A guide to auditing your website content for SEO, conversions, and AI Overviews
🔑 Key takeaways:
🔍 Run audits regularly to spot issues before traffic drops.
📊 Track traffic, rankings, and engagement to find top and weak performers.
🛠 Use technical checks for crawlability, indexation, and link health.
🎯 Align every page with your target audience and goals.
You watch traffic slide month after month. Once-reliable pages that brought in leads or sales now sit buried under AI-generated answers. You realize you haven’t updated half of your blog in months. You continue to publish new content every week, yet the results fail to improve. A content audit turns this around. It shows you which pages still earn their keep, which ones hold you back, and where you can find the biggest opportunities.
In this guide, I walk you through a practical, repeatable process for running a website content audit in today’s AI-driven search landscape. You learn when to run a content audit, what to evaluate, and how to adjust your pages so they work for both search engines and AI overviews.
I also share a free, customizable content audit template and a step-by-step workflow you can use right away, whether you manage an extensive content library or handle every marketing task yourself.
What is a content audit?
A content audit is a systematic review of the pages and assets on your website to identify what’s working, what’s outdated, and where content gaps exist. In a typical audit, you gather each URL and record its title, format, publication date, traffic, ranking, backlinks, and conversion metrics. Then you evaluate each piece against criteria such as quality, strategic fit, and user experience, and decide whether to keep, update, consolidate, or remove it.
Besides helping you decide where to focus your limited resources, audits have several benefits. By identifying under-performing pages, you can boost traffic, optimize for search, fix broken links, and update meta descriptions. Audits help you identify new SEO opportunities, eliminate duplicate content, and improve user experience by ensuring each page serves a clear purpose. They also provide a baseline, allowing you to track changes over time and justify investments in updates.
When should you run a content audit?
I used to only think about audits when traffic dropped. If I saw visits or impressions decreasing, I would scramble to figure out what went wrong. Over time, I learned I could get a lot more value by building content audits into my regular workflow. Now I treat them like routine maintenance for my site, not just a reaction to a crisis.
The situations below are when I know it is time to run a content audit.
1. During a site redesign or migration
A redesign or platform migration presents an opportunity to refine content before transferring it to a new environment. Migration can introduce broken links, orphaned pages, and technical issues. Auditing ahead of the move ensures you migrate only valuable content, redirect obsolete URLs, and plan new site architecture.
2. When content visibility drops due to AI‑generated answers
Google and other search engines now generate AI‑powered overviews that synthesize answers from multiple sources. These AI snapshots appear in around 30% of searches, according to SEO.com, particularly for informational queries. They draw on the top pages, Google’s core ranking systems, and AI models deemed relevant.
Because AI overviews occupy significant screen real estate, pages outside the top three organic links are pushed far down in the search results page (SERP). Some analysts predict that sites may lose around 25% of their organic traffic to AI features.
If your once high‑ranking articles are no longer getting clicks and you suspect AI overviews are the culprit, a content audit can help you adapt. Look for pages that lack depth or fail to address the “people also ask” questions AI models use to compose overviews. Revise those pieces to provide comprehensive answers, an organized structure, and reliable citations, which AI systems favor.
3. When traffic or conversions drop
A sudden drop in page views, conversions, rankings, or engagement metrics (such as time on page and bounce rate) often signals issues like outdated content, technical errors, algorithm updates, or increased competition.
🧰 Guide: How to run a competitor website audit in 7 steps
I recommend that new sites run an audit within six months to establish a baseline and that established sites conduct an annual audit. Regular audits surface content decay—older pages losing relevance or authority—and help you identify and address problems before they impact revenue.
Monitoring your content’s performance metrics regularly also reveals whether a decline is due to a broader trend (such as algorithm changes) or specific pages (quality issues).
4. As part of an ongoing content strategy
Even without significant changes, periodic audits ensure your content remains aligned with your target audience and business goals. Over time, your audience’s needs evolve, and your brand position changes.
Content audits help you prune low‑value content, update messaging, improve UX, and develop new content plans. Integrating audits into quarterly or semiannual cycles can prevent bloating and maintain a high-quality library.
5. After major algorithm updates
Search engine algorithms change frequently, and updates like Google’s Helpful Content system emphasize user‑focused, expert‑driven pages. Auditing after such shifts helps you identify which content no longer meets guidelines.
For example, Google advises creators to disclose who authored the content, how it was created, and why it exists. Pages lacking bylines or transparency may lose visibility. Including these details in your audit will help align with new standards.
5 things to evaluate during a content audit
The exact metrics I track depend on the project, but I consistently focus on five broad areas. They provide me with a comprehensive picture of how content is performing and where it needs improvement.
1. Content performance: traffic, rankings, engagement
Start by collecting quantitative data. Page views and unique users reveal whether people are finding your content. Rankings for target keywords indicate how well pages compete in search results. Engagement metrics, such as average time on page, scroll depth, bounce rate, and social shares, indicate whether visitors stay and interact with the content.
