How to create a Content Calendar for your business or brand | Blog
In this post we'll walk you through how to make an effective content calendar. We'll also explain what you should include and why, as well as the steps you'll need in order to have a clear idea of what you'll publish and at what times.
What is a Content Calendar?
A content calendar can be as simple as it sounds--it's an agenda calendar you can make use of to decide when you're going to post a piece of content. It's sometimes referred to in the form of an "editorial calendar" content scheduling has been in use from the very beginning of mass media. However, it's taken on a new life in the age of the internet thanks to social media, emails, and blogs.
The actual calendar usually is stored in a spreadsheet , or calendar tool, making it easy to edit and share. If you prefer traditional methods to planning your calendar, a poster board of sticky notes , or a planner made of paper can be equally useful. There many templates there to help you begin.
The type of calendar you should use will depend on your specific needs and the websites you intend to publish on. If you're thinking about the best way to design the social media content calendar, this is probably going to look very different than the approach that someone who's creating blog content calendars will follow.
The most important thing is to find a solution that is best for your needs and your staff. It should give you the big picture at a glance and the flexibility to expand when your needs for content change.
Who should use the Content Calendar and What Is the The Purpose?
Any person who works with digital or printed media must use a content calendar, particularly when you're part of a wider group or are working with freelancers. However, even if you're operating on your own, a calendar will help you stay organized and create content on a regular basis, which is an important tactic when you're trying to build a long-term business.
Particularly when you're creating a large amount of content across multiple channels A content calendar can ensure that you meet the timeframes that you have set in relation to planning, creating, and posting your content.
You'll be able to easily identify what's coming up in the next few weeks. There are gaps you might want to fill with additional blog posts. Also, you can see if there's certain holidays or events must be considered, and where you might be required to prepare ahead in order to be prepared the time you are away from your office.
If you're working for a large organization and need approval ahead of posting anything on the internet, a calendar can speed up the process there is for sign-offs on content. If you're planning ahead, you can provide leadership with your graphics and text that allows plenty of time for changes prior to the scheduled publication date.
Now that you know the reason why calendars are so important, it's time to discover how you can create an effective content calendar for social media and blogs.
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How do I create a Content Calendar?
Step 1: Select your channels
When you are putting together your calendar, take a look at your blogs, social media, or email newsletter data to understand the demographics of the people you want to reach. Have a look at what other competitors are doing, how and when, to figure out how you can make use of the areas that they are not able to cover. With this information, you'll be able to make better informed and strategic decisions that will focus your efforts on creating profitable material.
Step 2: Build Your Template
Download a free template or begin by creating your own. When you're working on the best way to design an online calendar for social media take a look at the types of data you'll have to keep in mind in each of your posts.
An excellent place to begin is to keep track of the date, time, platform, text, any pictures or other links you're planning to utilize, as well as who's accountable in charge of the content, if you're working with a larger team. When it comes to certain social media channels it is possible to make it more specific in order to distinguish between different types of content, like the distinction between whether an Instagram post Instagram is a grid or story, IGTV, or a reel.
If you're working on how to build a blog's blog content calendar, having a couple of more spaces in your calendar with the planned URL, title tag as well as meta descriptions as well as SEO keywords are handy for quick reference as well as planning.
You decide if you'd prefer to include analytics in your calendar template or keep it in a separate document. Another thing to keep in mind here is who the calendar will be shared with. If you're working with outside companies or partners such as an agency or freelancers they may need access to edit the calendar as a way to assist you. However, data analytics might need to be stored in the company.
Step 3: Mark in Important Dates
Once you have the template in place, you are able to begin adding content ideas. Before diving into your own posts, make a note on your calendar of all important dates coming up that month (or all year long when you're planning to create a 52 week schedule of content).
What you consider important for your company is going to vary based on the industry you operate in and your communication manner. For companies that adopt an approach that is lighthearted and fun to their content, days of national significance such as Star Wars Day, International Cheese Day and Talk Like A Pirate Day can be fun ways to engage with your audience.
In the case of other businesses, typical holiday dates or public holidays within your field will constitute the bulk of what you share here.
Step 4: Determine Your Schedule
Being aware of your abilities with regards to the production of material is essential to create a realistic and achievable schedule. There's lots of information out there about optimal publishing schedules for every social media channel, but it's important to understand whether it's appropriate from a time viewpoint and also if it's something the audience is looking for.
Like important dates the schedule of yours will differ in accordance with your field of work as well as the number of people on your staff. Certain months can be more busy than others, specifically when you are working for an organization that is seasonal, however the use of a content calendar can help you to pre-plan and minimize extra workload where it is possible.
Step 5: Upload Your Content
Once you've determined how often you'll be updating, you can start putting suggestions with publication dates on your calendar. It's ideal to start working backwards from these and add updates to your status or stage of creation dates into your calendar as well, assigning these to various staff members.
Both social media and written content, you may have copywriting, graphic design or photography demands as well as approval dates that have to be included in the timetable, so be sure you're leaving yourself ample time to complete everything created.
Begin with ideas for content specifically for that month, and save your timeless, or evergreen, content for gap-filling. It is also beneficial to leave a few days each month where you have no content planned to move posts around or add in anything timely as it comes to light. You never know what a major crisis or announcement might change all of your strategies.
Helpful Tools and Resources to create (and managing) Content Calendars
If you're using a social media scheduling tool, many include a calendar of content built in, saving you time for planning your content and getting it scheduled. This also helps if you need to move things around, with many applications that offer a drag-and-drop calendar , which lets you modify the date and time of the scheduled posting. Buffer, Hootsuite and Sprout Social are all popular tools to create and manage the content on social media.
When you're working on the content plan for your blog and emails, spreadsheets can work effectively to organize your coming posting calendars. If you're working with more people or want a more interactive approach using project management software like Asana, Trello, Basecamp and ClickUp can be great for collaboration and keeping track of each stage of your creation.
Whatever your content needs are an adaptable and flexible content calendar is the most effective way to stay organized across your company. Have fun planning!
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