A content marketing calendar provides a view of content over time, forging a clear path to what you want to share with your audience. It is THE tool to help you plan and execute your content marketing strategy efficiently, effectively, and in a timely manner. A content calendar will keep you well-organized and on track.
Content calendars DO NOT have to be complicated or rigid. After all, it’s supposed to make things easier, not harder! It should be flexible and able to respond to potential last-minute changes or trends not anticipated.
Create a content calendar according to your specific needs with the following key elements:
√ Goals – what are you trying to achieve with your content?
√ Target audience – who are you trying to reach? What channels do they use and when do they consume content? What content is relevant to them? Remember, it is about your customer and their needs not about your business.
√ Type of content – what topics are relevant to your customers? Will you write blogs, create Instagram stories, or go live on Facebook? Will your content be written or delivered via video?
√ Channel – what are the mediums on which the content will appear? How do the channels work together?
√ Date and time – what days are customers consuming content? That is when you want to publish. Identify specific dates and times of distribution.
√ Call to action – ensure your customer knows what to do as a result of consuming your content. Tell them what you want them to do!
√ Owner(s) – who is responsible for creating and publishing the content in line with the calendar?
√ Follow-through – has the content been published according to schedule? Have you gotten the engagement you expected? Analyze your plan and adjust the plan based on what you learn.
A thoughtful and well-designed content calendar provides a visual timeline of activities which supports organized, efficient, and consistent performance. The key to success is aligning content with overall business goals and customer needs. A content calendar supports your well-crafted plan. Practice making and using a content calendar the next time that you create something!