A content refresh means making an existing post more accurate, complete and useful for the people searching for it. It does not mean changing the date and hoping for the best. Google's guidance on creating helpful, reliable content is a good test: would a reader leave this page feeling their question was properly answered?

Choose posts worth updating

Not every old post deserves effort. Open Google Search Console, compare the last three months with the same period a year earlier and look for three patterns:

• Posts that used to bring clicks and have slipped

• Posts with plenty of impressions but few clicks, often sitting on page two

• Posts on topics that matter commercially, such as those that lead to enquiries

Start with a short list of five to ten. A refresh of a post that nobody reads and nobody needs is wasted time.

Re-check the search intent

Search the main phrase and read what ranks now. Results change: a how-to query might now be dominated by checklists, or a broad term might favour comparison pages. If your post answers a different question from the one searchers are asking, adjust the angle. Our guide to search intent explains how to read the results.

Improve the content itself

Work through the post section by section.

• Correct anything outdated, including tools, regulations, prices and screenshots

• Add the questions readers now ask that the post does not cover

• Replace vague advice with specific steps and real examples

• Tighten the structure with clearer headings and shorter paragraphs

• Remove padding that does not help the reader

Review the title and opening paragraph too. A clearer title can lift click-through, and Google's notes on title links explain how titles are chosen for results.

Strengthen links and calls to action

Older posts often link to pages that have moved and miss newer content you have since published. Fix broken links, add links to your latest relevant posts and make sure the post points to the right service or contact page. If your posts do not yet form a coherent set, our guide to a content marketing strategy that generates leads can help you plan them.

Keep the URL, and watch for overlap

Update the post at its existing address so links and rankings carry over. Only redirect if you merge or delete pages, and then use a permanent redirect to the closest equivalent. While reviewing, you may find two posts competing for the same query. If so, read our guide to keyword cannibalisation before deciding which to keep.

Record changes and measure the result

Keep a simple log with the date, the URL and what you changed. After four to eight weeks, compare impressions, clicks, average position and, where possible, enquiries. Use Google Analytics to see whether visitors to the post go on to contact you. Results vary, and some updates take longer to show, so judge the pattern over several posts rather than one.