The Secrets to a Successful Content Audit

Chances are that to some extent or another, you already carry out content audits. And if not, you definitely should!

The primary purpose of carrying out content audit is to slowly but surely build a database packed with priceless information about the way your business performs. It can be slow going at first, but over time will provide you with a resource that’s essentially a proven blueprint for success.
If you’re interested in making this happen, here’s a quick rundown of just a few tips for getting it right when it comes to carrying out a content audit:

1. Have a content strategy
First of all, you cannot expect your content audit to be successful or useful if you do not already have a solid and fixed content strategy in place. After all, how can you compare the results of the audit to your strategy, if you don’t already have one? Incredibly, a recent study found that little more than 40% of marketers follow a concrete marketing strategy. Which essentially means that 60% of marketers who may be carrying out content audits could be largely wasting their time.

2. Track your datar
Carrying out a successful content audit also means determining which metrics you intend to look at and accessing the relevant data. For example, while one business may be primarily interested in the number of unique visitors any specific page attracts, another may be more focused on bounce rates. It’s basically a case of compiling a list of key metrics of importance to your business, before going ahead and beginning to fill in the blanks.

3. Examine content quality
The metrics you track and analyse will all prove valuable, but it’s also important to remember that it isn’t all about numbers. You need to think about your site’s content in terms of its overall quality and readability. One popular and effective approach is to implement something of a scoring system, where you award each piece of content a score between one and ten, or a percentage. Once again, this can help you build a better picture over time as to your key strengths and weaknesses.

4. Compare your best and worst performersr
Last but not least, it’s important to take things a step further than simply noting differences in performance. When you come across two pieces of content that have performed spectacularly differently, take the time to consider exactly why this was the case. In theory, what you have in front of you is a perfect example of the content your target audience likes and the exact opposite. Which technically should mean you have all you need to work out how to avoid the latter and focus on the former. Implemented appropriately, a good content audit should provide you with no less than a step by step guide for the creation of quality content, in accordance with the preferences of your target audience.