How to Conduct a Website Content Audit: Step-by-Step Guide

Engaging, data-driven, value-packed content is still a major traffic-driving factor for B2B SaaS websites. If your website ticks all the right boxes appearance-wise, and yet your search engine rankings are continuously tanking, it's time to pause, reassess, and reflect. 

In other words, conduct a website content audit. 

A content audit is one of the most critical steps in a website audit process. It helps uncover content gaps as well as outdated, underperforming, or misaligned content that might be dragging down your SEO performance. 

Based on the results, you can come up with a data-backed content strategy that addresses these issues and aligns with your audience's needs and search intent.

Not sure how to conduct a content audit for a SaaS website? Don't worry. We will walk you through the whole process step by step. But before we get down to the nitty-gritty, let's quickly brush up on the basics.

What Is A Website Content Audit

A content audit is more than just a fancy term for a content checkup. At its core, it’s a systematic review of all the content on your website. This includes examining everything from your blog posts and landing pages to product descriptions and resources against key performance metrics.

Many marketers often mistake a simple content inventory (a basic list of what's on their site) for a proper content audit. 

While counting your content assets is part of the process, a true audit digs deeper to uncover what's working, what isn't, and most importantly – why. We will elaborate more on this in the next section.

Importance of Website Content Audits

Finding gaps within your content structure and identifying areas for improvement isn't limited to classifying everything as good or bad. 

The purpose of an audit is to find actionable insights that guide your content strategy moving forward. 

Here are six ways a content audit helps you improve your content performance:

1. Reveals SEO Mistakes

Google values trustworthy, human-first content that addresses user search intent comprehensively. An audit will help reveal where your existing content is falling short of current SEO best practices, identify keyword cannibalization issues, and highlight topics that need more depth or updating. This insight enables you to optimize your content strategy to align with Google's quality standards while maintaining topical authority in your niche.

2. Highlights Content Gaps

Through systematic analysis of your content landscape, an audit uncovers topics your competitors are ranking for, but you haven't addressed yet. It also reveals where your existing content might be too shallow or outdated. All you have to do is spit opportunities to create helpful resource hubs that position your SaaS as an industry authority.

3. Evaluates Content Relevance

Content relevance determines how useful your content actually is to your target readers. If you haven’t updated your content pieces with current information for quite some time, it’s definitely taking a toll on your website’s performance. Outdated information can lead to disengagement and higher bounce rates. The auditor will chalk up a comprehensive list of content that needs updating or removal. Based on this, you can make the necessary changes to ensure your content is always fresh, accurate, and aligned with your audience’s evolving needs. 

4. Helps You Boost Content Engagement

Driving tons of organic traffic to your website is only half the battle won. Once visitors are on your site, you need to keep them engaged. Content engagement is what keeps users on your pages, encourages them to explore more, and ultimately drives conversions. A content audit allows you to identify which pieces are performing well in terms of user interaction and which ones are falling flat. Refine the undermining content pieces through better formatting, more compelling CTAs, or deeper insights.Engaging content increases Time on Site (TOS), reduces bounce rates, and builds trust, all of which play a pivotal role in improving your site’s overall performance.

5. Helps You Optimize Resource Allocation

Content creation requires a hefty investment of time and resources. An audit helps identify your highest-performing assets worth updating, underperforming content that needs optimization, and outdated pieces that should be retired. This data-driven approach ensures your content budget is invested where it generates the best ROI.

6. Error-proofs Your Content Strategy

Besides reviewing individual content performance, a content audit also provides a bird's-eye view of your entire content ecosystem. This comprehensive perspective helps align your content with your sales funnel. It ensures consistent messaging across all touchpoints. You can identify opportunities to repurpose successful content formats across different stages of the buyer's journey.Remember, website content audits are not meant to be a one-time activity. It’s an ongoing commitment to quality.‍

Speaking of quality content, if you need help writing conversion-worthy B2B SaaS content, hire Beetle Beetle. Our experienced writers are well-familiar with the dynamics and nuances of the SaaS market. We focus on creating content that not only resonates with your target audience but also drives engagement, builds trust, and ultimately converts visitors into loyal customers.

‍Now that you understand the importance of a detailed content health checkup, let’s learn how to set measurable and actionable goals for your website content audit. 

