The short answer
To refresh content, open Search Console → Performance → Pages, compare the last 3 months with the previous period, and sort by click difference to find pages losing traffic. Open a page and check its queries: what people search for that the page answers poorly. Update facts, prices and dates, answer the missing questions, improve the title, add internal links, then request indexing in URL Inspection.
Before you start
By the end of this SOP
Three pages refreshed each month, chosen by data, with a note of what changed and the before-and-after numbers.
- Time
- 45–90 minutes per page
- You’ll need
- Search Console with at least 6 months of data (SOP 206) and editing access to the website.
- Who does this
- The SEO or content person.
About this SOP: why it matters, where and when
Why it matters: Pages lose rankings as facts age, competitors improve and search intent shifts. A refresh can win back clicks in weeks.
Where: Google Search Console → Performance, and your CMS.
When: Monthly, picking the top three pages that lost the most clicks.
Stage 1
Find pages worth refreshing
- 1
In Search Console, open Performance → Search results. Set Date → Compare → last 3 months vs previous period (or vs the same period last year for seasonal businesses).
- 2
Open the Pages tab, tick Clicks and Position, and sort by Clicks difference to see the biggest losers.
- 3
Pick pages that matter to the business (services, top guides). Write down their clicks, impressions, CTR and position as the “before”.
Stage 2
Diagnose why it dropped
- 1
Click a page, then open the Queries tab. Which queries lost clicks or position?
- 2
Search the main query on a phone in incognito. What do the top results and the AI Overview cover that your page doesn’t?
- 3
Common reasons:
- Outdated facts, prices, years or screenshots.
- Competitors answer the question more directly.
- The page targets a different intent from what Google now shows.
- A new page on your own site competes for the same query (SOP 320).
Stage 3
Update the page
- 1
Answer the main question in the first 50–60 words.
- 2
Update facts, prices, steps and screenshots. Add first-hand details: your own examples, numbers and photos.
- 3
Add sections for important queries the page ranks for but doesn’t answer. Use them as headings.
- 4
- 5
Update the visible ‘last reviewed’ date only because you made real changes. Then inspect the URL in Search Console and click Request indexing.
Stage 4
Measure the result
- 1
Log the date and what you changed in a content refresh sheet.
- 2
After 4–6 weeks, compare clicks, impressions and position with the before numbers.
- 3
If nothing improved, look again at intent: the page may need a different format, not more words.
Practice & check
Now do it for real
Reading is not doing. Open your own account and complete this task before you move on.
Practice task (5 min)
Find the page on a site you manage that lost the most clicks in the last 3 months, diagnose why, and write a refresh plan with five changes.
Prove it
Two questions. Get both right and this SOP is done.
Common questions
How often should I update old content?
Review your top pages every 3–6 months, and refresh any that lose clicks or have outdated facts. Fast-changing topics need more frequent checks.
Does updating content improve rankings?
It can, when the update makes the page more accurate and more useful for the query. Changing only the date doesn’t help.
Should I change the URL when I refresh a page?
No. Keep the same URL so it keeps its links and history. If you must change it, add a 301 redirect.
Done. That’s a real skill, not a certificate.
Next: SOP 320 — Find and Fix Keyword Cannibalisation →
Want to do this on real client budgets, with a mentor checking your work? That’s Level 2 at Unlearn. See the Digital Marketing track