What do you do with old web pages?

[mrsmelmitch]

I have a wordpress blog that I've made a ton of changes to.  I have about a dozen pages on it that have old information or I no longer have a use for.  In retrospect, I probably should have used the old pages for new content instead of building new pages.  Should I just leave them on the site with no links to them, should I mark them as noindex, or should I delete them?  I think some of the old pages could be completing with my new pages for ranking due to similar content.

Website is: http://continuumweddings.com if you'd like to check out my site.

Thanks,

Melissa

[CaseyKluver]

The best thing to do would be to update those pages with new & fresh content. But if you have already made new pages which are out ranking and competing with your old pages you can do a 301 redirect from the old pages to the new pages. This way you wont be wasting any content, and any authority the old pages had will be passed along to the new pages.

Since your using WordPress you can use Simple 301 Redirects Plugin to make it easier.

[A_Q]

I second that! It would have been best to update the old pages.

[gfiorelli1]

Casey is correct.

If you already have written new pages, there's no need to update the old ones. Redirect them 301 to the most consistent new page you have.

Anyway, in the future, try to consider to use one of tips I suggested in one my last comment in the SEOmoz blog: you can read them here > http://www.seomoz.org/blog/new-links-old-pages-whiteboard-friday#jtc165757

Psst... I've seen the site and, sincerely, it is one of the best sites about wedding photography I've seen so far. Just a suggestion: being the photos so important both in the site and the blog, I warmly suggest you to add the Pinterest button to your site and to partecipate in Pinterest as I truly believe that it is the social network perfect for a business like yours.

[mrsmelmitch]

Thanks!  I actually have a Pinterest buttom in the menu and link to it at the end of all my blog entries.  I'm obsessed with Pinterest but I'm still trying to figure out the best way to use it for my business.

[AlanMosley]

Not sure what you meant by " wont be wasting any content,"

A 301 redirect will only redirect incomming links to the new page, the content value of the old page or any inherent authority it had will not be passed.

It will no lnger exist, only the incomming links will exist and can be redirected