SEO Content Audit: Improve Rankings & Traffic with Keep/Kill/Combine

Let's talk about that content graveyard you've got lurking on your website.  

You know the one—filled with blog posts from 2019, landing pages that haven't seen a visitor since the last presidential election, and resources that are about as fresh as that banana bread recipe that went viral during lockdown. 

Don't worry, we've all been there. As marketers, we've been told that content is king and more is better. Pump out those blog posts! Create all the landing pages! The content gods must be fed! 

But here's the thing: Your content strategy might be the equivalent of hoarding digital furniture. And just like that cluttered garage, it's probably doing more harm than good to your SEO performance. 

I realize this isn’t a popular position among my fellow SEOs. But the truth about ranking reports is that they’re now a trending tool.

(Just ask HubSpot, who discovered this the hard way when they lost 60% of their organic traffic. Ouch. But more on that spectacular plot twist later.) 

The good news? You don't need to burn it all down and start over. What you need is a strategic SEO content audit—think of it as strategic spring cleaning for your website - where instead of keeping what you like, you're keeping what actually drives results.  

• Show Google you know your stuff (and aren't just throwing content spaghetti at the wall)
• Clean out the content cobwebs that are dragging down your authority
• Find opportunities to turn good content into great content
• Make sure you're actually answering the questions your audience is asking (novel concept, right?) 

The best part?
You might discover that updating and combining existing content will get you better results than churning out new posts like there's no tomorrow. Work smarter, not harder—your sanity will thank you. 

Understanding SERP Features & Google's AI Evolution 

Remember when Google search results were just ten blue links and you could call it a day? Those were simpler times. Now, Google's Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) have evolved to include multiple features:

• AI-generated snippets providing quick content summaries 
  
• Featured snippets offering instant answers 
  
• People Also Ask boxes expanding on related topics 
  
• Rich media including video carousels and image galleries

These changes are driven by Google's AI systems - particularly RankBrain and BERT. But what really matters isn't the technical details - it's how these updates have changed the way Google understands and ranks content. Instead of just matching keywords, Google now:

• Interprets the real meaning behind search queries 
  
• Personalizes results based on user context 
  
• Prioritizes content that thoroughly answers questions 
  
• Rewards expertise over keyword optimization

Instead of rushing to fill content calendars or chasing every possible keyword, we need to focus on creating comprehensive resources that actually deserve to rank. 
Think quality over quantity. Think expertise over optimization. Before publishing your next piece of content, ask yourself: "Does this add real value to our existing content, or am I creating duplicate content that could compete with what we already have?" 

The Keep/Kill/Combine Framework:
Your Content Decision-Making Guide 

Looking at hundreds of blog posts and trying to decide their fate can feel overwhelming. You know there's valuable content in there somewhere, but there's also definitely some posts that should have retired back when "pivot to video" was still a thing. 

That's where the Keep/Kill/Combine framework comes in. Think of it as your practical guide to making clear, data-driven decisions about your content without losing your mind in the process. 

What Content Should You Keep? (The MVPs) 

Some content is like a star performer on your marketing team—consistently delivering results and making you look good.

These MVP pieces deserve to stick around when they:

• Consistently rank well and drive quality traffic
• Match current search intent (because what people want to know actually changes)
• Align with your core expertise
• Have earned strong backlinks and social proof

Even your best content needs regular attention—fresh statistics, new insights, and yes, maybe an update of that formatting from 2018. When posts are already ranking well, that's actually the perfect time to invest resources in making them even better. Your top performers deserve to shine at their absolute best. 

When to Delete Content (The Strategic Clean-Up) 

I understand - deleting content you've invested time and resources in feels scary. Trust me, I've been there. But sometimes removing outdated and underperforming content is exactly what your site needs to grow stronger, just like pruning dead branches helps a tree thrive. 

So what exactly needs pruning?
Here's what to look for:

• Consistently shows little to no organic traffic
• Covers topics that drift from your current focus
• Contains information that's now outdated
• Competes with your better content for the same keywords

Remember: deleting content isn't about erasing your work—it's about strengthening your site's foundation. When you clear away what's not serving your heroes, you make more room for what does. 

