AI Content Audit Spreadsheet Template
A structured spreadsheet template for cataloging, analyzing, and scoring your existing content library against AI-readiness criteria. Use this to identify which content can be repurposed into modular 'Lego brick' components, prioritize audit efforts, and build a foundation for a scalable content operating system. Perfect for marketing leaders conducting quarterly content inventories or planning AI-powered content multiplication strategies.
How to Use This Template
- 1.## Step 1: Gather Your Content Inventory
- 2.**Create a master list of all content pieces you want to audit.** Start by exporting URLs from your CMS, blog platform, YouTube channel, and marketing automation tool. Include published blog posts, webinars, case studies, whitepapers, social media series, email campaigns, and any other branded content. Aim for 20-50 pieces in your first audit to keep the effort manageable; you can expand later. Assign a unique Content ID to each piece (e.g., CONTENT-001, CONTENT-002) for easy reference and tracking. Document the publish date, URL, and content type for each entry—this metadata will help you filter and prioritize later.
- 3.## Step 2: Fill in Basic Metadata
- 4.**Complete the foundational columns: Title, Content Type, Topic/Pillar, URL, Publish Date, Audience Segment, and Word Count.** These fields are straightforward and require no subjective judgment. Use your CMS or analytics tool to pull publish dates and traffic data. For Topic/Pillar, map each piece to your strategic content themes (e.g., "AI Fundamentals," "Use Cases," "Competitive Advantage"). This categorization will help you identify gaps and overlaps in your content library. Ensure consistency in naming conventions—if you call one pillar "AI Basics" in one row, don't call it "AI Fundamentals" in another. This step typically takes 30 minutes to 1 hour for 20-30 pieces.
- 5.## Step 3: Score Modularity, Repurposing Potential, and Evergreen Value
- 6.**Use the provided rubrics to rate each piece on a 1-5 scale for Modularity, AI Repurposing Potential, and Evergreen Score.** Read each content piece (or skim it if it's long) and ask: "Can this be broken into smaller, reusable pieces?" (Modularity), "How much derivative content can AI help me create from this?" (Repurposing), and "Will this still be relevant in 12 months?" (Evergreen). Be honest—a 5-minute LinkedIn post will score low on modularity, while a 5,000-word whitepaper will score high. These scores are the foundation for prioritization, so take time to calibrate them. Consider having a second team member score a sample of 5-10 pieces to ensure consistency before proceeding.
- 7.## Step 4: Identify Technical Debt and Current Performance
- 8.**Document whether each piece has quality issues (missing captions, broken links, outdated design, poor SEO metadata) and pull its current performance metrics.** Check your analytics tool for views, clicks, engagement rate, or conversion rate. Note any technical problems that would require remediation before repurposing (e.g., a webinar with no captions can't be easily turned into social clips). Technical debt doesn't disqualify content from repurposing, but it flags pieces that need cleanup first. This step ensures you're not amplifying poor-quality content and helps you allocate resources for fixes. Spend 5-10 minutes per piece reviewing analytics and doing a quick quality check.
- 9.## Step 5: Assign Recommended Actions and Prioritize
- 10.**Based on your scores and technical debt assessment, assign a Recommended Action to each piece using the action table provided.** High-modularity, high-repurposing-potential content with no technical debt should be marked "Decompose into modules" or "Create derivatives." Evergreen content with technical debt should be "Refresh & republish." Low-scoring content should be "Archive or sunset" unless it serves a specific strategic purpose. Once all pieces are assigned, filter your spreadsheet to show only high-priority actions (Decompose, Expand, Transcribe). These become your Q[X] content multiplication roadmap. Aim to have 5-10 high-priority pieces identified for immediate action.
- 11.## Step 6: Build Your Audit Summary and Communicate Results
- 12.**Complete the Audit Summary Dashboard at the bottom of the template to surface key insights and recommendations.** Calculate average scores across your content library, identify your top decomposition candidates (high modularity + high repurposing potential), and flag content requiring refresh. Share this summary with your leadership and content team in a 1-page executive brief: "We audited 30 pieces of content. 8 are strong candidates for decomposition into 40+ modules. 5 require technical refresh. 3 should be archived." Use the dashboard to justify your Q[X] content initiatives and secure buy-in for the resources needed to execute decomposition and repurposing projects. This step takes 30 minutes and transforms your audit from a spreadsheet into a strategic action plan.
Template
# AI Content Audit Spreadsheet Template
## Instructions
Fill in all columns for each piece of content in your library. Use the scoring rubric at the bottom to ensure consistency. Export as CSV or keep in your preferred spreadsheet tool for team collaboration and filtering.
