Content Audit and Optimisation Foundations
structured content, delivered with intent
about this programme
What a content audit actually involves
Many content teams skip auditing entirely and jump straight to producing new material. That approach usually results in duplicated topics, underperforming pages that sit unnoticed, and missed opportunities to strengthen content that is already close to ranking well. This course starts from the assumption that you have existing content and need to figure out what to keep, what to fix, and what to cut.
How the audit process is structured
You will work through a repeatable audit framework covering three dimensions: technical health such as crawlability and page speed, on-page factors like keyword alignment and heading structure, and content quality signals including depth, accuracy, and internal linking. Each dimension is assessed using a combination of free tools including Google Search Console and Screaming Frog, and a scoring system you build yourself during the course.
Where most audits go wrong
A common mistake is treating every low-traffic page as a problem. Some pages serve a specific purpose in the user journey and should not be judged purely on traffic volume. This course covers how to categorise pages by intent and function before making any optimisation decisions, which prevents unnecessary content removal and protects pages that contribute to conversions or brand authority.
Practical outputs from this programme
- A working content inventory spreadsheet with scoring logic
- A prioritised list of pages flagged for rewriting, consolidation, or removal
- An optimisation brief template for each flagged page type
- A 30-day post-audit action plan tailored to team size
This programme suits content managers, SEO practitioners, and digital marketing coordinators who are responsible for an existing site and need a structured method to bring order to accumulated content.
programme structure
Programme Stages
- Stage 1 — Content Inventory Setup: Crawling your site, exporting data, and organising URLs into a working spreadsheet with metadata fields
- Stage 2 — Technical Health Assessment: Checking for crawl errors, redirect chains, duplicate content, and page speed issues using Screaming Frog and Search Console
- Stage 3 — On-Page Factor Review: Evaluating title tags, meta descriptions, heading structures, keyword presence, and content length against current search intent
- Stage 4 — Content Quality Scoring: Applying a scoring rubric to assess depth, accuracy, internal link structure, and engagement signals from analytics
- Stage 5 — Categorisation and Decision-Making: Sorting pages into keep, improve, consolidate, and remove categories based on audit data
- Stage 6 — Optimisation Brief Writing: Building page-level briefs for the improve category with clear instructions for writers or editors
- Stage 7 — Action Plan and Workflow: Creating a 30-day implementation schedule with assigned responsibilities and tracking milestones
Assessment and certification
Participants submit a completed audit for a real or sample site. Feedback is provided within 5 business days. A certificate of completion is issued upon successful submission.
ready to start?
This programme is available to students across South Africa. Reach out to confirm your place, ask about scheduling, or get more detail on what the content covers week by week.
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