Whether you’re an SEO rookie or a seasoned pro, there’s a good chance you’re missing out on some easy wins. Yep, I’m talking about the forgotten pages on your website—the ones you created ages ago and haven’t touched since. These pages might seem irrelevant now, but they’re like that old toy in the attic that turns out to be a collector’s item. They’ve got hidden value that you can tap into, no matter your level of SEO expertise. Intrigued? Stick around as we unpack the world of overlooked content and show you how to turn these digital wallflowers into the life of the SEO party.
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What Is Overlooked Content?
Let’s clear up any confusion. Overlooked content isn’t just old or stale content; it’s any content with unrealized potential. We’re categorizing them into a few types for better understanding:
Pages Excluded from Navigation
Ever had a detailed “About Us” page or a well-researched service description that doesn’t even appear in the main site navigation? It’s basically like having a Picasso in your basement.
Non-Siloed Blog Posts
You wrote a blog post, published it, and then…nothing. No interlinking, no follow-up articles, and no silo structure to place it within. It’s an island, disconnected from the rest of your content archipelago.
Orphaned Content
These are pages or posts with zero internal or external links pointing to them. Search engines and users alike struggle to find them, making them virtually invisible.
Outdated but Once Popular Content
Remember that article you wrote about “SEO trends of 2018”? Yeah, it’s outdated but was a hit back in the day. Can it be updated and repurposed? Absolutely!
Secondary Service/Product Pages
You focus so much on your main product that the secondary service pages get neglected, even though they could attract a niche yet profitable segment of traffic.
Testimonial and Case Study Pages
You’ve worked hard for those glowing testimonials and case studies but tucked them away in some obscure part of your site.
This overlooked content can be a goldmine for your SEO strategy. Think about it—each one of these pages can be optimized with a minimal investment of time and effort. Why? Because you’ve already done the heavy lifting; now you just need to put these assets to work. It’s like discovering an old painting in the attic, only to find out it’s a long-lost masterpiece worth millions.
Recommended Reading: The 7 Most Important Parts of SEO You Need to Get Right
The Untapped Potential: Why Overlooked Content is Your Hidden Asset
Why care about overlooked content? Because ignoring it is like leaving money on the table. A staggering 91% of content gets zero traffic from Google, according to Ahrefs. But let’s dig deeper into why that’s a problem—and an opportunity—for you.
The ROI Equation
Firstly, consider the ROI. You’ve already invested time, effort, and possibly money into creating these pages. Not optimizing them is essentially flushing that investment down the drain.
SEO Real Estate
Every page on your website is an opportunity to rank for a particular set of keywords. By leaving pages unoptimized, you’re giving your competitors free rein to dominate those spaces.
Long-Tail Opportunities
Overlooked content can often be optimized for long-tail keywords, which may be easier to rank for. Long-tail keywords often convert better too, as they’re more specific.
Bounce Rates and User Experience
Updating overlooked content can improve user experience, leading to lower bounce rates. Better UX signals can indirectly influence your site’s SEO, giving you an edge in rankings.
Strengthening Your Internal Linking Structure
Forgotten pages can be woven back into your site’s internal linking structure, spreading PageRank more evenly across your site and possibly lifting the rankings of multiple pages, not just the one you updated.
The Proof is in the Data
Companies like HubSpot have reported as much as a 106% increase in traffic for old blog posts that were updated and republished. The same principle applies to any overlooked content you optimize.
Recommended Reading: Benefits of Local SEO: 5 Easy Tips to Improve your Ranking
To Update or Not to Update: What’s Best for SEO?
Whether you’re an SEO rookie or a seasoned pro, there’s a good chance you’re missing out on some easy wins. Yep, I’m talking about the forgotten pages on your website—the ones you created ages ago and haven’t touched since. These pages might seem irrelevant now, but they’re like that old toy in the attic that turns out to be a collector’s item. They’ve got hidden value that you can tap into, no matter your level of SEO expertise. Intrigued? Stick around as we unpack the world of overlooked content and show you how to turn these digital wallflowers into the life of the SEO party.
Generally speaking, it’s often better to update an old page rather than create a new one, especially if the old page has some level of authority, backlinks, or existing organic traffic. Here’s why:
Benefits of Updating Old Pages:
- Preservation of SEO Juice: Any existing backlinks to the old page continue to pass authority.
- Faster Re-Indexing: Search engines will re-crawl the updated page more quickly than they’ll index a completely new page.
- URL Age: Older URLs are often seen as more trustworthy. As the saying goes in SEO circles, “Old pages age like wine.”
- User Experience: If someone has bookmarked your old page or shared it on social media, updating it ensures they find current and useful information, which can improve user engagement metrics like bounce rate and time on page.