How to Combine Content (The Power Play) 

Here's where things get interesting. Sometimes you've got multiple pieces of content covering similar topics and competing for the same keywords. Why not combine these pieces into a comprehensive resource that delivers even more value to your readers? 

Here’s where combining makes strategic sense:

• Multiple posts targeting the same keywords (mostly accidental)
• Related topics that could create a more comprehensive guide 
  
• Thin content that could add value to existing pages 
  
• Older posts with valuable insights that could enhance newer content

The result is a more robust, informative piece that offers readers a more complete understanding of the topic. 

How to Perform an SEO Content Audit: Step-by-Step Process 

Step 1: Gather Comprehensive Performance Data 

1.  
2. Basic technical SEO elements (titles, meta descriptions, headers)

Whatever method you choose, you'll want to gather:

• Last 12 months of organic traffic data
• Search performance metrics (impressions, clicks, rankings)
• Current indexation status of pages
• Basic technical SEO elements (titles, meta descriptions, headers)

This initial data gathering helps identify:

• Content getting zero organic traffic
• Pages not ranking for any keywords
• Content that's no longer indexed
• Technical SEO issues needing attention 

Step 2: Create Your Audit Workspace 

Organization is crucial for a successful content audit. While I'm performing the audit, I have both Google Analytics and Google Search Console open in separate windows to review the performance data of the last 12 months and previous 90 days year-over-year. This lets me quickly analyze trends and dig deeper when needed.

• URL list from your content inventory
• Space for detailed notes that capture key performance data from Google Analytics and Google Search Console
• A clear recommendation field (Keep, Kill, Combine, Update, or Rewrite)

Let's talk about those notes, because they're your secret weapon for turning this audit into actual results. When you're knee-deep in content analysis, you'll spot patterns, issues, and opportunities that are crystal clear in the moment—but might get fuzzy a week later when you're ready to take action. Your notes are what transform "we should probably update this sometime" into a clear roadmap for your next steps. 

For each URL, document:

• Performance trends you spot in the data 
• Quality issues that need addressing 
• Potential combination opportunities 
• Technical fixes required 
• Content update needs

This becomes your command center for the entire audit process—where initial data analysis meets strategic decision-making.

Step 3: Identify Performance Patterns 

Now comes the detective work. Beyond just looking at individual metrics, you're searching for patterns that tell the story of your content's performance. Here's what to look for: 

Content Decay Signs: 

• Pages with steady rankings but declining impressions
• Previously strong performers showing traffic drops
• Seasonal content that's losing year-over-year performance 

Search Intent Mismatches: 

• High impressions but low click-through rates
• Traffic that bounces quickly
• Pages ranking for unexpected keywords
• Content that's drawing the wrong audience 

Hidden Opportunities: 

• Pages ranking just off page one for valuable terms
• Content getting impressions for keywords you didn't target
• Topics where you have multiple posts competing with each other
• High-performing content that could be expanded 

Top Performer Patterns: 

• What makes your best content work so well?
• Which formats drive the most engagement?
• What topics consistently perform?
• Which content types convert best?

Remember, you're not just collecting data—you're looking for actionable insights that will guide your content decisions. A page with low traffic might just need a strategic update, while a high-traffic page might actually be undermining your site's authority if it's off-topic.

Step 4: Making Strategic Content Decisions

Now that you've identified your content patterns, it's time to make informed decisions about each piece of content. Here's how to apply the Keep/Kill/Combine framework effectively:

Keep & Update Decisions:

• Strong performers that need refreshing (update statistics, examples, screenshots)
• Content ranking well but could perform better with optimization
• Strategic pages important to your business (even if traffic is lower)
• Pages with valuable backlinks that could be improved

When to Consider a Full Rewrite:

• Content targeting the right keywords but missing search intent
• Pages with good traffic but poor conversion rates
• Topics where the competitive landscape has changed significantly
• Content that's structurally sound but outdated in substance

Combine Content When:

• Multiple posts target the same primary keywords
• Several thin posts could make one comprehensive guide
• You have competing content cannibalizing each other's rankings
• Related topics would serve users better as a single resource

