A content audit reviews all content pieces, maps them into the buying stages (plus buyer personas), and plans for content development to fill any identified gaps.
Now that you have developed your company's story, it's time to move on to part 2 of the content strategy process: Content Audit and Mapping. This stage includes these 3 steps:
- Conduct a Content Audit
- Map content to personas and buying stages
- Create a Content Calendar
1. Conduct a Content Audit
Before we go any further, it is important to know where you are right now and what resources you currently have. We conduct a website content audit to determine what content needs to be improved, repurposed and developed.
Objectives of a content audit:
Types of content that can be audited and mapped:
Objectives of a content audit:
- Identify what digital content you currently have
- Review all pieces of content to determine: any duplicates, which ones need to be updated, improved or repurposed, and which ones to archive or discard
- Recognise the content needs and preferences of customers and prospects at each stage of the buying cycle
- Map existing content and identify ‘gaps’
- Plan for the development of appropriate content to fill those ‘gaps’
Types of content that can be audited and mapped:
- Website pages (including lading pages)
- Brochures
- Flyers
- Ebooks, whitepapers and other downloadable material
- Case studies
- Blogs and other online articles
- Videos
Depending on the size of your organisation, your team resources and the number of content assets you have, conducting an audit can take from a week to a few months.
The first step is to get organised. We help you gather and organise your content assets into logical folders. This can be done based on department, product or topic. Then, we start documenting to create an inventory of all assets - noting down the title/topic, URL or location, content type, key messages and CTA.
Next, our team goes through each piece of content and does an assessment based on quality, value and relevance. This is also an opportunity for us to identify any duplicates or overlaps in your content.
The first step is to get organised. We help you gather and organise your content assets into logical folders. This can be done based on department, product or topic. Then, we start documenting to create an inventory of all assets - noting down the title/topic, URL or location, content type, key messages and CTA.
Next, our team goes through each piece of content and does an assessment based on quality, value and relevance. This is also an opportunity for us to identify any duplicates or overlaps in your content.
2. Map content to personas and buying stages
Once a content audit had been completed, the next important step is mapping your existing content to the buying stages and to your buyer personas. This process helps you figure out what content engages your target customers at each buying stage, identifies any gaps, and enables you to create a content roadmap moving forward.
Content to be classified under 3 buying stages:
Map content
Identify gaps
Create a content roadmap
Content to be classified under 3 buying stages:
- Awareness
- Consideration
- Decision
Map content
- Classify content under the main buying stages and personas
- Does the content satisfy informational needs of customers for the particular stage?
- Does the content help move the customer to the next stage?
Identify gaps
- What needs to be created, updated or repurposed?
- Determine internal priorities and objectives
Create a content roadmap
- Plan for content development – including a timelines, budgets and resources needed
The content audit process in more detail
3. Create a Content Calendar
Based on your content roadmap, create a 6 or 12-month calendar with:
Content Strategy Process
Move on to Part 3: Content Marketing Plan
Go back to Part 1:Brand Story Development
- Specific dates
- Themes
- Content types
- Buying stages
- Target personas
- Topics (with suggested working titles)
- Author or source of content
Content Strategy Process
Move on to Part 3: Content Marketing Plan
Go back to Part 1:Brand Story Development
