How do you decide whether to refresh, merge, or retire content?

[backlinktalk]

Look at the purpose of the page, its current usefulness, overlap with other pages, and the value of preserving the URL. A traffic decline alone does not tell you which action is appropriate.

For a refresh, identify what is outdated or missing. For a merge, choose a destination that serves the combined need. For retirement, consider users and existing links.

Share how you document these decisions.

[IndexLab]

Before retiring an older page, check whether low traffic reflects poor discovery, indexing status, a narrow audience or genuinely obsolete information. Those observations point to different actions.

For a merge, identify the relevant destination and the material being retained. A redirect is easier to review when the decision document explains what the replacement answers.