Whether it’s blog posts, social media updates, or email newsletters, you likely spend a lot of time creating content as a health and wellness professional. But when did you last take a step back and perform a content edit to see if your content was still serving your business goals?
Reviewing existing content is a relatively straightforward process, especially if done regularly. A content audit typically includes:
- Setting clear goals
- Creating an inventory of your content
- Analyzing performance metrics
- Evaluating content quality
- Identifying gaps & opportunities
- Planning your next steps
During a content audit, you systematically analyze all the content you’ve created to determine what’s performing well, what’s not, and where you have opportunities to improve. It’s like spring cleaning for your marketing efforts, but the payoff is much bigger: better SEO, more client engagement, and a more explicit strategy for future content.
Why Should You Perform a Content Audit?
A content audit might sound like extra work, but it’s a powerful tool for growing your health and wellness business.
- Aligns your content with business goals: Regularly reviewing your content ensures it supports your objectives, whether attracting new clients, building trust, or educating your audience.
- Improves SEO: Outdated or irrelevant content can hurt your search rankings. A content audit helps identify content to update or optimize for better performance.
- Maximizes your efforts: A content audit shows you what’s working so you can double down on successful strategies. It also highlights underperforming pieces that could be refreshed or repurposed.
- Identifies gaps: You’ll uncover topics or formats you haven’t covered yet, giving you ideas for future content to engage your audience with.
Step-by-Step Guide to Performing a Content Audit
It’s funny how when we’re little kids, we can’t wait until “no one can tell us what to do.” Then, we hit that age, and all we want is step-by-step guides with people telling us what to do. I love guides that break everything into manageable chunks—it helps my very active brain accomplish things.
Here’s one to give you the tools you need to perform your own content audit.
Set Clear Goals
Before you start, define what you want to achieve with your content audit. Are you looking to increase website traffic, generate more leads, or improve engagement on social media? Having a clear goal will help you focus your efforts and measure success.
For example, if you’re a massage therapist, your goal might be to attract more local clients by optimizing your blog for local search terms. If you’re a nutritionist, your goal might be identifying which content drives email signups.
Create an Inventory of Your Content
This step in your content audit can get messy quickly if you have a broad content scope that covers various platforms and mediums—video vs. written, for example. That said, it’s an essential step that you don’t want to skip.
The more thorough your content inventory is, the less your chance of wasting time and resources. Gather and record all your content in a place where you can sort through it, this includes:
- Blog posts
- Website pages
- Social media updates
- Email campaigns
- Videos and podcasts
A spreadsheet is often a cheap (free) way to create your inventory. Include details like the title, URL, date published, and type—blog, video, social media post—for each piece of content.
Analyze Performance Metrics
Once you’ve got all your content together, it’s time to dig into the data. Look at performance metrics to understand how each piece of content is performing. This data can help you determine which content to update, repurpose, or remove.
Some key metrics to consider:
- Page views: How many people are visiting your content?
- Engagement rates: Are readers commenting, liking, or sharing your posts?
- Bounce rate: Are visitors staying on your site or leaving quickly?
- Conversions: Is your content driving actions like email signups, bookings, or purchases?
This data can help you determine which content to update, repurpose, or remove.
Evaluate Content Quality
Quality is another key metric that can help determine what happens to content. While you review each piece of content, ask yourself:
- Is the information accurate and up-to-date?
- Does the tone match your brand voice?
- Is the formatting clear and easy to read?
- Does it address the needs and interests of your target audience?
For example, if you’re a personal trainer, check whether your blogs on fitness tips are still relevant and engaging. If you’re a natural health practitioner, ensure your articles reflect the latest research.
Identify Gaps & Opportunities
There is typically no shortage of creative ideas when you first start blogging or producing content because you likely chose a topic you’re knowledgeable and passionate about to talk about. But as time passes, identifying gaps in your content may become more complex.
Reviewing your content isn’t just a matter of brainstorming new ideas. You’ll also be able to look for patterns in your existing content. Are there topics you haven’t covered? What are the types of content that perform better than others? Are there opportunities to repurpose or expand on existing content?
For example, if your audience loves beginner-friendly yoga tips but you only have one post on the topic, that’s a clear opportunity for more content. Or, if an old blog on meal prep is still getting traffic, you could update it with new tips and graphics.
Plan Your Next Steps
The final step is to plan your next steps… because marketing never sleeps. Who knew digital marketing could be such a time warp?
Now that you have a comprehensive idea of your content and whether you are updating, repurposing, or retiring it, you can plan what to do next.
- Do you have new content to write or film?
- Do you need to adjust your content strategy?
- Are you going to focus on new areas?
This Is Your Sign to Perform a Content Audit
Performing a content audit might sound daunting, and many of us put it off. But it’s an incredible way to improve your marketing and make the most of your efforts. You can identify what’s working now, fix what’s not, and create a stronger content strategy that helps you grow your health and wellness business.
So, grab a cup of coffee, open that spreadsheet, and get started. Your future self—and your clients—will thank you.
Always know that we’re on your team. Peak Performance Media exists to take some of the pressure of running a successful practice off your shoulders. We can provide everything from content strategy and planning to content creation. Contact us today to set up a free consultation.