From developing and creating content to publishing it across the right channels, content creation can be overwhelming.
That’s why we’ve outlined steps to take to start building a structured content calendar, alongside our free downloadable template.
What is a content calendar?
A roadmap for your upcoming content which includes dates, times, platforms and more. It can be in any format that works for you and your team such as an Excel spreadsheet (scroll down to download our free content calendar), a document or on a platform.
The benefits of a content calendar
Organised and aligned
Have you ever found that you have forgotten to post something or are scrambling last minute for an idea?
Don’t worry we’ve all been there multiple times — life and work become busy, and your blog or social media channels take a back seat.
That’s where a content calendar is highly beneficial. Not just for you but for your team as well. With everyone having access to the same calendar, you and your team can stay on top of things, even on hectic days, and avoid any miscommunication about when and where that content is meant to be published.
Consistency
Consistency is key, and that’s where if do not keep up with your content strategy, your audience may lose interest or forget about your business altogether, taking you two steps backwards.
Think of it as your team’s assistant. It can show you at a glance what content you’re posting, when, and where.
By using one, you can make sure you’re staying consistent and never missing a post, even when your schedule is packed.
Content Gaps
With the calendar providing you and your team with a bird’s eye view, you can identify whether you are missing a post, posting too much of the same topic or if there are any topics you are not posting about.
Saves time
Planning ahead is key for content creation.
Clear deadlines and timelines are included in the calendar, helping you and your team to keep on track.
How to create a content plan
Set clear goals
Before creating any content, you need to think what is its purpose.
Are you trying to grow your subscriber base? Do you want them to sign up for an event or a seminar?
By understanding your goal, creating the content becomes a lot clearer.
Know your audience
Content will only be successful if it is relevant and valuable to your audience.
Research your audience’s demographics, behaviours, and pain points.
What channels to post on
Different platforms have different audiences.
A part of understanding your audience, is identifying what platforms they are on. Focus your efforts on the channels where your audience spends most of their time.
Once identified, look at the platforms themselves. What are the dimensions for graphics, can you add links in the copy, what are the hashtag limits? All of these can impact how you create and post your content.
For example, if your target audience is professionals, LinkedIn might be a priority. Whereas if you’re speaking to a younger audience, platforms like Instagram or TikTok may work better.
Create the content
The fun part! Now that you have a clear goal, know who your content is aimed for and what platform you’re going to post on, creating the content should become a whole lot easier.
Platforms like Canva are brilliant tools to help with this.
Create a content calendar
It will get to a point where you have planned so much content that keeping up with it can become difficult.
That’s where you use your handy content calendar. Fill in the calendar with the content you are planning to publish on what date/time and on what platform. By filling the calendar in, you start to create a broader view of your content strategy and what has been and what hasn’t.
Schedule the content
Once the content has been created, be sure to schedule your content with the relevant graphics, hashtags and links on your chosen platform.
And don’t forget to update that piece of content on your calendar as ‘scheduled’.
Keep updating
Throughout this whole content creation process, make sure you are referring back to the calendar and updating it.
It’s all well and good having created a content calendar but if you don’t update it you can cause confusion amongst your team as to what has and hasn’t been completed.
Download our free content calendar
Creating a content calendar can be time-consuming, and even once you’ve developed it, you might find that it doesn’t work as effectively as you had hoped.
Download our free content calendar (the backbone behind all the content we share across our channels) and simply start filling it in. You’ll be well on your way towards an effective content strategy before you know it!
If you need help with your content strategy, please feel free to contact us.
