Revolutionising Website Audits for Long-Term Success: A Holistic Approach

The objective of Analytics is to understand how users navigate from one page to another and the duration they spend on each page. Each column's nodes are organized by traffic volume, with the most visited node at the top. The number of users who exited the site or application is noted at the bottom of each column. Links connecting each node to the next viewed node are also present, with the link's width reflecting the number of users who navigated between those nodes. By observing the link's width, popular pathways can be easily identified.

Analytics can provide insights into the content users interact with before making significant actions, alert us about potential issues, and reveal patterns of common navigation routes. However, journey mapping necessitates more information than analytics alone can offer. Analytics cannot tell the unique goals or expectations of each user, nor can it provide the qualitative details such as thoughts and feelings that make journey mapping so insightful. Nevertheless, analytics is essential in understanding typical user journeys.

A Sankey diagram provides a visual representation of the most common routes through a product or application, indicating where most users initiate and the screens (or even features) they move to next. Sankey diagrams visualize the relationship between nodes (pages, screens, or feature use) and the traffic flow between them. The width of the link signifies the volume of traffic between those nodes.

Sankey diagrams appear complex, but they are pretty straightforward. Each column in the Sankey diagram represents a step in the process, with nodes appearing in consecutive columns. Nodes in each column are listed based on the traffic they attract, with the most visited one at the top. Dropoffs (users who exit the site or application) are noted at the bottom of each column. Each node has links leading to the next viewed node, with the link's width indicating the number of users that moved between those nodes. Popular routes can be easily identified by observing the width of the association.

There are four main limitations to analytics-based paths. These diagrams aggregate various traffic data, and while they allow for the examination of individual user sessions, their primary function is to provide large-scale data. They highlight trends rather than individual user movements through the website. They present the most common initial and subsequent steps, aggregating users with different intentions, goals, and information needs. They do not represent actual user journeys because they cannot segment this traffic based on the user's interests.

However, the following tips can facilitate a proper interpretation of analytics-based paths:
Filter the flow data: Flow diagrams can be overwhelming as they present a lot of information. It is advisable to filter down this information into manageable chunks. You can start with a critical page or screen and focus on the traffic flowing through it. It's also worthwhile to filter this information by user categories, for example, mobile vs desktop users or those who completed significant actions.

Review key touchpoints: Pay particular attention to your internal pages where users form their first impressions. If any of these pages have a higher dropout rate, there might be a problem with the content.

Identify hub pages: These nodes act as a navigation, with a lot of traffic coming in and going out. This pattern could be a sign of either high engagement and pleasant exploration or a frustrating user experience.

Start from the end of the flow: Begin from a key objective you wish users to reach, then figure out how users get that goal by working backwards. This approach can tell you whether content supportive of conversion is visible and compelling to power users.

In conclusion, user paths serve as an exploratory tool for understanding how users navigate a site. While they help understand user behaviour, they are not a replacement for qualitative research that seeks to understand users' thoughts, feelings, and expectations as they use a product. User paths provide valuable insights, but they should be combined with qualitative research methods to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the user experience. To learn more about how user-path reports can inform UX work, consider enrolling in a full-day course on Analytics & User Experience. By leveraging analytics and qualitative research, you can better understand your users' journeys and optimize their experience with your website or application.

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To ensure a robust digital content strategy, conducting a content inventory and audit is crucial. These processes allow you to examine and assess your existing content, identify what needs updating or removal, and spot areas for potential new content insertion.

First, let's explore what these processes entail.

## Understanding Content Inventory and Audit

Image suggestion: A checklist or spreadsheet symbolising the detailed analysis of a content inventory and audit.

A content inventory is a comprehensive list of your digital assets, collated either at the page or asset level, providing details of their characteristics. This gives you a clear picture of the volume and types of content you possess.

On the other hand, a content audit scrutinises the content listed in the inventory to gauge its quality. It helps identify content that needs updating, spots gaps where new content can be added, and pinpoints content that should be removed.

Why You Need Both Content Inventory and Audit

The short answer is yes, both are necessary. A content inventory provides a bird's eye view of your content, while an audit dives deeper, analyzing the quality and scope for improvement. These activities offer a holistic perspective, allowing for immediate and informed decision-making.

When and Where to Begin?

Image suggestion: A starting line of a race track, signifying the beginning of the process.

There needs to be a hard-and-fast rule about when to commence content inventories and audits. Some teams may kickstart new projects by deciding what content to retain or discard. Others might realize the need to evaluate their content over time to reduce redundancy and information overload. Regardless, if you still need to get a content inventory or audit, it's a good time to start.

Considerations for a Successful Audit and Inventory

Image suggestion: A group around a table with laptops, charts, and documents, indicating a collaborative effort in content inventory and audit.

Your audit and inventory should involve the right people, follow a transparent process, and utilize the necessary tools.

1. People: Ensure the team involved in the inventory and audit includes the right stakeholders.
2. Process: Follow a step-by-step approach to create your inventory and conduct your audit.
3. Tools: Use tools like Google Sheets, Excel, or Numbers for creating your inventory and audit. Ensure the document is accessible to all relevant team members but only editable by authorized individuals.

How to Evaluate Your Content

Image suggestion: A scale or balance indicating the assessment of content.

Your audit should consider two main areas: the presence and the quality of content. Use rating scales to evaluate the extent to which something is present and use best practices, internal content standards, user needs, business goals, and metrics to assess content quality.

Deciding What Content Stays and What Goes

Review your entire inventory to decide the fate of inaccurate, outdated, or low-quality content. Record your decisions in your audit, noting whether the content should be kept, updated, or removed. When changes are needed, identify the necessary modifications and assign an owner to the task.

Keeping Your Content Inventory and Audit Current

Maintaining an up-to-date inventory and audit is essential. This means updating the spreadsheet to reflect newly created, modified, or retired content. Without ongoing care and attention, checklists and audits can quickly become obsolete and unwieldy.

Remember, managing an inventory and audit is a significant task that requires regular updates to stay relevant. The content management systems and tools can help keep your audit current, but the responsibility lies with its owner(s) to monitor and refresh it consistently.

You may choose to continue this task with the same group that conducted the original audit and inventory, or you may need to enlist additional help. The goal is to ensure your audit and inventory remain accurate, valuable tools for managing your content effectively.

In conclusion, conducting an inventory and audit of your digital content is valuable. It helps you understand your content landscape, determine what's working, and identify areas for improvement. Developing a robust content strategy that aligns with your business objectives and user needs is vital.

Remember, there is always time to start. The sooner you begin, the sooner you can optimize your content to drive better results.

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