How to Conduct a Website Content Audit: Website Content Audit Checklist

Did you know that over 90% of online content gets zero traffic from Google? That means most websites are filled with pages that just sit there, unseen and unused. A website content audit is your chance to change that.

Think of it as a spring cleaning for your digital space—eliminating outdated posts, fixing weak pages, and revamping content to attract and engage the right audience. This blog will help you identify what’s working, what’s dragging you down, and how to turn your website into a conversion machine. If you're serious about boosting SEO, driving more traffic, and keeping visitors hooked, here is your website content audit checklist!

Understanding Content Audit vs. SEO Audit

Content and SEO audit work well together—great content won’t rank without solid SEO, and strong SEO won’t help weak content. A full website optimization plan should include both to maximize traffic and engagement. Let's examine the differences.

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Setting Goals for Your Content Audit

Before you dive into the audit process, it’s crucial to define specific goals. Here are a few questions to consider:

• Do you want to improve organic traffic and SEO rankings?
• Are you looking to increase engagement and conversions?
• Do you need to align your content with your brand’s voice?

Clear KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) like, time on page, bounce rate and conversion rates, can help you measure the effectiveness of your content audit. Now that you have your KPIs in place, let’s explore the website content audit checklist.

Website Content Audit Checklist 1:

Gathering and Organizing Your Website Content

Create a Content Inventory

To perform a website content audit, you need a list of all your website pages. Here’s how to do it:

• Use Google Analytics to export a list of all indexed pages.
• Screaming Frog SEO Spider can crawl your website and generate a list of URLs.
• Google Search Console helps identify indexed pages and potential errors.

Once you have a spreadsheet containing URLs, metadata, and performance metrics, you can move to the next step.

Best Tools for Content Audits

To make the audit process smoother, you can use various tools:

Tool	Purpose
Google Analytics	Tracks user engagement and content performance
Google Search Console	Identifies indexing issues and search performance
Screaming Frog SEO Spider	Extracts metadata and finds duplicate content
Semrush Content Audit	Analyzes content health and SEO impact
Ahrefs Site Audit	Checks backlinks and keyword rankings

Using these tools, you can automate most of the auditing process and gain valuable insights into your website’s performance.

Website Content Audit Checklist 2:

How to Analyze Website Content for SEO

Once you’ve gathered all your website’s content data, the next step is to evaluate its performance. This helps you identify what’s working, what needs improvement, and how to optimize your content for better search rankings.

1. Analyze Traffic & Engagement Metrics

Understanding how users interact with your website is crucial. Here’s what to check:

1. Page Views – This shows how many times a page has been visited.

• How to check: Use Google Analytics → Go to Behavior → Click Site Content → Select All Pages
• What to do: Identify the most visited pages and understand why they perform well. For pages with low traffic, consider updating content, improving SEO, or adding internal links.

2. Bounce Rate – A high bounce rate means visitors leave your page quickly without exploring further.

• How to check: Google Analytics → Behavior → Overview
• What to do: If a page has a high bounce rate (above 60%), check if it loads slowly, lacks engaging content, or isn't mobile-friendly.

3. Average Time on Page – This measures how long users stay on a page.

• How to check: Google Analytics → Behavior → All Pages
• What to do: If the time is too short, your content might be too complex, unengaging, or irrelevant. Improve readability, add visuals, and break content into easy-to-read sections.

2. Keyword Optimization

Your content needs to be optimized for the right keywords to rank higher in search results.

1. Check if your pages rank for relevant keywords

• How to check: Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Google Search Console → Enter your domain → Look at the "Top Keywords" section.
• What to do: If your page ranks low for important keywords, update it with better keyword placement, internal links, and fresh content.

2. Optimize content for search intent

• What to do: Make sure your content answers the questions users are searching for. Include FAQs, listicles, and clear headings to improve relevance.

3. Readability & Engagement

Content should be easy to read and engaging to keep visitors on your page longer.

