It seems that with the latest Google algorithm update, they're saying that you need to keep your old content fresh, too. It used to be that they sort of liked old content with lots of links to it in the name of "authority" and "age." That seems to have been tweaked so that you should be maintaining old content that has always sort of ranked well:
How Fresh Is Your Content? (greatfinds.icrossing.com)
Google recently released its monthly update on algorithm tweaks and user experience updates to its search engine – 50 in all. One of them, code named Curlup, is especially significant to marketers: Google will now detect old Web pages more precisely, leading to fewer stale pages from your website being shown within search results.
Why does (or "did") old content rank well? It would mainly do that if it's great content. People find it and you naturally get links to it and that drives up your rankings. That content solved a problem or gave them what they were looking for. Pretty simple. Now, it seems, you have to update that old content.
What I don't get is what if your old, authoritative content is about something that doesn't change? Do you still have to update it? I guess you could and maybe say that nothing has changed. No, just kidding - you wouldn't do that. You'd maybe have to get more creative or maybe Google is taking that kind of thing into account. We won't know for a little while and you should be keeping an eye on your website - which brings us to...
First, just monitor your website and rankings. Check how it's ranking and make sure you're checking your Google Webmaster Tools account often. Get tuned into your website more. If you can't do it (don't have the time), then let us know. We'd be happy to do some monthly website monitoring for you.
Second, keep adding content to your blog like you should be doing already. That's always going to help. You're creating a bigger net with more content, which can catch more fish. Link to your best content when you add new content. That internal linking helps. Use good anchor text.
Third, check which content (pages of your website) are ranking the best and doing the most for you. Add to that content. Adjust it. Do that every 1-2 months or whatever it takes to keep it ranking high.
Continually getting links to your best content might be something that Google would consider when it comes to rankings. If you are steadily getting links, then the page could look active and like something Google would want to rank high still. I don't see how they could ignore that.
In a nutshell, it's going to take more work to stay on top. It only makes sense. Ranking well won't ever take less work, right? Business websites have an advantage - they have a local radius. They only need to rank well in that local area - where there's less competition. In that respect, business websites can still rank very well, very easily. You still need to do more than your competition and you're also competing with Google Local - so it's still work that has to be done (SEO work) but it's still relatively easy to rank if you have a local business website. Contact Webstix to find out how we can help.
-Tony
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