Content revised 20 October 2026.
A content audit checks whether each page still serves a useful purpose. It can reveal confusing messages, missing answers and broken journeys that a fresh visual design alone will not fix.
Start with an inventory you can act on
Record each important URL, its audience, intended job and condition. Include the business owner who can verify the details. Mark pages for a specific action: keep, update, investigate overlap or review retirement. Do not treat a low visit count as sufficient reason to delete a page.
Look beyond company-centred copy
A page may describe the business at length while leaving customers unsure about scope, delivery or the next step. Keep relevant company information, but connect it to the decision the visitor needs to make. For a quote page, explain the details required and what happens after the enquiry.
Check for conflicting and missing information
- Different prices or contact details across related pages.
- Outdated processes and unsupported claims.
- Two pages trying to answer the same question without useful differences.
- A service page that never explains what is included.
Inspect the interface with the content
Review menus, forms, media and calls to action on mobile. Several competing banners can hide the answer even when the words are good. Keep useful evidence and explanations visible, and give the page a clear hierarchy. Record the actual fault rather than making every page follow the same layout.
Prioritise and recheck
Fix important inaccurate information and broken customer journeys first. Back up source content before substantial changes and plan redirects if a URL genuinely needs retirement. After the edit, test the page and relevant links again. An audit is most useful when every recommendation has an owner, a reason and a way to verify completion.
Official guidance: Google’s website improvement guidance.