Google: Don't Delete Older Content, It May Be Helpful Content

Aug 9, 2023 - 7:31 am 9 by
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Old Man Typing Google Logo

Danny Sullivan, Google's Search Liaison, posted a PSA on Twitter that you should not delete old content from your site because you think Google Search doesn't like old content. He said it is not true, Google Search can find older content to be helpful. So don't delete helpful old content.

Danny Sullivan wrote, "Are you deleting content from your site because you somehow believe Google doesn't like "old" content? That's not a thing! Our guidance doesn't encourage this. Older content can still be helpful, too."

He then posted a link to the official helpful content documentation on Google Search.

This should not surprise anyone, Google has been saying this for years. Here are some older stories I wrote about this topic:

Here is that tweet:

Here is the follow up:

If you are wondering why Danny Sullivan tweeted this in the first place, read CNET Deletes Thousands of Old Articles to Game Google Search at Gizmodo.

John Mueller also posted a number of responses on this on Mastodon - click to those threads to see the context but here is a screenshot:

Johnmu Delete Old Content

And more from Danny Sullivan on this topic on August 14th on Twitter:

More Google Prune

Forum discussion at Twitter.

 

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