Updated Date
The visible date a piece of content was last meaningfully updated.
Key takeaways
- Updated Date is the visible date a piece of content was last meaningfully updated.
- Update the date only when the content meaningfully changes.
- Avoid: bumping the date across the site without editing anything.
What is Updated Date?
Updated dates are a strong freshness signal and an EEAT trust marker. Only update the date when the content actually changed — false freshness damages trust.
Why Updated Date matters for EEAT in 2026
An updated date shows a page has been reviewed recently. It's only a trust signal if it's honest; changing the date without changing the content does the opposite.
For a wider view of where this fits, see our full EEAT glossary or explore the Strategy and Audits service we run for clients.
How to apply Updated Date on your site
Knowing the concept is only half of it. Work through these steps in order to put Updated Date into practice on your own pages:
- Update the date only when the content meaningfully changes.
- Add dateModified to the structured data to match.
- Briefly note what changed on important pages.
Common mistakes to avoid
Most sites that struggle with Updated Date fall into the same traps. Check your pages against each of these before moving on:
- Bumping the date across the site without editing anything.
- Using the same placeholder date on every page.
- Updating the date but leaving outdated facts in place.
Questions about Updated Date
The visible date a piece of content was last meaningfully updated.
An updated date shows a page has been reviewed recently. It's only a trust signal if it's honest; changing the date without changing the content does the opposite.
Start here: update the date only when the content meaningfully changes. Then add dateModified to the structured data to match.
The most common is bumping the date across the site without editing anything. Another is using the same placeholder date on every page.