SEO Maintenance Tasks to Keep Your Site Ranking

SEO maintenance can protect you against traffic drops after Google algorithm updates.

Every algorithm change has the potential to drop your website into the unknown depths of the search engine results pages (SERPs).

You can also lose ground because of other factors, like content decay.

If you ignore SEO maintenance tasks, you risk losing your rank and falling to the second page of the SERPs or lower.

Since most users don’t look past the first page, this means losing visibility, traffic, and conversions.

Regularly updating keywords, fixing common technical problems, and updating content can maintain or even boost your rankings.

This leads to better search position and a higher click-through-rate (CTR).

Let’s look at the tasks.

10 Essential SEO Maintenance Tasks

SEO maintenance can vary depending on your website’s size and industry. However, the following maintenance tasks will apply to most websites.

On Page SEO Maintenance

On page SEO maintenance involves optimizing individual web pages to improve their search engine positioning.

It focuses on both the content and the HTML source code of a page to enhance its relevance and user experience.

Review and Update Your Keyword Strategy

A keyword strategy is a plan for targeting specific words and phrases that your audience uses in search engines.

I review and update my strategy frequently to ensure I’m reaching the right people.

Tools like the Semrush Keyword Magic Tool and Keyword Gap help you discover new keywords and see how you compare to competitors.

For example, if you own a coffee shop, you might find that "organic coffee beans" is a popular search term to include in your content.

Refresh Old Content

Refreshing old content means updating existing pages or articles to keep them current and relevant. For instance, you might update a blog post from last year with new statistics or recent trends.

This is important because search engines favor fresh content. And up-to-date information keeps your audience engaged.

Semrush’s SEO Writing Assistant can guide you in optimizing your content so that it competes in the search engine results pages.

SEO Writing Assistant also scores your content on originality, readability, and tone of voice.

Create New Content Regularly

Creating new content regularly keeps your website active and gives visitors a reason to return.

And it gives you more opportunities to rank for additional keywords.

Exploding Topics Pro helps you identify trending topics that hold your readers’ interest.

For example, if you run a fitness blog, you might discover a rising interest in "virtual yoga classes" across the fitness industry.

Dig into the data to get even more insights about trending topics and niche content ideas.

Update Your Internal Linking Structure

An internal linking structure refers to how pages on your website link to each other.

Updating your links helps search engines understand the relationship between your pages. It also improves navigation for users.

For example, linking a product page to a related blog post can provide additional information and boost engagement.

Consider the customer journey. Create a map of how users navigate through your site. This will help you identify the best way to interlink your pages.

I recommend adding new internal links whenever you publish new content.

Update Your Schema Markup

Schema markup or structured data is website code that helps search engines understand your content.

Updating schema enhances how your pages appear in search results, especially rich snippets.

Examples include:

• Star ratings
• Event information
• Review summaries
• Movie, book, or other media details
• FAQs

These rich results can increase click-through rates significantly.

For instance, adding schema markup to an event page can show the date, time, and location directly in Google search results.

If you need help figuring out what schema to add, check out some AI SEO tools that can assist.

Technical SEO Maintenance

Technical SEO maintenance involves optimizing the technical aspects of your website.

It ensures that search engines can easily crawl and index your site, leading to better rankings and a smoother user experience.

And it’s important because technical problems can stop your site from appearing in search results.

Some common technical SEO problems that crop up include:

• Broken or redirected links
• Sitemap issues
• Crawl and index commands (e.g., “noindex” and “nofollow”)
• Outdated title tags, meta descriptions, or other meta tags
• Duplicate content

Fixing these and other technical issues can greatly improve UX and raise your site to the top of the search results.

I use the Semrush Site Audit tool. It gives you a full report on technical SEO problems—along with ideas about how to fix them.

Optimize Page Loading Speed

Optimizing page speed means making your web pages load faster for users.

Faster pages provide a better user experience and improve your search rankings. But slow pages drive users away.

Consider:

• Compressing your images
• Minifying code
• Using browser caching

For example, reducing the size of large images can significantly speed up your site.

The Semrush Site Audit tool includes a Site Performance report that focuses on page load issues.

See what’s making your pages load slowly. Then, view information on how to fix the errors and warnings.

