When working on a new digital project, content delivery is often a source of anxiety for our clients. It is also the main cause of delay in putting a website into production.
Here are a few tips to help you get ready for this task.
Start by Making an Inventory of Your Content
List all your online and offline content. This document gives you an idea of the work ahead. It is also the starting point of your editorial strategy.
The inventory is an essential tool that serves as a reference for all members of your team. From the project manager, when managing assignments and budgets, to the information architect in the development of the tree structure. Let’s not forget the editor and the content integrator – all will play their part.
Where to Start
You can use a content inventory tool such as Screaming Frog or CAT. If Google Analytics is set up on your site, you can export the list of all page views from the past year in an Excel document. Are there pages missing? If so, they have not been consulted during the last year. Ask yourself if this content is important to your business or your target audience.
What to Include
For each web page write:
- The URL,
- The title,
- The H1,
- Meta-descriptions,
- SEO keywords.
After the Content Inventory Comes the Audit
The next step is to audit your content. Analyze the statistics and the SEO performance of each page. Then decide whether the content is perfect the way it is or if it needs to be reworked or eliminated. You will get an idea of the gap between the content you have and the one you should have to achieve your business goals. This process will help you prioritize which web page needs your attention first.
Think of incorporating your inventory into your editorial calendar. Assign tasks to the writer, editor or translator. Do not forget to indicate deadlines! You will have an overview of the work ahead.
One More Tip
Do not wait for the redesign of your site to make a content inventory and audit. Yes, it is tedious work but nonetheless indispensable. Many underestimate its value. The task will be much less daunting if done on a regular basis.
Need help? Our team will be glad to further assist you with your content management.
