“It’s still getting traffic — so it must be fine.”
Not quite.
Evergreen content is built to last — articles, guides, and videos that stay relevant for months or even years. But while your content ages well, your links might not. And an outdated link in a still-ranking page is like a rusted hinge on a working door.
It creaks. It slows users down. Sometimes, it doesn’t open at all.
Here’s why refreshing old links in evergreen content isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s a growth opportunity hiding in plain sight.
1. Broken links hurt trust and SEO
If a user clicks and lands on a 404 or irrelevant page, they bounce. Google notices. And you risk your search ranking dipping, not because the content is bad — but because the experience broke.
2. Campaigns end, but traffic doesn’t
Many evergreen posts include links to seasonal offers, product launches, or temporary landing pages. Months later, those pages disappear or become outdated. But the post still gets clicks. You're wasting traffic on dead ends.
3. Your strategy evolves
What you promoted a year ago might not align with your brand today. Updating those links lets you align evergreen content with current goals — be it lead gen, new product focus, or fresh CTAs.
4. Trackability improves performance
Older links often weren’t built with proper UTM tags or tracking logic. By updating them with modern short links from Surl.li, you not only get clean, editable URLs — you gain full visibility into how your “old” content is performing today.
5. Easy updates = long-term ROI
If your evergreen post still ranks, it’s an asset. Don’t just leave it untouched. Refreshing links is one of the lowest-effort, highest-impact optimizations you can make.
Bonus tip: use short links that can be updated later. That way, if the destination changes again, you won’t need to edit the content — just change the redirect behind the link. Your users never notice, and you stay in control.
In a world obsessed with new, smart marketers quietly squeeze extra value from what’s already working. Updating old links in evergreen content doesn’t just fix problems — it turns traffic into measurable impact.
Because a great article with a broken link isn’t evergreen. It’s just forgotten.