When creating a content marketing strategy, one of the biggest challenges is coming up with engaging and relevant content on a regular basis. There can be difficulty with developing new topics each week. There are ways to ensure that you have these ideas listed and on hand. Creating a content calendar not only provides you with a way to have your plans scheduled but also helps create a clear path for defining the marketing goals of your business. Here are some key tips for developing your own calendar.
Have Clear Goals
Before you create your calendar, you want to have a plan in place on what your marketing goals are. Do you want to want to build or expand your following on social media? Are you looking to have a library of blog topics regarding your industry? Whatever your primary goal is, listing it helps you set a guideline for what will go in your calendar. In addition, since goals evolve over time, it’s beneficial to have short- and long-term goals listed and reviewed occasionally.
Decide the Channels to Use
Once you have an idea of what to create, you next want to determine the outlets you will use to have the content displayed. There are numerous options available, from blogs to social media feeds to video sites. You want to create high-quality content on key channels instead of simply posting to everything just because. In addition, have a plan that includes both quicker social posts as well as in-depth information.
Have Solid Subject Lines
A good content calendar doesn’t just have to list plans. It can also be a useful tool for tracking how your customers interact with your content. This includes back-end data such as ROI, click rate, and subscription information. This can also help you determine what topics and formats are performing well with customers and which ones don’t.
Set Up Timelines
Once you have a sense of the content to create and design workflows around them, it’s important to have a timeframe for when each step will be completed. Having clear deadlines provides definitive data on when each step of your plan will be created. It also allows you to keep your team accountable throughout the creation process.
A solid content calendar helps you plan an effective strategy to create ideas that will engage with your audience. While it doesn’t serve as a singular solution for producing great content, it can provide a framework to drive your marketing.