What is a competitor content audit?

A competitor content audit analyses the various competitors of a business to measure their performance and output to create a better-informed content marketing strategy.

A competitor content audit will analyse all the content of a competitor’s website, whether that’s service or product pages, the home page, or their blog. It evaluates the quality of the content by assessing its relevance, usefulness, and uniqueness. This is then compiled into tangible optimisations and recommendations.

Why do we do competitor audits?

Competitor content audits allow us to create a data-informed content strategy by identifying areas for opportunity and growth. This ensured that your business keeps up with and eventually propels past competitors by learning from their failures and accomplishments.

We look for:

• The topics covered
• The length and structure of the content
• The formats used
• The quality of assets/ if assets have been used
• Content performance
• What type of search intent does the content cater to

How to do a competitor content audit

1.     Finding competitors

Establishing your competitors is ground zero, then you build up. You can figure out who your competition is in a couple of different ways. The first is through search. For instance, if you’re a furniture shop, you’d look at established brands selling the same products, as well as more local competitors.

The second route is to survey the public to get a consensus about preferred brands for your specific industry. If you’re already established and have found you’ve lost a customer, follow up and find out with whom they’ve opted with.

Using review platforms to identify the audience perception of brands, i.e Trustpilot, Yelp, and Tripadvisor.

2.     Competitor analysis tools

Utilising competitive analysis software is what elevates your evaluation, utilising data to accurately depict the successes and pitfalls of competitors’ content. We utilise tools like SE Ranking, Crunchbase, and Ahrefs. These tools quantify success through metrics like traffic volumes, keyword tracking, automating the tracking process and making identifying trends simpler.

SE Ranking

An all-in-one SEO platform that streamlines features like tracking keyword ranking against competitors, assessing page performance, performing backlink analysis, and monitoring any changes like new page launches.

Ahrefs

Ahrefs is another leading SEO intelligence platform, allowing marketers to undertake backlink analysis, rank tracking, site audits, content exploration, along competitor analysis.

Crunchbase

Crunchbase is essentially a database of businesses with predictive intelligence capabilities by compiling numerous sources to paint a picture of a company’s performance. Its interface contains a growth score, insight signals and growth predictions, which can be great for identifying competitors gaining momentum.

3.     Comparative analysis to identify opportunities

Once you’re set up on your competitor analysis tools, it’s time to begin analysing the data, tracking against their keywords, and assessing the quality and volume of their backlinks.

Data is super telling, so if competitors are ranking poorly for shared keywords, there’s an opportunity for you to surpass them by optimising for that particular keyword. Unfurl your competitors’ strategies through the data. Once you identify their successes, look at the content on their site and make a note of why it is performing.

4.     Outlining the next steps

Once you’ve painted a picture of what is and isn’t working for your competitors, you can apply those findings to your content performance. Establishing areas where you can improve your content, increase your output and achieve the goals your business has set out to reach. 

Whether it’s a drought of ideas or you no longer see the value in creating content for your business, it’s a fundamental element of an effective marketing strategy. There are plenty of reasons why a business may stop creating content, but it’s important to understand the value and direct impacts on your business’s performance.

The short-term effects of not creating content as a business

In the short term, the effect may be only slight, seeing things like a small drop in traffic, a reduced click-through rate, or low volumes of people unsubscribing from email campaigns.

But these small changes can have a domino effect, which can cause websites to tank in rankings, which can then have a knock-on effect on getting leads and conversions for their product or services.

The long-term impacts of not creating content as a business

The long-term consequence of neglecting to create and update content on a website is a severe detriment to the success and longevity of a website.

1. Content begins to become outdated.

• Audiences become estranged from the brand.

• Visibility online is significantly impacted.

• Lead and conversions are directly impacted.

• The rebuilding period takes longer to restore growth.

• Budget may be wasted on crawl spend.

• The impression made on new visitors is poor, and the user experience is negatively affected.

• Your competitors stand to exceed where you are failing.

How to remedy content stagnation

Creating content is only worth doing if you want to add value to your brand and build an audience. Without intention or goals, there’s no purpose in producing content.

