Blogging strategy, blogging calendar, blogging plan — they’re all synonyms for “content calendar.” With so many names for the same thing, you can bet your boots it’s important.
A content calendar is exactly what it and all its nicknames make it sound like: A plan of attack. And if you’re blogging for business purposes, a blogging calendar is a must. After all, business is often like a battle in which the spoils (read customers) go to the victors.
How To Create A Content Calendar
As briefly discussed in “A Painless 3-Step Formula To Writing A Successful Blog,” a content calendar is a key step in the blogging process. After developing blog topic ideas, start organizing them into a content calendar.
Blogging Frequency
First, you must decide how often you will post blogs — every other week, once a week, two times a week? A higher number of blogs generally creates a higher return on investment. This is because of the search factor; the more quality information you put out, the higher the chances that search engines will bring your blogs to the forefront when users search for particular information. Frequent blogging also keeps your social media platforms fresh, helping your business stay top-of-mind.
Make sure whichever posting option you choose that you’ll be able to meet your deadlines. Consistency is a big factor, as well. According to HubSpot, marketers who consistently blog are 13 times more likely to see a high ROI.
Brainstorm Themes
Themes can help you plan ahead for an entire year. If blogging for business, think about your sales cycles. Do you sell more of a certain item during a particular time of year? If so, create a series of blogs discussing that item or issues associated with it. Do holidays propel spurts of business? Consider blogs associated with said holidays. These themes may last one month or they may span several months.
Make Up Your Calendar
Now for the easiest part: Write out your blogging schedule. You can use an actual calendar or a spreadsheet to mark publishing dates. Write out the dates you want to publish blogs, then connect a blog title that fits into that month’s theme to that publishing date. You can do this one month at a time or by the length of your theme.
Other Notes On Content Calendars
A few more tips to remember:
- Once your content calendar is mapped out, start writing! If you write all your blogs a month out, you’ll always make your publishing deadlines.
- Set alerts/tasks on your calendar or task management tool to help you remember to not only publish your blogs on the specified days, but to also write the following month’s blogs.
- Time-sensitive issues that require immediate action are justifiable reasons to break with your themes. Sometimes industry news breaks and a timely blog on it can generate considerable website traffic.
Using a blogging calendar can give you peace of mind where this formidable task is concerned so you’re never blindsided.
