No need to head back to school to learn how to improve your digital strategy. An audit of the content on your website is a great way to ensure your material makes the grade and is optimized for search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo! To get started, compile an itemized list of the digital assets that are published to your site. From blog posts to contests and profiles for your on-air personalities, be sure to include every section of copy that may potentially need to be removed or updated in the future. Save the list in a spreadsheet that includes a link to the content where it is live on your site, as well as notes about the topic of the material and the date that it was posted or last updated. Once you have a complete inventory, take the following steps to optimize your content.
Identify material that requires editing.
Comb through each web post to locate typos, grammatical errors, missing words, or factual inaccuracies that may have slipped through the cracks at the time it was published. Making these corrections will improve the quality of your site and could better establish you as a credible source. In addition to errors, some material may need revising to better adhere to your brand’s style guide. This can exclude guest posts and messaging from your on-air talent, which will likely possess a different tone, but as a best practice, you should strive to keep all other content consistent in style and voice.
Highlight content that needs to be updated with more current information.
In the fast-paced world of technology, information spreads fast and often changes even faster. Ensure your content is current by routinely reviewing time-sensitive material on your site. Update event dates and times on your calendar as they change, add winner announcements to closed contests, and remove outdated content that is no longer relevant or accurate. Your audience will appreciate the effort.
Ensure all live content is optimized for SEO.
Review the setup of blog posts and featured content to ensure that metadata and search keywords are optimized for each. This will boost your rankings in search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, and Bing, making it easier for new visitors to find your content online and can result in higher site traffic.
Denote opportunities for new content.
Reviewing your current material can help spark ideas for new topics. As you audit your content, look for gaps in certain categories or areas where you can expand and offer follow-up posts to further inform your audience. Make a note of these new opportunities on your audit spreadsheet so that you can revisit them when you’re preparing to publish new material.
Are you ready to begin auditing your website content? Download our free inventory spreadsheet template to get started!
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