Is Old Content Hurting Your Law Firm’s SEO?
When was the last time you looked at the older service pages, blogs, or articles on your law firm’s website? If you’re like most law firms, your attention is focused on creating fresh, new content rather than revisiting what’s already there. However, neglecting old content could be holding back your SEO performance and costing you potential cases.
But don’t worry—there’s good news. With some strategic updates, your outdated content can move from a liability to one of your strongest assets. Below, we’ll explain why old content matters in SEO marketing for lawyers, how it affects your rankings, and what you can do to fix it.
Why Does Old Content Matter for Law Firm SEO?
Your website is a key tool for attracting clients. Whether someone is looking for a divorce attorney or corporate counsel, their first point of contact is likely your online presence. And while freshness counts in SEO, search engines like Google care about the overall quality, relevance, and value of all your content—both new and old.
The problem? Content that’s outdated, inaccurate, or poorly performing can send the wrong signals to search engines and visitors. It can:
- Lower your rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs)
- Reduce on-site engagement, causing potential clients to leave quickly
- Undermine your credibility as a trusted legal authority
Despite these issues, there’s a silver lining. Old content isn’t wasted—it’s an opportunity. You can update, optimize, and revitalize it to strengthen your strategy for your SEO marketing for law firms.
How Old Content Affects Rankings
Search engines prioritize content that’s relevant, useful, and up-to-date. Here’s how outdated content can impact your site’s performance:
1. Decreasing Relevance
Google and other search engines constantly update their algorithms to provide users with the best answers. If your content is no longer relevant or lacks updated legal references, it won’t rank as high as pages with current information. For example, a blog about “trust laws in 2018” may not hold much weight when someone looks up “current trust laws in [your state].”
2. Fewer Keywords Ranking
Legal trends and search habits evolve. Old content might focus on keywords that are no longer popular or relevant. If you’re not adapting, you’re missing out on traffic for newer, high-value terms like “child custody lawyer near me” or “business contract attorney in [city].”
3. Drop in Click-Through Rates (CTR)
Even if older pages rank, outdated headlines or meta descriptions can lead to fewer clicks. A page titled “Top Divorce Lawyers in 2015” likely won’t perform as well as one titled “Best Divorce Lawyers to Help You in 2025.”
4. Poor User Experience
Outdated legal advice or broken links frustrate visitors. Many potential clients will leave your site and choose a competitor instead. And because Google tracks metrics like time spent on-site and bounce rates, poor engagement lowers your overall rankings.
Benefits of Revitalizing Your Website Content
Updating old content isn’t just about fixing problems—it’s about unlocking opportunities. Here’s why every law firm should take its old content seriously:
- Reclaim Ranking Positions: Updating old blogs with newer, optimized keywords can push you higher in SERPs.
- Increase Organic Traffic: Refreshed content appeals to Google’s algorithm and drives steady traffic without needing to create entirely new pages that might compete with your current topics.
- Enhance Your E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness): For lawyers, showcasing expertise is critical. Updating content with credible references or case studies shows Google (and your clients) that you’re a trusted authority.
At Green Cardigan Marketing, we ensure old content is included in our comprehensive content plans for all our clients. Law firms that take a comprehensive view of their SEO—focusing on all their content—see better long-term results.
6 Simple Steps to Optimize Old Content
Want to turn your forgotten content into a goldmine? Follow these actionable steps to breathe new life into underperforming pages and improve SEO strategy for your firm:
1. Audit Your Content Inventory
Start by auditing all existing content, and create a list of all landing pages, blogs, and articles on your website. Look for content that hasn’t been updated in several years or isn’t performing well. Use tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics to identify:
- Pages with low engagement rates
- Pages with low clicks and impressions
- Keywords and pages with high impressions but low CTR
- Content with declining traffic trends
- Underperforming keywords
2. Update Outdated Information
For law firms, accuracy is critical. Go through each piece of content and ensure all references, legal terms, and statistics are current. For instance:
- Replace “estate tax laws 2017” with details on 2024 estate tax regulations.
- Link to recent, authoritative sources, such as government websites or new legal precedents.
3. Optimize Keywords
Check if you’re targeting the right terms. Use tools like SEMRush or Ahrefs to identify trending legal keywords and evaluate their monthly search volume. Then, naturally incorporate them into the text, headers, and meta descriptions. For example, replace “criminal lawyer services” with more specific terms like “criminal defense attorney in [city].”
4. Improve Formatting for Scannability
Visitors don’t read—they scan. Replace long paragraphs with:
- Subheadings (like this one!)
- Bullet points for takeaways
- Short, impactful sentences
5. Enhance Metadata
Revise your page’s page titles, meta titles, meta descriptions, and alt text to make them more click-worthy. Make sure your metadata incorporates the primary keyword you are targeting. For example:
- Old title: “How to Handle Estate Planning”
- New title: “Essential Estate Planning Tips in 2025 for [Your State]”
6. Add Fresh Elements
Consider adding new layers of value, such as:
- Case studies or success stories
- Video summaries explaining legal complexities
- Infographics summarizing key points
3 Common Questions About Content Updates
How often should law firms update their old content?
We recommend refreshing priority content every 6–12 months. This includes pages driving the most traffic or those that target high-converting keywords.
Can I delete old content instead of updating?
Only if the content is completely irrelevant, outdated beyond repair, or holds no SEO value (think duplicate pages or outdated topics). Otherwise, updating is the better approach.
Is updating content time-consuming?
It doesn’t have to be. Start small—focus on your top 5 performing pages first. Over time, you’ll see measurable improvements that motivate ongoing updates.
Take Back Control of Your Old Content
Your old blogs and pages are more than digital clutter—they’re valuable assets you can’t afford to ignore. By auditing, updating, and optimizing these pieces, you’ll supercharge your SEO efforts and stay ahead of the competition.
At Green Cardigan Marketing, we help law firms make the most out of all their content—old and new. Interested in taking your SEO game to the next level? Contact our team today to discuss a tailored plan that works for your firm.