‍Setting Goals for Your Content Audit

‍A content audit without clear goals is like setting out on a road trip without a map—you might get somewhere, but it won’t be the place you intended. Before kickstarting the process, define what you want to achieve. 

‍Your audit goals may include the following:

• Increase organic traffic by identifying and fixing thin content pages that might be hurting your site's authority. This includes assessing word count, keyword optimization, and content depth against your top-ranking competitors.
• Improve conversion rates by analyzing which content assets drive the most sign-ups or demo requests. Map content performance against customer journey stages to optimize your conversion funnel.
• Enhance content relevance by evaluating how well your existing content aligns with your current product features and target audience personas. Your content should reflect your latest offerings and market positioning.
• Streamline resource management by identifying content that can be consolidated, updated, or repurposed. This helps reduce content maintenance costs while maximizing the value of your existing assets.
• Improve your content strategy and SEO by looking for gaps in your content clusters. Strive for in-depth topic coverage that positions you as a thought leader in your niche.

With your content audit goals clearly defined, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and move on to the next crucial step: collecting and organizing your content. In the next section, we’ll guide you through a streamlined process for gathering and categorizing your content, setting the stage for a deep and impactful analysis.‍

Collecting and Organizing Content

A successful content audit begins with a structured and thorough approach. A detailed and methodical process is essential to ensure nothing is overlooked and the data gathered is actionable.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to effectively collect and organize your website’s content:

‍Step 1: Gather Existing Content

‍The first step in a content audit is collecting all the content currently hosted on your website. This means identifying every page, blog post, downloadable resource, and multimedia file. Use tools like Screaming Frog, Google Analytics, or Semrush to extract essential details such as:

• URLs: Ensure each URL is accurate and active.
• Meta Descriptions: Check for keyword relevance and clarity.
• Headers: Identify missing or improperly structured H1, H2, and H3 tags.
• Performance Metrics: Gather data on page load speed, bounce rate, and click-through rates (CTR).

Step 2: Create a Content Inventory‍

Once you’ve collected your data, organize it into a centralized, structured format. This inventory acts as the foundation for your analysis. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using a spreadsheet.But we recommend embracing the modern way of doing things. You dedicated tools like Airtable, ContentWRX, or Dyno Mapper to keep bulk content neatly organized. A structured inventory simplifies future evaluations and ensures no page is left out.

‍Step 3: Include Key Data Points

‍When creating your inventory, ensure it includes comprehensive data points for better analysis:

• Page Title: The headline that appears in search engine results.
• URL: The web address where the content is hosted.
• Meta Description: A concise summary of the content for search visibility.
• Traffic Data: Insights like monthly visitors, unique pageviews, and overall user sessions.
• Engagement Metrics: Details such as bounce rate, time spent on the page, and click-through data.
• SEO Metrics: Keywords targeted, ranking positions, and backlinks driving traffic to the page.

Step 4: Add Comprehensive Insights‍

To ensure your content audit provides actionable insights, go beyond the basics and include:

• Content Format: Categorize content into types like blogs, videos, infographics, or case studies.
• Publication Dates: Note when the content was created and last updated.
• Conversion Performance: Track conversions like form submissions, downloads, or direct sales generated by the page.
• Author Attribution: Record the creator or contributor of each piece of content. This is particularly useful for tracking author performance and maintaining accountability.
• Target Audience Alignment: Assess whether each piece resonates with the intended personas. Consider how well it addresses their pain points and supports their journey through the sales funnel.
• Multimedia Effectiveness: Evaluate the performance of images, videos, or interactive elements. Check that they load quickly, engage users, and contribute to the page's objectives.

Step 5: Review and Validate the Data‍

Lastly, double-check your inventory for accuracy and validate that the data reflects the latest website performance and content structure. Regularly revisiting your inventory ensures it remains a reliable resource for ongoing optimization.

Now that your content is perfectly organized, it’s time to uncover the gory details - the faults, room for improvement, and everything else in between. 

