SEO isn’t something you set and forget—it needs regular upkeep to keep your website performing well in search. Over time, small issues build up: broken links, outdated content, slow page speed. All of these quietly drag down your rankings if you’re not paying attention. That’s where SEO maintenance comes in—simple, ongoing tasks that protect your visibility and keep your site working for your business.
1. Monitor for broken links and fix them fast
Broken links frustrate visitors and signal to search engines that your site isn’t well maintained. They’re easy to miss as your content grows—pages get removed, URLs change, or external sites disappear.
Make it a habit to scan your site regularly for broken links and either update or redirect them. Tools like Screaming Frog or even a manual spot-check of key pages can help.
Wondering what other signs point to a neglected site? We covered that in ‘Hello world!’ might be the first sign.
2. Review your meta titles and descriptions
Meta titles and descriptions don’t just help with rankings—they influence whether people click through from search results. Over time, your pages change, but metadata often gets left behind.
Regularly check:
- Does the title still reflect what’s on the page?
- Can the description be clearer or more compelling?
- Are there new keywords worth including?
Small updates here can make a big difference in traffic without creating new content.
3. Keep plugins, themes, and PHP updated
Technical upkeep directly impacts your site’s speed, security, and SEO. Outdated plugins or software can introduce errors or slow down your site—both of which search engines notice.
Add version checks to your maintenance routine:
- Update plugins and themes
- Upgrade your PHP version
- Remove anything you’re no longer using
For more hidden signals that could be holding your site back, read Your website might be giving off the wrong signals—here’s why.
4. Check your sitemap and crawl settings
Your sitemap tells search engines what to index, but if it’s outdated or cluttered, it can cause more harm than good.
During maintenance, double-check:
- Is your sitemap updated automatically?
- Have you removed outdated or thin content?
- Are important pages crawlable while low-value pages are blocked?
Google Search Console can flag crawl errors worth fixing before they hurt your rankings.
5. Refresh outdated content regularly
Search engines reward fresh, relevant content. If your site has old blog posts or outdated service pages, it’s time to review and refresh them. Ask yourself: Are stats or examples still current? Can you improve readability or structure? Are there better internal links you can add now?
A light update is often enough to get search engines, and visitors, re-engaged with older content.
6. Revisit your internal links as your site grows
Internal links help both visitors and search engines navigate your site. But as your content library grows, important pages can get buried.
Set aside time to add links to new pages from older, high-traffic content, check that cornerstone pages are easy to reach and remove or update outdated internal links
It keeps your site connected and improves the chances that search engines see which pages matter most.
7. Test your site speed and mobile usability
Speed and mobile experience are non-negotiable for SEO. Slow, clunky sites get penalized—plus, visitors won’t wait around for your content to load.
Use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights or Lighthouse to spot large, uncompressed images, poor mobile layouts and elements that load slowly or block rendering
Optimizing here improves rankings and user experience in one go.
8. Make SEO maintenance part of your routine
The easiest way to protect your search visibility is to treat SEO maintenance as an ongoing task—not something you scramble to fix after traffic drops. A simple monthly or quarterly checklist keeps your site healthy.
That’s why we built Progress Planner Pro—to help small business owners stay consistent with website improvements. Our challenges guide you through tasks like reviewing old content, improving site structure, and fixing technical SEO issues—without the overwhelm.
SEO maintenance is what keeps your site working for you—helping search engines (and your audience) trust that your content is worth showing. Small, regular checks add up to stronger rankings and better performance over time.
Want help building the habit? Join Progress Planner Pro and tackle your SEO maintenance challenges with us.
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