Content pruning is the process of identifying and removing or improving underperforming, outdated, or irrelevant content on a website to optimize its overall quality, user experience, and search engine performance.
Some examples of content pruning include:
- Combining multiple underperforming articles on the same topic into one comprehensive, high-quality article that ranks well.
- Updating old content with current information, statistics, or best practices to maintain relevance.
- Removing pages with thin, duplicate, or low-quality content that adds little value to users.
- Redirecting URLs of removed pages to relevant, up-to-date content to preserve link equity and user experience.
- Identifying and fixing broken links or replacing them with updated, relevant resources.
- Archiving time-sensitive content, such as old event pages or promotional offers, to declutter the site structure.
- Consolidating similar product pages or variations into a single, optimized product page.
- Reviewing and removing or no-indexing pages with low traffic, high bounce rates, or minimal engagement.
- Repurposing or updating existing content in new formats, such as turning a blog post series into an e-book or guide.
- Implementing a content audit and review process to regularly assess and maintain the quality and relevance of the website's content.