Content Decay Monitor

Identify and revive underperforming content before it's too late. The Content Decay Monitor uses Google Search Console data to track traffic trends and provide actionable insights for content refresh.

Overview

Content decay is a natural phenomenon where previously high-performing content gradually loses traffic and rankings over time. This can happen due to outdated information, increased competition, algorithm changes, or shifting user intent. ProRank SEO's Content Decay Monitor helps you:

• Automatically detect pages losing traffic (20%+ decline by default)
• Compare performance across different time periods
• Track position changes alongside traffic metrics
• Receive automated alerts for severe declines
• Export decay reports for content planning
• Get AI-powered refresh recommendations

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Pro+ License: Content Decay Monitor is a Pro+ feature
• Google Search Console: Connected and verified property
• Historical Data: At least 2 months of GSC data for accurate analysis
• Sufficient Traffic: Pages need minimum traffic (10 clicks by default) to track

Initial Setup

1. Navigate to ProRank SEO → Site Audit & Tools → Content Decay
2. Connect your Google Search Console account if not already connected
3. Configure decay detection settings (threshold, frequency, notifications)
4. Click "Run Analysis" for your first scan
5. Review detected decay and prioritize content for refresh

How Content Decay Detection Works

1. Data Collection Phase

The module retrieves performance data from Google Search Console for two periods:

• Current Period: Last 28 days (excluding today)
• Previous Period: 28 days before the current period
• Data Points: Clicks, impressions, average position, CTR
• Page Limit: Top 500 pages by clicks (configurable)

2. Decay Analysis Algorithm

For each page with sufficient traffic, the system:

• Calculates percentage change in clicks between periods
• Compares average position changes
• Analyzes impression trends
• Applies decay threshold filter (default: 20% traffic drop)
• Categorizes severity: Severe (>50%), Moderate (30-50%), Mild (20-30%)

3. Results Processing

Detected decay is processed to provide:

• Ranked list by severity of decline
• Traffic change percentages and absolute numbers
• Position movement indicators
• Historical trend visualization
• Refresh priority scoring

Dashboard Features

Main Dashboard Tab

The dashboard provides an at-a-glance view of your content health:

Results Table

Each declining page shows:

• Page URL: Clickable link to the affected page
• Traffic Change: Percentage and absolute click change
• Current Clicks: Clicks in the recent period
• Position Change: Average position movement
• Severity Badge: Visual indicator (Severe/Moderate/Mild)
• Action Links: Quick access to edit or analyze page

Analytics Tab

Visual representations of decay patterns:

• Trend Charts: Line graphs showing traffic over time
• Decay Distribution: Pie chart of severity categories
• Top Losers: Bar chart of pages with biggest drops
• Recovery Tracking: Monitor refreshed content performance

Export Tab

Export options for reporting and planning:

• CSV Export: Full data for spreadsheet analysis
• PDF Reports: Formatted reports for stakeholders
• Custom Date Ranges: Export specific time periods
• Scheduled Reports: Automated weekly/monthly exports

Settings & Configuration

Detection Settings

Decay Threshold: 20% (adjustable 10-50%)
Minimum Traffic: 10 clicks per period
Check Frequency: Weekly (daily/weekly/monthly)
Max Pages: 500 (adjustable 100-1000)
Historical Tracking: Enabled

Notification Settings

• Email Alerts: Send decay reports to admin email
• Alert Threshold: Only notify for severe declines
• Notification Frequency: Immediate or digest mode
• Custom Recipients: Add multiple email addresses

Content Filters

• Include Patterns: URL patterns to specifically monitor
• Exclude Patterns: Ignore seasonal or temporary content
• Post Types: Select which content types to analyze
• Date Filters: Exclude content newer than X days

Content Refresh Strategies

When decay is detected, consider these refresh approaches based on severity:

Severe Decay (>50% drop)

Moderate Decay (30-50% drop)

Mild Decay (20-30% drop)

Automation & Scheduling

Automated Monitoring

Set up automatic decay detection:

• Weekly Scans: Default schedule for most sites
• Daily Scans: For high-traffic sites with frequent updates
• Monthly Scans: For smaller sites or evergreen content
• Custom Cron: Configure via wp-cron for specific times

Email Reports

Automated email notifications include:

• Summary of new decay detections
• Top 10 declining pages with metrics
• Severity breakdown and trends
• Direct links to full dashboard
• CSV attachment option for detailed data

// Hook for custom decay processing
add_action('prorank_content_decay_detected', function($decaying_pages) {
 foreach ($decaying_pages as $page) {
 if ($page['change_percentage'] <= -50) {
 // Trigger custom workflow for severe decay
 do_action('severe_content_decay', $page);
 }
 }
});

REST API Integration

Access decay data programmatically via REST API:

Get Decay Results

GET /wp-json/prorank-seo/v1/content-decay

Response:
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"timestamp":"2024-01-15 10:30:00",
"results": [
 {
"url":"https://example.com/old-post",
"current_clicks": 45,
"previous_clicks": 120,
"change_percentage": -62.5,
"severity":"severe"
 }
 ]
 }
}

Trigger Manual Analysis

POST /wp-json/prorank-seo/v1/content-decay/analyze

Response:
{
"success": true,
"message":"Analysis started",
"data": {
"pages_analyzed": 500,
"decay_detected": 23
 }
}

Best Practices

Monitoring Strategy

• Run weekly analyses for timely detection
• Set appropriate thresholds based on your traffic patterns
• Exclude seasonal content from year-round monitoring
• Track recovery after content updates
• Document refresh efforts and outcomes

Content Refresh Workflow

1. Prioritize: Focus on high-value pages first
2. Analyze: Understand why content is declining
3. Research: Check competitor content and current trends
4. Update: Make substantial improvements, not just tweaks
5. Promote: Re-share refreshed content on social media
6. Monitor: Track performance post-update

Prevention Tips

• Create evergreen content that ages well
• Establish regular content audit schedules
• Keep statistical content updated annually
• Monitor trending topics in your niche
• Build strong internal linking to maintain relevance

Troubleshooting

No Data Showing

• Verify Google Search Console is connected
• Ensure you have selected the correct property
• Check if you have sufficient historical data (2+ months)
• Confirm pages meet minimum traffic threshold

False Positives

• Adjust decay threshold if too sensitive
• Exclude seasonal or event-based content
• Increase minimum traffic threshold
• Consider longer comparison periods

Missing Pages

• Increase "Max Pages to Analyze" setting
• Check if pages are indexed in Google
• Verify pages have enough traffic to track
• Review include/exclude patterns

Related Features

Maximize your content performance with these complementary tools:

• SEO Audit: Identify technical issues affecting declining content
• Internal Linking: Boost declining pages with strategic internal links
• Schema Markup: Enhance visibility with structured data updates
• Content Analysis: Get AI-powered suggestions for content improvement