Off Page SEO Maintenance

Off page SEO maintenance includes activities outside your website that can improve its ranking in search engines.

It focuses on building trust and authority through external efforts like backlinks and local listings.

And it’s important because it shows search engines that your site is trustworthy.

Here are a few techniques I’d recommend.

Manage Local Listings

Local listings highlight businesses close to the searcher’s physical location.

Ensure your business information is accurate and consistent across online directories. This makes it easier for people nearby to find you, and it can help improve local search rankings.

Using tools like Semrush Listing Management, you can update your address, phone number, and hours of operation in one place.

For example, if your business moves to a new location, you can update your address to avoid confusion and maintain online visibility.

You can also update your hours to reflect seasonal or holiday availability.

Monitor Your Competitors

Keep an eye on what other businesses in your industry are doing online.

This will help you identify new opportunities and stay ahead in the market.

Semrush Domain Overview lets you analyze competitors' keywords, backlinks, and traffic sources.

For instance, if a competitor gains a significant backlink, you might consider reaching out to the same site for a link.

Acquire New Backlinks

When other websites link to yours, Google and others see it as an endorsement of your site. This is called a backlink.

Backlinks act as votes of confidence, improving your site's authority and search rankings.

Start by seeing what backlinks your site has already. You can use a backlink checker to get a list of links that point to your site.

To earn more backlinks, create valuable content that others want to share. Add easy ways for them to share on social media and elsewhere.

For example, writing a guest post for a popular blog in your industry can earn you a link and expose you to a wider audience.

Another way to earn backlinks is to simply ask for them.

Reach out to reputable websites in your field and see if they’d be willing to link to your content.

Use the Semrush Link Building Tool to find good outreach prospects and manage your link-building campaigns.

Scheduled SEO Maintenance Tasks

SEO maintenance is an ongoing process.

Here are some ways to automate your SEO maintenance efforts and keep your site ranking well.

Automate Site Audits

You can always run a Semrush Site Audit manually. But it’s easier to automate it.

To set or change your Site Audit schedule:

• Log into your Semrush account.
• Go to the Site Audit tool.
• Select the gear icon at the top right.
• Scroll down to the “Schedule” option.

You can choose either daily or weekly audits. If you choose weekly, you can select which day of the week to run it.

When your audit runs, you’ll get an email summary showing you important changes.

This is a great way to perform SEO maintenance without having to remember to run reports yourself.

Monitor Website Performance

Monitoring website performance means regularly checking how your site is doing in terms of traffic and user engagement.

This is important because it helps you identify issues that might affect your search rankings or user satisfaction.

Tools like Organic Research, Traffic Analytics, Google Search Console, and Google Analytics provide valuable insights.

For example, if you notice a sudden drop in traffic, these tools can help you pinpoint the cause.

Many website performance tools offer ongoing monitoring, so you can check in on performance once every few weeks.

Keep Tabs on Core Web Vitals

Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics that assess your website's loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability.

Keeping tabs on these metrics is important because Google uses them to rank pages.

Google’s PageSpeed Insights can help you monitor and improve these metrics.

For example, if your pages load slowly, users might leave before they see your content.

You can also get Core Web Vitals details in Semrush Site Audit.

Best Tools for SEO Maintenance

Using the right tools makes SEO maintenance easier.

They simplify complex tasks and provide valuable insights to keep your site competitive.

Semrush offers a suite of tools to streamline SEO maintenance:

• Site Audit scans your website to identify problems like broken links, missing meta tags, slow-loading pages, and other technical SEO issues.
• Position Tracking monitors specific keyword rankings over time to help you understand your SEO performance and adjust your strategies accordingly.
• Keyword Magic Tool gives you a powerful way to research new keywords and expand coverage.
• Link Building Tool makes it easy to discover and reach out to reputable websites for high-quality backlinks.
• Listing Management offers quick updates for local listings, so nearby users can find your business.

Use Exploding Topics Pro alongside Semrush to identify trending topics before they become mainstream.

By covering subjects that are gaining interest, you can position your website as an authority in your niche.

Get Started with SEO Maintenance

A site that ranks well one day could see its positions drop the next.

Stay on top of potential search issues and protect your ranking strategy by performing regular SEO maintenance.

Sign up for Semrush and Exploding Topics Pro right away to keep the traffic flowing to your website.