Content calendar planning

Do you need help with content creation, whether it’s for your blog, vlog, or social media? It’s common to procrastinate on this task until you realise it’s been far too long since you have produced anything new. However, if you are seeking a way to break down your creative ideas into a manageable plan that allows you to schedule your work and stay consistent, this article may be of great help.

The key to successful content creation is establishing a consistent routine and exhibiting discipline. Set aside dedicated time for planning, during which you can brainstorm ideas, categorise your content topics, and create a schedule that will keep you on track. Nothing will happen without setting aside the necessary time, so allocating time to take action intentionally is crucial.

Consider exploring different environments to switch up your routine and spark your creativity. For example, you may find inspiration in your favorite cafe or amidst the greenery of a nearby park.

Categorising your content topics is also crucial, as it allows you to take a bird’s-eye view of your work and identify opportunities for new content ideas. For example, if you create content about cooking, consider categorising your topics by recipes, budget-friendly grocery shopping, breakfast combinations, dinner ideas, and repurposing leftovers. This approach can help you generate more ideas and narrow your target market.

Establishing a consistent content schedule is also crucial. For example, if you aim to produce one piece of content weekly, you must plan out 52 articles annually. Even if you opt for two portions per week, consistency is vital. You can use tools like tables or Google spreadsheets to plan your content quarterly and focus on achieving your goals.

Finally, brainstorming is a critical aspect of content creation. Once you have established how many pieces of content you need per year or month, you can begin generating ideas. Look at FAQs or online platforms to spark your creativity and refine your content ideas.

One effective approach to generate a variety of posts from a single piece of content is by breaking it down into different question and tip formats, such as how-to guides, reviews, lists, myths, step-by-step tutorials, best tips, and interviews.

For instance, let’s assume that you have a category on washing, and during your brainstorming session, you came up with the idea of writing about washing your golden retriever. You can leverage this topic to create several separate posts, including “How to wash your golden retriever,” “Best products to use when washing your golden retriever,” “How often to wash your golden retriever,” and “5 hacks to wash your golden retriever easily.”

To efficiently plan your content, begin by reviewing your entire calendar, identifying any significant dates or holidays, and scheduling your content accordingly. By doing so, you can refine your ideas and set dates for posting throughout the quarter, providing you with an entire year’s worth of content ideas to draw from when creating your content calendar each quarter.

Once you sort your ideas, block some time in your planner to start creating your content. To help manage your schedule and ensure you meet your deadlines, input the due dates for each new piece of content and stay on track.