A prioritization playbook for which decaying pages to refresh first

A prioritization playbook for which decaying pages to refresh first

Question: with limited hours, which declining pages return the most if refreshed? An ordered triage.

— Step 1: in Search Console, compare the last 90 days to the prior 90 and flag pages losing both clicks and impressions — that pairing signals real decay, not a CTR blip.
— Step 2: filter to pages averaging position 5–15. These have proven relevance and the most upside from a refresh.
— Step 3: score each by impressions lost times current impressions — bigger pages with bigger losses rank first.
— Step 4: for the top of the list, diff your content against the now-ranking pages to find new subtopics and entities to add.
— Step 5: update content, internal links, and the visible date; resubmit the URL.
— Step 6: tag refresh dates so you can measure recovery against unrefreshed peers.

Method note: decay detection from 90-day GSC comparison windows; recovery measured against an unrefreshed peer group.

Caveat: seasonality mimics decay — a 90-day window reduces but doesn't eliminate it; the peer comparison is what keeps you honest.

Confidence: medium