Decision Content Optimisation

Should I update outdated content?

When outdated facts or claims justify an update.

ID
SS-DE-013
Confidence
Established · 80
Evidence
Established
Updated
2026-07-08

The question

When outdated facts or claims justify an update.

A page contains outdated information and you are deciding whether to update it.

Why it matters

Outdated content erodes trust and citations, but not every old page is worth updating.

How to decide

IfIt targets valuable intent and its facts have changed
ThenYes - update the substance, not just the date.
IfOutdated claims risk credibility or citations
ThenYes - correct them promptly.
IfThe page is low value and outdated
ThenConsider consolidating or retiring instead.

Default answer

Recommended next steps

    Apply the method Content Decay Model Framework See the wider capability Content Refresh Capability Follow the step-by-step Advanced Content Refresh Guide