SEO Tycoon

**frost** · 11-02-2007, 06:00 PM

Okay, this may seem like a reallysuperextremelyannoyingly obvious question, and I think I even know part of the answer, but I want to make sure I completely understand it. Why is fresh and/or unique content often considered one of the top SEO tips? I assume it's because it makes visitors want to return and they are more likely to link to you. But that isn't all, is it? When ranking pages, do search engines really prefer a page which updates often?

**Learning Newbie** · 11-02-2007, 06:08 PM

Depends.

First lets look at unique. Suppose I take a big, comprehensive Wikipedia article and paste it into a blog post. When people search for the title of that article, which one deserves to be ranked higher? Forget everything you know about SEO and assume real life. Which is the better, more reputable, more reliable source? I don't even have a high opinion of Wikipedia, but in the case I just described, they should clearly be more trusted. Add SEO into the mix, and a lot of duplicated content is on splogs.

Freshness, I'm not sure how much emphasis the engines put on it, but there's no doubt they place some. If you do a search for "how CPUs work" would you rather see a page written last month, or in 1986? If you ask how a mouse works, that really hasn't changed very much. Global warming - well, that's in constant flux, and we're learning more about it every day. Most subjects either change a lot, or we learn more about. So there's a built in assumption that newer material will generally be a better match than older stuff.

But I think attracting happy visitors who may link to you is half the picture. If someone comes back to your site a month later and it hasn't changed, they probably won't come back the next month. And that's the paradox of SEO - you need something to optimize. Useful content that can't be found elsewhere is one of the definitions of "linkbait" and there's a good reason it's called that.

**chrishirst** · 11-02-2007, 07:15 PM

Quote:

When ranking pages, do search engines really prefer a page which updates often

No ...

**CSS4Life** · 11-02-2007, 07:20 PM

Yes I would like to stress that there needs to be a balance in SEO. It isn't all about unique quality content - having that is VERY VERY important as it's something that people will recommend to their own visitors - bloggers do this all the time. However, there are also a few obvious SEO techniques that need to be undertaken at the same time - for example don't have images instead or text for your navigation as SEs can't see this, keep to Google's guidelines if you want to ensure best ranking with their SE and maybe submit some of your own content to social bookmarking sites to get the whole thing started off. I wouldn't spam social bookmarking sites or anything - i.e. reciprocal Diggs/Stumbles, but submitting your own content every so often does help to get some traffic.

If you've got any other questions regarding SEO, just ask

**frost** · 08:00 PM

Quote:

Freshness, I'm not sure how much emphasis the engines put on it, but there's no doubt they place some.

Quote:

When ranking pages, do search engines really prefer a page which updates often

No ...

Aww, which is it?

I'm mostly curious about the direct effects (if any) that unique and/or fresh content has on search engine ranks. I think I already know about the indirect effects, such as where the unique/fresh content causes natural links which in turn affect search engine ranks.

**CSS4Life** · 11-02-2007, 07:58 PM

In my opinion, search engines probably do favour newer content VERY SLIGHTLY. The differences between new content and older content are probably minimal over a short time period (6 months to a year) but may be larger over a longer period (2 or 3 years difference).

**scorpionagency** · 11-02-2007, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Learning Newbie

Depends.

First lets look at unique. Suppose I take a big, comprehensive Wikipedia article and paste it into a blog post. When people search for the title of that article, which one deserves to be ranked higher? Forget everything you know about SEO and assume real life. Which is the better, more reputable, more reliable source? I don't even have a high opinion of Wikipedia, but in the case I just described, they should clearly be more trusted. Add SEO into the mix, and a lot of duplicated content is on splogs.

Freshness, I'm not sure how much emphasis the engines put on it, but there's no doubt they place some. If you do a search for "how CPUs work" would you rather see a page written last month, or in 1986? If you ask how a mouse works, that really hasn't changed very much. Global warming - well, that's in constant flux, and we're learning more about it every day. Most subjects either change a lot, or we learn more about. So there's a built in assumption that newer material will generally be a better match than older stuff.

But I think attracting happy visitors who may link to you is half the picture. If someone comes back to your site a month later and it hasn't changed, they probably won't come back the next month. And that's the paradox of SEO - you need something to optimize. Useful content that can't be found elsewhere is one of the definitions of "linkbait" and there's a good reason it's called that.

Well said........

In addition I think to many webmasters forget the 1st rule of On page Optimizing when they start getting over weighed with SEO, and Thats: (COAM) Consumer Optimization And Monetization.

With a COAM mindset a webmaster is always focusing on providing something new for the potential / repeat / referral to read, play with, download etc.. EVERY week / Month, retroactively extending Retention rates.

I's My opinion that Fresh / Unique content plays a more Valuable role in the COAM Frame set & should be focused on from a Traffic Vs. Conversion (Monetization) viewpoint.

The above just emphasizes the ever so popular term: "Optimize for People Before Engines".

Sure Engines Love unique content, not to mention it will keep a page out of the Omitted / duplication section of the SERP's & in the regular listings where they can actually be found.

I am hoping to get the COAM initials to become a Popular term. I made that up a few minutes ago

. It would be neat if it actually caught on.... I think an full blown article based on COAM principles would be a Big hit & WAY more helpful than most of all the Marketing Hype out there today.

