CNET is deleting old articles to try to improve its Google Search ranking (theverge.com)

Article summary

CNET has been deleting thousands of old articles from its site in an effort to improve its Google Search ranking. The company claims that removing outdated content will send a signal to Google that its content is fresh and relevant. The deleted articles are being archived using the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. This move is part of a broader SEO strategy by CNET's parent company, Red Ventures.

Main themes

• SEO strategies
• content preservation
• Google search algorithm
• tech company priorities
• historical content value
• user experience

What commenters say

• Deleting old articles to improve search rankings is a misguided strategy that undermines the value of historical content.
• Google's search algorithm should penalize sites that manipulate their content in this way.
• CNET's actions are a symptom of a larger problem with the way tech companies prioritize SEO over user experience and historical preservation.
• The Internet Archive's Wayback Machine is a valuable resource for preserving old content, but it may be strained by the volume of deleted articles.
• Sites with a long history of content should be viewed as more authoritative, not less, by search algorithms.
• Manipulating publish dates to appear more recent is a common tactic that can be frustrating for users.
• Google's crawl budget may be a factor in CNET's decision to delete old articles, but this is not a recommended practice.
• Archiving old articles rather than deleting them would be a better approach, as it preserves historical content while still allowing for SEO optimization.