Identify the reader need and the specific gap, then weigh the value, effort and service relevance of refreshing or writing. Changing a date alone does not improve content.
A practical decision guide based on Google guidance reviewed on 28 October 2026. Budget priorities and examples are CROMBA recommendations, not a Google ranking formula.
Start with what changed for the reader
Review pages related to your services and recurring customer questions. Does each page still answer the question it promises? Are examples, links and steps accurate? Must the reader leave to complete the answer?
Google encourages original, useful information and questions that assess completeness, accuracy and value compared with other sources. It also warns against changing dates to make pages look fresh without substantial changes. [1]
A worthwhile refresh should improve the answer itself.
When is refreshing the right choice?
A refresh is a strong candidate when the central question remains useful but the answer needs development. A platform guide may need revised steps, a service article clearer examples, or a comparison page better decision criteria.
Define the gap precisely. “This article is old” is not enough. Instead, specify that the explanation uses an earlier interface, fails to clarify service scope, or has an example that no longer fits your audience. This makes the editorial brief actionable and reviewable.
When do you need a new article?
Create a new article for a different question or decision that deserves independent treatment. For example, explaining engagement rate and fair comparisons differs from helping a marketing manager choose metrics to evaluate an agency. The pages can link to each other; combining them may dilute their purpose.
Before adding a title, search your library for pages serving the same intent. If one exists, define what additional value the proposed article brings and how its role differs.
Use a simple prioritisation matrix
At CROMBA, we suggest assessing each opportunity with four questions:
- How important is the question to the intended audience?
- How closely does it relate to the service or decision the website supports?
- What specific gap can we address?
- What effort is needed to produce a better answer?
A service page needing an important clarification may take priority over a high-traffic article with little connection to your business. A new topic may deserve priority if it repeatedly appears in sales meetings without a published answer. This is an editorial decision framework, not a Google ranking formula.
Measure what improved
Record what you changed, when and why. Over an appropriate period, assess whether enquiries are clearer, relevant visits increase and the page helps sales explain the service.
Do not attribute every traffic change to the refresh: seasonality, distribution and search changes can also contribute. Use our GA4 lead measurement guide to distinguish visits from actual enquiry quality.
A useful plan allows both library improvements and missing content. Discuss content priorities with CROMBA so that editorial budgets address clear needs and outcomes you can review.
Frequently asked questions
When should I refresh an old article?
When its central question remains useful and you can identify a gap in accuracy, completeness or usefulness.
Is changing the article date enough?
No. Google warns against changing dates to imply freshness without substantial changes.
When should I create a new article?
When it addresses a distinct question or decision that deserves an independent page, after checking your existing library.
Sources and editorial review
Original sources used in this article. Last editorial review: 28 October 2026.
- Google Search Central — Creating helpful, reliable, people-first contentReviewed 28 October 2026
