Start with the decisions the inventory should support
A content inventory is a working list of the pages and other published items on a website. For a small team, its main value is not a perfect record of every file. It is a way to answer everyday questions: Which pages do we have? Which ones need attention? Who can check whether the information is still right?
Choose a scope you can finish. You might begin with public pages that visitors can reach through the main navigation, then add articles, downloads, and less visible pages. A shared spreadsheet is often enough. Give each item one row, and use a consistent page title and URL so teammates can find it. If several URLs lead to the same content, note that rather than quietly counting them as separate pages.
Record only details you will use
Useful starting columns are page title, URL, content type, owner, status, last reviewed, next review, and action needed. Content type might distinguish a service page from a blog post or downloadable guide. Status can use a small set of labels such as keep, update, combine, or remove. An action-needed column gives the reviewer room to write a specific task, such as “replace the old application steps,” instead of a vague comment like “needs work.”
Avoid collecting details simply because the spreadsheet has space. If you do not expect to use word counts or image totals to make decisions, leave them out. On the other hand, add a field when it solves a real problem. A site with many downloadable documents may need a document owner and review date. A site maintained in several languages may need a field showing which versions correspond. Keep definitions for your fields in a short note so everyone uses them in the same way.
Assign an owner who can make a decision
A page owner is the person responsible for checking its content and deciding when it needs to change. That person does not necessarily have to edit the website. For example, a program coordinator might confirm the accuracy of a service page while a site editor makes the update. If those roles are separate, record both the content owner and the editor so requests do not stall.
Use a named person where possible, along with a team or role that will remain meaningful when staff change. Ask owners whether they can take responsibility before filling in their names. For pages that serve several teams, select one primary owner and list the others as reviewers. Shared ownership without a clear decision-maker can leave a page unattended. If nobody can claim a page, mark its owner as unresolved and make assigning one an explicit task.
Walk through the site and prioritize the work
Gather pages from the website navigation, your content management system, and any existing page lists you trust. Then visit the pages. An exported list may include drafts or old entries, while a navigation menu may miss pages that people still find through links or search. As you inspect each page, check whether its purpose is clear, its owner is known, its links and downloads work, and its information can be verified by the right person.
Do not turn every observation into an urgent project. Start with pages that help visitors complete important tasks, contain time-sensitive details, or have no clear owner. Record one next action for each page that needs work and, if useful, a priority. A page with an outdated contact method may need a quick correction; two overlapping introductions may need a later decision about combining them. The inventory should make work manageable, not create an unranked list of problems.
Keep the inventory connected to publishing
An inventory becomes unreliable when it is treated as a one-time audit. Add a row when a page is published, update its URL when it moves, and mark it when it is removed. Include an owner assignment in the publishing checklist. When an owner leaves or changes roles, review their pages as part of the handover rather than waiting for an error to appear.
Set a review rhythm that fits the content. Pages with frequently changing instructions may need attention more often than an evergreen explanation. A review date should mean someone checked the substance of the page, not merely opened it. When the inventory stays small enough to maintain and clear enough to prompt action, it becomes a practical map of the website and the people who look after it.
