Tips and tools for organising content that will help you use content calendars to their full potential
Think about being a juggler on a wire and trying to keep several balls in the air at the same time. The balls are your blog posts, social media updates, videos, and email ads. Each one is demanding your attention and could knock you off balance.
As you try to keep up, you realise you need a safety net—a way to organise and plan your content creation so you can stay in balance and give your viewers a great show.
Here comes your trusted partner, the content planner. It makes sure that each piece of content appears at the right time, captivating your audience and leaving them begging for more.
But just like planning and practicing a circus act carefully, making a good content calendar takes knowledge, skill, and a bit of imagination.
To make a great content calendar, this piece will talk about all the important parts, how it can help you create content, and the step-by-step process for making one that will keep your readers on the edge of their seats.
What does a content plan mean?
A content calendar is a strategic planning tool that helps businesses plan, organise, and keep track of the content they create and share across different mediums and platforms.
It makes sure that the right content gets to the right people at the right time by acting as a primary hub for all content-related activities.
Content calendars can be made in a number of different ways, based on what the business needs and wants. Here are some popular formats:
1. Sheets of paper
A lot of companies make their content plans in Excel or Google Sheets. Spreadsheets are a simple, flexible, and team-friendly way to plan and keep track of material.
2. Free tools and apps
Many apps and pieces of software, like Trello, Asana, and CoSchedule, can be used to make a content schedule. A lot of the time, these tools come with extra features like analytics, workflow automation, and team communication.
3. Tools for managing projects
Some companies connect their content plans to project management tools like Monday.com or Jira so that the creation of content fits in with other business goals and projects.
A well-designed content calendar usually has the following key parts, no matter what shape it is in:
- Topics and themes for the content: The schedule should list the main topics and ideas that the content will cover. This way, the content can be sure to fit with the goals of the business and the interests of the target audience.
- Content formats: This part tells the programme what kind of content to make, like blog posts, movies, podcasts, infographics, or posts for social media.
- Dates and times of publication: The calendar should make it clear when each piece of content will be released, taking into account things like the availability of the target audience, best practices for the platform, and the general frequency of content.
- Distribution channels: This part lists the websites and other media outlets where the information will be shared, like the business website, social media pages, email newsletters, and publications from other companies.
- Responsible team members: The calendar should list the tasks and duties that each team member is responsible for. This way, everyone on the team knows what their job is and when they need to complete the work.
- Tracking progress: A content schedule should have a way to keep an eye on the progress of each piece of content, from coming up with ideas to publishing and promoting it. This will make sure that everyone works together smoothly and that everything gets done on time.
These parts work together to make a content plan that is organised and flows well by:
- A content calendar helps make sure that all of your material and channels have the same voice, look, and message for your brand.
- A calendar helps with planning, allocating resources, and finding possible gaps or overlaps in the content strategy by giving a big picture view of the whole content pipeline.
- A central content plan makes it easier for everyone on the team to work together and communicate by outlining their roles, responsibilities, and due dates for each step of the content creation process.
- A content calendar carefully plans content themes and topics so that the content strategy fits with the general business goals and the needs of the target audience.
What’s good about using a content plan
A structured content calendar is helpful for all kinds of businesses, no matter what size or field they’re in. In the first place, it makes sure that material creation and publication are always the same.
Companies keep a steady flow of content that follows brand standards by planning topics, themes, and formats ahead of time. This builds trust and credibility with their audience.
A content calendar also helps with organisation and planning because it brings together all the tasks that have to do with content in one place.
This helps teams make better use of their resources, fill in content gaps, and take advantage of timely chances like industry events or seasonal trends.
A content schedule makes it easier for teams to work together and talk to each other. Clear roles, responsibilities, and dates cut down on confusion and unnecessary work, and built-in collaboration tools speed up work and make sure better content.
A well-made content calendar makes it easier to make sure that the content strategy is in line with business goals and aims. It helps get new products out there, raise awareness of a brand, and successfully target the right groups of people.
Lastly, a content schedule saves time and makes work more efficient by preventing last-minute scrambles and making it easier to batch and reuse content.
