Let’s talk about something that seems small but makes a huge difference in your blog’s performance and credibility: Original publish date vs updated date SEO.

I’ve had to explain this countless times, whether to new bloggers trying to “refresh” their content or clients confused about why their top-ranking post suddenly disappeared from Google. Here’s the truth: keeping the original publish date and showing the last updated date is one of the smartest things you can do for your blog.

It’s not just about SEO. It’s about transparency, trust, and building long-term authority that actually sticks.

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Why I’m So Passionate About This

This topic fires me up because I’ve seen how changing the original publish date can unintentionally hurt your brand. And I’ve been on the receiving end of confused questions like “Why isn’t my updated post ranking anymore?” when someone didn’t realize how powerful content age is in Google’s eyes.

At Growth Culinary, we’re not about quick gimmicks. We’re about creating evergreen content that stands the test of time and builds a reputation of trust. And that includes keeping your timestamps honest.

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What Happens When You Change the Original Publish Date

Here’s why changing the publish date is not just unnecessary, but potentially damaging:

1. You lose content history that builds trust.
Google and your readers both pay attention to the age of content. Removing the original date wipes out your history and makes it look like your content just popped up today. That doesn’t scream expertise. It screams, “something feels off.”

2. You risk damaging page authority.
Age plays a role in SEO signals like link equity and crawl priority. Older content that has been indexed, linked to, and consistently performing is seen as more valuable. Resetting the publish date can disrupt all of that progress.

3. You confuse your audience.
Let’s say someone read your post in 2019 and loved it. If they come back and the post suddenly says “Published: 2025,” it might look like you deleted the original and reposted something new. That can lead to doubt and loss of trust.

4. You trigger unnecessary re-evaluation from search engines.
Google uses multiple indicators to decide what content deserves to stay on top. Playing with your publish date too often can cause a re-crawl and re-rank, especially if your updates aren’t significant.

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Does It Affect Domain Authority?

Not directly, since domain authority is a third-party metric (like Moz or Ahrefs). However, Google does care about content signals that relate to authority, including trustworthiness, backlinks, user engagement, and consistency.

So yes, altering your publish dates too often or removing them entirely can hurt your perceived credibility and shake the foundation of what makes your blog trustworthy.

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Here’s What I Do Instead

This is the method I follow, and what I recommend for any content creator who wants to build a blog that lasts:

• Keep the original publish date visible so that both readers and search engines can understand when the content was first created.
• Display a clearly labeled “last updated” date so it’s obvious the post is being maintained and still relevant.
• Mention in the body of the blog what was changed and why (like “Updated June 2025 with new recipe substitutions” or “Refreshed to include current ingredient sourcing tips”).
• Use schema markup to communicate both the “datePublished" and “dateModified" In your post’s metadata. This lets Google crawl your updates accurately and reward you for maintaining valuable content.

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Why Evergreen Content Needs Both Dates

From blogs on essential kitchen tools to a timeless recipe tutorial or an in-depth ingredient guide, these posts should age gracefully. I don’t just update my posts for the sake of it. I update them because they are evergreen. They were created with longevity in mind.

But that doesn’t mean they should be frozen in time. You can (and should) update content to make it stronger, more helpful, or more aligned with current trends, without hiding the original publish date. In fact, that history is part of what gives it value.

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Don’t Erase the Timeline That Built Your Authority

In the culinary world, we often celebrate age. We honor aged cheese, matured flavors, seasoned cast iron, and classic techniques. Your content should be no different.

That old blog post from 2017 that still gets clicks today? It’s doing its job. It’s working. Respect it. Build on it. But don’t erase the date that started it all.

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Suggested Articles to Check Out

Check out these articles that back this up:

• Should You Change the Date on Blog Posts and Articles?
• The Beginner’s Guide to Evergreen Content
• Domain Age and SEO: What You Need to Know
• What is Google E-E-A-T? Guidelines and SEO Benefits
• How to Build Trust with Your Blog

Transparency

If you’ve been tempted to change your publish dates to look “fresh,” take a step back. The best strategy is transparency. Show both when your content was born and when it was updated. You’ll earn more trust, maintain your SEO momentum, and help your readers understand the journey your content has taken.

Trust is built over time, not overnight. And when it comes to SEO, the same rule applies.

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