---
## Content Inventory & Scoring Matrix
| Content ID | Title | Content Type | Topic/Pillar | URL/Location | Publish Date | Audience Segment | Word Count | Format | Current Performance (Views/Engagement) | Modularity Score (1-5) | AI Repurposing Potential (1-5) | Evergreen Score (1-5) | Technical Debt (Yes/No) | Recommended Action | Owner | Audit Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [CONTENT-001] | [Hero Blog: "How AI Transforms [Industry]"] | Blog Post | [Pillar Name] | [URL] | [MM/DD/YYYY] | [Decision Makers / Practitioners] | [1,200] | Long-form | [5,234 views, 12% CTR] | [4] | [5] | [5] | [No] | [Decompose into 8 modules] | [Owner Name] | [Complete] | [Strong narrative arc, multiple sub-topics] |
| [CONTENT-002] | [LinkedIn Series: "AI Basics"] | Social Post | [Pillar Name] | [LinkedIn URL] | [MM/DD/YYYY] | [LinkedIn Audience] | [280] | Short-form | [1,200 impressions, 8% engagement] | [2] | [3] | [3] | [No] | [Expand into pillar content] | [Owner Name] | [In Progress] | [Viral potential, needs depth] |
| [CONTENT-003] | [Webinar: "[Topic]"] | Video/Webinar | [Pillar Name] | [Recording Link] | [MM/DD/YYYY] | [All Segments] | [45 min] | Multimedia | [234 registrations, 67% attendance] | [3] | [4] | [4] | [Yes] | [Transcribe, extract clips, create guides] | [Owner Name] | [Queued] | [Poor captions, needs cleanup] |
| [CONTENT-004] | [Case Study: "[Customer Name]"] | Case Study | [Pillar Name] | [URL] | [MM/DD/YYYY] | [Enterprise Buyers] | [2,100] | Long-form | [892 views, 6% CTR] | [3] | [2] | [4] | [No] | [Extract metrics, create 1-pager] | [Owner Name] | [Not Started] | [Outdated metrics, refresh needed] |
| [CONTENT-005] | [Whitepaper: "[Research Topic]"] | Whitepaper | [Pillar Name] | [Gated URL] | [MM/DD/YYYY] | [Technical Audience] | [4,500] | Long-form | [156 downloads, 34% conversion] | [5] | [5] | [5] | [No] | [Priority: Break into 12 modules] | [Owner Name] | [Complete] | [High-value, multiple use cases] |
---
## Scoring Rubric
### Modularity Score (1-5)
How easily can this content be broken into smaller, reusable components?
- **5 (Highly Modular)**: Content has clear sections, sub-topics, or chapters that stand alone. Examples: whitepapers, long-form guides, webinars with distinct segments.
- **4 (Mostly Modular)**: Content has some natural breakpoints but requires light restructuring. Examples: blog posts with 4+ sections, multi-part video series.
- **3 (Partially Modular)**: Content has a narrative arc but sections are interdependent. Examples: case studies, opinion pieces with flowing arguments.
- **2 (Low Modularity)**: Content is tightly woven; breaking it up diminishes value. Examples: short-form social posts, news updates.
- **1 (Not Modular)**: Content is atomic and cannot be subdivided. Examples: single-topic tweets, brief announcements.
### AI Repurposing Potential (1-5)
How much additional value can AI tools extract or generate from this content?
- **5 (Highest Potential)**: Rich, data-driven, or narrative content that can fuel multiple derivative formats (social, email, video scripts, infographics). Examples: research reports, detailed webinars, long-form blogs.
- **4 (High Potential)**: Strong foundational content with clear talking points. Can be adapted into 5-8 derivative pieces with minimal AI assistance.
- **3 (Moderate Potential)**: Solid content but requires some enrichment or context. Can generate 2-4 derivative pieces.
- **2 (Low Potential)**: Thin or niche content; AI extraction yields limited new formats. Examples: brief announcements, product updates.
- **1 (Minimal Potential)**: Content is already in its most useful form or lacks depth for expansion.
### Evergreen Score (1-5)
How long will this content remain relevant and valuable?
- **5 (Highly Evergreen)**: Foundational concepts, best practices, frameworks that don't date. Examples: "How to Build a Content Operating System," methodology guides.
- **4 (Mostly Evergreen)**: Core concepts with occasional updates needed. Examples: industry trends, strategic frameworks with annual refreshes.
- **3 (Moderately Evergreen)**: Relevant for 12-18 months; requires periodic updates. Examples: market analysis, tool comparisons.
- **2 (Short-lived)**: Relevant for 3-6 months; tied to current events or product versions. Examples: feature announcements, time-sensitive news.
- **1 (Not Evergreen)**: Highly time-sensitive or outdated. Examples: event recaps, expired promotions.