The approach you take really matters; breaking it down into manageable steps makes producing content much simpler.

Step 1: Audit your existing content

If you have content on your site, create a document like an Excel sheet, track the metrics for the content. Looking at things like the average engagement time, click-through rates, and volume of users looking at the content, within a set period.

This can give you a snapshot into what has and hasn’t worked for your brand. Allowing you to identify the top performers, pieces of content that could benefit from an update, and opportunities to remove outdated content that no longer serves your site. Ultimately, this will shape the way you begin to ideate and map out your content calendar.

Step 2: Ideate

This step requires you to research and ideate for pieces of new content. Utilising competitor audits can also expedite this process, as it can help you to recognise content gaps and opportunities for inspiration.

When researching, tap into various resources, look across social platforms and on forums to find conversations that relate to your business and its offering. Using journals, books can help not only bolster your understanding of topics but also help you uncover new angles to approach creating new content.

Step 3: Begin planning

This is the part in the process where you begin to create a physical document outlining your ideas, assigning dates and responsibilities, and mapping the structure and information needed to be included.

If you’re concerned about the resources your business has, thus impacts your ability to produce, try making one really great piece of content each month. This will ensure you don’t fall behind your peers, and your audience is still being catered to.

We delve into the types of things you need to include in your editorial calendar in our “What is the purpose of an editorial calendar” article. We recommend planning for 6-12 month periods and conducting content audits to track performance.

Step 4: Put your planning into practice

Once your content calendar is mapped out, it’s time to start executing your plan. Create your content with confidence, follow your plan and measure your success. Whilst not every piece of content is going to be a sensation, it serves as the foundation for your business’s online performance to grow.

What is a guest post on a blog?

A guest post is when you—or another website’s content creator—produce content to be published on a different company’s blog or website. The goal is usually to build links, authority, and visibility.

For this to work, the content must align with the host website’s audience and be relevant to its theme. Guest posts often come from industry experts who collaborate with companies in their sector, offering unique insights and an authoritative perspective.

Benefits of Guest Posting for SEO and Brand Growth

Absolutely, guest posts can be an incredibly useful tool within your content strategy. Some of these strategic advantages include:

Content versatility – Keeping your content fresh, adaptable, valuable and unique is a prime reason to incorporate guest posting into a content strategy. It helps to diversify the opinions, experiences, and expertise reflected on the site.

Building authority and trust – Authority factors into how Google ranks content; having better authority improves the chances of being displayed higher on the SERP. Authority ultimately reflects on the trust established by Google and the audience.

Increased referral traffic – If backlinks are established, it can be a great way to improve referral traffic on a website.

Raising brand awareness – If you’re creating content for another site, or vice versa, it can be useful for promoting your brand and raising awareness through sharing expertise with a new audience.

How to create opportunities for guest posts

The best approach to seeking out guest post opportunities is to identify 2 things: the figure of authority you’d like to create content for, or a hosting site which is relevant to the topics being discussed.

Creating a guest blogging strategy will help you anticipate any potential collaboration. It serves as a framework to ensure the output from the content is optimised for your business.

If you are the writer

1. Establish a website that is aligned with the type of content you create. It’s important that your content fits the destination it will be published to.
2. Create a content proposal outlining: the subject matter, the style of content, the length, keywords and structure.
3. Approach the website with your content proposal and wait for the go-ahead.

If you are the hosting website

If you are the host of the website where you’d like a guest post to be featured, there are a few ways to create opportunities for guest content. The first aspect of finding a creator to produce a guest post is to establish an appropriate voice for your content.

Finding the content creator should begin by researching experts within the field or on your topic. This will help you identify the key authoritative voices that are more likely to have an impact on creating content.

Approach the creator with the concept of the content, outlining any of the key points that will help to ensure your brand is reflected within the content. Consider outlining the following areas to make creating content a bit simpler:

• The tone of the piece
• The subject matter
• The style
• The length
• The topic being covered

Guest posting works best when it’s relevant, authoritative, and mutually beneficial. Whether you’re contributing to another blog or inviting writers to yours, it’s a proven way to strengthen SEO, build trust, and expand your brand’s reach.

