Information Architecture
Content Inventory
Plain English
A full list of all your content.
Definition
guideContent InventoryCataloguing all content assets to create visibility, ownership, and a reliable baseline for audits and optimisation.Open guide is a complete catalogue of all content within a glossarySystemA system is a collection of interconnected components that work together to achieve a specific function or outcome.Open glossary term, including pages, assets, and associated glossaryMetadataMetadata is data that describes and provides information about other content, such as titles, descriptions, tags, and attributes. It supports organisation, search, and content management.Open glossary term.
In practice
Used before redesigns or audits to understand what exists and identify gaps, duplication, and outdated content.
In context
It is the unglamorous first step of every content project, and the one that reliably changes the plan. Nobody has ever run one and found fewer pages than expected.
The reality
Teams almost always underestimate how much content they have until they inventory it.
Compared with
Content Inventory vs Content Audit
An inventory is a complete list of what exists and where. An audit is the judgement applied to it: what is accurate, performing, and worth keeping. You cannot audit what you have not inventoried.
FAQ
Common questions
A few practical answers to the questions that usually come up around this term.
What is a content inventory?
It is a complete list of all content within a glossarySystemA system is a collection of interconnected components that work together to achieve a specific function or outcome.Open glossary term.
Why is content inventory important?
It helps identify duplication, gaps, and outdated content.
What is included in a content inventory?
Pages, assets, glossaryMetadataMetadata is data that describes and provides information about other content, such as titles, descriptions, tags, and attributes. It supports organisation, search, and content management.Open glossary term, and ownership details.
When should you create a content inventory?
Before redesigns, audits, or major content changes.
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