A content audit can be a game changer for your content strategy, but it's not just about checking off a list of tasks. It's about truly understanding how your content is performing and how it aligns with your audience's needs. By auditing your content regularly, you can identify gaps, outdated information, and missed opportunities. It allows you to optimize, refresh, and repurpose what’s working—and let go of what’s not. The key is to take a holistic approach, looking at performance metrics and how your content fits into the buyer’s journey. When you pair a solid content audit with a content calendar, you can ensure your content is always relevant, timely, and delivering real value.
Here's an example of the Content Audit template.
This Content Audit can have these fields (part of those are illustrated in a template above). Let's take a Blog Post X, for example:
Date Published: When was this blog post originally published?
Content Title: What’s the exact title of the blog post?
Content Type: Is it a blog post, listicle, how-to guide, or something else?
Platform/Channel: Where was this blog published (e.g., website, LinkedIn, Medium)?
Buyer Persona: Who is the target reader or persona for this blog?
Buyer’s Journey Stage: Does this blog target awareness, consideration, or decision-making?
Topic/Theme: What’s the main subject or focus of the blog?
Assigned To: Who is responsible for updating or auditing this blog?
Status: What’s the current state of the blog (e.g., published, draft, scheduled)?
Content Audit Findings: What did the audit reveal about its performance, relevance, or quality?
Content Gaps Identified: Are there any missing elements, such as outdated info or lack of SEO optimization?
Content Strategy & Action Plan: What steps will you take to improve or repurpose this blog?
Next Update Date: When should you revisit or re-audit this blog?
Here's also my bonus template for you: a sample guide to Naming Conventions.
Your naming conventions should be clear and concise and can include the following information:
Category: What overarching topic or content area does this piece belong to (e.g., SEO, Social Media, Email Marketing)?
Topic: What is the specific focus of this content? This should briefly describe the main subject or intent.
Target Keyword: Which keyword(s) is this content optimized for? This is essential for SEO tracking.
Date: When was the content last audited, published, or updated? Use the YYYY-MM-DD format for consistency.
Version: Has this content been revised? If so, include the version number (e.g., v1, v2) to track updates.
Client Name (for case studies): If the content is about a client, include their name for easy identification.
Content Type: What is the format of the content (e.g., blog post, video, webinar, eBook)? This helps with sorting and classification.
Platform/Channel: Where is the content published or distributed (e.g., website, YouTube, LinkedIn)?
Target Audience: Who is this content intended for (e.g., B2B, B2C, industry-specific personas)?
Industry (for case studies): What industry does the client or content focus on? This adds context for future use.