Toward Content Quality

How do we know whether content is any good?

A good answer would help us show our employers and clients why their content needs to improve and how their content compares to the competition’s.

Content checklists can help produce quality in a few hours instead of a few weeks.

A common misconception of the evaluation of content quality is that its scope is limited to the correction of typos and grammatical errors.

To truly consider content quality, we need to examine its quality along several dimensions. The content quality checklists cover everything from usefulness to voice to accuracy.

Usefulness & Relevance:

Does the content meet user needs, goals, and interests?
Does the content meet business goals?
For how long will the content be useful? When should it expire? Has its usefulness already expired?
Is the content timely and relevant?

Clarity & Accuracy:

Is the content understandable to customers?
Is the content organized logically & coherently?
Is the content correct?
Does the content contain factual errors, typos, or grammatical errors?
Do images, video, and audio meet technical standards, so they are clear?

Influence & Engagement:

Does the content use the most appropriate techniques to influence or engage customers?
Does the content execute those techniques effectively?
Does the content use too many or too few techniques for the context?

Completeness:

Does the content include all of the information customers need or might want about a topic?
Does the content include too much or too little information about a topic for the context?

Voice & Style:

Does the content consistently reflect the editorial or brand voice?
Does its tone adjust appropriately to the context—for example, sales versus customer service?
Does the content convey the appropriate editorial and brand qualities?
Does the content seem to have a style? If so, does the content adhere to it consistently?
Does the content read, look, or sound as though it’s professionally crafted?

Usability & Findability:

Is the content easy to scan or read?
Is the content in a usable format, including headings, bulleted lists, tables, white space, or similar techniques, as appropriate to the content?
Does the content have the appropriate metadata?
Does the content follow search engine optimization (SEO) guidelines—such as using keywords—without sacrificing quality in other areas?
Can customers find the content when searching using relevant keywords?

Why Content Quality Matters

• Content is a strategic brand asset.
• Content is a major part of the user, or customer, experience.

Read more: Toward Content Quality

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