Use tools like Google Analytics, Semrush, or Hubspot to identify older content that has seen a decline in traffic or rankings. These could be good starting points for a refresh.

2. Update outdated information

Check for outdated statistics, broken links, and obsolete data. Replace them with the latest facts, figures, and sources to enhance credibility.

You could also include new insights or case studies if there have been industry developments or changes. This helps keep your content relevant and valuable.

3. Optimize for SEO

When creating or refreshing content on your website, blogs and articles, it’s key to keep in mind search engine optimisation (SEO).

This includes focusing on:

• Improving meta titles and descriptions

• Adding or updating target keywords

• Optimizing images with alt text

• Enhancing internal linking

4. Enhance readability

Here’s a hard truth: people don’t read, they skim.

Break up large text blocks with subheadings, bullet points, and visuals. Ensure the content is easy to scan and digest for readers (& SEO!) Favor short text and concision.

6. Promote your refreshed content

Once you have completed your content refresh, reshare your content through social media, email newsletters, and backlinks to regain traction and engagement.

When should I refresh my content?

Keeping your content up-to-date ensures it remains relevant, engaging, and optimized for search engines.

If you’re ready to take your content strategy to the next level, book a free content strategy session with us here.