Content pruning is the deliberate review of existing pages with the goal of updating, merging or removing those that perform poorly or are outdated. The aim is a set of fewer, more useful URLs.
How does content pruning work?
SEO guides such as those from Semrush and Yoast describe the same steps. First, list all URLs and gather data such as traffic, conversions, backlinks and age. Then decide per page between three options. A page can be improved, merged with a similar page, or removed. Some guides add a fourth, setting noindex for pages that should stay available to visitors.
Google has pushed back on deletion for its own sake. After CNET removed thousands of old pages, Danny Sullivan of Google wrote in August 2023 that deleting content because Google supposedly dislikes old content is “not a thing”. He added that removal might help Google crawl other content better on a massive site. The second effect depends on the individual case.
Example (fictional)
A guide from 2017 receives twelve visits a year and overlaps with a newer article on the same topic. Its useful sections move into the newer article, and the old URL redirects there.
Common mistakes
Deleting pages that have backlinks, without redirecting them, throws away existing links (assessment). Age alone is a weak reason to remove a page.
Sources
- Google warns against content pruning as CNET deletes thousands of pages – MediaPost, Aug 11, 2023 (quotes Danny Sullivan)mediapost.com
- Content Pruning – Semrush (supplementary)semrush.com
- Content Pruning – Yoast (supplementary)yoast.com
- Google Says Don't Delete Older Content If It's Helpful – Search Engine Roundtable (quotes Danny Sullivan's posts)seroundtable.com
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