Content decay refresh plan
1. Periods compared
- Current period: Jul to Sep 2026. Previous period: Apr to Jun 2026. Both are 3 months, so they are equal length.
- This is a consecutive comparison, not year over year, so seasonal swings between spring and summer can look like decay.
- Data: your page export, page details and top query per page (fictional test data). min_clicks default 50. No conversion data, so ranking is by recoverable clicks only.
Per page deltas (CTR = clicks / impressions; position change positive means worse):
| URL | Clicks prev | Clicks now | Impr change | CTR prev | CTR now | CTR change (relative) | Pos prev | Pos now | Pos change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| /blog/crm-onboarding-checklist | 1,200 | 640 | -3.3% | 4.00% | 2.21% | -44.8% | 3.1 | 6.8 | +3.7 (worse) |
| /blog/what-is-churn | 900 | 850 | -37.5% | 2.25% | 3.40% | +51.1% | 4.0 | 4.2 | +0.2 |
| /blog/pricing-page-examples | 700 | 420 | +3.3% | 4.67% | 2.71% | -41.9% | 2.9 | 3.0 | +0.1 |
| /blog/sales-email-templates | 40 | 10 | -66.7% | 1.33% | 1.00% | -25.0% | 12 | 19 | +7 (worse) |
| /blog/crm-implementation-guide | 150 | 520 | +133.3% | 1.67% | 2.48% | +48.6% | 11.0 | 4.3 | -6.7 (better) |
/blog/crm-implementation-guide gained clicks, so it is not in the decay table; it matters for cannibalization below.
2. Decay table: URL, clicks before, clicks after, change, primary cause, recoverable estimate
| Rank | URL | Clicks before | Clicks after | Change | Primary cause | Secondary cause | Recoverable estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | /blog/crm-onboarding-checklist | 1,200 | 640 | -560 (-46.7%) | Position loss (3.1 to 6.8, worse by 3.7) | Cannibalization by /blog/crm-implementation-guide | 560 clicks per quarter (estimate) |
| 2 | /blog/pricing-page-examples | 700 | 420 | -280 (-40.0%) | CTR loss (position +0.1, impressions +3.3%, CTR -41.9%) | None found in query data | 280 clicks per quarter (estimate) |
| 3 | /blog/what-is-churn | 900 | 850 | -50 (-5.6%) | Demand loss (impressions -37.5%, position +0.2) | None found in query data | 50 clicks per quarter (estimate) |
Recoverable estimate = clicks lost, capped at the previous period value. It is a ceiling estimate, not a forecast. Cannibalization evidence (query "crm onboarding checklist"): /blog/crm-onboarding-checklist went from 700 to 300 clicks and position 2.8 to 7.0, while /blog/crm-implementation-guide went from 20 to 310 clicks and position 12 to 3.9 on the same query. No dated algorithm update or site change was provided, so beyond these diagnoses the cause is unknown.
3. Refresh briefs, up to 10
Three pages qualify, so there are three briefs. Internal link sources are picked from your export by current clicks: /blog/what-is-churn (850), /blog/crm-onboarding-checklist (640), /blog/crm-implementation-guide (520), /blog/pricing-page-examples (420). Only these five URLs are known, so each brief names at most three.
Brief 1: /blog/crm-onboarding-checklist (position loss plus cannibalization, 560 clicks recoverable estimate)
- Angle: a 12 step CRM onboarding checklist for small sales teams (from your page details).
- Update: the title still says "(2024)"; update the year and check every step, tool name, screenshot and statistic for currency.
- Add: the top query is "crm onboarding checklist", and /blog/crm-implementation-guide now ranks 3.9 for it. Proposals: make the checklist itself the first thing on the page; add a short section that points readers wanting the full rollout to the implementation guide, so the two pages split intent (checklist vs guide). Check the page's other queries in Search Console before adding more.
- Titles (options):
- CRM Onboarding Checklist: 12 Steps for Small Sales Teams (2026)
- The 12 Step CRM Onboarding Checklist for Small Sales Teams
- Meta description: A 12 step CRM onboarding checklist for small sales teams. Work through each step to get your team set up and using the CRM.
- Internal links: from /blog/what-is-churn (850 clicks) if the topic fits, and from /blog/pricing-page-examples (420). /blog/crm-implementation-guide should link to the checklist with "crm onboarding checklist" style anchor text rather than compete for it.
- Merge: possible merge of /blog/crm-onboarding-checklist and /blog/crm-implementation-guide. I am not recommending it until you approve (see Needs your decision). Reason it is on the table: both pages compete for "crm onboarding checklist" and the guide overtook the checklist this period.
Brief 2: /blog/pricing-page-examples (CTR loss, 280 clicks recoverable estimate)
- Angle: a list of 25 pricing page examples (from your page details).
- Update: screenshots are from 2023; replace them and check every example page still exists and looks the same. Position held at about 3 (top query 2.7 to 2.8) while clicks on "pricing page examples" fell from 500 to 290, so the search result itself is the likely place to work: check the live result for SERP features above it and whether the title looks dated next to competitors. Cause unknown beyond the CTR drop.
- Add (proposals, check against the page's queries): a short "what the best examples have in common" section; a line on when the examples were last reviewed.
- Titles (options; keep 25 only if the page still has 25 examples):
- 25 Pricing Page Examples (Updated 2026) and What Each Does Well
- Pricing Page Examples: 25 Real Pages to Learn From
- Meta description: See 25 real pricing page examples with notes on layout, plan tables and calls to action you can apply to your own pricing page.
- Internal links: from /blog/what-is-churn (850), /blog/crm-onboarding-checklist (640), /blog/crm-implementation-guide (520), where relevant.
- Merge: no.
Brief 3: /blog/what-is-churn (demand loss, 50 clicks recoverable estimate)
- Angle: a definition of churn plus the formula (from your page details).
- Update: position held (4.0 to 4.2; top query 3.9 to 4.1) and CTR rose, but impressions fell 37.5 percent: fewer searches showed the page. Cause unknown; with a consecutive comparison this may be seasonal. A light check is enough: definition, formula, any dated example.
- Add (proposals): a worked churn calculation; a short churn vs retention section.
- Titles (options):
- What Is Churn? Definition, Formula and Example
- What Is Customer Churn and How Do You Calculate It?
- Meta description: What churn means, the formula for churn rate, and a worked example you can follow with your own numbers.
- Internal links: from /blog/crm-onboarding-checklist (640) and /blog/crm-implementation-guide (520).
- Merge: no. Lowest priority; compare against the same months last year before spending time on it.
4. Leave alone list
| URL | Reason |
|---|---|
| /blog/sales-email-templates | Below the 50 click minimum in the previous period (40 clicks). It did lose position (12 to 19) and impressions (-66.7%); watch it, but it is outside this plan. |
| /blog/crm-implementation-guide | Not decaying: clicks rose from 150 to 520. Leave it unless you approve the merge question below. |
| /blog/what-is-churn (conditional) | Move here if last year's data shows the same summer drop in impressions. |
To improve the ranking: send conversions by landing page so converting pages can be weighted up.
Needs your decision
- Merge or redirect question: /blog/crm-onboarding-checklist and /blog/crm-implementation-guide. Reason: both compete for "crm onboarding checklist"; the checklist fell from 700 to 300 clicks on it while the guide rose from 20 to 310. Approve whether I should prepare a merge recommendation, or keep both pages and split intent as in Brief 1 (my default). Nothing has been changed.