Today’s Ask An SEO query is from Neethu, inquiring:
“My website, nearly two decades old, contains abundant content. However, many pieces are underperforming. How can I efficiently declutter this content without impacting rankings?”
While some SEO experts advocate for more content, quality triumphs over quantity.
Determining which content to retain, update, or discard is pivotal. Content forms the core of any website, influencing traffic, engagement, and conversions. Making these decisions is crucial for maintaining a robust online presence.
Conduct a Content Audit
The first step in properly cleaning up the content on your website is to perform a content audit.
This entails evaluating the effectiveness, relevancy, and quality of the content on your website through analysis.
You can determine which pages are doing well and which are not by using a variety of metrics, including traffic, bounce rate, and engagement.
After determining which pages are underperforming, you should rank them according to their importance to your website.
Differentiate Time-Sensitive from Evergreen Content
It’s also critical to consider whether a page is time-sensitive or timeless.
Temporary content may need removal, but evergreen content can be updated or repurposed over time.
Once your content has been prioritized, you can choose what to do with each page.
You can update pages that are still relevant but not operating well with new content to make them function better.
Remove pages that are out-of-date or irrelevant completely.
When deleting content, use 301 redirects to pertinent pages to prevent losing backlinks to the removed page.
Keep a Close Watch
After streamlining your content, monitoring your search engine rankings to safeguard your SEO from any negative impacts is crucial.
However, don’t solely focus on rankings.
Content refinement endeavors can influence traffic, conversions, navigation, and other elements contributing to your overall SEO strategy.
Pay close attention to Google Analytics. If you notice a decline in traffic, it might be wise to reassess certain modifications you’ve made. This vigilance ensures you maintain a healthy SEO performance.
Maintain a Balanced Approach
Avoid hasty decisions in response to fluctuations.
Before discarding your optimization work, confirm that the alterations you implemented are indeed the cause of any decline. Ensure these changes have been consistently recognized within the search engine’s index.
It may take a while for your rankings to settle post-content cleanup. Patience is vital; consistently observe your website’s performance across time.
For enhanced content refinement, leverage Google Search Console to pinpoint pages with high impressions but low click-through rates. These pages require content updates or fine-tuning to improve their performance.
Furthermore, combining pages that address related subjects into a comprehensive page can enhance user experience and prevent keyword cannibalization.
In Summary
Content cleanup plays a pivotal role in upholding a top-notch website.
You can streamline your site without detrimentally affecting your rankings through a comprehensive content audit and strategic decision-making regarding what to retain, refresh, or remove.
Stay vigilant with ranking monitoring and exhibit patience as your site adapts. If navigating this proves challenging, explore our monthly SEO packages for expert guidance and assistance.
