Don't Throw the Baby Out With the Bathwater
When updating old content, the temptation is to rewrite everything.
Don't.
Some elements of your old content are working. Rewriting them could actually hurt your rankings.
What to Keep
Sections that rank well. If your page ranks for specific long-tail keywords because of a particular section, leave that section largely intact.
Natural backlink magnets. Check which parts of the page other sites link to. Those sections are earning their keep.
High-engagement sections. If scroll depth data shows people spending time on a specific section, it's doing something right.
What to Update
Outdated statistics. Replace 2022 stats with 2026 stats. Always.
Broken links. Fix or replace any dead external links. While you're at it, add fresh internal links to newer content.
Thin sections. Areas that could be expanded with more depth, examples, or context.
Outdated screenshots or examples. If your screenshots show old interfaces, update them.
The publish date. Change it to reflect the update. Google notices freshness.
What to Kill
Irrelevant tangents. Sections that don't serve the core topic or search intent.
Redundant content. If you're saying the same thing twice, cut one instance.
Outdated recommendations. Tools or tactics that no longer work.
The Update Process
Make sure every update is properly optimized. SEO Checkup -- 113 tasks, 4 checklists, free, 30 seconds.
Ahrefs' on-page SEO guide has great examples of what re-optimization should look like in practice.
Update smart. Not just different.