How to Maximize & Revamp Existing Content To Make the Most Out Of It
A fresh, relevant article is much more likely going to do well in search engine rankings. Google prefers more recent information compared to older and outdated ones. Let’s face it, anyone looking for information will click a 2021 article rather than a 2014 one, even if the latter is more well-written
Therefore, it’s always a good idea to revisit and update your existing content. Not just for rankings, mind you, but also for the benefit of your readers. Aside from increasing your chances of getting a better rank in search engines, you also get to provide timely and relevant information for your visitors too.
Updating existing content is easy and quick to do. You don’t really have to write from scratch, you just have to change things up or add around 200 to 300 words to make it “fresh” again. Below are several more tips on how to do this properly:
Understand How Google Works
Your existing content merely needs to be polished so that it will conform to any changes in Google’s algorithm. You can opt to remove outdated information and add a trendy topic or keyword (if applicable). Again, make sure the additional content is at least 200 to 300 words long to make it enough for Google to “know” that this is something new and could be more relevant.
Know When To Make An Update
Search engines would take time to crawl, index, and rank your site. Changing your article too often will only confuse search engines and would have a difficult time ranking your post for a specific keyword. Therefore, you have to let your content sit there for a while.
Besides, updating your content too often will just take more time and effort, so just try to relax and wait for the article to become “stale” before you update it. Ideally, updating your content should be done at least 4 months from the time you first published it. This is the minimum period that you should wait. It’s fine to wait 6 months to 1 year before updating your content, especially if there’s nothing new about the topic.
Prioritize Low-Ranking Content
Low-ranking content is those that are found on the bottom end of the first page or on the second and third pages of search results. These are also called “low-hanging fruits” in the SEO community. For these cases, you won’t just be updating the content to keep it fresh and relevant, but you are updating to optimize it even more and improve its place in the rankings.
Now, this is going to be a bit more technical. First, you have to identify the keywords that rank better for that topic (make sure it relates to your article). You need analytical tools for this so you can check which keywords have high monthly search volumes. After knowing what these keywords are, you have to find a way to place them in your existing article. This way, your content can get a much-needed extra boost.
How to Update or Upgrade Your Content
There are many ways to upgrade or update your existing content. As mentioned, you can simply add a paragraph to it with at least 200 to 300 words. However, if you have the time, you can inject more creative ways to update your content.
You can add testimonials (especially if your article pertains to a product or service), new tips, some trending news or viral stuff that is related to your topic, or even adding new infographics and videos. The key here is to keep up with the times and make it relatable to new and old readers.
So, if you are managing a blog or website—whether, for business or personal purposes, it is always a good idea to have a content management calendar. This way, you can track which articles are going “stale,” and which topics need updating and optimizing (in terms of keywords). It also pays to be attentive to the newest updates, trends, and viral media that circulate in social media, and those that closely affect your industry.
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