Content freshness and updates: an important criterion for AI
Description
Content freshness reflects its recency and regular updating to maintain relevance and accuracy. It is expressed through clear publication and modification dates, periodic revisions of information, and the addition of new perspectives or data.
For some topics (news, technology), freshness is an important ranking factor.
Why is this important for ai search?
LLMs incorporate temporality as a criterion for relevance, favoring recent sources for evolving topics. Regularly updated content signals its continued reliability and state-of-the-art status. Models use freshness indicators to assess the temporal validity of information, influencing its likelihood of being cited for answers requiring current data.
Technical details
- Indicate the publication or update date
- Distinction between news page and classic page
- Display the update date
- Regular update of strategic pages
- Use of a date format adapted to crawlers (ISO)
1. Indicate the publication or update date
The presence of a publication or last update date on a web page is an important signal for search engines and users. It indicates the freshness of the information, a criterion increasingly valued by ranking algorithms, particularly for queries where recency is essential.
Make sure that each content page (blog articles, news, guides, etc.) clearly displays an initial publication date and, if the content has been modified, a last updated date. This information can be integrated into the HTML via semantic tags (for example, <time datetime="YYYY-MM-DD">) or structured data (Schema.org).
2. Distinction between news and classic pages
The relevance of freshness varies depending on the type of content. A news page requires constant updating, while a background page can remain relevant for longer. Generative AI engines are able to make this distinction and adapt their evaluation accordingly.
Clearly differentiate between news pages (where recency is a key ranking factor) and classic pages (evergreen content). For news pages, the publication date is crucial. For classic pages, the last update date is more relevant if the content is regularly reviewed and improved.
3. Display the update date to the user
Not only should the date be present in the code, but it should also be visible and easily identifiable to the user. This builds trust and authority in the content.
Make sure the publication or update date is displayed prominently on the page, usually at the top of the article or near the title. A visible date indicates to users that the information is up-to-date and reliable.
4. Regularly Update Strategic Pages
A site's strategic pages (those that generate the most traffic, conversions, or are essential to the business) should receive special attention for freshness. Outdated content on these pages can seriously harm your SEO and GEO performance.
It is advisable to implement a regular review and update schedule for strategic pages. This includes fact-checking, adding new information, updating statistics, and improving the overall quality of the content. Each significant update should be accompanied by a change in the last updated date.
5. Using a Crawler-Friendly Date Format (ISO)
For search engines to correctly interpret publication and update dates, it is essential to use a standardized format. The ISO 8601 format is universally recognized and recommended.
Use the ISO 8601 format (e.g., YYYY-MM-DD or YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ) for dates in HTML and structured data. This ensures correct interpretation by crawlers and AI engines, regardless of their country or language.
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