Should I Show a Last-Updated Date?
Yes — show an honest last-updated date, because it signals to engines and readers that the page is maintained and current, which supports freshness and trust on time-sensitive topics. The one rule is that it must reflect a genuine revision, since a bumped date on stale content erodes trust rather than building it.
Yes — show an honest last-updated date, because it signals to engines and readers that the page is maintained and current, which supports freshness and trust on time-sensitive topics. The one rule is that it must reflect a genuine revision, since a bumped date on stale content erodes trust rather than building it.
Quick answer
Yes — an honest one. A visible last-updated date signals a maintained, current page, supporting freshness and trust on time-sensitive topics. Put accurate dates in schema too. The only rule — it must reflect a real revision; a bumped date on stale content is deceptive and erodes trust.
Why show the date at all?
Because it's a readable currency signal. A visible last-updated date tells engines and readers the page is maintained, which supports freshness and trust — most of all on time-sensitive topics where readers want to know the information is current (Ahrefs found AI-cited pages tend to be fresher). It's a small transparency that helps people decide whether to rely on you, and helps engines gauge currency.
Publish date, updated date, or both?
Both, ideally. The publish date establishes original authority and the last-updated
date signals current maintenance, so showing both tells the full story. If you can
prominently show only one on a frequently-refreshed page, the last-updated date is
usually the more useful signal. And put accurate datePublished and dateModified in
your structured data — Google's structured data
guidelines
ask that markup reflect the visible page — so the dates are
machine-readable, with on-page and schema dates kept consistent.
Can a date ever hurt?
Only if it reveals neglect or lies. An old, never-touched date on a time-sensitive page advertises staleness, and a freshly bumped date on unchanged content is deceptive — both undercut trust. The fix for either is the same: actually maintain the page, then let an honest date reflect the real work. The date is only as good as the upkeep behind it.
Related questions
Does publish date affect AI citation?
It matters as a currency signal, most for time-sensitive topics — and must be honest.
Read the full answer →Does updating old content help AEO?
Yes — refreshing preserves authority while restoring accuracy and freshness.
Read the full answer →Does schema help AI citations?
It helps engines parse pages — including accurate published and modified dates.
Read the full answer →Frequently asked questions
- Should I show a last-updated date?
- Yes, when it's honest. A visible last-updated date tells engines and readers the page is maintained and current, which supports freshness and trust, especially on time-sensitive topics. The condition is that it must reflect a genuine revision — a bumped date on unchanged content erodes trust rather than building it.
- Is a last-updated date better than a publish date?
- For maintained content, showing both is ideal — the publish date establishes original authority and the last-updated date signals current maintenance. If you can show only one prominently on a frequently-refreshed page, the last-updated date is usually the more useful freshness signal.
- Should the date be in the schema too?
- Yes. Include accurate datePublished and dateModified in your structured data so the dates are machine-readable, not just visible to humans. Consistent on-page and schema dates reinforce the freshness signal and avoid sending engines conflicting information about when the page changed.
- Can showing a date ever hurt?
- Only if it reveals neglect or is dishonest. An old, never-updated date on a time-sensitive page advertises staleness, and a freshly bumped date on unchanged content is deceptive. Both are fixed the same way — actually maintain the page, then let an honest date reflect it.