Content Audits for UX Writing

A content audit is a fairly self-explanatory term — it is an in-depth process or method used to evaluate the content in your product. But what exactly will you be auditing? This will depend entirely on the purpose behind your content audit.

A content audit can be performed for a number of reasons, including:

• Keeping up with new information and trends
• Evaluating changing user needs and behavior
• Rewriting your product content for better results
• Removing redundant or outdated information^[1]

As a writer, you are likely to perform a content audit for nearly every reason mentioned above. You can make it a recurring quarterly, bi-annual, or annual part of your operations, or it can be initiated when a particular problem, such as high bounce rates on your website or reduced sales, arises. A simple question you can ask yourself before you get started with your audit is what you hope to achieve at the end of the whole process.

Often, the very first people who write for your product happen to be the designers or developers. Having a deep familiarization with the inner workings of the product, the first draft of the content that they create can have a solid purpose and meaning, even if it is not as articulate as a UX writer’s work.

Keeping this in mind, it’s important for every UX writer to talk to the original UX writers and understand their perspectives to make sure that good ideas are not unduly lost in the audit process.

A content inventory is essential in content audits because it serves as a comprehensive list of all existing content in one location, making it easier to assess, review, and plan improvements. Building a content inventory may be intimidating at first, but rest assured that it is a fairly simple process.

Usually, this inventory is done in a spreadsheet that will come in handy when the actual content audit takes place. The most common columns found in a content inventory include:

• The name of the content piece
• Page URL
• Subject matter or topic it relates to
• Content type (article, video, image, web part or component, webpage type, or PDF)
• Last updated date
• Notes^[2]

While performing a content audit, don’t forget about hidden content that is buried deep within the product — this includes elements like error messages and other interactive pop-ups that aren’t visible at first glance. They can be very important to the overall user experience, with the power to make or break a user’s decisions.

While examining every part of the product can be a tedious process, this step can be made infinitely easier by speaking to the developer, designer, or original UX writer who is already familiar with the intricate details of the product.

The usefulness of the content audit depends on setting up the right evaluators that reflect your audit goals. This step will make sure that your content audit has a tangible structure and methodology that allows for measurable results. Just as a content audit can have several different goals, it can have just as many criteria against which these goals can be measured.

Some commonly used evaluators include but are not restricted to:

• Readability: Ensuring that your content is on a readability score that matches that of your target audience.
• Relevance: Checking to see if the content is updated according to recent developments, trends, and findings.
• Findability: Making sure that information, wherever required, is strategically placed and readily available to users.
• Brand voice: Confirming if the brand voice and guidelines carry throughout the text uniformly and cohesively.^[3]

Once the evaluators are selected, you can proceed to analyze whether your content meets the requirements set by these evaluators. You can use a simple Pass/Fail system, use a score of 1-10, or come up with your own unique metrics to mark the result of each piece of content that you audit.

In your content audit spreadsheet, it can be helpful to include a column with screenshots. This makes finding the mentioned content and implementing the changes requested a smooth and easy process. In the correct example here, the screenshot attachment ensures that there is no ambiguity when it comes to what line 2 of paragraph 3 on the About page is.

In cases where there is collaboration involved between different team members, screenshots also ensure that everyone involved in the audit process knows exactly what you’re referring to at all times.

While a content audit is an exhaustive overhaul of your product content, it is important to keep in mind that the best way to approach it is one step at a time. It is easy to get lost in the labyrinth of text, so take your time to prioritize what needs to be changed or rewritten first.

Typos, errors, and unclear technical language are big 'no-nos' if you want to appear professional and credible, so make them high priority and fix them first. You can then move on to shortening lengthy information, removing inconsistencies in CTAs and brand voice, shortening microcopy, and other rewrites.^[4] The key is to think from your users’ perspective — which information will stand out to you the most? If an error is likely to stick out like a sore thumb, fix it first without a doubt.

The final stage of the content audit is where all your efforts culminate. It involves actually communicating your insights and recommendations from the audit, while also laying out a suitable course of action.

Some pieces of content may need to be deleted, some may need minor rewriting, and others might require extensive rewriting from scratch. When recommending any of these actions, make sure that it is supported by valid reasoning that necessitates the change.

Keep a record of why each change has been made and provide clarity to those involved in approving or implementing these changes.