A content schedule is an effective way to make sure that content creation is consistent, organised, collaborative, aligned, and time-efficient. Businesses can make high-quality, timely, and relevant material that drives growth and success by taking advantage of these benefits.
Important parts of a content plan
1. Types of content
material calendars should include different types of material in different formats to meet the needs of different platforms and audience tastes. Some common types of information are:
- Blog posts are written pieces that talk about specific topics or give useful information.
- Social media posts are short, interesting updates that are made to work on certain sites, like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and so on.
- Videos are pictures that can be anything from how-to guides and product demos to interviews and behind-the-scenes video.
- Infographics are pictures that show data or information in a way that is easy to understand and share.
- Email newsletters are regular updates that are sent straight to the inboxes of subscribers. They usually include promotions, company news, or material that has been carefully chosen.
2. When and where to print
Figuring out the best time to post content is essential for getting the most views and comments.
When planning when to post content, you should think about things like the age range of your viewers, their location, and the platform’s analytics. Using tools like tracking software or social media management platforms can help you figure out when people are most likely to interact with each platform.
3. Themes and ideas for content
Content plans should list the main ideas and subjects that will be talked about within a certain amount of time. In this way, material stays relevant to the audience, fits with the organization’s goals, and doesn’t get duplicated or inconsistent. Finding out about popular topics, news in your business, and what your audience is interested in can help you plan and come up with content ideas.
4. Audience and tools to reach
It’s important to know the demographics, tastes, and behaviours of the target audience in order to make content that really speaks to them.
Content calendars should list the platforms where each piece of content will be released, taking into account how each platform works and what the audience expects. For example, content made for TikTok and content made for LinkedIn might have different styles and formats.
5. Members of the team who are responsible for their work
Assigning roles and tasks makes sure that people are responsible and makes it easier for everyone to work together on the content creation process. Content calendars should make it clear who is in charge of writing, editing, posting, and approving each piece of content.
Project management software or sharing spreadsheets are two examples of collaboration tools that can help people work together and keep track of their progress.
6. Tracking progress and giving status notes
It is important to keep an eye on the progress of content creation projects on a regular basis so that problems can be found, strategies can be changed, and goals are met.
Content calendars should have ways to keep track of where each piece of content is at all times, like amounts of tasks finished, review stages, or milestone dates. This helps teams stay organised, set priorities, and stay open throughout the whole process of making material.
By adding these important parts to a full content calendar, businesses can make it easier to create content, make sure it’s consistent across all media, and connect with their target audience.
Also, the content calendar should be looked over and changed on a regular basis based on performance data and feedback. This way, it will always be getting better and adapting to changing audience tastes and market conditions.
How to Make a Content Calendar
Making a content calendar requires a number of planned steps to make sure that the content you create fits with your company’s goals, speaks to your audience, and is regularly shared through the right channels.
It’s important to set clear goals and objectives that fit with your general marketing strategy before you start writing content.
Some examples of these goals are making more people aware of a brand, getting more people to visit a website, getting new leads, or keeping old customers happy.
If you know what you want to accomplish, you can make sure that your content plan helps you reach your goals. To make a content schedule, follow this step-by-step guide:
1. Do a gap analysis and content check.
Go over the content pieces you already have and rate how well they work, how relevant they are, and how well they fit with your goals. Find any holes or places that could use some work that new content could fill.
Look at metrics like engagement rates, traffic sources, and conversion rates to find out what kinds of content work best and what things your audience is most interested in.
2. Come up with ideas and themes for content
Get input from people who matter, like marketing teams, subject matter experts, and people who work directly with customers, to come up with content ideas and themes.
To come up with a wide range of content ideas that meet the needs and interests of your target audience, look at keyword research, industry trends, customer pain points, and commonly asked questions.
Once you have a list of ideas, you should judge them based on how well they fit with your goals, how easy they are to carry out, and how they might affect your audience.
This process will help you make sure that your content calendar is full of interesting, high-quality content that fits with your general marketing plan.
6. Tools and Templates for a Content Calendar
Many tools and templates are available to help with organising and handling content calendars. These can be used by teams of any size, with different workflows, and with different personal tastes. Here is a full list of some well-known content calendar themes and tools:
1. Templates for Google Sheets
Google Sheets is a flexible tool for making your own content plans. There are many pre-made templates that can be downloaded, from simple monthly calendars to more detailed writing calendars.
