Is it good or bad for SEO to remove dates from blog posts?

When it comes to removing dates from blog posts, there are both pros and cons regarding SEO and user experience. Here’s a breakdown to help you decide what might be best for your website:

Pros of Removing Dates

1. Evergreen Content Perception: Removing dates can make content appear timeless, which might encourage users to engage with it regardless of when it was published. This can be beneficial for content that remains relevant over time, such as how-to guides or foundational topics.
2. Reduced Bounce Rates: Users might leave a page quickly if they perceive the content as outdated based on its date. By removing dates, you may reduce the likelihood of this happening.
3. Improved Click-Through Rates (CTR): In search engine results, users might be less inclined to click on a link if they see an old date. Without a date, they might judge the content based on its title and description instead.

Cons of Removing Dates

1. User Trust and Experience: Dates provide context and help users assess the relevance and currency of the information. Removing them might frustrate users looking for up-to-date information, especially in fast-changing fields like technology or finance.
2. SEO Implications: Search engines like Google use dates as a factor in determining the freshness of content. Removing dates could potentially affect how search engines perceive the relevance of your content for time-sensitive queries.
3. Content Credibility: Having a visible date can enhance credibility, as it shows transparency about when the information was last updated or published.

Best Practices

• Update Content Regularly: If you choose to remove dates, ensure your content is regularly updated to maintain its relevance and accuracy.
• Use “Last Updated” Dates: Instead of removing dates entirely, consider displaying a “last updated” date. This approach provides users with a sense of freshness while maintaining transparency.
• Structured Data Markup: Use structured data markup to inform search engines about the publication and update dates, even if they are not visibly displayed on the page.

Ultimately, whether to remove dates from blog posts depends on your specific audience and content strategy. Consider conducting A/B testing to see how changes impact user engagement and SEO performance on your site.