How to Fix Incorrect Dates for Tags on a Website

Problem with Incorrect Dates on Tags on Your Website

When all new posts display with the date September 18th, this issue is typically related to errors in server time settings, caching problems, or incorrect content management system (CMS) configuration. This problem can occur due to failures in the server’s system time, database issues, or errors in the website code responsible for displaying dates.

Table of Contents

• Causes of the incorrect date problem
• Impact of the problem on website performance and SEO
• Ways to fix the problem
• Preventive measures
• Tools for diagnosis and solution

Causes of the incorrect date problem

The problem with all new tags showing a constant date of September 18th can have several technical causes:

Server system errors

• Incorrect time settings: The server may be configured to display a fixed date due to an error in system time or configuration
• Timezone issues: Mismatch between the server timezone and CMS settings
• System clock failure: Physical or software failures in the server’s system clock

CMS and database issues

• Code error: A bug in the content management system that incorrectly processes dates
• Caching issues: The caching system saves the date September 18th and continues to use it for all new entries
• Incorrect database queries: SQL queries that return a fixed date instead of the current one

Conflicts with Yandex.Metrica

As noted in the Yandex.Metrica Club, such errors can occur due to problems in the analytics system itself, which incorrectly processes and transmits data about publication dates.

Impact of the problem on website performance and SEO

SEO consequences

• Distortion of behavioral factors: As discussed in Metrica, incorrect data about time spent on the site can negatively affect ranking
• Incorrect statistics: Yandex may consider that users spend little time on the site, leading to lower positions
• Indexing issues: Search engines may perceive old dates as outdated content

Technical problems

• Incorrect analytics: It’s impossible to accurately track content effectiveness by publication time
• Reporting issues: Difficulty in analyzing publication dynamics
• Automation system errors: Failures in publication schedules and automatic systems

Ways to fix the problem

System time check

1. Check the time on the server:
   bash

   date
   timedatectl status
   

2. Synchronize time:
   bash

   sudo ntpdate pool.ntp.org
   

3. Set up automatic synchronization:
   bash

   sudo apt install ntp
   

CMS configuration

• WordPress: Check settings in “Settings” → “General” → “Timezone”
• 1C-Bitrix: Configure system parameters in the “Settings” → “System Settings” section
• Drupal: Check configuration in “Configuration” → “Regional and language”

Cache clearing

• System cache: Clear server and application cache
• Database cache: Restart or reset database cache
• Browser cache: Clear browser cache and check the result

Database configuration

Check queries that process dates:

-- Example of checking current date in DB
SELECT NOW(), CURRENT_TIMESTAMP;

CMS and plugin updates

Ensure that all CMS and related plugin updates are installed, as many date issues are fixed in new versions.

Preventive measures

Regular checks

• Time monitoring: Regularly check the system time on the server
• Date control: Periodically verify publication dates in the admin panel and on the website
• Backup: Create regular database backups

Settings optimization

• Automatic synchronization: Set up automatic time synchronization with NTP servers
• Backup sources: Configure multiple NTP servers for reliability
• System monitoring: Use monitoring systems to track server status

Updates and maintenance

• Regular updates: Monitor CMS and plugin updates
• Backups: Keep copies of configuration files
• Documentation: Document all system changes

Tools for diagnosis and solution

System tools

• timedatectl: For checking and configuring time in Linux
• ntpdate: For manual time synchronization
• phpinfo(): For checking PHP settings, including timezones

Online services

• Time checking services: Online tools for checking server time
• UTM label generators: As described in Roistat, for proper label configuration
• Webmaster tools: Yandex.Webmaster for checking indexing and dates

Specialized services

• SEO audit: Services like SEO-AUDITOR for analyzing date problems
• Analytics: Yandex.Metrica for tracking and analyzing data

Conclusion

The problem with incorrect tag dates, displayed as a constant date of September 18th, is usually related to server system errors or CMS configuration issues. To solve the problem, you need to:

1. Check and synchronize system time on the server
2. Clear all caches (system, CMS, browser)
3. Check timezone settings in the content management system
4. Update CMS and plugins to the latest versions
5. Set up regular time synchronization to prevent recurring problems

Regular monitoring of system status and timely component updates will help avoid such problems in the future. If the problem persists, it is recommended to contact the technical support of your hosting provider or CMS developers for detailed diagnostics.

Sources

1. Metrica gives incorrect data — Yandex.Metrica Club
2. What is a UTM tag? | Roistat Blog
3. Yandex Metrica 2024 – complete guide to setup and use
4. UTM tags for Yandex Metrica: how to create and add
5. Connecting Metrica and working with UTM tags | Yandex RomaPages
6. Yandex and Google updates. Correct dates and accurate update forecasts
7. How to find out the correct page indexing date?