Show content freshness signals

Google's Query Deserves Freshness (QDF) algorithm boosts recent or recently updated content for time-sensitive queries. Missing or stale freshness signals mean your updated content competes without the freshness advantage it deserves.

Quick Reference

• Set the Last-Modified HTTP response header and include dateModified in Article JSON-LD on all content pages
• Update dateModified only when content substantively changes — trivial edits should not alter the date
• For time-sensitive topics (news, tutorials, product reviews), freshness directly influences Google's ranking of your content

Check

For each article or blog page: (1) Check the HTTP response Last-Modified header — is it set and recent? (2) Check the JSON-LD for a dateModified property in ISO 8601 format. (3) Is a visible 'Last updated' date shown to users? (4) Is the dateModified in JSON-LD consistent with the visible date and the Last-Modified header?

Fix