Why are content audits of value and what can we learn from them?

Conducting a quantitative review of your content can provide myriad benefits

Content audits are essential for understanding the quality and relevance of a set of content. They help identify areas of improvement and guide content strategies that meet the needs of both users and the business.

Auditing content is the process and the result of conducting a quantitative study of a content inventory.

Here are some specific reasons why content audits are valuable:

1. Identify outdated or redundant content: A content audit can help identify old or irrelevant content cluttering things up. Uncluttering can help improve the user experience by removing irrelevant or outdated information and streamlining the content presented to the consumer.

2. Identify content gaps: A content audit can help identify areas where your content is lacking or where users are having difficulty finding and using it. Identifying and addressing content gaps ensures that the information we provide is relevant and helpful.

3. Improve SEO: A content audit can help us identify opportunities to improve search engine optimization by identifying areas where content can be optimized for specific keywords or topics.

4. Prioritize content updates: Content auditing can help us prioritize updates to content based on business goals, user needs, and content performance metrics.

5. Improve content governance: Auditing our content can help us improve content governance by identifying content owners, standards, and editorial processes.

Content audits and inventories can be challenging to get right. If you’re looking for guidance conducting these activities, see our book “Content Audits and Inventories” (XML Press) by Paula Land. An updated and expanded second edition will hit booksellers’ shelves May 15, 2023. Pre-order today!