Rank Date Update self-updates

Automatically schedule or manually bulk-update the published and modified dates of your WordPress posts, pages, and media to keep content fresh for SEO.

Description

The Rank Date Update plugin takes the hassle out of manually refreshing post dates. Search engines favor fresh, recently updated content. This plugin allows you to bulk update the published and/or modified dates of your existing content automatically on a custom schedule or manually with just a few clicks.

Key Features

• Automated Scheduling: Set updates to run daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly at a specific time.
• Bulk Manual Updates: Update all posts, or filter by category, date range, or specific post IDs.
• Staggered Dates: Ensure posts don't all look identical by automatically staggering their new dates (e.g., 2 hours apart).
• Date Shifting: Shift dates forward or backward by a specific number of days, or set everything to a custom, specific date.
• Granular Control: Exclude specific posts individually via the post editor meta box (supports Classic Editor and Gutenberg).
• Detailed Logs: Keep a history of every automatic and manual update performed, which can be exported as a CSV.
• Randomized Dates: Apply slightly randomized times for each post in a bulk update so the refreshes appear natural to search engines.

Installation

1. Upload the rank-date-update folder to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory.
2. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress.
3. Navigate to Settings > Rank Date Update to configure your update schedule, time zone, and targeting rules.
4. Ensure your server's cron jobs (or WordPress's WP-Cron) are functioning correctly for scheduled updates to run automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this modify my post content?

No. Rank Date Update only modifies the post_date, post_date_gmt, post_modified, and post_modified_gmt fields in the database.

Why didn't my scheduled update run exactly on time?

This plugin relies on the native WP-Cron system. WP-Cron only triggers when someone visits your website. If your site has low traffic, the scheduled event may trigger late, upon the next visitor's arrival. For precise scheduling, consider setting up a server-level cron job to trigger wp-cron.php.

How do I prevent a specific post from ever being updated?

Go to the edit screen for that specific post or page. Look for the "Rank Date Update" panel in the sidebar (or below the classic editor), and check the box labeled "Skip this post from bulk updates".

Will updating the published date change the post's permalink?

If your permalink structure includes dates (e.g., /%year%/%monthnum%/%day%/%postname%/), changing the published date will change the URL of the post, which could lead to broken links and SEO penalty unless you set up redirects. It is highly recommended to primarily use this plugin on sites with post name only structures (/%postname%/), or to only update the modified date.

Screenshots

1. General Settings: Control the core behavior, timezones, and log keeping.
2. Schedule Rules: Set the frequency, timing, and filters for automated runs.
3. Manual Bulk Updates: Convenient tool to instantly refresh batches of content on demand.

Changelog

1.0.0

• Initial public release on WordPress.org.
• Features automated scheduling, bulk manual updates, robust date shifting tools, and per-post Gutenberg overrides.