1. Check Readability Scores

• How to check: Use tools like Hemingway Editor or Grammarly → Paste your content → Get a readability score.
• What to do: If the content is too complex (grade 9+ readability), simplify sentences, remove jargon, and use bullet points for clarity.

2. Improve Content Format

• Break up large blocks of text with subheadings, images, and bullet points.
• Use short paragraphs (2-3 sentences max).
• Add interactive elements like quizzes, polls, or videos.

Website Content Audit Checklist 3: 

Identifying Low-Performing and Outdated Content

Decide What to Do with Each Page

Not all content is worth keeping. When auditing your website, you have three choices:

• Update & Improve:

 

• If a page has potential but is outdated, refresh it with new information.
• Add internal links, optimize for keywords, and improve formatting.

• Merge & Consolidate:

• If multiple pages cover similar topics, merge them into a pillar page.
• Remove duplicate or redundant content.

• Remove & Redirect:

• If a page is irrelevant or outdated, delete it and set up a 301 redirect.

Following this process will help you clean up your website and improve overall content quality.

Website Content Audit Checklist 4: 

Measuring Content Performance

Once you’ve optimized your content, you need to track its performance to see what’s working and what needs improvement. Here’s how to do it:

1. Track Organic Traffic

Organic traffic refers to visitors who find your site through search engines like Google.

• How to check:
• Open Google Analytics.
• Go to Acquisition → All Traffic → Channels.
• Click on Organic Search to see traffic trends.
• What to do:
• If traffic is increasing, analyze which pages are performing best and replicate their success.
• If traffic is dropping, check for SEO issues like keyword changes, content freshness, or site speed problems.

2. Monitor Keyword Rankings

Your content’s success depends on how well it ranks for relevant keywords.

• How to check:
• Open Google Search Console.
• Go to Performance → Check the Queries tab.
• Look for fluctuations in keyword positions.
• What to do:
• If rankings are dropping, update content with new keywords, fresh information, and better internal linking.
• Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs for deeper insights into keyword trends.

3. Measure Conversion Rate

The conversion rate shows how many visitors take action—whether it's signing up for a newsletter, filling out a contact form, or making a purchase.

• How to check:
• Open Google Analytics.
• Go to Conversions → Goals → Overview.
• Track how many users complete key actions.
• What to do:
• If conversions are low, improve call-to-action (CTA) placement, page design, and content clarity.
• Test different CTA buttons, headlines, or offers to see what works best.

Website Content Audit Checklist 5: 

Identifying Content Gaps and Opportunities

Creating high-quality content isn’t just about optimizing existing pages—it’s also about finding what’s missing. Addressing content gaps can help you attract new visitors, improve search rankings, and stay ahead of competitors.

1. Use SEO Tools to Find Missing Keywords

Many websites miss out on valuable keywords that their competitors rank for.

• How to check:
• Open SEMrush or Ahrefs.
• Use the Content Gap Tool (SEMrush) or Keyword Gap Tool (Ahrefs).
• Enter your domain and competitors’ domains to see which keywords they rank for, but you don’t.
• What to do:
• Identify high-volume, low-competition keywords you’re missing.
• Create new content targeting these keywords to improve search visibility.

2. Analyze Competitor Content for New Ideas

Your competitors might already be ranking for topics your audience is searching for.

• How to check:
• Search your main keyword on Google.
• Analyze the top 5-10 ranking pages.
• Look for topics, subheadings, and FAQs they cover that your content doesn’t.
• What to do:
• Expand your content by including additional details or better insights than competitors.
• Improve readability and add multimedia (images, videos, infographics) to make it more engaging.

3. Align Content with User Search Intent

Even if you target the right keywords, your content must match what users actually want.

• How to check:
• Search your keyword on Google.
• Check the People Also Ask and Related Searches sections.
• See whether users are looking for how-to guides, lists, product comparisons, or quick answers.
• What to do:
• If users want step-by-step guides, create detailed tutorials.
• If they prefer short answers, add FAQs or quick summaries.
• Optimize your content format based on what’s ranking well.

