A content refresh decides, page by page, whether to update, merge, redirect, remove or leave existing content, based on what each page earns and what its topic needs today. The pages worth updating first are those with falling clicks but steady impressions, pages close to page one, and pages on topics where facts have changed. Updating should add real value: new information, corrections, better answers. Google’s guidance is clear that changing a date without substantive changes is not an improvement.
Why refresh instead of only publishing
Older pages often hold rankings, links and history that a new page would take months to earn. Facts go out of date, competitors publish better answers, and AI assistants may repeat outdated information from your pages. Regular refreshing keeps the site accurate and makes existing work count.
Step 1: build the inventory
List every indexable page with:
- Clicks and impressions for the last 3 months and the same period a year earlier, from Search Console
- Average position for the main queries
- Conversions or enquiries from analytics
- Number of internal and external links
- Date last substantially updated
For sites beyond a few hundred pages, export with the API; see exporting Search Console data with Python.
Step 2: decide for each page
| Situation | Decision |
|---|---|
| Clicks falling, impressions steady, facts outdated | Update |
| Ranking in positions 5 to 15 for valuable queries | Update and strengthen |
| Two or more pages covering the same intent | Merge into the strongest and 301 redirect the others (see cannibalisation) |
| Outdated page with links, topic replaced by a newer page | 301 redirect to the newer page |
| No traffic, no links, no value to users, off-topic | Remove (404 or 410) or noindex if users still need it |
| Performing well and accurate | Leave, and schedule a check |
Step 3: what a real update includes
- Correct every outdated fact, figure, price, date and screenshot.
- Add what the page lacks compared with the best current results: sub-questions, examples, data, a table.
- Rewrite sections so each opens with a direct answer.
- Add or update sources, author and expert review.
- Add internal links to newer related pages, and from them back to this page.
- Keep the URL. Change the title only if it no longer matches the page.
- Update the visible “last updated” date and dateModified only when content changed meaningfully.
Google’s documentation on dates asks for accurate dates and warns against changing them to make content appear fresh without meaningful changes. See freshness signals.
Step 4: prioritise
- Pages that generate enquiries and have started to decline
- Pages near page one for valuable queries
- Pages with factual errors, especially on YMYL topics
- Merges that fix cannibalisation
- Removal of thin pages that dilute the site
Step 5: measure
Record the date and the change for each page. Compare clicks, impressions and positions four and eight weeks after the update with the same period before, adjusting for seasonality. Include refreshed pages in your monthly AI answer tests to see whether citations change.
A refresh rhythm
| Content type | Review at least |
|---|---|
| Pricing, rates, product and service pages | Whenever they change, and quarterly |
| Guides on fast-moving topics, such as AI search | Every quarter |
| Evergreen explainers | Once a year |
| News and announcements | Leave as a record; link to newer information |
Frequently asked questions
Is deleting old content risky?
Removing pages with no traffic, links or value rarely hurts, and can help by focusing the site. Redirect anything with links or traffic to the closest relevant page.
Should we republish updated posts with a new date?
Keep the original publication date and show an updated date. Republishing as new can confuse readers and misrepresent the content’s history.
How many pages should we refresh per month?
Enough to keep your important pages accurate. For most teams, a handful of thorough updates a month is more valuable than many light ones.
Sources
- Google Search Central, “Influencing your byline date in Google Search”
- Google Search Central, “Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content”
- Google Search Central, “Redirects and Google Search”