How to Perform a Content Audit on Your Existing Content

The digital landscape is a dynamic and ever-changing environment where businesses must consistently adapt and refine their strategies to maintain a robust online presence. A critical element of any successful online strategy is the creation and management of high-quality, relevant, and engaging content.

To truly harness the power of your content, however, you must ensure it works effectively for your business. The answer to achieving this goal lies in conducting a comprehensive content audit.

Semrush reports that among companies surveyed in 2022, 61% of those most successful in content marketing conducted content audits more frequently than twice a year. After performing content audits, survey respondents observed a 53% increase in engagement rate and a 49% improvement in rankings and traffic.

A content audit is an invaluable tool that empowers businesses to scrutinize and optimize their content library. By making data-driven decisions, you can maximize the impact of your content marketing endeavors.

In this blog, we’ll provide a deep dive into content audits, their significance, and the benefits they offer, from enhancing SEO and user experience to streamlining content strategy and boosting ROI.

We will also equip you with actionable tips and insights to help you effectively perform a content audit. Not only that, but we’ve shared the same content audit template we use so you can kickstart your content audit journey.

By the end of this blog, you’ll have the knowledge and tools necessary to conduct a thorough content audit that will revolutionize your content marketing efforts and set you on the path to success.

Why is a content audit important?

1. Improved SEO: Content audits help identify and rectify issues like broken links, duplicate content, and other SEO concerns that may negatively impact your search engine rankings.

2. Enhanced user experience: By taking a deeper look at your content's readability, relevance, and organization, you can create a superior user experience. The probability of visitors staying on your site can greatly increase and convert into customers.

3. Data-driven decisions: Content audits provide invaluable insights into the types of content that resonate with your audience, enabling you to make more strategic decisions about future content creation.

4. Streamlined content strategy: Make sure your content marketing efforts are focused on producing the most effective content possible. By pinpointing gaps and opportunities in your content, you can align your content strategy with your business goals.

5. Increased ROI: Optimizing your existing content allows you to maximize your return on investment (ROI) and ensures your content marketing drives tangible results.

Helpful tips for performing a content audit

1. Define your goals

Before embarking on your content audit journey, establish clear goals. These might include enhancing your site's SEO, increasing audience engagement, or optimizing content for conversions. Well-defined goals will guide your audit process and ensure your efforts align with your overarching content strategy.

2. Inventory your content

Develop a comprehensive inventory of all existing content, including blog posts, articles, videos, podcasts, social media posts, whitepapers, e-books, and more. Use a spreadsheet or content audit tool to organize and categorize your content, noting vital information such as URL, title, format, publish date, and performance metrics (e.g., page views, bounce rate, social engagement).

See the Content Audit Template below for inspiration.

3. Analyze your content

With your content inventory in place, start analyzing each piece of content based on your goals. Consider factors such as SEO, engagement, conversions, readability, relevance, and consistency. Employ tools like Google Analytics, SEMrush, and Yoast SEO to gather data and insights that can inform your analysis.

4. Identify areas for improvement

As you analyze your content, look for areas where improvements can be made. These may include updating outdated information, optimizing content for SEO, enhancing readability and user experience, or filling gaps in your content strategy. Document these opportunities and prioritize them based on their potential impact.

5. Make data-driven decisions

Use the insights gathered during your content audit to make informed decisions about what to keep, update, or remove. Consider removing content that is outdated, irrelevant, or low-performing. Update content that needs a refresh or has potential for improvement. And keep content that is already performing well or supports your content strategy.

6. Monitor and measure

After implementing changes based on your content audit, it's crucial to monitor and measure the impact of your efforts. Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as organic traffic, bounce rate, conversions, and social engagement to assess the effectiveness of your updates. This data will help you fine-tune your content strategy moving forward and ensure your content is continuously optimized for success.

7. Establish a regular content audit

Conducting a content audit shouldn't be viewed as a one-off event. To ensure your content strategy remains strong and you stay ahead of the competition, it's essential to create and stick to a regular audit schedule. Depending on the size and complexity of your content library, you might opt to perform a content audit every 6 to 12 months. By conducting audits regularly, you'll be able to keep up with trends, make informed decisions based on data, and ensure your content continues to engage and resonate with your audience.

8. Gain buy-in from your team

A successful content audit relies on the collaboration and support of your entire content team, including content creators, editors, SEO specialists, and designers. Involving your team in the audit process not only leverages their unique expertise but also ensures everyone is aligned with your content strategy and objectives. Open communication and teamwork will help make your content audit more effective and lead to better results.

Transform your content strategy with a comprehensive content audit

A content audit is a vital tool for any business aiming to improve its content strategy and drive better results. By following the tips outlined in this blog, you'll be well on your way to optimizing your existing content, enhancing your SEO, and increasing audience engagement.

If the idea of performing a content audit on your own feels overwhelming, The Writing & Visuals Co. is here to help. Our team of content experts will collaborate with you to conduct a thorough audit and develop a strategy that aligns with your goals. Contact us today to learn more about our content audit services and discover how we can help you transform your content strategy for success.

Content audit template:

1. URL:

   • Use this column to list the web address of each piece of content. It helps you quickly locate and access the content when needed during the audit process.

2. Title:

   • The title of each piece of content should be recorded in this column. It allows you to quickly identify and understand the main topic or theme of the content.

3. Format:

   • In this column, you should mention the type of content, such as blog posts, articles, videos, podcasts, social media posts, whitepapers, e-books, etc. Knowing the format helps you assess the variety and balance of content types in your library.

4. Publish Date:

   • The date each piece of content was published should be noted here. This information is essential for understanding the age of your content and identifying any outdated or irrelevant pieces that may need updating or removal.

5. Page Views:

   • This column is for recording the number of times each piece of content has been viewed. It helps you evaluate the performance and popularity of individual content pieces and identify trends or patterns in audience preferences.

6. Bounce Rate:

   • The bounce rate is the percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate could indicate that the content is not engaging or relevant to your audience. Recording the bounce rate for each piece of content can help you identify areas for improvement in terms of user experience and engagement.

   • How can you determine the bounce rate in GA4? To calculate the bounce rate in Google Analytics 4 (GA4), divide the total number of non-engaged sessions (bounces) by the total number of sessions. Then, multiply the result by 100 to obtain the bounce rate as a percentage.

7. Social Engagement:

   • In this column, note the overall social engagement for each piece of content, which includes not only the number of shares on social media platforms but also likes, comments, and other interactions.

   • Social engagement serves as an indicator of the content's popularity, relevance, and value to your audience. Tracking social engagement can help you identify the types of content that resonate with your audience and inform your future content strategy.

8. Action Needed

   • This column will help you keep track of what content to keep, update, or remove.