What is thought leadership?

Thought leadership is a term used to describe content that is shaped by personal insight, experience, or innovations, which contributes to the authority the individual has on a topic. This type of content can only be created by those who have experienced, seen or learned the thing it is creating content about.

Types of thought leadership content?

Thought leadership content can be created in many formats, whether that’s written or audio; there are many ways thought leadership can be communicated. Some of which include:

• Podcasts
• Radio
• Video content
• Social media posts
• Blogs
• Books
• Journals
• TV shows
• Documentaries

What are the key differences between content marketing and thought leadership?

Intent

The objective and positioning of content marketing often differ from those of thought leadership content, as traditional content marketing aims to create content that solves a problem. In contrast to thought leadership content, it looks to start the conversation or at least provoke thought for the reader.

Their uses

The intent behind content is what ultimately shapes its type — and how it’s used will differ depending on that intent. Take the topic of self-help, for example:

• Thought Leadership: Imagine a self-help guru sharing a deeply personal story — one shaped by real struggle, reflection, and growth. Their content might explore complex emotions, challenge mainstream thinking, or propose new frameworks for personal development. The goal isn’t to rank on search engines or drive quick clicks — it’s to spark conversation, inspire trust, and position themselves as a unique voice in the space.
• Traditional Content Marketing: On the other hand, a blogger focused on SEO might publish an article titled “10 Proven Self-Help Techniques to Improve Your Life”. This piece is structured, keyword-optimised, and aimed at delivering clear, digestible tips. It’s valuable, but transactional — designed to answer a question or solve a problem quickly, often without diving into personal narrative or controversial viewpoints.

The objective

Content marketing is typically driven by the goals to sell a product or service, whereas thought leadership looks to build trust, reputation and authority of an individual.

Its ability to influence

Thought leadership can change the industry narrative, which the content refers to, especially if the content is received well or has a high impact on that industry. This is where traditional content marketing diverges; it’s less likely to create a change within the industry, it’s just due to the approach which has been taken to discuss a topic.

Strategising thought leadership content for your marketing strategy

Creating thought leadership content is a valuable aspect of a comprehensive marketing strategy, looking to position you or your brand as a voice of authority within an industry.

Creating a mixed marketing strategy that wields both traditional content and thought leadership content is essential for establishing authority and increasing the chances of content being displayed on the SERP.

You can do this by creating content that explores your unique line of expertise in depth, whether that’s discussing any ideas, industry innovations, or exploring opinions and experiences in the sector.

Have you ever found yourself stuck writing the first word, deleting it, then another, and oh no, that’s not right either…there’s no hope.

Only kidding.

Producing copy for a blog can be quite straightforward once the process is in place. In this article, we’ll break down the key stages of writing copy, as well as collating some of the best copywriting tips. Providing you with the confidence to strategically devise, craft and publish high-quality content.

Research

Research is fundamental. It gives your blog authority, structure, and focus, all of which help you meet the needs of search engines and readers. It deepens our understanding of topics and often enhances the quality of the work.

• Identify the key points in your discussion, allowing you to break down each section or topic. Once you can identify the sections of your discussion, you can undertake research it the more niche subject matters of your discussion.
• Research is super important; it equips you with an understanding of the topics you are discussing. Google and respective search engines will trawl the information you have given and provide the ranking based on the quality, usefulness and how SEO friendly it is.
• Outline any content gaps, particularly when conducting competitor analysis. It will allow you to highlight any areas for discussion which you’ve not yet covered within your content.

Research can be conducted in many ways, the use of search tools, books and journals, as well as conducting an analysis of competitors and search engine results.  For further guidance, you can check out our Art of Research blog, which expands on the whys, how’s and the approaches you can take.

Beginning the writing process

Page structure

When starting to write your copy, it’s important to identify the structure of the content. Outlining a title and sub-headings is a great way to gauge the layout, the number of words per section and how to tie each section together.