Content audit tools, such as Google Analytics, Search Console, or third-party SEO platforms, can provide these metrics. Look for trends (e.g., declining traffic over time) and compare pages against each other to identify winners and laggards.
2. SEO metrics: crawlability, indexation, links
Technical factors can significantly impact a page’s visibility. Audit whether each URL is crawlable and indexable.
Check for broken links, redirect chains, and canonicalization issues. Internal linking signals importance and helps search engines understand your site’s structure; external links from reputable sites drive authority and credibility.
Tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs can crawl your site and highlight technical errors.
3. Strategic alignment: audience fit and goal relevance
Even high‑traffic pages might not serve your current goals. Does the page target your desired audience? Does it align with your brand voice and business objectives?
Evaluate whether each piece addresses the buyer journey stages you care about (awareness, consideration, decision) and supports campaigns, product launches, or revenue goals.
If a page receives visits but drives little engagement or conversions, decide whether to reposition it or deindex it.
4. Quality signals: accuracy, depth, originality
Search engines and AI systems reward content that demonstrates expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (E‑E‑A‑T). Evaluate each page’s accuracy (facts supported by credible sources), depth (covers the topic comprehensively), and originality (provides unique insights or data).
I recommend addressing the user’s primary and related questions, citing 3–5 authoritative sources, organizing content into 100- to 300-word semantic chunks, and including clear calls to action.
Google’s guidelines also suggest adding bylines, author bios, and disclosures about AI or automation, so readers know who wrote the content and how it was produced.
5. UX and accessibility
A page that’s hard to navigate will lose both human readers and search visibility. UX accessibility refers to designing digital experiences that are accessible to people of all abilities, benefiting all users.
Verify that pages load quickly, adapt to various screen sizes, and include detailed headings, buttons, and navigation.
Accessibility features such as keyboard navigation, alt text, captions, descriptive link text, consistent structures, and the ability to adjust text size improve UX usability.
An accessible site not only meets legal standards but also signals quality to search engines and AI models that incorporate user experience signals.
How to do a content audit
When I run a content audit, I stick to a structured workflow. This auditing process keeps me focused, moves me from prep work to measurable results, and helps me avoid the mistakes that can slow things down or send the audit off track.
Step 1: Set goals and define success criteria
Before analyzing data, clearly define the objectives of your content audit. Do you want to increase organic traffic or conversions? Or are you supporting a redesign? Specific goals will guide your evaluation of each page and ensure that you collect useful information.
A page with modest traffic that converts consistently may be more valuable for lead generation than a high-traffic page with no conversions. If AI visibility is your priority, focus on depth and structured data to enhance content’s appearance in AI overviews.
Set SMART goals to ensure your objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Connect your audit objectives to marketing OKRs to reflect your broader business priorities. Identify the marketing KPIs to track, such as organic sessions, click-through rates, and keyword rankings.
Step 2: Inventory your content
A thorough content inventory is the foundation of your audit. Start by exporting your sitemap or pulling URLs from your CMS. Then run a crawl with a content auditing tool like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, or Semrush to find orphaned pages that aren’t linked internally but still exist in your index.
Include all content types: blog posts, product pages, landing pages, guides, videos, PDFs, and resource hubs. For each URL, record:
- Page title and H1
- Content type and topic category
- Publication or last updated date
- Word count or video length
- Author or owner
If your site has thousands of pages, break the audit into phases. You could start with the highest-traffic sections, pages tied to key conversion paths, or content clusters targeting essential keywords. Phasing keeps the work manageable and ensures you start where improvements will have the most impact.
Step 3: Collect data (quantitative and qualitative)
With your content inventory ready, begin collecting data that will guide your decisions. Use analytics, SEO tools, and manual review to gather both performance metrics and qualitative observations.
Quantitative metrics to capture include:
- Organic sessions and total traffic
- Average engagement time or time on page
- Bounce rate or exit rate
- Conversion rate (for leads, sales, downloads, etc.)
- Keyword rankings for target queries
- Backlinks and referring domains
- Social shares and engagement
Qualitative factors to assess include:
- Accuracy and freshness of information
- Depth of coverage compared to competitors
- Tone and style consistency
- Visuals and multimedia quality
- Accessibility (alt text, contrast, mobile experience)
- Alignment with brand voice and goals
Use Google Analytics and Google Search Console to measure traffic, engagement, and search engine performance. Run an SEO crawler to detect broken links, redirects, thin metadata, or missing structured data. Export your complete URL list from your CMS or sitemap so you don’t miss any pages.
Finally, perform a manual review to identify subtle issues, such as confusing navigation, clunky formatting, or a mismatch between the headline and page content.
Step 4: Evaluate each URL based on key questions
Once you have the data, you’ll need to make decisions. To make these consistent, apply a clear set of evaluation questions to every page:
- Is it getting traffic or links? Treat substantial organic traffic (e.g., over 1,000 sessions/month or above your site median) or authoritative backlinks as signals to keep and improve.
- Is it optimized for a purpose? Every page should have a target audience and a purpose or intent. If a page’s purpose is unclear, refine its targeting or consolidate it with a stronger asset.
