整 理

Content Audit: The Marie Kondo Method

Tidy your website. Keep what sparks traffic joy.

Last Wednesday, Toni caught me staring at our website with the same expression I usually reserve for discovering the coffee's empty. "What's wrong?" she asked, already knowing the answer because we've done this dance before.

"We have 147 published articles," I said. "And I'm pretty sure at least 30 of them are about as useful as a kayak on Crater Lake during a lightning storm."

She laughed. Not the polite kind—the full, knowing laugh of someone who's been there. "So we're doing a content audit?"

"We're doing a content audit."

The Big Insight

A content audit is your chance to go through everything you've ever published and ask the tough questions: Is this still relevant? Does it spark traffic joy? Is it helping or hurting our SEO performance? And most importantly—would we publish this today, or are we just keeping it because hitting delete feels mean?

Unlock the true potential of your website with our essential SEO Content Audit in Oregon! If you're struggling to keep your content fresh and engaging, this video is your ultimate guide to revitalizing your online presence. Learn five practical tips for a successful content audit that can dramatically enhance your site's performance. We’ll guide you through the crucial steps, starting with how to effectively crawl your site and analyze key metrics like traffic and word count. Discover how to take meaningful action for each webpage—whether to keep, update, rewrite, consolidate, or delete. Focus on targeting quick wins for maximum SEO impact, especially for pages ranking between four and fifteen. Plus, get insights on setting up 301 redirects to maintain your hard-earned SEO value when cleaning up your content. Transform your audit results into an actionable editorial calendar to ensure consistent updates. Ready to fill in the gaps in your content strategy? Don’t miss out—check the link in the bio for the complete playbook! Watch now and elevate your content game today!

What Is a Content Audit (And Why Your Website Probably Needs One)

A content audit is a systematic review of all the content on your website to evaluate its quality, performance, and strategic value. It's part content inventory (cataloging what you have), part traffic analysis (what's working), and part content strategy (what you should do about it).

Think of it like Smith Rock State Park near Bend. There are hundreds of climbing routes, but not all of them are equally good. Some are classics that everyone should try. Some are solid but forgettable. And some are legitimately dangerous and should probably be marked "do not attempt."

A content audit helps you figure out which of your articles are the classics, which are solid B-sides, and which are actively making readers want to leave your site immediately.

Here's What a Proper Content Audit Reveals:

35% Traffic increase in three months after our first real content audit—not from adding content, but from removing what was dragging down the good stuff.

The Content Audit Process (5 Steps That Won't Destroy Your Soul)

1

Create Your Content Inventory

Before you can audit anything, you need to know what you have. This is the "Oh God, Did We Really Publish That?" phase.

Create a spreadsheet with these columns:

  • URL
  • Page title
  • Publish date / Last updated date
  • Word count
  • Primary keyword target
  • Pageviews (last 12 months)
  • Bounce rate
  • Current status (keep/update/delete)
  • Priority (high/medium/low)
2

Analyze SEO Performance

Now that you know what content exists, it's time to see what's actually working from an SEO performance perspective.

Key metrics to review for each piece:

  • Organic Traffic: Pages with 0 organic traffic in 12 months? Red flag.
  • Keyword Rankings: Is the page ranking for its target keyword? Are rankings improving, stable, or declining?
  • Engagement Metrics: Average time on page under 30 seconds suggests people immediately bounced.
  • Backlinks: Pages with quality backlinks are assets worth keeping.
3

Evaluate Content Quality

Numbers tell you what's happening. Your eyeballs tell you why.

Read through your content and ask:

  • Is it still accurate? Outdated statistics, deprecated tools, changed best practices?
  • Is it actually good? Would you read this if you weren't the author?
  • Does it match search intent? If someone Googles your target keyword, does your content give them what they want?
  • Is it well-optimized? Clear target keyword, proper H1/H2/H3 structure, compelling meta description?
4

Categorize Every Piece

Based on your analysis, every piece of content falls into one of these categories:

KEEP The Winners

High traffic and engagement. Ranking well for target keywords. Still accurate and high quality. Earning backlinks. Converting visitors.

Action: Leave them alone or make minor updates. Don't fix what's not broken.

UPDATE The Potential Champions

Decent traffic but could be better. Ranking positions 11-30 (so close!). Good content that's slightly outdated. Weak on-page SEO but solid topic.

Action: Refresh content, improve SEO, update information. These are your quick wins.

REWRITE The Total Makeovers

Important topic but poor execution. Zero traffic despite high search volume. Completely wrong search intent match. You're embarrassed it exists.

Action: Start fresh. Keep the URL for SEO equity if it has backlinks, but rewrite from scratch.

CONSOLIDATE The Merger Candidates

Multiple thin pieces on similar topics. Keyword cannibalization issues. Content that would be stronger combined.

Action: Merge into one comprehensive resource, redirect old URLs to the new powerhouse piece.

DELETE The Dead Weight

Zero traffic, zero rankings, no backlinks. Completely irrelevant to current business. Factually wrong and can't be fixed. Just plain bad with no redemption potential.

Action: Delete and set up 301 redirects to relevant content.

5

Create Your Action Plan

You've cataloged, analyzed, and categorized. Now you need an editorial calendar to actually execute.

Prioritize based on:

  • High Priority: High-traffic pages with declining performance; Pages ranking 4-15 that could hit top 3
  • Medium Priority: Decent pages that could be great with updates; Content gaps discovered during audit
  • Low Priority: Minor optimizations to already-performing content

Common Content Audit Mistakes (Learn From Our Facepalms)

❌ Mistake #1: Never Actually Executing

The biggest mistake? Doing the audit and then... doing nothing with it. Ken built a beautiful 200-row audit spreadsheet. It sat untouched for four months.

