Copy Audit.

What is Copy Audit?

A copy audit is a structured review of the words on a website or in a set of marketing materials, checking each piece against the reader’s question, the brand voice and the action it is meant to prompt.

Key Takeaways

• It judges what the words do, not just whether they are correct.
• Each page is checked against one job, such as informing a visitor, answering a doubt or asking for a call.
• The output is a ranked list of fixes, so the pages that matter most are changed first.
• It is repeated at intervals, because copy drifts as a business, its offers and its audience change.

Understanding Copy Audit

A copy audit starts with an inventory of every page or asset and a note on what it is supposed to achieve. A page with no clear job cannot be judged, so the first finding is often that several pages share one job or have none.

Each page is then read as the visitor would read it. The reviewer checks whether the opening says who the page is for, whether claims are backed by something checkable and whether the next step is clear.

Voice is checked across pages. A site written by several people over several years usually sounds like several companies, so the audit marks where tone, terms and spelling differ and what the standard should be.

The result is a plan, not a verdict. Pages are sorted into keep, edit, rewrite or remove, and the order follows how much each page affects the visitor’s decision.

Related Terms

• Content Audit
• Copywriting
• Brand Voice
• Style Guide
• Tone Of Voice
• Value Proposition

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How is a copy audit different from proofreading?

Proofreading catches errors in wording. A copy audit asks whether the page does its job for the reader, which can mean rewriting a section that has no errors at all.

How often should copy be audited?

Many businesses review key pages once a year and after any change to offers, audience or positioning. High-traffic pages may need a closer look more often.

Who should run a copy audit?

Someone who did not write the copy, because writers read what they meant instead of what is on the page. A fresh reader notices gaps and unexplained claims faster.