When developing a title for your work, consider two things: the first is to convey the overarching topic or themes of discussion. The second is to make it entice; consider how to frame the title. Can you phrase it to make it sound useful for the reader? Consider framing it as a question, that way when searchers are inquiring through Google, your content is identified as addressing that query.

Labelling approach

An alternative to framing the title as a question is to grab the attention of the user. Using highly descriptive language allows the user to understand the topic whilst keeping it short and simple. A great example of this would be when you see an article about a celebrity, and it reads ‘So and so stuns on the BAFTA red carpet’. Keeping it short and snappy will typically create curiosity within the reader, encouraging them to read. Subheadings should signpost the different points of discussion. This allows the audience to navigate your article much more easily. Aim to keep the sub-headings super simple; them being easy to find and quick to read will enhance the quality and ease of the reader’s experience.

SEO in the strategy

Search engine optimisation should greatly influence the way content is created. After all, the aim with any written content is to get it to rank, and with great content, the chances of ranking higher increase. Writing content should align with the search intent of audiences. You can ensure content caters to search intent by incorporating the primary and secondary keywords.

Keywords can be found using analytical tools such as Google Search Console, SEMrush and SE Ranking.

Long-tail keywords are search terms with 3 words or more; it is the whole query rather than a single word. Whilst short-tail keywords are short search terms, typically one or two words at most.

To create content that’s optimised for search, include internal links. Improving navigation for both the reader and search engines. If it’s applicable, cluster your content- this also optimises the experience of navigating to relevant content on a site. 

Make sure you’re using meta descriptions, so your content is accurately portrayed within the SERP.

Review & Edit

Once you have written your first or second draft, review the content and make the necessary adjustments. Then the final draft can be written, the final draft should tidy up any sections which need re-structuring, and rephrasing and spelling checks should also be undertaken.

Proofread your copy, not just once or twice, but aim to check roughly three to four times before uploading it. This may be a little bit tedious to do, but ultimately it will ensure professionalism and quality are at the highest it can be.

Ensure any facts, data or case studies are checked, identified, and accredited in your article, as this will be flagged as problematic to Google if not identified.

Publishing

When publishing your content, ensure everything is in the right place, and read through one last time to make sure everything is looking and reading correctly. When saving the work, check that it is labelled in a way that is clear and easy to locate.

Here at Intelligency, we label as follows:

Year/month/date – Name of client – Title of work – Any additional title or information.

Make sure your name and the date of publication are on there; this shows the reader who you are and when the copy was published. This provides them with two pieces of important information: the first being who you are, and then they can go on to find more of your work. Accrediting your work can only be done when your work is clearly labelled as yours. This will also help prevent others from plagiarising.

The last check that should be done is once the article or blog has been launched, checking to see how it looks on the website. This will help you flag any major issues with displays or the content itself. This will ultimately prevent your audience from seeing any errors, which will help maintain your professionalism and the way the content is initially perceived.

If you think this article was useful, please let us know, and if you have any questions or other ‘how-to’ articles you’d benefit from. We are keen to support you in your endeavour to create a copy!

Tags and categories are labels we use on a website to create order across content, particularly on per-collection pages, where multiple pieces of content are stored. These pages are typically assigned as product category pages or blogs.

There is a distinction between categories and tags, with some similarities shared between the two and some major differences in the way they serve the search engine and the reader.

What are categories?

There are roughly 5-10 categories prescribed to a per-collection page, and the category serves as a label for a specific group, type or subject. For instance, a clothing shop will have the category of tops.

It’s used as an umbrella tag, or a starting point in the search. This means that it will likely include content or products which are more broadly defined than just the category itself.

What are tags on a website?

That’s where tags come in; they help qualify that search further by adding a label including the detail. So, to touch back upon the example from before, within the top category, you could have the unique product pages tagged with:

• Crop-tops
• Long-sleeve tops
• Vest tops
• Short-sleeved tops

The tags allow you to label that content further, so when someone is looking for a specific niche aspect in content.

Why do we use categories and tags on websites?

Tags and categories help keep content on your website organised for both those searching and search engines crawling your site. It’s a brilliant tool for creating a structure, allowing you to easily pull related tagged or categorised content for it to be displayed to the reader.

We use tags and categories to make sense of the content we put out, which allows people to easily search through a particular type of content, without being inundated with other non-relevant content.

What are the benefits of implementing categories and tags?

Structure – Brings structure to your site by grouping content that shares related topics.

Simple navigation – Allows the reader and search engines to efficiently navigate to and understand the subject of the content.

Enhanced user experiences – User experience is prioritised when content is organised, saving the time spent searching your site, and reducing dissatisfaction with irrelevant content being displayed.

Increasing the chance of discoverability – Using this content structure can make it easier for other content relating to the same category to be discovered. Typically, a category page will be made, where all the products and content are assembled onto one page, making it more discoverable.

How to properly assign categories and tags?

The best approach to take when assigning categories and tags on your website is to use a structured process.

Identifying your categories

You’ll need to begin by outlining the various products and subjects your pages include. This will allow you to narrow down your categories. For instance, a retail brand may categorise by the type of product, whereas a blogger may categorise by topic.

In some cases, sub-categories may need to be introduced, which creates a hierarchical structure between content pages. An example of where subcategories may be used is with a retail brand; they may have an overarching shoe category, then subcategories for each type of shoe.

Incorporating categories and tags on WordPress

To add a category or tag in WordPress, you need to begin by navigating to the posts section. If you’re uploading fresh content, navigate to add a post. This opens up the post creation page, which has a toolbar on the right-hand side.

On the toolbar is a section where you can create categories by simply selecting Add category. The same can be done for the tagging to, you simply need to scroll down on the toolbar to find the tag section and begin to type in your answers.

So whilst tags and categories share similarities, the way they help sort content on your website differs. Each helps to improve the structure of your site, ultimately improving the user’s experience navigating content.

Content marketing is just one element of a strong marketing strategy; it wields the content your business puts out to promote success.

What is content marketing?

Content marketing utilises the content your business creates to attract and retain an audience, to encourage profitable actions, typically purchasing your product or service. You achieve this by producing content that offers value to the reader, whether through education or entertainment.

Is content marketing important to business strategy?

Absolutely. Content marketing is a vital element of a well-rounded marketing strategy. Creating content without purpose is ineffective—it should always serve a clear objective aligned with your business goals. Here are some key benefits of content marketing:

• Improve your online authority
• Expand your audience
• Build trust with your audience
• Increase website traffic
• Boost leads and sales
• Support your SEO efforts

Does content marketing overlap with SEO?

Yes, particularly with on-page SEO. While technical SEO ensures your website functions properly and offers a positive user experience, on-page SEO involves optimising the structure and content of individual pages to help them rank in search results.

Content that is well-optimised not only performs better in search engines but is also more structured, digestible, and valuable for your audience. For instance, keyword research—a core SEO task—can guide the topics and language used in your content to ensure it ranks for terms your audience is searching for.

How to set goals and create a content strategy?

You can build an effective content strategy by breaking the process into manageable steps:

1. Identify your target audience.
2. Outline your goals. Use SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound).
3. Set key performance indicators (KPIs). These help you track and measure your success.
4. Determine content formats and types. Use competitor research and testing to see what resonates.
5. Choose content distribution channels. Think beyond blogs—can your content be adapted for TikTok or Instagram?
6. Set your budget. Factor in both time and financial resources.
7. Create a content plan. Schedule content, plan types, and structure it to support performance analysis.
8. Create and publish. Ensure content quality through thorough checks before going live.
9. Incorporate content analysis into your long-term strategy. Use insights to refine and evolve your approach.

How do I analyse my content performance?

Performance analysis begins with your KPIs and goals. Use tools like Google Analytics 4 to track metrics such as:

• Page views
• Engagement rate (time spent, comments, likes, shares)
• Conversions or sign-ups

Compare each piece of content against your KPIs. Identify what performed well and what didn’t. Then, evaluate why: was it the format, the message, or the platform? Use this insight to guide future content creation and continually improve your strategy.