✅ Fix: Schedule the work immediately. Block calendar time for updates and rewrites before you finish the audit.

❌ Mistake #2: Being Too Sentimental

That article you wrote at 2 AM fueled by passion and cold brew? The one you're really proud of that gets zero traffic? If readers aren't finding it, pride doesn't matter.

✅ Fix: Let data guide you, not feelings. You can save beloved pieces in a "personal archive" folder if you must.

❌ Mistake #3: Deleting Without Redirects

Deleting content without 301 redirects is like tearing down signs on Highway 101 without putting up new ones.

✅ Fix: Always redirect deleted pages to the most relevant existing content.

❌ Mistake #4: Ignoring Low-Traffic Gems

Sometimes a page gets low traffic but extremely high conversion rates.

✅ Fix: Consider business value, not just traffic. A page that converts 20% of its small audience might be more valuable than a page that converts 0.5% of a huge audience.

Tools That Make Content Audits Less Painful

🕷️
Screaming Frog SEO Spider (Free up to 500 URLs)

The best tool for quickly cataloging your site. Crawls everything, exports to spreadsheets, shows technical SEO issues.

📊
Google Analytics + Search Console (Free)

Essential for understanding what content actually drives traffic and how people find you.

🔍
Ahrefs or SEMrush ($99-120/month)

Comprehensive keyword rankings, backlink data, traffic estimates, and content analysis features. Worth every penny if you're serious.

✨
Surfer SEO or Clearscope ($70-170/month)

Helps evaluate content quality and optimization against competitors. Shows exactly what to add or change for better semantic analysis.

Key Takeaways

  • Crawl your site, list every URL in a spreadsheet, and add basic metrics (traffic, date, word count, status)
  • For each page, assign one action: Keep, Update, Rewrite, Consolidate, or Delete
  • Prioritize quick wins: pages ranking 4-15 or with decent traffic but outdated/weak content
  • Always set 301 redirects when deleting or consolidating pages to preserve SEO value
  • Turn the audit into an editorial calendar with weekly update/rewrite targets instead of a one-time report

The Bottom Line

Your website isn't a museum. It's a living thing that needs regular maintenance, just like the trails at Silver Falls State Park need upkeep to stay hikeable. A content audit isn't about judging past decisions—it's about making your content library work harder for you right now.

Key Questions from "SEO Content Audit Oregon"

What is an SEO content audit?
An SEO content audit is a thorough review of your website's content to assess its performance in terms of SEO. This process involves analyzing each piece of content for factors like keyword usage, traffic metrics, engagement rates, and overall relevance. By identifying underperforming pages or content that needs updating, a content audit helps improve your site's search visibility and user experience.
How do I conduct a content audit for my Oregon-based site?
To conduct a content audit for your Oregon-based site, start by crawling your website and listing each URL in a spreadsheet along with key metrics such as traffic, word count, and engagement. Next, evaluate each page's performance and decide whether to keep, update, rewrite, consolidate, or delete it. This systematic approach will help you pinpoint content that needs attention and ensure your site remains informative and optimized for search engines.
Why is it important to update my website content?
Updating your website content is crucial for maintaining its relevance and SEO performance. Fresh and updated content not only improves user engagement but also signals to search engines that your site is active and valuable. By regularly updating your content, you can rank better in search results, attract more traffic, and enhance your site's authority within your niche. This is especially important when operating in competitive spaces like Oregon.
When should I perform a content audit?
You should perform a content audit at least once a year, but ideally every six months, especially if your website frequently publishes new content. Additionally, consider conducting an audit after significant changes to your business, such as launching new products or services, or after Google algorithm updates. Regular audits help ensure that your content remains relevant and optimized, providing continuous value to your audience.
Who can benefit from an SEO content audit?
Anyone with a website can benefit from an SEO content audit, notably businesses, bloggers, and digital marketers looking to enhance their online presence. For local businesses in Oregon, an audit can uncover opportunities to better serve the community and improve local SEO performance. Marketers can gain insights into their content strategy, leading to more informed decisions about future content creation and optimization.
What are quick wins in a content audit?
Quick wins in a content audit refer to actionable improvements that can lead to immediate benefits without requiring extensive resources. These usually involve optimizing existing content, such as updating meta descriptions, improving internal linking, or enhancing keyword targeting on pages that are ranking between positions four and fifteen. By focusing on these areas, you can achieve noticeable improvements in search engine rankings and traffic with minimal effort.
How can I create an editorial calendar from my content audit findings?
After completing your content audit, you can create an editorial calendar by organizing your content updates, rewrites, and new content ideas based on your findings. Start by prioritizing pages that need the most attention, using data from your audit to guide your decisions. Schedule updates on a weekly basis and incorporate timelines for reviewing content performance to ensure a consistent approach to maintaining and improving your site’s content.
What should I do if I want to delete content during my audit?
If you decide to delete content during your audit, it’s important to set up 301 redirects from the deleted pages to relevant content to preserve any SEO value they may have contributed. This helps to prevent broken links and ensures that any traffic that might have gone to the deleted pages is redirected to useful alternatives. Additionally, provide a clear rationale for the deletions so that users and search engines understand the changes.

Ready to Find Your Content Gems?

Book a Content Audit with Content Gap AI. Toni and Ken will analyze your entire content library, identify what's helping and what's hurting, and give you a concrete action plan to maximize your content ROI.

Book Your Content Audit
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