‍Analyzing Your Content

‍The real work begins now. In this phase, your objective is to dissect each piece of content and uncover its true impact on your website’s overall performance and goals. Start by analyzing core performance metrics like:

• Traffic: Find out which pages drive the most and least visitors. High-traffic pages often provide insights into audience preferences, while low-performing pages highlight areas that need attention or re-strategizing.
• Bounce Rate: Pages with high bounce rates may indicate misaligned user expectations, poor content quality, or technical issues. To refine and realign the content, investigate the intent behind these visits.
• Backlink Assessment: Analyze the number and quality of backlinks for each piece of content. Strong backlinks can signify trust and authority, while outdated or broken links may require attention to maintain credibility.
• Engagement: Look into key engagement metrics such as time spent on the page, scroll depth, and click-through rates. These metrics help you understand how effectively your content engages readers.
• Relevance and Messaging Audit: Ensure that your content aligns with your brand’s current goals, audience needs, and messaging strategy. Make sure to prepare a detailed plan of action outlining what to update, what to repurpose, and what to archive.
• SEO Health Check: Evaluate keyword optimization, meta tags, and rankings. Determine whether each page is targeting appropriate keywords and how well it ranks for them.
• Content Format Efficiency: Find out if specific formats, such as videos, blogs, or infographics, are consistently performing better than others for your niche. Use this information to prioritize future content creation.
• Conversion Rates: Review the effectiveness of calls-to-action (CTAs) in driving conversions. Pages with low conversions despite good traffic might need stronger CTAs or better user flow.

Pro Tip: A/B test your CTAs to determine what resonates best with your audience and drives higher conversions.

‍Up next, it’s time to turn the gathered insights into action! 

‍Creating a Plan of Action

‍Based on your analysis, you need to take decisive actions to optimize your content effectively. Follow the steps below to create a structured, actionable content improvement strategy: 

1. Categorize Content into Four Buckets:

• Keep: High-performing content that aligns with your goals and requires no immediate changes. These pieces continue to generate value and should remain as is.
• Update: This content still has potential but needs improvement. This could involve updating outdated information, enhancing SEO with new keywords, or refreshing visuals and CTAs.
• Delete: Content that is outdated, irrelevant, or underperforming without any chance of recovery. Removing such pages declutters your site and improves the overall user experience.
• Consolidate: Combine similar or overlapping content into one authoritative resource. This is particularly useful for improving SEO and simplifying user navigation.

2. Tie Decisions to Audit Findings:

Each action should be rooted in your analysis. For example, pages with high traffic but poor conversions might require stronger CTAs or refreshed content, while duplicate pages can be merged to reduce redundancy.

3. Prioritize High-Impact Actions:

Focus on tasks that will deliver the highest ROI. Optimizing a landing page with significant traffic but low engagement can immediately improve conversions.

Use Google Analytics to figure out which actions will have the most measurable impact.

4. Set a Realistic Timeline:

To avoid overwhelming your team, break down tasks into manageable phases. Assign specific deadlines for each category, such as completing updates within two weeks and deleting redundant content within a month.

Use project management tools like Trello or Asana to track progress and ensure accountability.

5. Communicate Changes Across Teams:

Share your action plan with stakeholders, including marketing, design, and SEO teams. Collaboration ensures alignment and prevents conflicting updates.

6. Test and Monitor Results:

After implementing changes, monitor the performance of updated content. Track improvements in metrics like traffic, engagement, and conversions to validate the effectiveness of your plan.With your action plan ready to be rolled out, it’s time to arm yourself with the right tools for the job. 

‍Tools and Resources for Content Audits

‍We will cut to the chase. Here is a comprehensive list of tools you can use to streamline your content audit process.

1. SEO and Analytics Tools:

• Ahrefs: Use Ahrefs for in-depth backlink analysis, keyword research, and competitive benchmarking. It’s an invaluable tool for identifying content gaps and opportunities.
• Semrush: Ideal for tracking rankings, analyzing on-page SEO, and generating topic ideas based on search demand.
• Google Analytics: Provides critical insights into traffic patterns, bounce rates, user behavior, and conversion paths.
• Google Search Console: Helps monitor website performance on search engines, identify indexing issues, and uncover opportunities for improvement.

2. Content Organization and Inventory Tools:

• ContentWRX: Streamlines content inventory creation with automation features.
• Dyno Mapper: Helps map your site structure and conduct audits with a visual sitemap.
• Airtable or Google Sheets: Simple yet effective for organizing your content inventory and tracking progress.

Pro Tip: Use color-coded categories in your inventory (e.g., green for high-performing content, red for pages to be deleted).

3. Heatmap Tools:

• Hotjar: Understand user behavior with heatmaps, session recordings, and feedback surveys.
• Crazy Egg: Offers advanced heatmap analytics and A/B testing tools.

