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Are you consistently writing and publishing content but you’re not seeing the results you’d hoped for?
If traffic is stagnant, engagement is low, or conversions aren’t moving the needle, it may be time for a content audit. A content audit gives you a baseline to see how your content is performing.
Think of it like a check-up for your website, helping you spot outdated pages, fix gaps in your search engine optimization process and zero in on lucrative opportunities you can use to grow your rankings and your business.
A content audit isn’t just about updating out-of-date content or re-examining your keywords, it’s about making sure every piece of content is designed to perform. Here’s how to do a content audit in 6 actionable steps.
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Before you even start to examine a single piece of content, take some time to define what your goals are for your content audit.
Whatever the reason, taking steps to outline your goals will help you narrow down the metrics you need to track to make sure you’re achieving those goals.
For example, if you want to increase your search engine ranking, you’ll want to focus on metrics like content optimization scores, keyword rankings (using keyword tools), and backlinks.
If you want to increase conversions, your goals should be to look at click-through rates (CTR) and details relating to conversion rates, like bounce rate and time on site.
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Put together a list of all of the content you need to audit, including:
Then, note key data points about each piece of content.
Not sure which metrics to monitor for your content? Let’s take a look at the next content audit step — data collection.
Once you have your content list, it’s time to get data for each piece.
To gather relevant data on how your content is performing, you can use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console, or use other SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush.
Keep in mind that Google Analytics and Google Search Console are free tools while Ahrefs and SEMrush are premium tools, however, they can also give you other insights that Google doesn’t offer, such as broken link data and competitive intelligence.
Additionally, while curating a content inventory use the Originality.ai Predictive SEO Tool to check the current optimization of your content. Then, implement the AI-powered SEO suggestions to make genuine content improvements, while updating and refreshing content.
Here’s a chart of content audit metrics to monitor:
Once you have all your content, organize it according to different categories:
Example: If a blog post is talking about the best SEO strategies for 2023 and has several backlinks pointing to it, it’s a good candidate for an update and refresh.
As you work on your content audit, you’ll come across topics and underlying themes that could be expanded or updated.
Don’t just tuck them away in the back of your mind thinking you’ll remember them later — write them down! In particular, you’ll want to look for:
Now that you’ve thoroughly analyzed the data to know where your content currently stands, it’s time to make some improvements.
Refresh outdated statistics and broken links. Take the time to optimize your content for the right keywords and add structured data. Break up walls of text, improve the formatting, and check the readability of your content for your target audience.
Doing a content audit is about more than just editing text and optimizing for keywords. It also means adding interactive elements, calls-to-action, and video content to align it with the latest content marketing trends.
If a piece can’t be updated or is no longer relevant, either remove it or redirect it. Don’t forget to combine similar articles into one larger and more detailed piece.
Once you’ve made changes, use Google Analytics to track the engagement and traffic to your newly-optimized content and make note of its new content optimization score with the Originality.ai Predictive SEO Tool.
You can also check Google Search Console to see how your search engine ranking improves over time, keeping in mind that ranking changes don’t happen overnight.
Measure your click-through rates, conversion, and rankings over the course of a few months to see what has improved.
Last but not least, set a reminder in your calendar to do a “mini content audit” every 6-12 months. This helps keep your content fresh regularly without increasing your workload.
By following these tips and outlining a detailed plan, you’ll be able to consistently prune underperforming content while taking active steps to make your site the authoritative source for your given topic or niche.
Learn more content marketing best practices in our top resources:
