Fundamentals of Content Auditing

UX Workshop Series | Fundamentals of Content AuditingInstructor: Mary S. Butler

UX Workshop: Fundamentals of Content Auditing

Agenda

1. What we will be covering today2. What do we mean when we say content?3. When should a content audit be performed?4. Before you get started5. How to analyze your content6. Presenting your findings7. Exercise & Discussion

What we will be covering today


Workshop format and content

• Today’s session is part one of two devoted to Content Auditing• This is an interactive workshop; there will be several discussions and exercises throughout the two-hour workshop• Before you leave today, you will be given an assignment, which will be reviewed/discussed during the second workshop

What do we mean when we say content?


Text

• TBD


Images

• TBD


Audio

• TBD


Video

• TBD


Data visualization

• TBD


Comments


Error messages


Exercise

•We’re going to look at the Razorfish site• Review all of the content elements (headline, timestamp, thumbnail image, etc.) on the homepage; document all of the visible content elements• You have three minutes

When should a content audit be performed?


Content Strategy in the Project Lifecycle

Discover Design Develop Deploy

ResearchAssessConcept Voice

SourceOrganizeTaxonomy

PlanStyle GuideCopy DeckSocial

MaintainMonitorRespond


Content Strategy in the Project Lifecycle

Discover Design Develop Deploy

ResearchAssessConcept Voice

SourceOrganizeTaxonomy

PlanStyle GuideCopy DeckSocial

MaintainMonitorRespond

Before you get started


Discussion

What types of questions do you think you should ask before starting a Content Audit?


Understand the context

•What are the business goals for the property?

•Who is your audience and what do they need?

•What do stakeholders feel isn’t working, when it comes to content?


Understand the scope of the engagement

•Who will be consuming your deliverable?•What types of content are in scope and where is the content located?•When is your content audit due?•Why is it needed?• How will business decisions/project deliverables be impacted by the outcome of the Content Audit?

How to analyze your content


Content analysis frameworks

• Range of frameworks available– Content Inventory– Content Audit– Content Matrix

• Don’t let semantics cause a misunderstanding– Make sure you understand what is being asked for (the what)– Make sure the deliverable being requested is what is really needed (the why)


Content analysis frameworks: content inventory

What is itA quantitative measure of content; typically includes a content ID, page title, URL, and formatWhy to do itIt will help you determine how much content you have, how it is organized, and where it lives (useful for content mapping)When should you do oneWhenever you need to know how much content exists; can be maintained as a rolling inventory to help manage content on a large site


Content analysis frameworks: content inventory


Content analysis frameworks: content audit

What is itCombines a quantitative measure (inventory) with a qualitative assessment of contentWhy to do itIt will help you understand what the content says, how useful and accurate it is, and if it is serving users and business needsWhen should you do oneWhenever you need to measure content quality and effectiveness; should precede Gap Analysis


Content analysis frameworks: content audit


Content analysis frameworks: content matrix

What is itA comprehensive document that contains all of a site’s content elements, attributes and metadata; captures both current and future state copyWhy to do itWhen a single document is needed for business review, content entry and developmentWhen should you do oneWhen new content is being created and/or existing content migrated to a new siteNote: This is not a content analysis document.


Content analysis frameworks: content matrix


Determine scope

• Comprehensive assessment vs. sampling– When will assessing a few examples of each content type suffice?

• Agreement on which content sources are in scope– U.S. brand site only or all major global market sites? Sites for registered users? Mobile apps?

• How deep to go in when capturing data– For example, product pages have related assets; is the number of related assets sufficient or does each asset need to be captured?

Breaking it down


Setting up the document


Each section/site gets its own tab


Each tab tracks the same data

• For each site/section you audit, you should be evaluating the following:

–Is the content reusable, does it need to be revised or updated, should it be deleted?

–Does it serve the communication goals?

–Does it speak to the target audience?


Each tab tracks the same data


Set up filters to make data sortable


Each piece of content gets a row

Presenting your findings


The takeaway

• Creating the audit report •What were the goals of the audit•What was measured and how– A description of each audit factor– Data summaries for relevant audit factors

• Summary of overall conclusions– Incorporating graphic depictions of the results– Support visuals

• Recommendations and next steps


Content audit: reiterate the goals


Content audit: what was captured and how


Content audit: what was captured and how


Content audit: summary of overall conclusions


Content audit: supporting details


Content audit: supporting details


Content audit: recommendations

Exercise & Discussion


Discussion


Discussion

• How do business goals impact what you capture in a content audit?•What questions would you ask?


Where do you start?


What do you record?

Content IDTitle/topicURL Content typeContent formatLast updatedLanguageChannelAction to be taken

Content owner/maintainerContent sourceOverall assessmentAnything else?


Your assignment

• Go to razorfish.com and catalog all primary and secondary site content (75-page max) in a spreadsheet • Keep in mind the following– Don’t spend more than two hours on initial

assessment– You will not have access to the client– Your assessment will help determine project next

steps for UX team

• Bring your content audit to part two of this workshop• Be prepared to discuss your findings and challenges encountered


Walking us through your content audit

• Each of you will review your content with the rest of the team and cover the following:

– Your goal

– Methodology followed

– Challenges encountered

– Recommendations (for the client)

– Next steps (for the team)


Your feedback on this workshop

• Did you find this workshop useful? What do you think worked and didn’t work?


Thank you!

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Fundamentals of Content Auditing