How frustrating is it to search online for an answer, find it and realize it’s completely outdated? Worse yet is discovering the product or service you need listed on a company’s website is no longer sold. These examples of outdated website content have happened to all of us. Will it happen to your website visitors?
It shouldn’t. Updating your website is something you should be doing frequently. But, what do you do with that old website content?
Should You Update or Delete Old Website Content?
Do you just hit the delete button and move on? Not necessarily. Old blog posts or pages on your website could still hold value for your business. For example, if they’ve been there for a certain amount of time, they’ve built up quality SEO. Plus, that same content can simply be updated to generate new, valuable content.
If the content in question is still valuable and simply needs fresh statistics, basic information or tone, simply updating is the way to go. However, for content that is outdated such as pages for services you no longer offer or blog posts about a trend from the past, deleting might be the best course of action.
Important Things to Consider When Updating Content
Updating your website will help your audience find what they’re looking for easier, without the need to sift through outdated content. Whether you update or delete, there are some important things to consider.
Remember: You Can Always Repurpose
Even the oldest content holds some value and outdated content can be repurposed. This will save you time and give you extra content to add to your queue. For example, an old blog post could be made into a new one. Or, a collection of old blog posts could be combined into an updated lead magnet. This is where you can get creative with content you already have on hand.
Don’t Just Press Delete and Move On
Even if you choose to delete the old content, don’t just remove it and move on. Your content will still show up in Google for some time after. Plus, your link may still hold value to your website’s SEO. At this point, you’ll need to add a 301 Redirect to a related post or tell Google that the website page is intentionally gone.
Be cautious here. Make sure the content on the page or blog post you delete holds absolutely zero value for your website. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.
Update Often
Don’t let your website sit for too long without doing an update. You should look at your website’s content annually at a minimum. In fact, it’s better to increase that review to semi-annually or even quarterly for the best results. Your website visitors will be more apt to revisit if you’re consistently offering up to date information.
Is Your Entire Website Outdated?
Sometimes, businesses change, yet the website content stays the same, having a negative impact on the brand. The act of updating your entire website content can be a challenge however, you don’t have to do it alone. For answers to your questions or to learn more about updating your entire website, send us a message!
