A refresh should solve a defined problem. The proof packet is a compact record of the current page, observed signals, and proposed boundary before anyone edits the article.
Preserve the baseline
Save the canonical route, title, publication and update dates, headings, internal links, and a body hash. Note the source revision. This baseline makes accidental removals visible during review.
Add evidence with limits
Include the relevant search-performance window, reader questions, broken or stale citations, and product changes. State what each source cannot establish. Traffic decline does not automatically prove that copy quality caused it.
Define the smallest change
Name the sections to update and the claims that must remain untouched. Decide whether the title, canonical, or structured data may change. If the intent has changed completely, consider a new route rather than disguising a replacement as a refresh.
Review the diff
Compare the final draft with the baseline. Confirm retained history, working citations, a consistent reader promise, and unchanged routes outside the approved scope. Attach the diff and release result to the packet.