Users can change these templates to include columns for things like content type, release dates, team members assigned, progress updates, and more.
Since Google Sheets lets people work together in real time, the content calendar can be accessed and changed by team members from anywhere with an internet link.
2. Templates for Excel
Microsoft Excel is another popular choice for managing content calendars because it has many of the same features as Google Sheets.
Content calendar templates in Excel usually come with rows and columns that can be changed to organise content by date, theme, format, distribution channel, and team member responsible.
Users can make jobs easier to do and automate them by adding formulas, macros, and conditional formatting. Excel is good for teams that are used to using Microsoft Office products because it has a strong set of features and an easy-to-use layout.
3. Boards on Trello
Trello is a visual project management app that sets up jobs and workflows with boards, lists, and cards. Content teams can make their own Trello boards to show their content calendars. Each board can have lists that show different stages of the content creation process, such as “ideas,” “in progress,” “scheduled,” and “published.”
Each card can have information like the title, description, due date, attachments, and team members who are responsible for that material. The drag-and-drop feature in Trello makes it simple to set priorities and see how things are going.
4. Templates for Asana
Asana is a complete tool for managing projects, and it comes with templates that are made to help you plan and carry out content. Users can pick from a number of content schedule templates or make their own that are specific to their needs.
Templates for Asana usually have places for content ideas, editorial calendars, task assignments, due dates, and progress updates. Asana lets teams work together, talk to each other, and connect to other platforms and tools to make their content processes more efficient.
5. Plan together
CoSchedule is a professional platform for content marketing that blends a content calendar with tools for scheduling posts on social media, tracking results, and working together.
It has a drag-and-drop calendar interface that lets users plan and schedule material for blog posts, social media posts, email newsletters, and other channels.
To make content marketing easier and get better results, CoSchedule has tools like workflow automation, job assignment, performance tracking, and customisable reporting.
6. Planner for Hootsuite
Hootsuite is mostly known as a tool for managing social media, but its Planner feature can also be used as a content calendar to plan and organise posts for social media.
In Hootsuite’s Planner, users can make content schedules that list the dates, times, platforms, and types of content that will be published for each post. Hootsuite has features for working together, collecting content, tracking performance, and connecting to other marketing tools to make planning and posting social media content easier.
It’s important to pick a content calendar tool or template that fits your team’s needs, tastes, and budget because each one has its own features and benefits.
Whether you choose a basic spreadsheet template or a full-featured project management platform, having a structured content calendar can help you plan your content more efficiently, get your team to work together better, and get better results from your content marketing.
How to keep track of your content calendar
Careful planning, flexibility, teamwork, and a focus on always getting better are all important for managing a content programme well. Here are some tips that will make managing your content plan easier:
- Plan ahead when you will write and publish content to stay consistent, make sure it fits with your marketing efforts, and make the best use of your resources.
- Stay flexible as your industry, audience tastes, and business priorities change by leaving room for last-minute changes and unexpected content possibilities.
- Check how well your content calendar is working by going over it often, looking at success metrics, and making changes based on new information and trends.
- Encourage team members to talk to each other and work together to come up with ideas, make sure they’re on the same page with the goals, and get feedback for ongoing growth.
- Keep an eye on key metrics across all channels to see how well they’re working, find ways to make them better, and change your content plan based on what the data tells you.
- You can make high-performing content last longer by using it in different ways and on different channels. This will increase its worth and effectiveness while reducing the amount of resources needed.
Putting your social media plan and content calendar together
It is important to connect your content calendar to your social media strategy if you want your content to have the most effect, get your audience more involved, and get real results for your business. Here’s a detailed look at how to make sure that your social media plan and content calendar work well together:
When you align your content calendar with your social media strategy, your message and brand voice will be the same on all platforms. This helps people recognise and identify your brand.
Coordinating content across multiple channels lets you use the best features and viewer preferences of each to get the most people to interact with and see your content.
