Why You Should Update Old Content On Your Website - Martindale-Avvo

Why You Should Update Old Content On Your Website

website content, content strategy

Law firms aiming to boost brand awareness, attract new clients, and effectively drive traffic to their websites know to invest in content marketing. 

However, it’s also true that all digital content diminishes in value over time. Even the most well-researched, high-quality articles have a shelf life. This is why it’s so important to update your content regularly. 

Plus, keeping website content fresh ensures that you continue to rank highly in search engine results. In turn, this builds trust among potential customers and builds your law firm’s authority. Here’s a look at why updating content is so important—and how to do it right.

SEO Algorithm Changes

Like all aspects of content marketing, SEO best practices are constantly evolving. This is mainly due to the ever-changing Google algorithm, which takes into account modern search methods such as the rise of voice search through smart devices or mobile. Law firms need to keep their content fresh to account for both keyword changes and the prioritization of recent pages.

Evolving Keyword Strategies

Search volume was once the most important factor when determining keyword strategies. Today, search trends lean heavily towards four or more words according to an Ahref study. This is a result of more conversational search behaviors. 

Since keyword efficacy can vary so much over time, it’s crucial to update your content even when topics and themes are still relevant. Simply updating a well-performing blog post to reflect current trends can boost its relevance in search results and make it easier for potential leads to find your website.

Recency and Relevancy on Google

Google’s algorithm may take hundreds of factors into account, but recency plays an outsized role in search engine results pages. Google underscores the value of recency by highlighting publication dates on search engine results pages, where content published within the past few months achieves the best results. 

Even if a piece of content was published a few years ago, republishing it with new information may help it rank higher in search results. This means that you can continue to drive leads through content you’ve already created, which is faster and more efficient than only creating something from scratch.

The Importance of First Impressions

The greatest value in content lies in its ability to deliver an immediate positive impression. 

In a 2017 study on digital perception, researchers Felix Norén and Gustav Bergman showed that people assessed a website’s trustworthiness after just seven seconds—and that impression was more impactful than the content itself. If participants perceived that a website took longer to create, they were more likely to regard such content as trustworthy. 

Law firms can use this to their advantage by testing, updating, and refining their content regularly to ensure it creates a positive first impression. 

Evaluating and updating your content every year can also ensure that you’re always sharing relevant information. If your blog is filled with outdated content, potential clients could become confused and leave your page for a competitor’s.

In the legal industry, it’s especially important that your content reflects the latest legislative updates. Clients will expect your practice to share accurate information, and anything misleading can breach a bond of trust and damage your firm’s reputation.

Mobile-Friendly Content Rules

Additionally, ensuring that your website adheres to mobile-friendly practices can make leads more likely to stay on your site (and come back for more).

Mobile devices produce 52 percent of Google’s global search traffic. This shows why it’s so important to adhere to mobile-first practices across your website.

For one, content should emphasize subheadings and bullet points to increase scannability. Pieces published several years ago are less likely to feature mobile-friendly design—and more likely to frustrate those reading content on small smartphone screens. 

Auditing your entire website for mobile-friendly practices can reduce bounce rates and make it more readable for anyone who visits.

Update Content to Drive More Leads

The constant need for content updates can feel overwhelming. However, understanding exactly where to focus your efforts can make the task more manageable. From optimizing content for current SEO algorithms to creating a strong first impression, updating your content is an easy way to drive leads, foster brand trust, and gain an edge over competitors.

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