Content Audits That Separate Ranking Assets from Dead Weight

Ahrefs found that 96.55% of pages get zero organic traffic. Most sites have dozens of thin, duplicate, or cannibalized pages dragging down the entire domain. We identify every one and tell you what to fix, merge, or remove.

Get My Free SEO Audits Strategy

75%

of search users never scroll past the first page of Google results

HubSpot, 2023

Content Audit

Systematic evaluation of all site content to identify thin pages, keyword cannibalization, content gaps, duplicate content, and optimization opportunities with rewrite briefs.

What's Included

Everything you get with our Content Audit

Full Content Inventory

Every indexable URL catalogued with word count, target keyword, search volume, current ranking position, organic traffic, and last-modified date.

Cannibalization Mapping

Identification of pages competing for the same keywords, including which page Google currently prefers and which should be consolidated, redirected, or re-targeted.

Content Gap Analysis

Comparison of your keyword coverage against top-ranking competitors to reveal high-value topics you're not covering that they are.

Thin Content Identification

Flagging pages below quality thresholds -- low word count, high bounce rate, zero backlinks, and minimal engagement -- with recommendations to consolidate or expand.

Rewrite and Optimization Briefs

Actionable briefs for each page that needs updating, including target keyword, secondary keywords, recommended word count, competing content to beat, and structural guidance.

How the Content Audit Works

Content Crawl and Inventory

We crawl every indexable page and build a master inventory with word count, target keyword, current ranking, organic traffic, backlinks, and last-modified date for each URL.

Performance Classification

Each page is classified into one of five action categories: keep as-is (performing well), optimize (ranking but could improve), rewrite (has potential but underperforming), consolidate (cannibalized or duplicate), or remove (no ranking potential, no value).

Cannibalization and Duplication Analysis

We map every keyword overlap across your pages, identify which URL Google prefers for each query, and document exactly which pages to merge, redirect, or re-target to eliminate internal competition.

Competitor Content Gap Comparison

We pull keyword rankings for your top 3-5 SERP competitors and identify every high-value keyword they rank for that you don't currently cover, producing a prioritized list of new content opportunities.

Brief Creation and Delivery

For every page flagged for optimization, rewriting, or new creation, we produce a detailed brief: target keyword, secondary keywords, recommended structure, word count target, and top-performing competing content to reference.

Key Benefits

Stop Keyword Cannibalization

When multiple pages target the same keyword, Google splits ranking signals between them and often ranks neither well. We identify every cannibalization instance and provide a clear consolidation plan so your strongest page gets full authority.

Eliminate Content Drag

Thin, outdated, or zero-traffic pages dilute your domain's topical authority. By pruning or consolidating low-value pages, you concentrate Google's attention on content that actually deserves to rank -- often improving rankings site-wide.

Capture Missing Keyword Opportunities

Our gap analysis reveals specific high-value keywords your competitors rank for that you don't cover. Each gap comes with a content brief so your writers know exactly what to create.

Data-Driven Publishing Priorities

Instead of guessing what to write next, you get a ranked list of content opportunities scored by search volume, competition level, and alignment with your business goals.

Research & Evidence

Backed by industry research and proven results

Zero-Traffic Pages

96.55% of all indexed pages receive zero organic traffic, often because they target keywords with no search demand or fail to match user intent.

Ahrefs (2023)

Search as Starting Point

68% of all online experiences begin with a search engine, making organic content visibility a primary driver of new customer acquisition.

BrightEdge (2023)

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you decide which content to remove vs. consolidate?

We remove content that has zero backlinks, zero organic traffic, no search demand for its target keyword, and no internal strategic value (like a legal page). We consolidate when two or more pages target overlapping keywords and individually underperform -- merging them concentrates ranking signals into one stronger page. We never recommend removing content that has backlinks or historical traffic without a redirect plan.

Will removing thin content actually improve our rankings?

Yes, and this is well-documented. Google's crawl budget is finite -- every low-quality page Googlebot spends time on is time not spent on your best content. More importantly, a high ratio of thin or low-quality pages dilutes your domain's topical authority signals. Sites that systematically prune or consolidate underperforming content regularly see ranking improvements on their remaining pages, sometimes within weeks of Google recrawling.

Do you write the new content, or just provide briefs?

The audit delivers briefs -- target keyword, competitive analysis, structure, and word count guidance. You can use these with your own writers, freelancers, or our content team. If you want us to handle the writing, we offer that as a separate engagement and the briefs serve as the scope documents.

How is this different from running a keyword research report?

Keyword research tells you what people search for. A content audit tells you how your existing pages perform against that demand, where internal competition is wasting your authority, and exactly which pages need what kind of action. It's the difference between a list of opportunities and a specific plan for your specific site.

Related Services

Explore more of our seo audits services

Stop Publishing Blind -- Audit Your Content First

Find out which pages are helping your rankings, which are hurting them, and exactly what to do about each one.