Audit aging articles, identify what truly needs updating, protect useful URLs, improve evidence and structure, and relaunch content without unnecessary rewrites.
Refresh because the page needs it
Do not change articles simply to alter the date. Refresh when facts, screenshots, links, product behavior, examples, recommendations, or user questions have changed. An update should improve accuracy and usefulness, not create the appearance of freshness.
Start with a content audit
Review traffic trends, search queries, support questions, broken links, outdated claims, and competing pages on your own site. Decide whether the article should be updated, merged with another page, redirected, or left alone. Not every decline is solved by adding more words.
Protect the useful URL when possible
If the page already has links, bookmarks, or search visibility, keep the existing URL unless there is a strong structural reason to change it. A new title does not automatically require a new slug. If a URL must change, create a direct redirect and update important internal links.
Update the substance first
Replace obsolete instructions, verify claims, improve weak examples, add missing steps, remove sections that no longer help, and update screenshots or tables. Then review the introduction and headings so they accurately reflect the revised article.
Improve internal connections
Link to newer supporting content and add links from recent articles back to the refreshed page where relevant. Check whether the article has become an orphan or whether it belongs in a hub page. Content refreshes are a good opportunity to improve site structure.
Review metadata and distribution assets
Update the title and description if the article's angle changed, regenerate social images when branding is outdated, and test the Open Graph preview. If you redistribute the article, use a new campaign label rather than mixing the relaunch with the original launch data.
Document meaningful updates
For substantial changes, note the revision date and what was improved when that context benefits readers. Then monitor the page for a reasonable period instead of making constant micro-edits. A clear before-and-after record helps editorial teams learn which refresh work is worth repeating.