When it comes to SEO marketing, there is no room for basic moves when advanced strategies can take you to the next level. Instead of chasing short-tail keywords, why not dive into the goldmine of long-tail terms that better align with your audience’s intent? And let’s face it: writing solely for algorithms might get you clicks, but it won’t win over the humans behind the screen.
One of the most overlooked mistakes with a major SEO impact? Neglecting your existing content. Regularly updating your published posts with fresh insights, best practices, and relevant keywords is a game-changer for maintaining visibility and driving results. Stick around—we’ll break down exactly how to breathe new life into your content and keep it climbing the search rankings.
What is Content Optimization
Content optimization is a process of enhancing content on your website so that it reaches the largest possible audience. By integrating techniques like keyword integration, backlinking, and a mobile-friendly web design, you can boost the chances of your content organically appearing in searches. The goal is to get your content to appear on the first page of search options, ideally in the first organic slot.
Be it a blog post or an informational page on your website, you want to integrate SEO content optimization into every part of your website. Otherwise, no matter how much content you are putting out, it stands never to be seen by your intended target.
Why is it Important to Optimize Existing Content
The internet is constantly evolving due to cultural and algorithmic changes. What was standard when you wrote a blog post 4 years ago may not apply today. Revisiting existing content is an easy way to breathe new life into old posts that have become stagnant.
How to Know Which Existing Posts to Optimize
How can you tell which old posts need a refresh? Take a deep dive into post performance by conducting an SEO audit. Look at your website’s Google Analytics and Search Console – the posts that are getting the least amount of traffic need some love. Some other KPIs to look at are posts with a high bounce rate, low CTRs, and low time spent on the page.
It’s also important to reference any platforms or tools you use to track your website’s SEO ranking. See if any posts that used to rank high have fallen. They may not be at the bottom, but since these posts have already shown that they can reach your audience, it’s important to ensure they don’t continue to fall behind.
Lastly, check to see if any existing content needs to be updated or has irrelevant information. The algorithm can tell if an article is not giving the most up-to-date stats or guidelines, pushing your post further down in search rankings. So, if you see posts with outdated info, they are prime for a refresh.
How to Optimize Existing Content for SEO
Once you have narrowed down the posts you want to revisit on your website, there are specific steps you can take to update them for improved search performance. Here are the best tips to start with:
1. Revamp Targeted Keywords
The search terms you initially used to build a post may differ from what your audience is looking for now. You could have also built most posts around short-tail keywords that don’t perform as well as they once did. Take some time to research new long-tail keywords you can integrate into the existing content.
Don’t forget to include semantically related keywords. These keywords are related to the main keyword you want to rank for. It helps search engines recognize your post as relevant content even more.
Learn more: Why You Need a Keyword Strategy and How to Create One
2. Review Your Blog Structure
Make sure your blog post is easy to read. You can do this by incorporating headings and subheadings – much like we do in this post – to enhance readability. It helps your customer find relevant information faster. It also helps search engines parse what’s important in your article with much more ease. A Semrush study showed that 47% of articles formatted with advanced headings were top organic performers, so this optimization will pay off!
3. Update Visuals and Stats
As mentioned before, search engines know when a website has out-of-date information. To avoid losing traffic, comb through your posts to see what needs to be updated. This can be stats, industry insights, and even visuals like infographics.
4. Update and Build Out Content
Sometimes when you are exploring how to optimize existing content for SEO, you will run across posts that you can add additional information to. This could be as simple as adding one or two new sections to your post. One of the best ways to know what to add is to look at other content that is ranking high for the same search term. See what your competitors are including and where your post might be lacking.
5. Add Internal and External Links
Linking to other sources is crucial for SEO success. Update and integrate any new external links that can enhance your post, but also review about your internal links. When you internally link to your existing powerhouse posts in a relevant way, the search engines will give your content a boost. It also builds your credibility as an authority on the topic
6. Eliminate Duplicate Posts
When you do your website and blog audit, check to see if you have any blogs that are duplicates of each other. With blogs that are several years old, it’s very easy to accidentally cover the same topic twice, which can harm search rankings on both. Keep the one that is performing the best and redirect the other to point to the top-performing post.
7. Don’t Forget About Metadata
Tiles, tags, and metadata descriptions all need to be reviewed for SEO optimization. Integrate relevant keywords wherever you can to boost discoverability.
8. Reshare Revised Posts
Once you have finished making all the necessary updates to your existing content, reshare it and get it out into the world. You can use email, social media, or whatever digital means you prefer to contact your customers. Since the revised post has new information, it’s an excellent opportunity to assert your business as a leader and hopefully get some re-shares in the process.
9. Keep Tracking
Optimizing existing content for SEO is an ongoing process. It’s a practice that needs to be revisited regularly to cultivate the strongest results. One of the best ways to do that is by tracking your post performance monthly. If a post begins to slip or has been at the bottom for a long time, you’ll know it’s a good candidate for a refresh. Tend to your SEO like a garden, and it will flourish!
Now that you know how to optimize existing content for SEO, you’re ready to take your website to the next level. Remember, we’re always here to help along the way. Learn more about our SEO services for when the time comes.
