5 Steps for an Effective Content Audit (+ Free Template)

Have you ever come across the Pareto principle, also known as the 80/20 rule?

This principle suggests that approximately 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.

You might wonder, why is this important?

Because it directly applies to your website’s content. Examine your content—how well is it ranking?

If your content isn’t appearing in the top 10 search results for your main keywords, or if it was ranking but has since plummeted, it’s likely time for a content audit.

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll discover 5 ways to perform an effective content audit, enriched with tools and methods to boost your SEO performance. Plus, we’ve included a FREE template to simplify your journey.

What is a Content Audit?

A content audit involves evaluating your existing content—such as blog posts, guides, and FAQs—to identify weaknesses and areas for improvement. Improvements can then be made by adding fresh content, updating existing information, or enhancing the accuracy and relevance of current material.

Optimizing old content is a key low-hanging fruit in SEO and content marketing strategies. Not only is your existing content already indexed in Google, but it also ranks for certain keywords and attracts some traffic. Enhancing old content is often more cost-effective than creating new content from scratch.

But remember: a content audit is not about completely overhauling your old content. Instead, aim to elevate existing material to meet the standard of newer content.

Why Content Sometimes Needs Refreshing

Content may need updating due to increased competition, poor optimization of a newly acquired site, or simply outdated information. Sometimes, even well-performing content can benefit from updating to maintain its edge.

To begin your content audit, identify content that needs improvement. Specifically, look for:

• Loss of organic traffic or no organic traffic at all.
• Low engagement metrics (e.g., time on page).
• Little to no social engagement.
• Poor post metrics.
• Lack of conversions or user actions despite social promotion.

How to Find Underperforming Content

Once you’ve identified the criteria, it’s time to gather your website data and insert it into a Google Sheet:

Step 1: Get Google Analytics Data

First, navigate to Google Analytics:

• Go to Behavior > Site Content > All Pages
• Set the date range to the last 6 months.
• Depending on your site’s size, select more rows (e.g., 1000) and then export it as a CSV file.
• Import this data into your Google Sheet under the “analytics” tab.

Step 2: Get Google Search Console Data

Next, get your site performance data from Google Search Console:

• Select your site.
• Go to the Performance report and ensure clicks, impressions, CTR, and average position are selected.
• Set the date range to the last 6 months and export the data.
• Import this data into your Google Sheet under the “search console” tab.

Step 3: Run Your URLs Through Ahrefs Batch Analysis

This step is optional but recommended for detailed analysis. Use the Ahrefs Batch Analysis tool:

• Copy the URLs from the Google Sheet’s “Overview” tab (column B).
• Paste them into the Ahrefs Batch Analysis tool.
• Select appropriate options: Protocol – As specified, Target Mode – Exact URL, Index – Live, and then hit analysis.
• Export and import this data into the “ahrefs” tab of your Google Sheet.

Now, you have a detailed spreadsheet showcasing underperforming content ready for a refresh.

What Does This Spreadsheet Show You?

This Google Sheets template offers a high-level overview of your site’s performance. It highlights:

• Your top 100 viewed pages.
• Your site’s average position in SERPs.
• How users interact with your site through Google.
• Backlinks numbers.
• Keywords your site ranks for.

With this data, you can quickly identify pages in need of a content refresh, such as:

Pages with High Impressions but Low CTR

Low search CTR indicates that searchers see your site in results but aren’t clicking:

• Are you ranking for the right keyword? Ensure your content matches the searcher’s intent.
• Improve your page title to clearly state its purpose and evoke curiosity or a promise.
• Write an engaging meta description to entice clicks.

Pages with High CTR

High CTR pages may show outliers worth exploring. Examine what works well here to replicate success across other pages.

Pay close attention to Bounce Rates; high Bounce Rates might indicate that visitors aren’t finding what they need. Improve this by highlighting key information upfront to retain visitors.

Pages Ranking for Many Keywords

Pages ranking for numerous keywords but with poor engagement can benefit from updates and targeted keyword optimization:

Investigate your primary competitors to understand their content structure and improve your own offering, making it more relevant and valuable to your audience.

5 Ways to Perform an Effective Content Refresh

With the identification process complete, it’s time for the content refresh:

1. Expand your content.
2. Update outdated content.
3. Optimize or re-optimize.
4. Merge similar content.
5. Promote and build links.

#1 Expand Your Content

Expanding content, by adding depth and length, often leads to higher rankings. Research shows the average word count of a first-page Google result is 1,890 words (Backlinko).

Perform keyword research to identify gaps in your content. Avoid expanding just for the sake of it; ensure additional content offers value. Look at query-rich sections like “People also ask” for ideas.

#2 Update Your Content

Google favors fresh content (Moz), so keeping your content current is crucial. Update posts containing:

• Dated information.
• Screenshots that could be outdated.
• Outdated research or data.

Ensure accuracy by removing outdated elements, updating facts, and incorporating new best practices where relevant. Don’t overlook updating internal links and CTAs.

#3 Optimize or Re-optimize

On-page SEO is critical. Ensure the following elements are optimized:

• Title tags with main keywords.
• H1 tags with main keywords.
• Meta descriptions.
• Keywords in subheadings and URLs.
• Image optimization and alt text.
• Page load speed and responsive design.
• Internal linking.

Identify keywords your content ranks for but isn’t optimized around by using Google Search Console and integrate them naturally into your content.

#4 Merge Similar Content

Consolidate overlapping content into a single, high-value post. A robust, comprehensive guide often performs better than numerous similar articles.

Use keyword research to group related topics and plan your content strategy more effectively.

#5 Promote & Build Links

Promotion and link-building can rejuvenate old content. Build internal links from new content and promote refreshed content on social media or through email newsletters.

For competitive keywords, consider advanced link-building strategies like guest posts or broken link building. Adapt your approach based on your site’s type and target audience.

Sidenote: 8 Tools to Help Improve Your Content

Here’s a list of handy tools to assist in your content refresh process:

1. Google Analytics [FREE] – Visitor metrics.
2. Google Search Console [FREE] – Search performance metrics.
3. Ahrefs [PAID] – Keyword and competitor analysis.
4. Clearscope [PAID] – AI content optimization.
5. Frase [PAID] – Cheaper AI content analysis.
6. Headline Analyzer [FREE] – Headline improvement.
7. AnswerThePublic [FREE] – Question keywords.
8. BuzzSumo [PAID] – Niche content performance.

Summary

Refreshing old content shouldn’t be seen as a tedious task but as an opportunity to leverage your existing resources to boost traffic. Given that 80% of your results often come from 20% of your content, a content refresh can often be more effective than creating new content.

SEO is an ongoing process. Incorporate content audits into your strategy every 3-6 months to ensure your content stays relevant and optimized.

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About Jake

Jake is a marketer, writer, and spreadsheet enthusiast who runs Sheets For Marketers. He enjoys SEO, pizza, and spending time with dogs—sometimes simultaneously.