Delete Content If:

• Zero organic traffic or rankings in the past 12 months
• No strategic value to your business
• Outdated and not worth updating
• Topics far outside your core expertise
• Thin content that can't be meaningfully improved 

Step 5: Prioritize Your Action Items

With your decisions made, create a prioritized implementation plan based on:

Potential Impact:

• Traffic potential of target keywords 
• Current ranking positions (pages just off page one are often quick wins) 
• Conversion value of the content
• Resource requirements for updates

Quick Wins:

• Technical fixes that could boost existing rankings
• Content merges that are straightforward to implement
• Simple updates to high-potential pages 
• Removal of clearly obsolete content

Long-term Projects:

• Major rewrites of important content 
• Complex content consolidations
• New content creation to support existing assets
• Website section overhauls

The HubSpot Story: When Good Content Goes Bad 

Remember how we mentioned HubSpot's traffic nosedive earlier? It's the perfect example of why we can't just "set and forget" our content strategy—because what worked yesterday might actually hurt you today. 

Picture this: HubSpot, the marketing automation giant, was dominating in the SERPs. They were the go-to resource for everything marketing, sales, and CRM-related. Their blog was a powerhouse of high-ranking content, driving massive organic traffic with insights on marketing, sales, and CRM strategies. 

In a bid to capture even more traffic, HubSpot expanded beyond their core expertise. They started publishing content on everything from leadership and remote work to productivity hacks and generic business advice—topics that, while interesting, weren’t directly tied to their authority in marketing and CRM. 

And at first, it worked. Traffic numbers went up as they captured more long-tail keywords and random Google searches. But then Google's algorithm updates started rolling in, with a laser focus on expertise, authority, and trust (E-E-A-T). 

The result? HubSpot's organic traffic plummeted by 80%. 

Why This Matters for Your Content Strategy 

The HubSpot story isn't about pointing fingers—it's about understanding how Google's evolution affects all of us. Here's what makes this cautionary tale so relevant: 

1. Content Dilution is Real: Publishing outside your core expertise doesn’t just waste resources—it can actively weaken your site’s authority in Google’s eyes.
   
   
2. Yesterday’s Winners Can Become Today’s Liabilities: Content that performed well under older algorithms might now be sending the wrong signals about your expertise.
   
   
3. More Content ≠ More Success: Thousands of indexed pages won’t help if they lack depth, authority, and relevance. Google rewards quality, not just quantity. 

Key Lessons for Your Content Audit 

The HubSpot situation is a textbook case for why regular SEO content audits are non-negotiable. If Google is evolving, your content strategy should too. 

• Audit Regularly: Google’s updates are constant. What worked last year—or last month—might
• Focus on Authority: As Google’s algorithms increasingly prioritize true expertise, staying competitive requires maintaining a laser focus on your niche, removing or updating content that dilutes authority, and carefully evaluating any expansion into unrelated topics.
• Quality Over Quantity: Instead of trying to cover everything, focus on being the best in your space. 

How an SEO Content Audit Can Transform Your Site 

An SEO content audit isn't just about cleaning house—it's about transforming your blog and core website content into a high-performing engine that drives real results. When done right, this process helps you turn underperforming content into valuable assets while removing anything that's holding your rankings back. 

Here's how to get started: 

1. Set up your workspace with Google Search Console and Google Analytics open. Review the last 12 months to identify overall performance trends, then analyze the last 90 days year-over-year to spot current issues that need attention. 
   
   
2. Begin with your most important content—whether that's key blog categories or core website pages that drive conversions.
    
3. Apply the Keep/Kill/Combine framework systematically, using data to guide your decisions for each piece of content. 
   
   
4. Focus first on quick wins—update statistics in high-performing posts or combine similar articles that compete for the same keywords. 

Remember: Content auditing isn't a one-time task—it's an ongoing process that keeps your site competitive. Make it part of your regular SEO maintenance with quarterly reviews of key content sections or an annual deep dive into your entire site, depending on how frequently you publish new content. Every piece of content you improve or remove is an investment in your site's authority. 

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