A little handy tip: Use heatmaps to identify areas of high interaction on your pages. Optimize these zones with captivating content, visuals, and CTAs to boost your conversion potential. 

4. Competitor Analysis Tools:

• BuzzSumo: Discover trending topics and top-performing competitor content.
• SimilarWeb: Analyze competitor traffic sources, keywords, and content performance.

5. Data Visualization Tools:

• Tableau: For creating visual dashboards that display metrics like traffic trends and conversion rates.
• Google Data Studio: Connects to multiple data sources for customizable performance dashboards.

Sounds like a lot of work? Skip the grunt work and hire Beetle Beetle for a hair-splitting analysis of your SaaS website content. We know SaaS businesses inside out and use premium tools to get to the root of the problem. Before wrapping up, we have to address one more important thing - how to measure the results of your content audit. 

‍Measuring and Monitoring Results

‍Your audit doesn’t end with implementation. As we said before, it is an ongoing process that requires consistent monitoring and adjustment. Effective monitoring ensures your efforts translate into measurable success and long-term growth. Regular reviews of your content’s performance help you stay proactive, refine your strategies, and respond effectively to changes in audience behavior or market conditions. 

‍Here’s how you can ensure your content remains impactful over time:

1. Set a Baseline for Monitoring

Establish clear benchmarks for metrics such as traffic, engagement, and conversions. This allows you to measure progress effectively over time.

2. Get a Clear Picture With Advanced Analytics

Use the previously mentioned analytics tools to gain deeper insights into user behavior and content performance.

3. Incorporate User Feedback

Collect data through surveys, forms, and feedback widgets to identify user pain points and opportunities for improvement.

4. Plan for Iterative Improvements

Approach updates as an iterative process. Perform A/B testing to optimize headlines, visuals, or CTAs, and refine your approach based on data-driven results.

5. Document Learnings and Share Insights

Keep a log of updates, results, and lessons learned. Share these insights with your team to improve cross-functional collaboration and refine your strategy.

6. Track Seasonal Trends

Identify how content performance varies during different times of the year to optimize for seasonal peaks. For example, holiday campaigns or industry-specific events might influence traffic and engagement.

7. Evaluate Content Lifecycle

Assess which content types (e.g., blogs, videos, whitepapers) perform best over time and which need frequent updates or repurposing. Establish a schedule for reviewing evergreen content to keep it relevant.Pro Tip: Flag older content for regular review and update metadata or internal links to maintain its relevance.

8. Integrate Automation Tools

Automate reporting and tracking processes using tools like Zapier. These tools help save a lot of time and ensure you don’t miss important performance shifts.Pro Tip: Set up email alerts for significant changes in metrics, such as traffic spikes or ranking drops.

9. Benchmark Against Industry Standards

Compare your metrics with industry averages to understand where you excel or lag. Identify key areas where your competitors are outperforming you and adjust your strategy accordingly.

10. Perform Competitor Gap Analysis Regularly

Revisit competitor strategies at regular intervals to spot new trends or gaps in their content. Use these insights to refine your own approach and stay ahead in your niche.Executing a multi-step, data-driven content audit process is indeed a time hog. Between building an incredible product, managing operations, and promoting your business, you might not have the bandwidth to focus on refining your website content. 

But you have Beetle Beetle. 

Rank Higher, Convert Better With Beetle Beetle's Expert Content Audit

‍Improving your website is an ongoing journey that demands consistent evaluation, adaptation, and growth. A website audit is a critical part of this process. It analyzes your content, user experience, SEO, and accessibility features to ensure that every aspect of your site is optimized for success.

But how do you ensure your website is working at its full potential?

‍At Beetle Beetle, we perform thorough content audits to reveal gaps in your existing website content. We begin our process by identifying your target audience’s preferences, behaviors, and needs. This understanding forms the foundation of our content improvement strategy. Besides pointing out the issues and suggest areas of improvement, we can also help you Besides pointing out the issues and suggesting areas of improvement, we can also help you find the right voice and tone for maximum engagement. B2B SaaS audiences are extremely particular about the content they consume. Generic or overly broad messaging won’t cut it. Your content has to hit the right notes to convince the B2B audience that your product is worth their time and trust. We’ll work with you to craft messaging that resonates, builds authority, and directly addresses the pain points that matter most to your audience.‍

So, stop guesstimating why your content is not working and hire Beetle Beetle for content and messaging audit today.