The image shows the text JEFFREY studios in a modern, sans-serif font. JEFFREY is in uppercase, while studios is in lowercase and bold. The text is dark on a white background.

Breathe New Life into Your Website: How Updating Old Content Can Boost Your SEO

Is your website content starting to feel a little tired? You’re not alone. Plenty of small business websites are filled with great ideas… from five years ago.

The good news? Just because something’s old doesn’t mean it’s useless. In fact, refreshing your existing blog posts and pages is one of the smartest, most efficient ways to improve your SEO and drive more traffic.

Yes, really — you don’t always need to write something brand new.

Let’s talk about why updating your content works so well for search engines, and then I’ll walk you through what to look for, what to change, and how to get the most out of the content you already have.

Why updating content helps your SEO

Search engines like Google are always on the lookout for relevant, up-to-date information. When you update a blog post or page, it signals to Google that the content is still active and useful — not just some old thing floating around from 2017.

Updated content can:

  • Help you rank better for keywords you’re already targeting
  • Improve the user experience (which matters to Google)
  • Get indexed again, giving your page a little SEO bump
  • Keep people on your site longer, especially if you add media

It’s quicker than writing from scratch and it gives your best-performing pages another chance to shine. A win-win.

Where to start: Review your analytics

Start by checking your website analytics. Look for blog posts or pages that are getting some traffic but not as much as they should. These are usually the sweet spot — content that’s performing decently but has room to grow.

Here’s what you want to look for:

  • Posts with high impressions but low click-through rates
  • Pages that used to get traffic but have dropped off
  • Old blog posts that still bring in visitors but aren’t up to scratch anymore

Make a shortlist of posts or pages you think deserve a second chance

Read it like a visitor (not the person who wrote it)\

Once you’ve picked your posts, sit down and read them as if you’re a potential customer. Does anything feel out of date? Is the language a bit off compared to how your brand sounds now? Are there references to events or trends that have long since passed?

Here’s what to watch for:

  • Outdated stats, processes or examples
  • Broken links (nobody likes those)
  • A lack of internal links to newer content
  • Gaps in the topic you can now fill with more current info

This is your chance to make that content relevant again — and more helpful to the people reading it.

Add something new (and make it better)

Updating doesn’t just mean tidying up. It’s about making the post better than it was before.

Ask yourself:

  • Can I expand on anything?
  • Is there a better way to explain this?
  • Are there related topics I can link to or mention?

Add new paragraphs, fresh examples, updated information — whatever makes it more valuable. Even a short “2025 update” note can go a long way in showing readers (and Google) that you’re paying attention.

Use visuals to keep people engaged

If your content is all text, it’s time to break it up. Add images, diagrams, screenshots, or even a short video. People process visuals faster than words — and let’s face it, a blog post with a bit of personality looks a lot more inviting.

And while you’re at it, check that your headings and subheadings are easy to skim. Clear structure = happy reader.

Don’t forget internal linking

Internal links are one of the easiest ways to boost SEO — and yet they’re so often forgotten. When you’re updating an old post, link to other relevant content or services on your site. It helps readers find their way around and tells Google how your site is structured.

Got a blog post that mentions a service you offer? Link to the actual service page. Added a new blog post recently? Link back to it from your older content where it makes sense.

Think of internal linking like digital breadcrumbs — helping both people and search engines move through your site in a way that makes sense.

Before you hit publish…

Give it one last check:

  • Is everything accurate and up to date?
  • Does it reflect your current brand voice?
  • Are your keywords used naturally, not stuffed in?
  • Are you linking to the right places?
  • Have you added value, not just changed a few words?

If yes — it’s ready to go.

Fresh content, fresh leads

Refreshing your existing content isn’t just about rankings. It’s about showing that you’re still relevant, still active, and still providing helpful insights.

And if this feels like another thing to add to your already-overflowing to-do list — you don’t have to do it alone.

At Jeffrey Studios, I work with small businesses, to build strategic digital content that works. From content audits to SEO strategy and full website design, it’s all about creating a strong online presence that brings the right people to your business.

📍Explore my Strategic Digital Services and let’s make your content work harder for you.

A woman with long hair in a ponytail, wearing a denim jacket and white shirt, sits on a light-colored chair using a silver Apple laptop, smiling and looking at the screen. Dried plants are visible in the background.

Categories

Categories