Content decay

A few URLs often carry most of your signups or sales. When one fades, you feel it. You cannot drown decay in volume, so you must fix the page.

• Rivals publish fresher answers and earn the click you used to get.
• Search intent shifts, your angle no longer matches the top results.
• SERP features expand, your blue link is pushed down.
• Your page is slow or clunky, users pogo stick.
• Links rot or lose weight, your authority dips.

Example: /guides/getting-started ranked for "how to set up yourproduct" and drove demos. Six months later, clicks halve. New guides and a video carousel now sit above you.

1. 1

   Find falling pages

   In Search Console, open Performance. Set Date to compare last 28 days with previous 28. Sort by Clicks difference. Note URLs with big drops.

2. 2

   Check query movement

   Click a URL, switch to Queries. Add Average position. Look for queries where position slipped and impressions stayed level, or impressions fell.

3. 3

   Inspect the SERP today

   Search those queries in an incognito window. Note who ranks, their titles, structure, and any People also ask, videos or shopping blocks.

4. 4

   Confirm intent and coverage

   Does your page match the current top results? Are key subtopics missing? For a software page, check if the page answers pricing, integrations and setup.

5. 5

   Check basics that drag performance

   Review title and meta description for relevance and clarity. Check internal links to the page. Check Core Web Vitals, especially LCP and INP, as of 2026.

If the page once converted, check product analytics for goal or signup drop. Prioritise pages with lost revenue impact first.

• Tighten search intent match: align the H1, intro and sections with what now ranks.
• Add missing sections: cover subtopics you saw on page one. Use clear H2s and short, specific paragraphs.
• Update facts, screenshots and examples. Remove dated lines and dead features.
• Rewrite the title to match the main query within about 60 characters. Improve clarity, not clickbait.
• Improve the meta description within 155 characters to earn the click.
• Add internal links from newer posts and relevant pages. Use anchor text that names the topic.
• Consolidate duplicates: if you have two near-identical pages, merge the best into one and redirect the other.
• Fix UX issues: improve Largest Contentful Paint, reduce layout shift, and keep interactions responsive.
• Reclaim links: update or redirect old URLs that 404 to restore link equity.

A fixed page looks current, loads fast, covers the intent fully, and has a clear title that matches the query people use now.

• Changing the URL. Keep the URL, refresh the content. If you must change it, add a 301 redirect.
• Refreshing only the date. Substance wins. Add or improve sections, do not just bump the timestamp.
• Spinning up a "2026" clone. This creates cannibalisation. Update the original instead.
• Over-pruning. Do not delete a page that still ranks for long-tail queries without a redirect and a merge plan.
• Ignoring intent shift. If the SERP turned commercial, a blog post will struggle. Consider a comparison or landing page instead.
• Chasing length. Add what helps the query. Cut what does not.