Understanding SEO content audits: 10 essential points

by our SEO Agency Optimize 360

Content Audits

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In the world of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), optimising the quality, relevance and effectiveness of content is crucial to improving the performance of a website.

Content audits play an essential role in this process.

But what is a content audit and why is it important?

This article sets out the 10 key points you need to understand about this process.

1. What is an SEO content audit?

A content audit is an in-depth, systematic analysis of the textual, visual and technical elements of a website. It aims to assess their impact on natural referencing, theuser experience and conversion. This approach identifies the site's strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities for improvement.

2. The objectives of a content audit

SEO content audits have several objectives:

• Improve visibility and position in search results;
• Identify what needs to be optimised in terms of structure, tagging and internal networking;
• Assessing the relevance and quality of content in relation to the expectations of web users and trends in the sector;
• Highlight any errors, duplication or obsolete content that needs to be corrected or deleted;
• Propose recommendations to enhance the site and improve the user experience.

3. The main areas of analysis

A content audit looks at different aspects of the site:

1. Marking : checking title tags, meta descriptionheaders h1 to h6, alt attributes for images, etc..;
2. The structure : organisation and hierarchy of content, consistency of sections, navigation, breadcrumb trailinternal and external links, pagination, URLetc;
3. The texts : editorial quality, originality, relevance, keyword density, length, formatting, spelling, etc;
4. The media : quality of images, videos, illustrations, computer graphics, SEO optimisation, accessibility, etc;
5. Technical points : loading time, mobile compatibility, internal linking, indexing, errors, redirects, etc..;

4. Indicators to monitor during a content audit

To measure the effectiveness of a content audit, several indicators should be monitored:

• Organic traffic (total and per page): number of visitors from search engines;
• Positioning : page ranking in search results for targeted keywords;
• Bounce rate : percentage of visitors who leave the site after visiting a single page;
• Conversion rate : proportion of visitors who have carried out the desired action (purchase, registration, download, etc.);
• Average session length : time spent by visitors on the site and on each page;
• Share on social networks: number of shares and likes generated by content.

5. The tools available for carrying out a content audit

A number of online tools can be used to conduct an effective content audit:

• SEO diagnostic and analysis tools such as Screaming Frog, SEMRush or Ahrefs;
• Traffic analysis tools such as Google Analytics;
• Positioning monitoring tools such as Yooda Insight, Moz Pro or Rank Tracker;
• Tools for checking editorial quality, such as 1.en, Antidote;
• Tools for detecting duplicate content as Siteliner, Copyscape or Duplicate Content Checker.

6. Best practice for writing a content audit report

A content audit report must be clear, precise and actionable. It should :

1. Provide a table of contents for easy reading;
2. Present the results in the form of tables, graphs and lists to make them easier to understand;
3. Mention the data sources and explain the methodology used;
4. Explain the problems encountered and suggest practical solutions;
5. Prioritise recommendations according to their impact on SEO and the resources required;
6. Propose a detailed, costed action plan.

7. The difference between a content audit and a technical SEO audit

While the content audit focuses on analysing and optimising the textual and visual elements of the site, thetechnical audit in SEO focuses on the more complex aspects that influence natural referencing:

• Site architecture;
• Quick loading;
• Mobile compatibility;
• Indexation;
• Sitemaps, robots.txt, log files, etc;
• Safety (HTTPSfaults).

These two approaches are complementary and essential for improving the overall performance of a website in terms of natural referencing.

8. The ideal frequency for a content audit

We recommend that you carry out a annual content auditor even more frequently if the site is evolving rapidly or if content is produced regularly. This approach enables us to identify opportunities for improvement and to adjust the editorial strategy based on the needs of Internet users and market trends.

9. The benefits of an outsourced content audit

There are several advantages to outsourcing a content audit:

• Benefit from the expertise and technical skills of SEO specialists;
• Benefit from an outside, objective view of the site's content;
• Save time and energy so you can concentrate on your core business;
• A complete, detailed report with personalised recommendations tailored to the project's objectives.

10. The importance of following trends and updating search engine algorithms

Content audits must be carried out in line with the constant changes in quality criteria imposed by search engines.

To achieve this, it is essential to keep abreast of SEO trends and algorithm updates, and to adapt your editorial strategy accordingly. In this way, the site's content will meet the expectations of Internet users and guarantee optimum visibility in search results.