I'll race ya!

Muah ha ha ha ha

**TryUsOut** · 11:08 PM

Very good info! Thanks!

**vangogh** · 11:27 PM

Another thought is it depends on the type of search. For example blog searches absolutely do place a lot of emphasis on freshness. Go to Technorati or Google Blog Search to see.

I believe there is indication that search engines are using time sensitive data into account when ranking, though I'm drawing a blank on where I saw it. I think Bill Slawski covered a patent about it a few months back on his site, SEO By The Sea

But adding new content every day is no guarantee of ranking well. It's really more about having content that people want to see. If you never update your site there's not much reason for someone to keep coming by.

**frost** · 11-03-2007, 01:08 AM

Alright, so say your site does not offer content, at least in the traditional sense. Let's say your site offers a service. Would the equivalent of fresh and unique content for such a site be a useful or unique service?

**ADAM Web Design** · 11-03-2007, 01:58 AM

It could be, but you'd have to get the service to spread and catch on first. But if it's a useful or unique service, it should be fairly easy to come up with useful or unique content in association with the service.

There are always means to be unique, and there are always ways to be original. Sometimes they're obvious, sometimes they're hidden. But if you're willing to work and look for them, you'll find them.

**vangogh** · 11-03-2007, 02:27 AM

frost it's not really about one page updating often. It's more about a site adding new content. If you're thinking about changing a page just to keep it fresh that's not really what's mean by fresh at all.

I agree with Adam. You'd probably want to build content around the service. It's hard to draw links to a services or products page. There's just not a lot of reasons why someone would link to it. It doesn't mean you can't get links to those pages, but linking to informational content is much easier.

**mcooce** · 11-03-2007, 08:58 AM

Search like google,yahoo and live, all take fresh and unique content as high quality,so they are good for seo.

**chrishirst** · 11-03-2007, 09:19 AM

The idea that fresh content is "preferred" by search engines is simply another misleading detail brought about by the fact that new pages have always, always, always appeared high in the SERPs when first indexed. That's old news.

It's not because it's "fresh", it's because the page hasn't been analysed to see where it should be ranking, so its initial "scoring", maybe because of how or where it has been found, brings it close to the top of the SERP. Then of course once it has be properly analysed it appears in its appropriate slot.

Think of it this way;
To the search engines, the internet is a HUGE jigsaw puzzle and they are looking every minute of every day for new pieces to slot into place.
If any of you do jigsaws you will know that when you get a new piece out of the box it gets a quick look over to see if it matches anywhere instantly so you can put it straight into place (You have all the outside pieces done), rarely does it fit instantly. So, where does it go?

If it looks like it might fit somewhere, but you are not sure where, it goes on your board so you can keep it in mind temporarily, rather than back in the box, and you keep looking over these new pieces to see if they match something. Eventually you decide whether these "fresh" pieces fit somewhere or they go back into the general heap to be sorted differently next time around.

If it is a page with truly unique content and its scoring by virtue of whatever parameters are applied then it may stay near the top, but initially it is there because it is a new piece in the internet puzzle NOT necessarily "fresh content".

There are also many thousands of new pages added to already indexed sites that DON'T get this front page treatment. This will be because the link(s) that pointed the SE to this site do not have enough inherent value to make first page but they may be 5th or 6th page before they disappear into internet oblivion.

**seomaestro** · 11-05-2007, 07:41 AM

If google see the fresh page or unique content in your website, it will give more importance to that page for frequent indexing. If you use copied content your website get penalized

**datemaster** · 11:07 AM

From my experience "Fresh" or "Updated" content is given absolutely ZERO weight with search engines. I have some sites that are fully optimized with updated content and they can't surpass some very old sites that have not been updated in years. IMO, the older the site+relevant search query equals a higher ranking. Perhaps I'm blind, but this has been the case. I have even contacted google over this issue with a couple of my sites, but of course no results. There are thousands of relatively common keywords that display sites that are so out of date it's scary. I think the SE's need to place more importance on updated content than they do now. It's simply not fair to the user who is looking for information.
I think all leading SE's should read my posting..lol

However, it can not be underestimated the importance of updating content if it pertains to information users may search for. But I have seen static pages that have top rankings and have no been updated in a long time. So the bottom line is...relevance...not freshness

**ADAM Web Design** · 11-09-2007, 11:36 AM

The problem with that theory, Jack, is that you're not comparing apples to apples, and that it doesn't necessarily apply in all cases. In a lot of cases, freshness is a factor and new content is actually preferred (e.g. Blogsearch).

The old pages may also be better designed, have "better" information (or such is perceived), or they simply may be better linked to both internally and externally. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't put fresh content up. If you do, and it's useful, you'll find people that will organically link to it and send it traffic. You'd be surprised at how often that occurs.

**tdd1984** · 11-12-2007, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frost

Okay, this may seem like a reallysuperextremelyannoyingly obvious question, and I think I even know part of the answer, but I want to make sure I completely understand it. Why is fresh and/or unique content often considered one of the top SEO tips? I assume it's because it makes visitors want to return and they are more likely to link to you. But that isn't all, is it? When ranking pages, do search engines really prefer a page which updates often?

Its not really the content being "unique" is special its just promoting content on a daily bases such as viral content is a great strategy to use.