We get it. “Audit” is a dirty word to marketers. It feels a lot like cleaning out the attic — vulnerable, nostalgic and grueling.
You’ll probably find boxes you haven’t touched in years (with clothing that’s so old, it’s back in style — hello, low-rise jeans). You’ll discover items you wish you hadn’t kept. (Did you really need to hang on to all 6 of your daughter’s notebooks from 8th grade?)
But it’s worth it. When it’s over, you’ll feel relieved and reenergized.
The same can be said about performing a content audit.
Do you have a content audit coming up? We’re here to help. Read 10 frequently asked questions about content audits in healthcare marketing.
Note: The answers below are general in nature. Reach out for recommendations specific to your health system or to learn how Aha Media Group performs multichannel healthcare content audits.
There are several reasons why health systems perform audits, depending on the specific organization. In general, audits pave the path to achieving 3 main goals:
Comprehensive audits are worth the effort. Auditing your healthcare content can help you:
Looking for proof of how a content audit can benefit a health system? We audited Advocate Aurora Health’s content and created a healthcare content strategy that increased:
There’s no reason to fear what an audit could uncover. Most of the time, people actually feel validated by the findings. Your instincts are likely correct — and the audit can often provide evidence to support the changes you want to make.
But you may be surprised by the sheer volume of content, especially on your website. Blogs, in particular, have a knack for becoming outdated and flying under the radar.
A multichannel audit can take a few weeks or several months, depending on how many channels and how much content your health system has.
The team performing your audit also plays a factor. If your team is busy with the day-to-day, partnering with professional content audit service providers can keep your audit running on schedule regardless of what comes up on your end.
Prioritization is the name of the game. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Neither was Mayo Clinic’s content strategy — or any other health system’s, for that matter.
It could make sense for you to prioritize:
Your organization’s content owner should head up the healthcare content audit. They know the strategy, objectives and shortcomings intimately.
But make sure you also include team members who aren’t quite as connected to the content. The curse of being the content owner is that it’s hard to “kill your darlings” — those old, outdated pieces you once poured your heart into.
If you work with an outside partner for your audit, choose a content agency that knows healthcare and has myriad case studies showing their results (and references singing their praises).
Searching for a partner who can help with your audit? Let’s talk.
An audit gives you the information you need to plan and create effective content. If you’re changing your strategy or preparing for a hospital website redesign, first look at the data to understand how your content is performing and why.
Once you know what you’re working with, you can plan what to update, remove or create.
An easier question would be what isn’t included in a content audit.
Multichannel content audits for health systems assess:
Identifying outdated healthcare content is relatively easy. Think about what’s changed in your organization (or the world) since you last performed an audit. Begin with those pieces of content. For example:
Assessing content performance is more challenging. Factor in both qualitative criteria (like relevance, readability and adherence to E-E-A-T) and quantitative metrics (like website analytics and social engagement).
After your content audit is complete:
We’ve helped over 200 health systems create content that speaks to patients. Learn about our experience performing healthcare content audits and building content strategies that convert.
Explore Healthcare Content Audits