Short answer: First, try to get the outdated page updated at the source and refreshed in Google. If that’s not possible, publish current, accurate information on stronger pages so they outrank the old result. Outdated content is often easier to deal with than genuinely negative content, because many publishers will update facts when asked.
Why outdated results stick around
Google ranks pages that are relevant and authoritative. An old article about your previous role or a resolved dispute may still have links and history behind it, while your current information is newer and has had less time to build authority.
Step 1: Ask for an update at the source
Contact the website and explain clearly what’s out of date. Be specific, polite and brief, and offer evidence. Many sites will:
- Update a job title, company or biography
- Add a note that a dispute was resolved
- Remove a page that is no longer relevant
For news articles, follow the publication’s corrections process. Our guide on correcting an inaccurate news article explains how.
Step 2: Refresh the result in Google
If the page has been updated or deleted but Google still shows the old version, use Google’s Refresh Outdated Content tool. This asks Google to recrawl the page so the result reflects the current version.
Step 3: Update everything you control
Make sure your own information is current and consistent:
- Personal website and bio
- LinkedIn and other professional profiles
- Company team page
- Speaker, author and association profiles
Consistency helps search engines and AI tools understand which information is current. It also matters for how AI search tools describe you.
Step 4: Create content that answers the same search
If people searching your name see an old role, give them a better result about your current one: an updated bio, an interview about your current work, or an article you’ve written. The new content has to be genuinely useful, not just present.
Step 5: Outrank what remains
For outdated content that can’t be changed, use the same approach as suppressing negative results: strengthen several accurate assets and earn genuine references to them.
What about misleading content?
If a page is not just outdated but misleading, look at whether it breaks the platform’s policies or whether the publisher will correct it. Our guide to false information in Google Search covers the options.
A simple update request
When you write to a website about outdated information, a short message works best. Include:
- The page URL
- The specific outdated detail, quoted
- The current, correct information
- A link to an authoritative source confirming it, such as your current company bio
- A polite request to update or remove the detail
Most site owners respond better to a clear, two-paragraph email than to a long explanation.
Common types of outdated results
- Old job titles or employers on directories, event pages and company sites
- Old addresses and phone numbers on data and people-search sites
- Resolved disputes or legal matters in news coverage
- Inactive profiles on platforms you no longer use
- Old photos that no longer represent you
Frequently asked questions
Why does Google still show the old snippet after the page changed?
Google hasn’t recrawled the page yet. The Refresh Outdated Content tool asks it to.
What if the website owner doesn’t respond?
Try once more after a reasonable time. If there’s still no reply, focus on outranking it.
Can AI tools keep repeating the old information?
Yes. Updating sources helps, but changes can take time to reach AI answers.
Get help
If outdated results are costing you opportunities, negative search-result suppression and personal reputation SEO can help. Or request a confidential audit for an honest assessment.