Creating optimized content for marketing is great, but it’s important to keep it updated and revised regularly so it stays relevant over time.

Most content strategies include organic content production for search engine optimization (SEO). You can improve your ranking by using the right keywords and producing attractive copy.

If you do this to a high standard, your content will be able to appear on the first page of the search engines within a few months. You must produce consistent quality content, but also high volume. Time is also a factor: Older URLs are more likely to be at the top of the rankings pages because they have had more time for good authority.

This blueprint is for content writing and SEO. It’s backed up by strong technical SEO such as a quick upload time to your website.

Why should content be updated?

You cannot rest on your laurels. You must continue producing quality content in order to maintain your authority, ranking, and also because existing content could age very badly, affecting your ranking.

There are many factors that can cause this:

• Your article could be out of date, as it may refer to an upcoming event/a situation that has already passed

• You may have discovered new facts or figures that are relevant since you last wrote your blog.

• A blog about a topic might be outdated or omitted because your company has made changes to its services.

• It is possible that the keywords that got you a high ranking for your article may not apply to you later.

• Backlinks can be bad. For example, if the video or article linked is removed

This means that it is crucial to update your content.

You should not be afraid to change.

Although it may seem obvious, updating events is likely to be extremely relevant at times.

There is a distinct “before and after” element to political developments such as Brexit or general elections. A single article may talk about the possible outcomes in a given scenario. However, once that information is available, it will no longer be relevant.

Brexit is a good example of how things might change in areas such as law, commerce, and finance.

• It is now up to the UK to decide what kind of deal they might make with the EU.

• There are multiple extensions of the deadline for when Brexit could happen

• There is always the possibility of a “no deal” scenario

• There is speculation that Brexit will be stopped by a second referendum.

• Modifications to Downing Street policy or occupancy

• General elections and all the possibilities they present

These examples show how a piece of writing on a topic at one point might quickly become outdated, even though it may be one of the most volatile topics in recent history.

Although it may not be as dramatic, the production of new facts or figures is crucial for an article’s relevance. An article that cites research data from last year will become less relevant over time. You can alter the data to reflect new information if they become available. If the data presents a similar picture, it will be at most a more current one. The article must be significantly revised if the new data shows a different picture.

Many articles may need to be updated if company policies or services are changed. This is something content producers should be aware of before they begin to work their way through your site. Although it can be a pain in the short-term, it is not a permanent task.

SEO: Why SEO is important

Keyword research requires a lot more work. BuzzSumo and SEMRush are two tools that can help you identify keywords that are most searched for and have the highest impact.

These terms will remain the same, especially if they are used in standard terms. If you’re a law firm, “law” or “legal”, will be as popular as “shoes” for an ecommerce footwear company. Some may be more popular than others over time. This could be due to new issues or changes in circumstances.

Backlinks play an important role. This is a great way to boost your SEO. It’s easy to see how much you can lose if you remove backlinks that have a lot of authority, such as an article or video that is regularly viewed millions of times.

A broken link checker can be used or you can simply check all the links to make sure they are working. While the first method is quicker, the second, although more time-consuming, allows you to check the backlinks for relevance and timeliness. It is a good idea to have your backlink less than one year old. This is because the content and keywords can be updated, which can help improve your backlinks.

This way of thinking about written content may seem strange. Many of the articles that you find online will be from years ago. But if you want your content to be current to your customers, simply telling them the information from last year will not generate leads or interest them in what’s new.