By connecting your content schedule to your social media strategy, you can plan and carry out your activities more efficiently, without having to do the same work twice or rush at the last minute.
For social media material that really hits home with your audience, you need to know about their interests, behaviours, and demographics. Adding different types of content and forms to your social media feed is a great way to keep it interesting and new.
Setting a regular posting plan based on the best times to interact on each platform will help you stay in touch with your audience.
Adding social media content planning to your overall content calendar helps you connect your social media posts with blog posts, videos, and other content to strengthen your message and reach more people.
Making plans for social media posts to promote future events, campaigns, or content releases keeps your audience informed and interested. Finding ways to use content from your blog, videos, or other channels in social media posts increases the worth and reach of the content you already have.
It is important to make sure that your material fits the specific features and audience expectations of each social media site. It’s important to make sure that the formatting and customisation of your content fit the tone, style, and content preferences of each platform’s audience while staying true to your brand’s personality and message.
By combining your content calendar with your social media strategy and planning your posts in line with best practices for social media, you can use both platforms to engage your audience, get more traffic, and reach your business goals.
Regularly looking at performance data and making changes to your strategy as needed will help you get the best results and stay ahead in the digital world, which is always changing.
Last thoughts
To begin, a good content calendar should list the types of content you’ll be posting, when and where, the themes and topics you’ll be covering, your target audience, who is responsible for what on your team, and a way to keep track of progress and make changes.
It takes work to make a content plan, but don’t worry—it’s not impossible! Decide on formats and channels, make a plan, assign roles, and choose the right tools or templates to help you. You should also know what your content goals are and look at what you already have.
There are a lot of tools and themes to choose from, such as Google Sheets, Excel, Trello, Asana, CoSchedule, and Hootsuite Planner. All of them can help you organise and keep track of your content plan like a pro in different ways.
Plan ahead, be flexible, review and change your content calendar often, work with your team, keep an eye on how your content is doing, and don’t be afraid to use the content that’s doing well in other ways.
Also, don’t forget to match your social media plan up with your content calendar! Follow best practices for planning, make sure your social media posts are in line with your calendar, and change your content to work best on different platforms to get the most out of it.
It’s important to use and update your content schedule on a regular basis. It makes the process of making content organised and quick, makes sure that your branding and messaging are consistent across all media, and lets you keep up with trends and make sure that your content is best for your audience and business goals.
Now is the time to use a content schedule if you haven’t already. It will help you plan and organise like a boss, work together and talk to your team better, and get the most out of your content marketing.
To sum up, a content schedule is like the secret sauce for making content marketing work. It keeps you on track, organised, and helps you make the most of your information everywhere. How long are you going to wait? Now is the time to start making your own content plan. Your content marketing will go through the roof!
FAQs
1. How do you make a content calendar?
A content calendar is a strategic planning tool that helps businesses plan, organise, and keep track of the content they create and share across different mediums and platforms. It makes sure that the right content gets to the right people at the right time by acting as a primary hub for all content-related activities.
What are the most important parts of a content calendar?
A well-thought-out content calendar usually lists content topics and themes, content types, posting dates and times, the platform(s) and audience(s) you want to reach, responsible team members or contributors, and ways to track progress and give updates on your status.
Why would you want to use a content calendar?
A content calendar makes sure that content is consistently created and published, helps with organisation and planning, improves teamwork and communication, matches content strategy with business goals and objectives, saves time, and works more efficiently.
What are some common tools and templates for making a content calendar?
Google Sheets templates, Excel templates, Trello boards, Asana templates, CoSchedule, and Hootsuite Planner are all well-known content schedule tools and templates. Each has its own perks and features that make it better for different types of teams, workflows, and tastes.
How do I make a list of content?
To make a content calendar, you should first do a content audit and gap analysis, then come up with content ideas and topics, choose content formats and channels, set a publishing schedule, divide up roles and responsibilities, and choose tools or templates that will help you manage the process.
How do I make the best use of my content calendar?
To handle your content calendar well, you should plan ahead, be open to changes, regularly review your content to see how well it’s doing, encourage open communication and teamwork, keep an eye on key metrics to see how well it’s doing, and reuse content that’s already doing well.
