Should You Delete Old Blog Posts? - [Will it hurt SEO]

Photo by Vlada Karpovich [Pexels]

Should You Delete Old Blog Posts?:

Is this what you are thinking right now: 'Should I delete old blog posts?' or deleting old content hurt SEO? Don't worry, here you have everything you need to know.

Based on the views of most pro-SEO experts, the research I've reviewed, and my own experiences, deleting old blog posts won't hurt your blog's SEO as long as they aren't relevant to current use and trends.

But remember, you shouldn't automatically delete old blog posts. Instead, evaluate each post's performance, relevance, and accuracy.

Keep the good blog posts and improve them with new information. Delete the bad blog posts that are outdated, irrelevant, or of poor quality and can't be fixed.

When deleting, where necessary, use proper 301 or 410 redirects to preserve SEO value and avoid 404 errors. This strategic approach maintains your site's authority while improving overall quality and user experience (UX).

Also note, if you delete a blog post that has high-quality content and is already driving a good amount of organic traffic, then it can hurt your blog's SEO. You also need to gauge the backlinks to this post while evaluating your decision.

“Irrelevant, outdated, or low-performing content can confuse users and harm search ranking. Delete it confidently, but ensure proper redirects to avoid broken links” – Sitebulb

Updating Existing Content:

Here is when content gets updated and the results achieved after updating the content on their website and blog, based on responses from survey participants.

Frequency of Updating Existing Content:

When to Update Existing Content? (Source - The State of Content Marketing 2023 Global Report by Semrush)

Results Achieved after Updating Existing Content:

Results Achieved after Updating Existing Content (Source - The State of Content Marketing 2023 Global Report by Semrush)

Add fresh content or adapt them to the latest trends before deciding to delete any old blog posts. Here is how to update old content posts with fresh insights for SEO needs.

How to Update Old Content Posts for SEO? (Source - HubSpot)

In conclusion, while removing truly outdated or poor-quality content can improve user experience and SEO, consider updating valuable posts that simply need refreshing.

Whatever you decide, implement proper redirects to preserve SEO value and maintain your site's credibility. Remember, your blog's overall health depends on thoughtful curation, not just elimination.

Here's related information that you may also find helpful – How to Humanize AI Content?

P.S: Ready to [unlock the power of digital marketing] and drive [your] business forward? – Access my forum today

P.S.S: Please don’t forget to forward this blog post to your network so they can get the best tips, practices, strategies, education, resources, and tools to help their businesses grow [sharing is caring].