Combatting Content Decay: An Expert Guide to Addressing Declining Performance

Introduction

Is the performance of certain content on your website diminishing? If so, you may be experiencing content decay. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the concept of content decay, discuss how to identify it, and provide effective strategies to combat it.

Understanding Content Decay

Content decay refers to the gradual decline in organic traffic and search rankings for specific pieces of content over time. While content decay is often associated with older articles, it can affect newer content as well. The causes of content decay vary and include changes in search algorithms, increased competition, outdated information, and poor user experience.

Identifying Content Decay

To identify content that has decayed, it is essential to actively monitor its performance. Here are two methods to help you identify decayed content:

1. All in One SEO for WordPress

Install and activate the All in One SEO for WordPress plugin, which includes a Search Statistics tool that integrates your website with Google Search Console. This tool provides an overview of how your content has declined in search rankings over time. Set it up by following these steps:

1. Install and activate the All in One SEO for WordPress plugin.
2. Connect your WordPress website to your Google Search Console account.
3. Go to All in One SEO » Search Statistics and click the ‘Connect to Google Search Console’ button.
4. Grant permission for the plugin to access your Search Console data.
5. Complete the connection and access the Google Search Console data on the Search Statistics page in your WordPress admin dashboard.

On the ‘Content Rankings’ tab, you will find a list of your content in Google Search, along with data on loss or gain points, drop percentage, and last updated information. By sorting the list based on ‘Loss’ and ‘Drop’ values, you can easily identify the content that has decayed the most. Hovering over a post or page will provide you with links to edit or view the content, allowing you to make necessary changes.

2. Google Search Console

Another method involves adding your WordPress website to Google Search Console and allowing it to accumulate data over time. To uncover content decay, follow these steps:

1. Login to your Google Search Console dashboard.
2. Go to the ‘Performance’ tab.
3. Click on the ‘Date Range’ label and select a custom date range for comparison.
4. Enable all relevant columns such as positions, impressions, clicks, and CTR.
5. Scroll down to the ‘Pages’ view to identify content that has decayed.
6. Sort the ‘Position Difference’ column to identify content with the most significant drop in search rankings.

Switching to the ‘Queries’ tab allows you to determine the keywords for which your site’s rankings are decaying, and exporting this data in CSV format enables further analysis.

Addressing Content Decay

Once you have identified content decay on your WordPress website, it is crucial to take immediate action. However, before making any changes, you must understand why a particular piece of content has lost rankings or an organic click-through rate. Common causes include being outranked by newer, more comprehensive content, and a lack of user interest or alignment with search intent. To combat content decay, consider the following strategies:

• Update and enhance your content to make it more comprehensive and valuable.
• Analyze the search results for keywords where your content previously ranked and make necessary adjustments.
• Consider rewriting and optimizing content related to similar topics that still have search volume.

By implementing these strategies, you can effectively mitigate content decay and improve the performance of your WordPress site.

Conclusion

Content decay presents a significant challenge to your website’s traffic and search rankings. Regularly monitoring and addressing decayed content is crucial for maintaining a strong online presence. By utilizing tools like All in One SEO for WordPress or Google Search Console, you can easily identify decaying content and take the necessary steps to rectify the issue. Remember to update and optimize your content regularly to ensure its relevance and visibility in search results.