Web Content QA: What It Is and Why Does It Matter?

Quality assurance (QA) is a well-known concept that applies to various industries. It’s particularly important in the realms of web development and programming. QA processes, however, aren’t limited to just those fields. Content QA is an actual thing and it’s growing more important by the day. It is also important to know that it is different from SEO quality assurance.

You may want to learn about SEO quality assurance 🔍

So what exactly is content QA? What does the job of a content QA editor look like? Those are valid questions in need of some serious elaboration. Let’s take a deep dive into all you need to know.

What Is  Content QA?

As in the case of other kinds of QA jobs, content QA refers to checking content, reviewing, editing, and making sure that it meets certain standards. These standards are dependent on the type of content being reviewed and the brand. In addition to this, Content quality assurance positions the website or brand as an authority in a certain field.

Content quality assurance is a systematic process that’s often based on guidelines and style guides. It requires meticulousness and attention to detail to result in numerous content pieces that are cohesive, properly styled and written to add value to a website or a publication.

Who is a Content QA Analyst?

Content QA jobs are readily available and doing a simple online search will reveal lots of those.

Various kinds of professionals can meet the criteria set in the content QA job description. Some of these professionals are copywriters, writers, editors, journalists, and even marketing professionals. Once again, the type of content QA job and the specific requirements will determine the qualifications required to be considered a viable candidate.

Keep in mind, however, that a content QA analyst isn’t a proofreader or a copyeditor. While a content QA professional does check for errors, typos, stylistic errors, and more, the aim here is to make sure a piece of content works well for the particular audience and fits the narrative or tone that a particular brand wants to develop.

The Importance of Content QA for Web Development and Content Marketing

Content QA applies mainly to the content created for online publications and marketing campaigns.

There are several reasons why it’s so important and why numerous brands are currently seeking web content QA testers.

1. Through QA, it’s possible to enforce a vision and make sure it translates well into the content being created. To accomplish this goal, QA involves fine-tuning stylistic guidelines and even screening for content creators. Making sure they’re properly trained and briefed will also be an important part of the process.
2. Content QA allows for constant improvement of the content being created. Content isn’t a static thing. It evolves as the needs of online audiences change. What rocked the boat five years ago may no longer do the trick. It’s the job of a web content QA tester to understand current trends, approaches, and strategies. When these are properly examined, they can be applied to content creation and enhancement.
3. It provides results that can be measured and this will allow you to know how effective your strategy is.
4. It ensures that your website is a source of reliable content. When content QA is taken seriously, the quality of work being delivered will be superb, and people will always go back to check for more. This action will position your brand as an authority in your niche.
5. Content QA makes room for better planning. With a clear strategy in place,  it is easy to plan, execute the plans and get a great ROI.

Why the Job of a QA Content Manager Matters

A few additional reasons why the job of a QA content manager matters include the following:

• They ensure content cohesiveness to build the online reputation of a brand.
• They make sure content is actionable, insightful, and engaging to deliver conversions.
• Get content marketing to yield the highest possible return on investment.
• A good content QA analyst can also save money because there’ll be no need to hire additional copywriters or pay them for longer work hours.
• A proactive, content QA analyst can detect defects and missed opportunities on the go, helping eliminate weaknesses as they arise.

It’s a well-known fact that many brands struggle with content creation (especially smaller and medium-sized businesses). At the same time, companies simply cannot afford to be neglectful. A Product Information Report surveyed 1,500 consumers and the importance they place on content when making choices. The report concludes that in the eyes of the consumer, a product is only as good as the content tied to it. This is the reason why 40 percent of consumers return an online purchase due to a poor product description and 86 percent said that they wouldn’t make a repeat purchase from a retailer that features poor or misleading content.

What Content QA Entails

We’ve already talked briefly about the nature of content QA and what it’s not. But the process tends to be quite thorough and specific. If you want to learn what QA and reviewing content are like, here are some of the steps involved in getting the job done:

• Understand the vision: The process starts with a good understanding of a vision and the kind of online reputation a brand wants to establish. These are then used to come up with guidelines and a well-defined content strategy that will be in line with the end goal.
• Create a brief to work with: Brief creation and writer onboarding come next. Anyone who has ever worked on a project knows just how important a thorough and concrete brief is. It can save a ton of time while also ensuring an optimal outcome. Content QA professionals have to produce a brief and also use it to recruit the best (copy)writers for the job.
• Audit: Auditing and communication also have to take place all through the content creation process. Usually, copywriters submit the first draft and get some feedback on it. An experienced and knowledgeable QA content manager will know how to communicate and pinpoint issues so these get eliminated in the final draft.
• Communicate with other departments: A content QA professional must communicate with other departments and even stakeholders on how content creation is taking place and what results in its delivery (as a part of a content marketing campaign).

There are several additional responsibilities that QA editors have. These include the creation of content quality assurance checklists, testing the performance of content against key metrics, fine-tuning the approach based on analytics, and tying the entire process to corporate goals.

Conclusion

It’s easy to see that content QA is comprehensive and meticulous. To be done right, it requires lots of skills – copywriting, editing, marketing, communication, and even managerial. While becoming a well-rounded content QA professional is far from a simple task, learning the required skills does pay off. Content marketing is probably one of the most important inbound promotional strategies and its prominence will continue to rise in the years to come.