A content audit is a key task that should be conducted towards the start of any SEO campaign. In this article we discuss why content audits are important, what you can learn from them, and the various different factors that you need to take into account when auditing the content on your website – it’s not as simple as just checking for correct grammar and spelling!
So, what should be included in a content audit in 2023? Content audits need to take various on-page content factors into account in order to gain useful insight. Key categories include Thin/No Content, Page Structure, Keywords, Duplicate Content and Blog Content.
Read on to learn more about SEO content audits and the various factors that should be taken into account.
A content audit is the process of evaluating the current content on your website – its strengths, weaknesses and, sometimes, how well it performs. Content audits can be detailed as you deem appropriate for your needs.
Often, a content audit is one of the first steps in an SEO campaign, alongside other key website audits such as a technical site audit and an E-A-T audit. The information gathered during an SEO content audit is key for understanding the current state of the content on your website and where you need to make improvements in order to see positive change in search rankings.
Depending on the level of detail in which you conduct a content audit, you may also find yourself cataloguing content, analysing its performance with tools such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console, and identifying additional opportunities based on this data.
A website content audit helps you to understand the health of your current content based on a number of key factors and where your priorities should be placed in the initial stages of your SEO campaign. A detailed content audit template will include information on where you should place your focus in order to gain useful insight.
Without it, your SEO campaign will lack structure and an insight-driven strategy which could result in lacklustre and unpredictable performance.
Now you know the importance of an SEO content audit, you need to know which areas of your website to focus on to gain valuable insight. Below you’ll find an overview of each category that is typically included in an audit, as well as some of the sub-factors within each category.
For it to be effective and have a positive impact on SEO, there needs to be a substantial amount of content on, at least, the key pages of your website. This is to allow enough space to include important SEO and Google ranking factors, to implement keywords without keyword-stuffing, and to ensure that your content is both relevant to the title and useful for readers.
Tasks in this category include (but are not limited to):
Learn more about thin/no content factors in our detailed blog where we explain each task in detail to help you get the most out of your website content audit.
The page structure section of a content audit goes into more detail than the thin/no content section. However, this section typically contains key tasks that will undoubtedly inform some of the high-priority tasks that you’ll conduct in the initial stages of your campaign. Many of the tasks in the page structure section have a significant impact on search rankings and some are Google ranking factors.
Do not underestimate the importance of this section of the content audit.
Tasks in this category include (but are not limited to):
You can learn more about page structure in our blog, How to Optimise a Blog for SEO.
The keyword section of the content audit is another very important section as, without the proper use of carefully selected keywords, your website will struggle to rank as you’d like it to. Insight gained here will help you to understand how keywords are currently being used (if at all), and what changes need to be made in order to have a positive impact on SEO.
Tasks in this category include (but are not limited to):
We’ve recently written a blog about keyword stuffing in SEO – take a look and learn more about how keywords can impact SEO, particularly when used incorrectly.
Duplicate content is bad for SEO for multiple reasons – the most important being that it confuses search engines and forces them to choose which version of the content should rank higher. Secondly, using the same content as another website (or identical content from across your own website) adds little value, both in terms of SEO and user experience.
Tasks in this category include (but are not limited to):
Learn more about duplicate content in our detailed blog that explains how it impacts SEO, if Google penalises duplicate content, and how you can fix it.
Not all websites have blogs or news sections, so this section may not be relevant to all websites – complete as appropriate. Blogs are often considered to be lower-priority tasks at the beginning of an SEO campaign, but it can be beneficial to audit blog pages on a website in advance. An audit of blog pages may also reveal technical SEO tasks that should be addressed before blog content is optimised or created.
Tasks in this category include (but are not limited to):
If you think that blogs would be a good idea for your website, take a look at our recent article on How to Optimise a Blog for SEO, where we go into much more detail on the topic.
If you would prefer to enlist specialist help and support rather than going it alone with content audits, Wildcat Digital’s SEO team is here to help you to punch above your weight online. Learn more about our Content SEO services online today, or get in touch with us to arrange a free consultation.
When you conduct an SEO content audit, you gain valuable insight into the health of your website’s existing content, how well it’s performing and what you can do to improve your website’s search rankings. We recommend that everyone conducts a content audit on their website during the initial stages of their SEO campaign and certainly before they start making changes to key content.
A content audit can take anywhere from 30 minutes to multiple hours depending on your level of experience and SEO knowledge, and the level of detail in which you conduct the audit. On average, it takes our SEO team 30-45 minutes to complete a content audit but allow for more time than this if you’re completely new to the world of SEO.
A content audit can be completely free to conduct. All you need is enough time to put in the research and learning if you’re not sure what you’re doing and a useful free content audit template.
Founder
Our founder, Will Hitchmough, worked at a number of high profile Sheffield Digital Agencies before founding Wildcat Digital in 2018. He brings an extensive knowledge of all things related to SEO, PPC and Paid Social, as well as an expert knowledge of digital strategy.
Digital Marketing can be a minefield for many businesses, with many agencies ready to take your money without knowing how to deliver results. I founded Wildcat Digital to deliver digital success to businesses with smaller budgets in a transparent way.
Content Strategist Team Lead
With a degree in Marketing and a background in more traditional, offline marketing, Chloe joined Wildcat in 2021 after deciding to move into the digital marketing industry. She joined us as a Content Specialist and quickly moved up the ranks, becoming a Content Strategist and later an SEO Team Leader.
Outside of work, Chloe is an avid creative. If she’s not knitting, you’ll likely find her behind a sewing machine or in the kitchen trying (and often failing!) to make sourdough.
SEO Account Director
Paul has a strong background in SEO, having previously founded and ran a successful eCommerce business, as well as running a personal blog that achieves an average of 17K users per month. Paul’s knowledge of SEO is extensive, with a strong emphasis on client handling and technical SEO.
Outside of work, Paul enjoys spending time with his family and staying active with weight lifting and combat sports.
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