### Recommended Actions
| Action | Definition | Effort | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Decompose into modules** | Break high-modularity content into 5-12 standalone pieces (guides, checklists, templates, social posts). | Medium-High | 2-4 weeks |
| **Expand into pillar content** | Take thin content and deepen it with research, examples, or expert interviews to create a comprehensive resource. | High | 4-8 weeks |
| **Transcribe & extract clips** | Convert video/webinar into transcript, pull 30-60 second clips for social, create summary guides. | Medium | 1-2 weeks |
| **Extract metrics & create 1-pager** | Distill key findings or case study results into a visual one-page summary for sales/social use. | Low | 3-5 days |
| **Refresh & republish** | Update outdated data, examples, or links; republish with new metadata to boost SEO and engagement. | Low-Medium | 1-2 weeks |
| **Create derivatives** | Use AI to generate email sequences, social series, infographics, or video scripts from existing content. | Medium | 1-3 weeks |
| **Archive or sunset** | Content is no longer relevant; remove from active promotion or consolidate into newer pieces. | Low | Immediate |
| **No action** | Content is performing well and doesn't require rework at this time. | None | Ongoing monitoring |
---
## Audit Summary Dashboard
**Total Content Pieces Audited**: [___]
**Average Modularity Score**: [___] / 5
**Average Repurposing Potential**: [___] / 5
**Average Evergreen Score**: [___] / 5
**Content by Type**:
- Blog Posts: [___]
- Social Posts: [___]
- Videos/Webinars: [___]
- Whitepapers/Guides: [___]
- Case Studies: [___]
- Other: [___]
**High-Priority Decomposition Candidates** (Modularity ≥4 AND Repurposing ≥4):
1. [Content Title]
2. [Content Title]
3. [Content Title]
**Content Requiring Refresh** (Evergreen ≥4 but Technical Debt = Yes):
1. [Content Title]
2. [Content Title]
**Recommended Q[X] Initiatives**:
- Decompose [#] high-modularity pieces into [#] modules
- Expand [#] thin pieces into pillar content
- Refresh [#] evergreen pieces with updated data
- Archive [#] outdated pieces
---
## Column Definitions
- **Content ID**: Unique identifier (e.g., CONTENT-001) for tracking and reference.
- **Title**: Full title of the content piece.
- **Content Type**: Blog, Social Post, Video, Webinar, Whitepaper, Case Study, Guide, Template, Infographic, Podcast, Email, Other.
- **Topic/Pillar**: Which content pillar or strategic theme does this belong to? (e.g., "AI Fundamentals," "Enterprise Solutions," "Customer Success").
- **URL/Location**: Direct link or file path where content lives.
- **Publish Date**: Original publication date (MM/DD/YYYY).
- **Audience Segment**: Primary audience (e.g., "Decision Makers," "Practitioners," "Developers," "All").
- **Word Count**: Approximate length (for blogs/guides) or duration (for video).
- **Format**: Long-form, Short-form, Multimedia, Interactive, etc.
- **Current Performance**: Views, clicks, engagement rate, downloads, or other KPI.
- **Modularity Score**: 1-5 rating based on rubric above.
- **AI Repurposing Potential**: 1-5 rating based on rubric above.
- **Evergreen Score**: 1-5 rating based on rubric above.
- **Technical Debt**: Does this content have quality issues (poor captions, broken links, outdated design, missing metadata)? Yes/No.
- **Recommended Action**: See action table above.
- **Owner**: Team member responsible for this content.
- **Audit Status**: Not Started, In Progress, Complete, Queued.
- **Notes**: Additional context, blockers, or observations.
Get the Full AI Marketing Learning Path
Courses, workshops, frameworks, daily intelligence, and 6 proprietary tools — built for marketing leaders adopting AI.
Trusted by 10,000+ Directors and CMOs.
Related Templates
Marketing Data Audit Template
A comprehensive template for auditing marketing data quality, sources, and governance across all channels and systems. Use this to identify data gaps, redundancies, and compliance risks before presenting findings to leadership. Produces an executive summary, detailed audit findings, and a prioritized remediation roadmap.
AI Content Calendar Template with Workflow
A structured, modular content calendar that applies the Lego brick method to build reusable content assets and workflows. This template helps marketing leaders plan quarterly content, map distribution channels, and automate repurposing—eliminating hero dependencies and reducing manual rework by 60-70%. Use this to present a scalable content operating system to your leadership team.
Related Reading
Get the Full AI Marketing Learning Path
Courses, workshops, frameworks, daily intelligence, and 6 proprietary tools — built for marketing leaders adopting AI.
Trusted by 10,000+ Directors and CMOs.