Website Content Audit Checklist 6: 

Structuring and Categorizing Content

Organizing your content properly makes it easier for both users and search engines to navigate your website. One of the best ways to do this is by using a content cluster strategy.

1. What is a Content Cluster Strategy?

A content cluster is a collection of related articles grouped around a central pillar page. This method improves site structure, enhances SEO, and helps search engines understand your content better.

• Pillar Page → Covers a broad topic in depth and links to related subtopics.
• Cluster Pages → Individual articles that go into detail on specific aspects of the pillar topic and link back to it.

2. How to Implement a Content Cluster Strategy

• Step 1: Choose a Core Topic (Pillar Page)
• Identify a high-traffic, broad keyword in your niche (e.g., "Digital Marketing Guide").
• Create a detailed, comprehensive guide covering multiple aspects of the topic.
• Ensure it includes internal links to related articles.
• Step 2: Create Supporting Cluster Content
• Write detailed articles on subtopics (e.g., "SEO for Beginners," "Content Marketing Strategies," "Social Media Advertising").
• Interlink these pages with the pillar page using relevant anchor text.
• Step 3: Optimize Internal Linking
• Ensure each cluster page links back to the pillar page.
• Add contextual links between related cluster pages for better navigation.
• Use descriptive anchor text instead of generic phrases like "click here."

Website Content Audit Checklist 7: 

Optimizing Content for Better Rankings

Refresh and Optimize Old Content

Improving old content can boost rankings without creating new pages. Here’s how:

• Rewrite meta descriptions with better CTAs.
• Add images, videos, or infographics for better engagement.
• Optimize for voice search with natural, conversational keywords.

Even small tweaks can have a big impact on SEO performance.

Website Content Audit Checklist 8: 

Building an Actionable Website Content Audit Checklist

Having a structured website content audit checklist ensures you don’t miss any critical steps.

Website Content Audit Checklist 9:

Schedule Regular Audits

• Perform a content audit every 6–12 months.
• Use AI tools like SurferSEO to monitor content trends.
• Keep a content calendar for future updates.

A long-term strategy ensures continuous content improvement.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in a Content Audit

Only focusing on SEO metrics – Engagement is equally important.
Ignoring content duplication – Duplicate content hurts rankings.
Deleting content without redirects – Broken links damage SEO.

Avoiding these mistakes will make your audit more effective.

Website Audits: The Foundation of a High-Performing Website

A website audit isn’t just a one-time checkup—it’s a continuous process that ensures your site stays optimized, relevant, and competitive. Many businesses focus on creating new content but forget that outdated or underperforming pages can hurt SEO rankings, reduce engagement, and impact conversions.

Regular audits help identify weak spots, fix technical issues, and improve content quality, making your website more effective in driving organic traffic. Follow our website content audit checklist because a well-audited website performs better, loads faster, ranks higher, and converts more visitors into customers.

How Lexiconn Can Help You Fulfill The Website content Audit Checklist

At Lexiconn, we take a data-driven approach to website audits. Our process ensures every page on your site adds value, performs well, and aligns with your business goals. Here is our Website content Audit Checklist.

🔹 SEO Performance Check: We analyze keyword rankings, backlink profiles, and on-page SEO factors to optimize visibility.
🔹 Content Effectiveness Review: We assess readability, engagement metrics, and relevance to improve quality.
🔹 Technical Audit: We check for site speed, mobile usability, broken links, and structured data errors.
🔹 Competitor Benchmarking: We identify gaps in your strategy and uncover opportunities to outperform competitors.

If your website isn’t delivering the results you want, a detailed audit can uncover hidden issues and untapped potential. Let Lexiconn fine-tune your website for better rankings, higher engagement, and improved conversions.

Book a website audit with us today and take the first step toward a more optimized website.