Most SEO advice focuses on publishing new content. But one of the most overlooked ways to grow rankings is improving what you already have.
To explore how much impact updates can have, we analyzed over 300,000 pages across multiple niches. Some were refreshed and optimized with Surfer’s Content Editor, while others weren’t.
What we found highlights just how powerful updates can be for driving growth and visibility.
Methodology
Maciej, our Data Scientist, analyzed ~ 300,000 pages imported by Surfer users through the Content Editor (CE) and Sites tool.
Each page’s Google ranking was recorded at the time of import and re-checked after 30 days to track changes.
Out of these pages, 12% (≈36,000) were optimized in CE, where users expanded topical coverage, added missing terms, and aligned with search intent.
The remaining ~264,000 pages were not updated using the Content Editor, creating a natural comparison group.
It’s worth noting that “untouched” pages may still have been optimized in other ways (e.g. through the Audit tool, other SEO platforms, or off-page tactics).
Results, therefore, reflect relative performance between groups rather than a strict no-action baseline.
Updated pages are 2x more likely to break into the Top 10
Breaking into the Top 10 is where the real traffic lives. But it’s also where competition is brutal and many pages hover just outside, never making the leap.
Our data shows that content updates can be the push they need.
Pages that were refreshed and optimized with Surfer were twice as likely to reach the Top 10 within just 30 days compared to other pages.
Specifically, 7.7% of updated pages made the leap, compared to only 4.0% of unupdated pages.
It’s important to note that the “not optimized” pages were not necessarily untouched. Many could have been optimized through other tools, audits, or off-page techniques. But they were not updated using Surfer’s Content Editor, and that’s where the clear performance gap emerged.
The takeaway is clear: while publishing new content gets most of the spotlight, refreshing with Surfer is one of the fastest ways to capture meaningful search traffic.
Updates increase success rates across all ranking thresholds
The same advantage appeared at every ranking threshold. For example, 15.1% of updated pages reached the Top 50, compared to 8.0% of non-optimized pages.
Similar lifts appeared for the Top 20 and Top 100, showing that refreshed content is more likely to climb no matter where it starts.
Looking at ranking distributions confirms this pattern: pages updated with Surfer shifted upward overall, while other pages stagnated or declined.
Even if updates didn’t immediately push a page into the first page of results, they set it on a positive trajectory toward greater visibility.
In short, updates don’t just create breakthroughs, they give more of your content a better chance to climb.
Make every update count with Surfer
The results of our analysis reveal just how powerful content updates can be for SEO growth.
Pages updated with Surfer’s Content Editor were consistently more likely to climb in rankings, from breaking into the Top 10 to improving visibility across every tier.
But not every update delivers that kind of impact. The difference comes from making updates with data-driven guidance.
That’s exactly what Surfer’s workflow supports, helping you spot opportunities, decide which pages to refresh, and apply changes that search engines reward.
Start with Content Audit to see how every page is performing against today’s SERPs. It’s the place to catch pages that are losing rankings before they slide further and to spot opportunities where a small refresh could unlock big gains.
What’s more, the Recommendations tab highlights the pages most likely to benefit from an update, giving you a clear starting point instead of leaving you to guess.
From there, you move into the Content Editor, where Surfer provides tailored guidelines on how to update effectively.
You can use Auto-Optimize to apply improvements instantly and lean on Coverage Booster to expand topical depth and fill the gaps competitors are covering.
Treating updates as a periodic practice—not a one-off fix—means your content doesn’t just survive in the rankings, but it keeps climbing.
With Surfer, you can see where to focus, how to improve, and ensure your content library keeps delivering growth.
👉 Update with Surfer today and unlock the traffic potential hiding in your content.
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