- Maintains Existing Rankings: The old page may already rank for certain keywords, even if they aren’t the main ones you’re targeting. Updating it could improve those rankings without starting from scratch.
When to Consider Creating a New Page:
- Irrelevant or Off-Brand Content: If the old content doesn’t align with your current brand message or offerings, a new page might be more appropriate.
- Major Changes in Keyword Strategy: If you’re targeting entirely different keywords that necessitate changes in URL structure or overall theme, a new page could be more effective.
- Penalized Pages: If the old page has been hit with any kind of Google penalty, it might be easier to start anew.
- Technical Issues: Sometimes old pages are built on outdated technology or have other technical problems that make them hard to update.
While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, stats and studies favor updating old content. A study by HubSpot showed that updating old blog posts increased traffic to those posts by up to 106%. That’s significant and shows that search engines do reward updated, high-quality content.
So, when in doubt, update that old page. It’s usually less work for potentially high gains.
Recommended Reading: The Most Important Types of Keywords in SEO & Why They Matter
Unearthing Hidden Gems: How to Find Your Overlooked Content
If you’re wondering how to identify these ignored but valuable pages, fret not. You don’t need a degree in computer science to figure this out. Here’s a guide tailored to you—the busy business owner—who needs actionable insights, and fast.
Google Analytics: Your First Detective Tool
Sure, you could get down and dirty with Google Analytics, but let’s be real: it’s complex and can be overwhelming. Still, it’s worth mentioning that you can set up custom reports to track low-traffic pages.
WordPress Plugins: The Easiest Way
If your site is on WordPress, congrats, you’ve got an easier path. Install a free plugin like “Orphaned Posts” or “Content Audit” that will automatically create a list of posts that haven’t received love (read: no views or low engagement) for a while. Simply go to your ‘Posts’ section, and the plugin will highlight these neglected pages for you.
Google Search Console: For the Intermediate User
For those who’ve ventured into Google Search Console, check the ‘Performance’ tab. Pages with low clicks or impressions are ripe for updating.
Manual Scroll: Old-School But Effective
Don’t want to mess with plugins or analytics tools? No worries. Do a manual scroll through your pages and posts. Look for stuff you haven’t touched or promoted in a while. It’s laborious, sure, but sometimes the old ways are the best ways.
With these methods, you’ve got options for every comfort level, from tech newbie to seasoned webmaster. Now, roll up those sleeves and let’s dig up those hidden treasures.
Recommended Reading: The What, Why, and How of an SEO Audit with Google Search Console
Types of Overlooked Content & How to Revive Them
When it comes to overlooked content, it’s not a one-size-fits-all scenario. You’ll find a variety of neglected pages on your website, each requiring a different approach for revival. Here are some common types of overlooked content and strategies to breathe new life into them:
1. Outdated Blog Posts
Challenge: Over time, older blog posts may become outdated or less relevant to your audience.
Revival Strategy:
- Update and Refresh: Review these posts and update the content with the latest information, statistics, and insights. Correct any inaccuracies or broken links.
- Add New Value: Identify areas where you can expand on the topic or provide fresh insights to make the post more valuable to readers.
- Repromote: Once updated, promote the refreshed blog posts on your social media channels and in your email newsletters to bring them to the forefront.
2. Old Product Pages
Challenge: Products and services evolve, but the corresponding web pages often remain the same.
Revival Strategy:
- Product Updates: Revise product descriptions, images, and pricing to reflect the current offerings accurately.
- Customer Reviews: Encourage customers to leave reviews and testimonials, which can add credibility and freshness to these pages.
- Cross-Selling: Suggest related products or services to keep visitors engaged and exploring your offerings.
3. Expired Landing Pages
Challenge: Landing pages created for promotions or events that have long passed can clutter your website.
Revival Strategy:
- Redirect or Archive: For promotions that have ended, consider redirecting the page to a relevant category or archiving it for historical purposes.
- Update Information: If the promotion or event is recurring, update the landing page with the latest dates and details.
- Link to Current Content: Add links to relevant current content to keep visitors engaged and navigating your site.
4. Underperforming Content
Challenge: Some content may have never gained traction or simply didn’t perform as expected.
Revival Strategy:
- Keyword Optimization: Review the content for potential keyword optimization opportunities to attract more organic traffic.
- Improved Formatting: Enhance the formatting, readability, and visual appeal of the content to make it more engaging.
- Promotion: Consider promoting underperforming content through social media, email marketing, or collaborations with influencers.
5. Forgotten Resources
Challenge: Valuable resources like guides, eBooks, or whitepapers may get buried over time.
Revival Strategy:
- Featured Sections: Highlight these resources on prominent pages of your website, such as the homepage or relevant category pages.
