Identifying and Solving Content Decay Effectively

Over time, even well-performing content can start to decline in organic traffic. This is called content decay, and it can have a big impact on your SEO efforts.

Monitoring the performance of individual pages with tools like Google Analytics and Search Console is one way to spot declining traffic. But this can be time consuming when you have many pages.

Identifying Content Decay

Content decay occurs when a piece of content loses traffic and search engine rankings over time, often because it no longer meets the quality standards of Google’s SERPs. It’s important to identify when this happens in order to make strategic decisions about how to improve it and prevent future losses.

Almost every piece of content experiences some degree of decay over time, regardless of how well it performs initially. This is because even the most high-quality content will eventually reach its maximum lifespan in terms of search volume and relevancy. It is therefore essential to identify when this occurs and take action quickly before the problem worsens.

The best way to identify content decay is to consistently monitor the performance of your pages over time using tools like Google Analytics and Search Console. Look for any significant drops in organic traffic or engagement metrics, which may indicate that a page is losing its visibility and relevance.

You can also check for signs of decay by comparing the performance of your older content to that of your competitors. If your newer content is outperforming older content on similar topics, this might be a sign that your older content needs to be refreshed or updated. It’s also a good idea to review your content regularly in order to keep it up-to-date with any changes in industry trends or audience interests.

Once you have identified that a piece of content is experiencing decay, there are several proven strategies for improving it and reviving its performance. These include adding new information that aligns with current trends, updating outdated statistics or research, and refreshing the overall tone and structure of the piece to make it more relevant and engaging to readers.

It’s also a good idea to make a habit of checking your decaying content at least once each quarter, in order to catch any problems early and prevent them from spiralling out of control. By making this a regular process, you can ensure that your highest-performing pages continue to deliver the results they deserve. For those who find this task difficult or time-consuming, there are tools such as RivalFlow AI that can automate the process of identifying at-risk pages and making recommendations for improvement.

Consolidating Content

When you look at ruins from ancient civilizations, they’re often in need of repair and reconstruction. Content consolidation is a bit like that, except it involves fixing and improving existing articles rather than building something new from scratch. If you don’t take the time to regularly identify and solve content decay, you risk losing search visibility for important pages on your site.

The first step in identifying decay is to use SEO data analytics tools, like Rank Revival, to track organic traffic and engagement metrics for individual articles over time. This can help you spot any decrease in performance that could indicate a problem, such as a slow decline in organic traffic for a previously popular article.

You can also check whether a post has been prioritized by Google, causing it to see a drop in impressions while other posts on your website are experiencing growth. This is a common cause of content decay, and it can be identified using search console data or a tool such as SEO PowerSuite.

Sometimes the reason for decay is that a topic has become outdated. New research or advancements may have made a post no longer relevant, and it can be helpful to update that content to include the latest information. This can make the post more valuable to visitors and improve its overall impact on your business.

Another possibility is that competitors are creating better content that addresses the same search intent, making it hard for your own content to rank highly. In this case, it might be beneficial to rewrite the article and optimize it for a different keyword, so it can rank higher in SERPs again.

Once you’ve identified a decaying piece of content, it’s time to consolidate it. This can be done in a number of ways, including removing duplicate content and redirecting the article to a more relevant page on your website. You can also try adding a table of contents, incorporating FAQ schema markup (which helps search engines match queries to appropriate results), or re-promoting the article through social media or syndication.

While it’s tempting to let decay go unchecked, addressing the issue can have a profound impact on your organic search visibility and traffic. The best way to fight content decay is to monitor it regularly and address any articles that need to be refreshed, improved, or consolidated.

Link Building

One of the most effective ways to resolve content decay is by building new links to your high-performing pages. This will boost their visibility and help them regain lost search traffic. However, it’s essential to build your link-building strategy proactively. Using a tool like AIOSEO’s Link Assistant allows you to automatically audit and build links to your content, so you don’t have to worry about missing any opportunities.

Another way to identify content decay is by analyzing your search engine performance data for individual pages over time. You can use tools like Google Analytics to track page YOY trends and look for any drops in organic traffic that could indicate a decline in relevance or quality. However, this method is impractical if you have a large site with hundreds of pages. Instead, it’s important to set up a recurring process that monitors your content’s performance so you can proactively identify and address decay before it kills your rankings.

Finally, you can also use third-party tools to track position changes on SERPs and alert you to any deteriorating pages. While this method can be a bit more expensive, it’s still an effective way to identify declining content. Just make sure you use a reliable third-party tool, such as Semrush or Ahrefs, so you don’t end up with inaccurate results.

Once you’ve identified decaying content, the next step is to implement a plan to revive it and improve its quality. This can include updating the SEO title and meta description, adding new statistics and cited data, refreshing images, or improving the overall content structure and formatting. These updates will make your existing content feel fresh and relevant again, boosting its chances of regaining search traffic and outranking competitors.

It’s also a good idea to refresh your content on a regular basis. In addition to keeping it up-to-date, this will also help prevent it from falling victim to decay in the first place. A regular content refresh schedule also helps you avoid wasting valuable marketing resources on creating duplicate content that will only compete with itself in the search results.

Internal Linking

Content decay happens when the information in a piece of content becomes outdated. This can occur because of the evolution of your industry, new research findings, or simply due to changes in trends. When this occurs, it is essential to refresh the content so that it continues to perform and retains its value for your audience. This is especially important if you are trying to retain backlinks, as other businesses won’t want to link to pages that contain outdated or irrelevant information.

Using a variety of data analytics tools, you can identify your best performing content and those that may be suffering from content decay. Typically, you will find that the decaying content has lost organic traffic and hasn’t been ranked in a while. You can then use internal linking to bring the decaying content up to date and drive organic traffic to it.

This involves updating the article with current stats, figures, and relevant information, while also removing any outdated content. This can be as simple as adding an updated paragraph at the beginning of the piece to explain what has changed. You can also include links to other related content that is more up to date, making it easier for users to get all the information they need in a single location.

Another way to combat content decay is by boosting engagement. This can be achieved through social media or other engagement activities, and helps to keep the content on-brand, up to date, and top of mind for your audience.

Ultimately, the biggest key to combating content decay is regular monitoring and analysis. As a rule, any page that isn’t meeting the expected metrics for SEO should be prioritized for refreshment and update.

The process can be time consuming and resource-intensive, but it’s an essential part of your SEO strategy that can significantly boost your performance. By implementing these strategies, you can ensure that your content remains fresh and relevant, thereby maximizing the impact of your SEO efforts. Alternatively, you can always reach out to a professional to help you.

About the author
Enzo Rossi
Meet Enzo, the Italian culinary maestro who's been crafting delectable dishes since the age of 8. Rooted in the rich traditions of Italy, his kitchen is a canvas for authentic flavors and Mediterranean delights. His recipes are designed for regular, everyday life. Buon appetito!