Writing for the Google Bot - How often to keep it happy?

[shallow]

If the recent google algorithm changes remain the same (or get worse), I won't be able to spend much money to have improvements made to my site like I used to.

Why should I anyway?

After all that work and expenses in the five figures during the last three years for site improvement, the recent Google changes set me back several years.

Anyway, how often do I have to write to keep the Google Bot happy? On average, for the last seven years, I've published a couple of articles a week.

If I publish an article every month, is that sufficient?

thank you.

[tedster]

I've seen sites continue to rank well when new content is published very rarely - I don't think there's any "rule" you can depend on.

[shallow]

I've seen sites continue to rank well when new content is published very rarely - I don't think there's any "rule" you can depend on.

Thanks Tedster, again.

Some time ago I was advised to write at least one article a week, otherwise the site would quickly die. The vast majority of the articles (close to 1000) at my site are timeless subjects. In other words, most of the topics were just as valid 50 years ago as they are today...and will remain the same going forward.

I'll keep an eye but am certainly going to reduce the time I spend on my site.

[HuskyPup]

The vast majority of the articles (close to 1000) at my site are timeless subjects.

Nearly everything I have written and occasionally update is "evergreen" content, technical specifications for my widgets simply do not suddenly go "out-of-date".

Saying that each of the new widget sites I build I add as much new information as possible or better images, this meant that last year I re-seo'd my main b&m site for the first time in 10 years since some of my relatively newer sites (3-4 years old) were biting on its heels!

There is a limit to just how much information I upload before it can become too over-whelming for most users.

[shallow]

The vast majority of the articles (close to 1000) at my site are timeless subjects.

Nearly everything I have written and occasionally update is "evergreen" content, technical specifications for my widgets simply do not suddenly go "out-of-date".

HuskyPup, you bring up a very important point!

I update pertinent articles whenever needed. As far as the Google Bot is concerned, is that similar to adding new content?

My site is well-organized, categorized and sub categorized, so I don't think it's overwhelming. Feedback from site visitors often praise its ease of use and readability.

[TheMadScientist]

I would say to update when updating is necessary and not make decisions based on what you think Google wants, unless you have some sort of data to suggest it's necessary ... 'Fresh' content is not always preferred, so it's not always ranked higher, which means if you constantly update content you don't really need to update it's entirely possibly you're hurting your site ... [Refer to the 2007 patent applications if you can find them for the information source I'm summarizing.]

[HuskyPup]

so I don't think it's overwhelming

By overwhelming I mean information overload for one single product for the average visitor.

Sure the average Joe likes to know the actual origin of the product together with its physical and technical characteristics and they like to look at pertinent images however usually only architects and specifiers actually want to know the ins and outs of how the products are sourced and processed together with their green/environmental/recyclable credentials.

Sure Joe may like to know we've been environmentally friendly for 30 years now but just because we have does not necessarily mean the product his local retailer is selling him is from our production whereas architects "demand" this information for their clients and I can assure you not the lowest price always wins, there are a lot of very ethically minded companies with very strict environmental buying policies with long-term strategies in mind.

Specialist construction products if you were wondering:-)

[graeme_p]

I write evergreen content too, and the site once continued growing when I left it entirely alone for six months - and carried on at the same rate when I made lots of changes in the following few months.

I update when it needs updating, add new stuff when you need something new.