- Email Campaigns: Create email campaigns or newsletters to reintroduce these resources to your audience.
- Updates and Relevance: Ensure that the content within these resources remains current and addresses the needs of your target audience.
By identifying the specific types of overlooked content on your website and implementing tailored strategies for revival, you can maximize the potential of these pages and improve your overall SEO performance. Remember that regularly monitoring and maintaining your content is essential to prevent future neglect and ensure the continued success of your website.
The SEO Benefits of Rescuing Neglected Pages
After all this effort, rescuing and reviving neglected pages on your website can bring a multitude of benefits that extend well beyond the individual pages. Here’s why it’s so valuable:
On-Page SEO Enhancements
- Content Relevance: Updated and refreshed content ensures that it remains relevant to your target audience. Search engines reward relevant content with higher rankings.
- Keyword Optimization: When you revisit old content, you have the opportunity to optimize it for relevant keywords, helping search engines understand the topic’s focus.
- Improved User Experience: Content updates often include enhancements in readability, visual appeal, and overall user experience, reducing bounce rates and increasing engagement.
Off-Page SEO Advantages
- Link Building Opportunities: High-quality and updated content becomes more attractive to other websites for backlink opportunities. Outreach for link building becomes easier when you have valuable content to offer.
- Guest Posting: Revived content can be repurposed as guest posts, expanding your reach and building backlinks from authoritative sources.
SERP Effects
- Improved Rankings: As you update and optimize your content, you can expect improved rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs). Search engines favor fresh, valuable, and well-structured content.
- Featured Snippets: Well-optimized and updated content is more likely to appear in featured snippets, further increasing your visibility.
Foundational for Backlink Strategies
- Link-Worthy Content: Revived content provides a strong foundation for your backlink strategy. Websites are more likely to link to valuable, up-to-date content.
- Anchor Text Optimization: You have greater control over anchor text when reaching out for backlinks from your refreshed content.
Expands Options for Social Media Content
- Social Proof: Sharing your updated and valuable content on social media platforms enhances your social proof and credibility in your industry.
- Engagement Opportunities: Repurposed content can be used for engaging social media posts, increasing user interaction and reach.
By focusing on rescuing and optimizing neglected content, you not only breathe new life into individual pages but also strengthen your overall SEO strategy. The benefits include improved rankings, increased organic traffic, reduced bounce rates, and enhanced opportunities for link building and social media engagement. It’s a holistic approach that pays off by making your website more authoritative and user-friendly while driving results in search engine rankings.
Recommended Reading: How Social Media Impacts SEO and Search Rankings
Leveraging Siloing for Content Revival
Ever heard of content siloing? It’s a powerful strategy that can help you breathe new life into your old content while improving the organization of your website. Content siloing involves grouping related information together, creating thematic clusters that provide an organized and easy-to-follow path for both users and search engines.
Blog Article Siloing
If you have a blog section on your website, you can implement blog article siloing to organize and optimize your blog content:
- Identify Key Themes: Start by identifying key themes or topics that are central to your industry or niche. These are your cornerstone topics.
- Create Pillar Content: Develop high-quality, comprehensive blog posts on these cornerstone topics. These serve as your pillar or cornerstone content.
- Interlink Strategically: Within these pillar posts, strategically interlink to other related blog articles. These internal links guide users to more in-depth information and create a content hierarchy.
- Update and Optimize: Regularly revisit and update your pillar content to ensure it remains current and valuable. This boosts its authority and keeps the entire silo relevant.
Service Page Siloing
For businesses offering services, siloing can be applied to service pages to enhance their SEO and user experience:
- Categorize Services: Group your services into logical categories or silos based on their similarities. For example, a digital marketing agency might have silos for SEO, PPC, and social media services.
- Create Service Hub Pages: Develop hub pages for each service category. These hub pages act as the central point for that category.
- Link to Individual Services: Link from the hub page to individual service pages within the same category. This helps users explore services in more detail.
- Keyword Optimization: Ensure that each service page is optimized for relevant keywords, and link back to the respective hub page where appropriate.
Blog & Service/Product Page Siloing
To create synergy between your blog content and your service or product pages, you can implement a combination of blog and service/product page siloing:
- Identify Key Topics: Determine the primary topics or themes that are relevant to your products or services and align with your blog content.
- Create Cornerstone Content: Develop cornerstone blog posts on these key topics. These posts should cover the broader subject matter in-depth.
- Link to Service/Product Pages: Strategically link from your cornerstone blog posts to specific service or product pages that are relevant to the topic.
- Internal Linking: Within your service or product pages, link back to the related cornerstone blog posts to provide users with additional information and context.
- Optimize for SEO: Ensure that all linked pages are optimized for SEO, with relevant keywords and meta tags.
