Not sure if your old website content is helping or hurting you?
Maybe you’re worried that old blog posts are full of broken links or out-of-date research. Or maybe they’re awesome — but now you’ve shifted direction, so you’re concerned your older content feels off-brand.
Well, there’s a simple way to find out: a website content audit.
What is a website content audit?
Content audit can mean a few things — for instance, SEO companies might use the term content audit to include scanning your site for technical or coding issues that might affect your SEO. But today I’m focusing on auditing the written content itself.
A written website content audit means looking at some or all of your published website content to see how it fits into your current content strategy. You’ll look at whether:
- There’s room to incorporate more (or different) keywords
- The info and research up-to-date or needs a refresh
- It reflects your brand voice and supports your business goals
Based on the results of your audit, you’ll come away with a to-do list to bring your marketing up to date. You’ll know which website content supports your marketing goals, and which content needs a refresh or rewrite to feel current.
What are the benefits of a content audit?
Website content that works harder to support your goals! Here’s what you can expect with a successful audit.
Better SEO
A website content audit gives you an opportunity to revisit which articles are ranking and improve your SEO. Adding a new angle, incorporating new keywords or tweaking the content formatting can improve your ranking. Audits can also take care of technical issues, like broken links, and add more internal links to related posts.
A consistent customer experience
You already know the value of a consistent brand voice — but as your business evolves, your old content needs a facelift to feel current. Going through older content periodically helps ensure all your content marketing feels up to date.
A bustling editorial calendar on a budget
Great content is an investment, and you want to get as much for your money as possible. Sometimes, all underperforming content needs is a refresher, saving you the cost of full rewrites for all-new content. Plus, you can mix and match refreshed content with brand new content for a well-rounded calendar.
Tons of new content ideas
You’re sitting on a goldmine, and auditing can unlock new and fun ways to use your website content. Use the audit to group themed content, which you can turn into pillar pages or ebooks. Revive old post series, or find fresh angles you can address with new content. Brainstorm as you review your content, and you’ll come away with plenty of new ideas to fill out your editorial calendar.
How to do a website content audit
There are two basic approaches you can take to content auditing: a complete overhaul or a regular refresh.
How to do a total content overhaul
A content overhaul might be a good idea if you’ve got a library of content that you’ve never audited before, you’ve changed your branding or business direction, or you acquired another company (or got acquired) and need to merge multiple content libraries into one.
During an overhaul, you’ll look over your entire content library to figure out which pieces need a refresh or rewrite. You’ll also identify any content formatting or tone issues, and update your brand voice guidelines or style guide as needed.
A full overhaul can be a major undertaking (my largest audit involved more than 5,000 pieces of content!) So if you’re on a budget, focus on your highest-performing and highest-impact content first. You’ll get many of the benefits of a major overhaul without the cost of reviewing and refreshing everything.
How to do a regular content refresh
Alternatively, you can look at auditing as a seasonal part of your content strategy and something you do quarterly, regardless of major business changes.
During a quarterly content audit, you’ll look back at your library to identify pieces that will have the highest impact in the upcoming quarter and select those to audit.
This might include:
- Content that supports a new launch or promotion planned for the quarter
- Seasonal content from previous years (for example, holiday content you need to update for the post-pandemic era)
- A handful of high-performing content you haven’t revisited or refreshed in a while
Pick a handful of titles that support your business objectives for the quarter and refresh or rewrite them as needed. Then, use the refreshed content to fill in your editorial calendar along with brand new content.
Whether you opt for an occasional intensive audit, or you make auditing a part of your quarterly strategy, taking a look back on older content helps ensure it’s still working hard for you.
And if you’d like a little help performing your audit? I can help! Get in touch today for help finding audit strategy that suits your goals and makes your older content feel fresh.
