Should You Use Date Published or Date Updated (or both) On Your Blog Posts

Have you ever clicked on an article only to discover it was published years ago, making you question whether the content is still relevant today? We’ve all been there—scrolling through blog posts, looking for the most up-to-date information, and feeling a twinge of frustration when a post’s date is nowhere to be found. That frustration illustrates why displaying the date on your blog posts is more than a minor detail. It can impact user trust, search engine rankings, and overall engagement.

But here’s the big question: Should you show the date the article was originally published, the date it was last updated, or both? This choice might not sound like a huge deal at first, but it can make a world of difference in how readers perceive your content and how search engines rank your site. After all, readers want to know if your post from two years ago has been refreshed to reflect today’s best practices or if it’s still reflecting old news.

Why Blog Post Dates Matter

In the fast-paced digital world, information becomes outdated quickly. Whether it’s the latest Google algorithm update, a newly released smartphone model, or a breaking news story, timeliness can be a deal-breaker for the effectiveness of an article. Showing readers when the post was created or refreshed gives them the confidence that they’re not reading something obsolete.

Here are a few key reasons blog post dates matter:

1. Context: Dates offer context for the content’s relevance. Articles about technology or finance, for example, can become outdated within months if new developments occur.
2. Trust: When readers see a recent date (either published or updated), they’re more likely to trust that the information is accurate and reflects current best practices.
3. Transparency: Displaying the date shows transparency. You’re basically telling your audience, “Hey, here’s how fresh this content is. We’ve got nothing to hide.”

According to a 2021 Content Marketing Survey, nearly 70% of readers say they are less likely to trust a blog that doesn’t provide any clear publication or updated date. That’s a compelling statistic: it means more than two-thirds of people could be skeptical about your article’s accuracy if they can’t verify how old the information is.

Date Published vs. Date Updated: What’s the Difference?

Before we dig into the pros and cons, it’s important to clarify the difference between the date published and the date updated:

• Date Published: The date an article first goes live on your blog. This marks when the content officially debuted for public viewing, making it a kind of “original timestamp.”
• Date Updated: The date you last modified the blog post. Sometimes these changes are minor—like fixing a typo or updating a broken link—while other times they’re major overhauls with entirely new sections, images, or data.

Each date serves a unique purpose. The date published is like a “birthdate” for your content, while the date updated tells readers if you’ve kept the post current. But here’s where strategy comes into play: Should you replace the published date with the updated date or display both?

The Case for Using the Date Published

Some bloggers and companies believe that sticking with the date published—and removing or hiding the date updated—helps maintain the original “story” of the content. Here are a few reasons they prefer this route:

1. Historical Context: For certain topics, the historical timeline matters. A political analysis post from 2018 might be relevant today, but the original date provides context for any references made to events or policies at that time.
2. Brand Consistency: If you regularly post evergreen content that doesn’t require frequent revisions, showing only the published date helps you maintain a consistent structure across the site.
3. User Expectations: Some audiences expect that if the blog doesn’t say “updated” anywhere, it simply reflects the original publication date. This can reduce confusion if your edits aren’t particularly substantial.

On the flip side, only showing the date published can create challenges if your article undergoes a major revision. Readers might never know that a piece has been substantially refreshed, causing them to miss out on understanding that the information might be more current than the original date suggests.

The Case for Using the Date Updated

We live in an era of real-time news and continuous improvement. That’s why many website owners prefer to highlight the date they last updated a post. Here’s why:

1. Shows Ongoing Effort: When you publicly display the “last updated” date, it tells your audience you’re committed to keeping your articles accurate and fresh. This can boost credibility in a big way.
2. Encourages Return Visits: If visitors see that a post was recently updated, they may be more likely to come back later, anticipating further improvements or new information.
3. SEO Benefits: Google values fresh content. While the exact algorithm is secret, SEO experts often note that updated content can slightly improve your search rankings, especially for topics where timeliness is a big factor.

According to Search Engine Land, displaying a recent date can increase the organic click-through rate (CTR) for some topics, because many searchers look for the most current results. That’s particularly true for fast-changing sectors like tech, health, finance, or digital marketing.

The potential downside is that, if you’re frequently making tiny changes—like fixing grammar mistakes or swapping out a single image—constantly updating the date might look disingenuous to savvy readers. They might wonder if you’re just changing small details to appear current, rather than actually revising the substance of the article.

The Benefits of Displaying Both Dates

For many bloggers and content marketers, the middle ground is often the best solution: show both the date published and the date updated. This approach can provide clarity and transparency without misleading your audience. Here’s why combining both dates works well:

1. Full Transparency: You’re giving your readers the whole picture. They can see when you first wrote the post and how often you’ve revised it to keep it relevant.
2. Improved Credibility: Having both dates can make you look more professional. It says, “I care about accuracy and have a consistent schedule of revisiting my content.”
3. Enhanced User Experience: A user can quickly gauge if an older article is still useful or if you’ve updated it with new research and insights.
4. Tailored Updates: If you’re making only minor changes, you can mention it’s a small tweak in your update note. For major revisions, you can highlight those in a changelog or “What’s New” section.

A study by Orbit Media in 2022 revealed that bloggers who frequently update old posts are 74% more likely to see strong results than those who never revisit their past content. By showing both the original date and the updated date, you can make it easier for returning visitors and search engines to see the ongoing improvements you’re making.

The Impact on SEO

Time-based signals can play a role in how search engines determine the relevance of your page. Google, in particular, has something called the “Query Deserves Freshness” (QDF) factor, which means that for certain queries (like major news topics or rapidly evolving fields), newer content often gets priority in search results. Displaying “last updated” can help you tap into this signal, but it’s not a silver bullet.

• Freshness Factor: For topics that evolve quickly, an updated date might help you rank higher for terms that need current information, such as technology trends, software tutorials, or medical updates.
• Click-Through Rate: Readers often prefer more recent posts. In fact, multiple SEO case studies have shown that articles with a date from the current or previous year can enjoy a bump in CTR of up to 20% or more, depending on the niche.
• Avoid Misuse: Gaming the system by constantly changing the date with no real content updates is frowned upon. If search engines detect you’re repeatedly updating a date without actual substantial changes, you could hurt your credibility and potentially your rankings.

If you decide to show both published and updated dates, make sure your updates are genuine. Add new stats, references, or sections that bring real value to your readers rather than making superficial tweaks.

What Readers Really Want: Trust and Relevance

Ultimately, your audience visits your blog to get informed, solve problems, or stay entertained. Dates play into this by reassuring them the content is timely and correct. If you’re open about how recently you’ve revisited an article, you’re more likely to earn trust—and trust directly correlates with longer on-page times, more social shares, and a higher likelihood of conversions (like newsletter signups or product sales).

Simple Ways to Build Reader Trust

1. Use a short note explaining your updates: For example, “Last updated on March 10, 2025, to include new research and additional resources.”
2. Share what changed: If your blog platform allows, you could highlight major updates at the start or end of the post, letting readers know exactly what’s different from the original version.
3. Double-check for accuracy: If you’re going to update the date, make sure you’re also updating your sources, references, and data points. Outdated or broken links undermine your efforts.

Conclusion

In a world where news travels at lightning speed and consumer expectations are sky-high, clarity and trust are invaluable currencies. Deciding whether to show your article’s date published, date updated, or both isn’t just a small design choice—it can affect how readers view your credibility and how search engines perceive your website’s relevance.

Remember that, at the end of the day, quality content still reigns supreme. No amount of date tweaking will salvage a subpar article. So, focus on producing valuable, well-researched posts—and then use those dates to show readers how you stand by your content and keep it relevant over time.