By implementing these siloing strategies, you create a structured and interconnected web of content that not only benefits your users by offering a more organized and informative experience but also enhances your website’s SEO. It’s a powerful way to breathe new life into your old content and boost the visibility and authority of your web pages.
Best Practices for Maintaining Content
For Businesses with a LOT of Content
Managing a large volume of content can be a daunting task, but it’s essential to maintain the quality and relevance of your website. Here are best practices tailored for businesses with extensive content:
1. Establish a Content Calendar
- Organized Planning: Create a content calendar that outlines when and what content needs updates. This helps you stay organized and ensures regular content maintenance.
2. Implement Content Management Systems (CMS)
- CMS Benefits: Invest in a robust content management system like WordPress, Drupal, or Joomla. These platforms offer tools for easily updating and managing large volumes of content.
3. Use Automation and Tools
- Content Auditing Tools: Employ content auditing tools and SEO software to identify outdated or underperforming content. These tools can help you prioritize updates.
4. Prioritize High-Traffic Pages
- Focus on Impact: Concentrate your efforts on high-traffic and high-conversion pages. Ensuring these pages are up-to-date can have a substantial impact on your overall website performance.
5. Content Team Collaboration
- Team Effort: If you have a team, establish clear roles and responsibilities for content maintenance. Collaboration ensures a systematic approach to updates.
For Businesses with Nearly None or Limited Content
If your business is just starting or has minimal content, adding quality content quickly is crucial. Here are some tips to kickstart your content strategy:
1. Identify Core Topics
- Focus on Niche: Determine key topics relevant to your industry and audience. Create content around these subjects to establish authority.
2. Start a Blog
- Blogging: Launch a blog section on your website. Regularly publish informative articles, guides, or how-to posts to showcase your expertise.
3. Add FAQs
- Service vs Brand Specific: Adding FAQs to your homepage and Service pages is a quick way to boost content on your website. Adding 10 per page to start and then 3-5 more every month will go a long way with Google and Users.
Recommended Reading: 3 steps to Writing a Great FAQ page for a service-based business website
4. Content Curation
- Curate Content: Share relevant content from trusted sources with your audience. Provide your insights and commentary to add value.
5. User-Generated Content
- Engage Your Audience: Encourage user-generated content, such as reviews, testimonials, or customer stories. Highlight this content on your website.
6. Repurpose Existing Assets
- Leverage What You Have: Repurpose existing content, such as presentations, webinars, or videos, into written articles or guides.
7. Hire Content Experts
- Expert Assistance: Consider hiring freelance writers or content creators with expertise in your industry to produce high-quality content quickly.
General Best Practices for All Businesses
Regardless of your technical savvy or the volume of content, these practices apply to all businesses:
1. Regular Audits
- Scheduled Audits: Conduct regular content audits to identify outdated or underperforming content. Set a schedule for these audits, whether monthly, quarterly, or annually.
2. Update Metadata
- Meta Tags and Descriptions: Ensure that meta tags, descriptions, and titles are optimized for SEO. This can improve click-through rates and search engine rankings.
3. Quality over Quantity
- Focus on Quality: Prioritize the quality and relevance of your content. High-quality content tends to perform better and has a longer lifespan.
4. User Feedback
- Listen to Users: Pay attention to user feedback, comments, and questions. Use this input to make improvements and address user needs.
5. Stay Informed
- Industry Trends: Stay updated with industry trends, algorithm changes, and SEO best practices. Adapt your content strategy accordingly.
6. Promote Content
- Content Promotion: Don’t just create content; actively promote it through social media, email newsletters, and other marketing channels.
By tailoring your content maintenance approach to your technical capabilities and the volume of content you manage, you can ensure that your website remains fresh, engaging, and optimized for both users and search engines. Remember that consistency is key, whether you’re maintaining a content-rich website or building one from scratch.
Tap into the Hidden Potential of Your Neglected Content
We understand that not everyone is a tech wizard or an SEO guru. You’re the DIY business owner, and you’ve got a lot on your plate. But here’s the good news: the power to unlock the potential of your overlooked content is within your grasp, and it doesn’t require a Ph.D. in computer science.
By applying the straightforward strategies we’ve explored in this article, you can take a step closer to mastering the art of content revival. Your old, forgotten content can become a valuable asset, attracting more visitors, boosting your rankings, and ultimately contributing to the success of your online presence.
So, don’t be discouraged by the digital jargon and the ever-evolving SEO landscape. With a little effort and the right guidance, you can turn the page on your overlooked content and transform it into a compelling story that captivates both your audience and the search engines.
Remember, you’ve already done the hard work by creating it; now it’s time to let your content shine and work its magic for your business.
