Walk away from this page with a shortlist of pages losing traffic, a diagnosis for each one, and a rewrite plan you can act on today. These seven Claude prompts for content decay refreshes handle the whole cycle, from spotting decay to shipping the update.
Quick checklist before you refresh
- — You know which pages actually declined, with dates.
- — You separated a ranking drop from a seasonality dip.
- — The page still matches its original search intent.
- — You have the current top-ranking pages for comparison.
- — Someone owns the rewrite and a publish date exists.
- — You will re-check the page after the update goes live.
Seven prompts that do the work
1. Confirm real decay
Here is my traffic data for [page URL]: [paste monthly figures]. Tell me whether this looks like real decay or normal seasonality, based on the shape of the curve.What it does: Stops you rewriting a page that never lost ground.
How to use: Replace [page URL] and paste [monthly figures] from analytics.
2. Diagnose the cause
My page ranks for [target keyword] and has been slipping. Here is the current content: [paste page text]. List the likely reasons it lost ranking, and rank them by how easy each is to fix.What it does: Points you at the cause before you touch the copy.
How to use: Replace [target keyword] and paste the [page text].
3. Compare against the top result
Here are the titles of the pages now ranking above mine for [target keyword]: [paste titles]. Tell me what they cover that my page does not, and which gap matters most.What it does: Shows the missing pieces that cost you the ranking.
How to use: Replace [target keyword] and paste the real [titles].
4. Update the facts
Review this section: [paste section]. Mark every statement that is outdated or that a current reader would question, so I can verify each one.What it does: Catches stale facts before you republish.
How to use: Paste one [section] at a time; verify each flag yourself.
5. Refresh the intro
Rewrite the opening paragraph of this post: [paste intro]. Keep the [target keyword] but lead with the reader's problem instead of a definition.What it does: Gives the page a reason to be read again.
How to use: Replace [target keyword]; paste the [intro] as it stands now.
6. Add what is missing
For this post about [topic], list three sections it should add to match current intent — a comparison, a step-by-step, or an example. Keep each to one sentence.What it does: Expands the page to meet today’s queries.
How to use: Replace [topic]; add only the sections you can write well.
7. Plan the republish
Given this refresh: [paste your change list], write the order to ship in. Tell me what to update on the page, and whether the [publish date] on the page should change.What it does: Turns a list of edits into a sequence you can execute.
How to use: Replace [publish date]; paste your [change list].
How to score your own output
- The refreshed page answers a query the old version never did.
- Nothing on the page is a fact you could not verify today.
- You can name the single change most likely to move the ranking.
Keep going
- Browse the SEO prompt library
- 5 Claude prompts for SERP analysis
- 5 Gemini prompts for robots.txt rules
- 5 ChatGPT prompts for blog niche selection
Want more like this? Browse the full free library at GuPrompt.