Do I need to research when copywriting?

Research is a critical step in the process of content creation, whether it’s finding inspiration whilst ideating or gathering statistics that will inform your discussion. Having research materials can majorly benefit you and the quality of your content.

Research is so important. Eugene Schwartz famously said that effective copywriting is 80% research and 20% writing, showing just how much groundwork goes into crafting the perfect message.

What does research help with?

It ensures you can understand a subject, create well-informed and factual content, and gain insight into how others approach the same topic. You’ll start to notice how others structure similar content and where gaps exist, giving you the chance to identify niches or perspectives that make your own content stand out.

The bottom line: why research is critical

Research transforms assumptions into intelligence, helping you understand who you’re speaking to, what they care about, and how they think. It’s the difference between shotgun messaging and sniper‐targeted persuasion. Skipping it risks wasting resources—and worse, selling nothing.

Are there different types of research?

Yes. There are three core types of research that support content creation:

Primary Research is the process of collecting data for yourself. It allows you to directly ask the audience for their response, usually through polls, interviews, or focus groups. It’s useful when you want tailored, specific insights to shape your message.

Secondary Research can be internal or external. Internal research involves analysing historic data or reports your business already holds, while external research draws from sources like studies, quotes, statistics, infographics, or reputable articles. These materials help reinforce your message with context and credibility.

Tertiary Research summarises information from both primary and secondary sources. While it doesn’t offer deep analysis, it’s useful for quick referencing or to confirm key terms. Examples include encyclopedias, dictionaries, and thesauruses.

What is the best approach to researching?

As you begin the process of ideating, this is the perfect moment to start exploring. Your topic—and your eventual content—can end up being strongly shaped by what you discover during this phase.

If you’re unsure whether a subject will resonate with your audience, this is the time to dig into audience research and validate its relevance. Once you feel confident in your idea, widen your scope. Look beyond search engines—use books, research journals, industry publications, and competitor content. Diversifying your sources strengthens your perspective and helps you avoid generic or outdated information.

When your topic is set, you can move into keyword research. At this point, your focus shifts to identifying core and supporting keywords, along with long-tail variations that help optimise your content for searchability and audience intent.

Final Thoughts

Good copy doesn’t begin with writing—it begins with listening, observing, and investigating. Research is what turns creative instincts into strategic decisions. By building your process around it, you’re not just producing content—you’re crafting content with purpose.

So before you write, take time to explore. You might just uncover the insight that transforms your next piece from ordinary to unforgettable.

Your website isn’t just a brochure

We recognise the common misconception that a website is that it doesn’t need to be frequently updated with content in order to deliver for the audience. However, that’s just untrue. Yes, a business’s website should absolutely include information regarding the services or products they sell, but it also needs to offer value beyond that.

A website needs to serve its users but also evolve with them in order to retain them. This can be through taking part in trends, creating content optimised for search engines, to add additional value and keep customers returning.

Fresh Content Signals to Google That Your Site Is Active

Search engines tend to favour websites that are regularly updated with fresh and valuable content. Google, for instance, will actually have a preference in how ‘fresh’ content is, depending on how timely the subject matter being handled is. A few examples of timely content include news articles, studies and trends.

This is a consideration that needs to be made when creating content. Having an appreciation for Google’s tendency to favour fresher content for its results, allows you to better strategies how to keep content fresh. If your competitor updates their blog monthly and you haven’t touched your site in 2 years, guess whose site gets crawled more often?

Updated Content Builds Trust with Visitors

It’s apparent when content is dated, whether that’s due to price changes that aren’t reflected in the content, or specific times are included in the content that date it.

Fresh content reinforces the impression that the reader gets, which is that it’s professional, demonstrating an attention to detail, and that your content is relevant. This is especially important in industries like beauty, healthcare, and dentistry, where trust and credibility are key.

Your customer’s questions and concerns will always evolve, which creates an opportunity to constantly make new, useful and fresh content that builds trust with the audience. So even if your services stay the same, your customers’ needs and search habits shift.