- Is there keyword cannibalization? Use your SEO tool to identify multiple URLs competing for the same keyword. Decide whether to merge or reposition them to avoid splitting rankings.
- Is it better than competing content? Compare it to the top-ranking pages and AI overviews for the target keyword. If your page lacks detail, structure, or unique insights, plan improvements.
- Could it drive more conversions? For pages with solid traffic but low conversions, review CTAs, offers, and page layout. Even small changes, such as CTA placement or benefit statements, can have a significant impact on results.
Step 5: Decide what to keep, update, combine, or remove
Your evaluation will naturally place pages into four categories:
- Keep: Performing well, aligned with goals, and needs only light maintenance. Schedule periodic updates.
- Update: Has potential but needs refreshed information, optimization for target keywords, or better alignment with AI-friendly formats.
- Combine: Merge similar pages into one stronger, comprehensive resource. Always use 301 redirects from the old URLs to the new ones.
- Remove, deindex, or redirect: Delete or redirect outdated, low-performing, or irrelevant content. Update internal links and submit changes in Search Console to preserve link equity.
A rule of thumb: remove if traffic is under 50 sessions/month, there are no backlinks, the topic is no longer relevant, and it doesn’t serve any strategic purpose.
Step 6: Document actions and next steps
Your audit isn’t complete until you’ve logged your findings and planned the follow-up work. Use a spreadsheet or project management tool to record each URL, the decision made, the reason, and the person responsible. Include columns for due dates, update status, and notes on specific changes made.
Prioritize high-impact pages; those already driving traffic, ranking for valuable keywords, or holding strategic importance. Once updates are live, revisit your chosen KPIs after one to three months to confirm whether performance has improved. Regular post-update reviews turn your audit from a one-time clean-up into a cycle of continuous improvement.
Free content audit template
Running a content audit is easier when you can see every URL, metric, and decision point in one place. To help you get started, we’ve built a free content auditing template in Google Sheets. I designed the template to eliminate the need for flipping between multiple tabs or tools. Every detail, from SEO health to AI visibility, lives in a single, scannable view.
The template includes pre-filled columns for traffic, engagement, rankings, backlinks, content quality notes, AI overview appearances, and competitor comparisons. You’ll also find built-in dropdowns for Content Type, Goal Alignment, Action Decision, and Status, allowing you to label and track your progress quickly.
Conversion rate is calculated automatically based on your input, and there’s space to record deadlines, owners, and update details for each page.
Download the free content audit template and start populating it with your URLs today. Whether you’re auditing 20 pages or 2,000, this tool will help you keep everything organized and actionable.
Ready to take the guesswork out of content auditing?
Running a content audit can be time-consuming, especially when you’re juggling other priorities. I help businesses and teams identify high-impact opportunities, optimize underperforming pages, and create a growth plan that maximizes efficiency and minimizes waste of time and resources.
If you want a professional eye on your site’s content, reach out for a consultation. We’ll review your current performance, uncover hidden opportunities, and outline the steps to maximize the impact of your content.
FAQs about about conducting content audits
How is AI changing what we look for in a content audit?
AI‑driven search systems surface answers directly in the results, meaning it’s no longer enough for pages to rank for keywords. You need to optimize for inclusion in AI overviews and agent responses. This means ensuring depth, structured formatting, credible citations, and freshness.
AI also emphasizes people‑first content; Google advises disclosing who created the content, how it was produced, and why. Therefore, in your content audit, evaluate whether pages meet these standards and whether AI tools are citing them.
How often should you run a content audit?
Frequency depends on site size and resources. For new websites, conduct a baseline audit within six months and repeat it annually thereafter. Established sites should audit annually or semi‑annually, and more often if you’re publishing frequently or operating in a rapidly changing industry. Consider additional audits after major site redesigns, algorithm updates, or when metrics show significant declines.
What's the difference between a content audit and a content inventory?
A content inventory is a list of all your pages, including their basic details (URL, title, and date). It tells you what exists. A content audit evaluates how those pages perform, measuring traffic, SEO metrics, quality, and strategic alignment, to determine the necessary actions to take. In short, the inventory is an input to the audit.
Should I audit blog posts, landing pages, and product content separately?
You can include all page types in a single audit, but consider segmenting your analysis because success criteria differ. Landing pages and product pages often focus on conversions, while blog posts emphasize engagement and top‑of‑funnel traffic. Tailor metrics and actions accordingly.
For example, a landing page with low conversions may need a stronger value proposition, whereas a blog post might require more in-depth content or better internal links.
What are the best tools to support a website content audit?
Essential tools include Google Analytics and Search Console for traffic and engagement metrics, as well as SEO crawlers like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, or Semrush for technical data.
Additionally, spreadsheets or specialized audit software help organize your findings.
For AI performance, monitor Google’s Search Console insights, analytics from tools like Perplexity or ChatGPT (if available), and third‑party tools that track AI mentions. Combine quantitative data with qualitative evaluation for the most comprehensive audit.