There are a handful of instances where content will need to be updated, some examples of this include changing regulations in various industries, any aftercare advice, or seasonal new treatments and industry trends.

Blogging Isn’t Just for SEO — It Shows You’re an Expert

Whilst blogging does serve your business’s SEO needs, it should also showcase your business’s understanding and expertise. Tap into this, create content that demonstrates that level of expertise, whether that’s giving a behind-the-scenes look into a process, sharing case studies, or partaking in client interviews.

Having an active website can do a lot of work for your business; having a dormant site can negatively impact performance and your audience’s trust. Need help identifying where your site content could use a refresh? Let’s review it together!

Quality content doesn’t have to be mystified to those who aren’t writers or marketers; the aspects of what makes quality content can make assessing ‘great’ content simpler.

Here are the key aspects of writing strong copy:

Tone: Is how you choose to represent your brand’s point of view or attitude towards a subject. This can be done through the choice of language, the style used, or the way the sentences are structured.

Clarity: The content needs to be clear for the reader to understand, so make it clear and concise.

Brand Alignment: The Content you create should always align with your brand, and make sure the content is relevant to your business. The best way to make sure the content is aligned is to create content that pertains to the subject or service you offer.

The Perfect Content Checklist

1.      Purpose: Does This Content Serve a Clear Goal?

Any content you produce needs to have an objective to it, whether that’s to increase traffic, convert, educate, inspire, or reassure (this would be relevant to medical copy, for instance).

Ensure the call to action you use is aligned with the content’s purpose, so, for example, you’re creating a blog about the effects of a specific product or treatment, you’ll then want to use the call to action promoting the product to encourage sales.

2.      Audience Fit: Is It Written with the Right Reader in Mind?

You need to write to your audience’s needs, fix their problems and answer their questions. Formatting your content with the search queries in mind allows you to better target keywords.

Write to the level of your customer’s awareness around the subject matter, which includes cutting out jargon or any overly complex language.

3.      Clarity: Is the Message Easy to Understand?

Keep the content easy to read through short sentences and use language that isn’t complicated. Keep the formatting clear with headings, bullet points where needed, and utilising paragraphs to create a readable structure.

Pro tip: Can someone skim and still understand the key points?

4.      Structure: Is It Easy to Navigate and Digest?

Any copy needs to have a clear structure to it, and start with your introduction to the subject, introducing the problem or subject. The body will then contain the value, so any solutions or information around a particular subject will be covered in this section. In the conclusion, you’ll summarise the discussion with a CTA. The call to action should have purpose and help you achieve the objective of the content, whether that’s to convert leads or to encourage engagement. 

Make sure that your content is clearly labelled too, utilising sub-headings to section out content. Subheadings are particularly important for making your content easy to scan when reading.

5.      Value: Does It Say Something Useful or New?

Your content needs to provide some value to the reader, whether that’s introducing a new perspective or offering more insight. You can provide more insight utilising data, graphics, video assets or by utilising a different format type, like using audio instead.

6.      Accuracy & Trust: Can This Content Be Taken Seriously?

Make sure the information you provide is factual; the last thing you want is to be creating content containing misleading information. Inaccurate content is not only penalised by Google, but it also demonstrates a lack of understanding to the reader.

Authority is built on the foundation of assurance that the information your website provides is accurate and authentic. Make sure any old statistics are kept up to date to keep your content continuously relevant.

Another aspect of building trust is by garnering a portfolio of positive reviews, quotes, testimonials, case studies and awards.

7.      SEO Essentials: Is It Findable Online?

Another way to assess if content is ‘good’ is whether it includes the keywords that are going to help you rank for a specific subject. Optimising your page title, meta description, and H1 tag will be particularly useful for ranking on the search engine.

Incorporate any internal links where you can, whether that’s leading to a product/ service page or redirecting to other similar content.

Having a checklist can help you, a non-copywriter, sign off on content with ease, by being able to understand the direction and intent of the content produced. Want content that ticks every box? We’ll help you build a library you’re proud of.