Tools to create a content calendar you'll actually use

Table of Contents

If you’re like most bloggers, you know the importance of content planning. But sometimes it’s hard to know where to start, or what exactly to include in your content calendar. In this guide, we will walk you through the steps of creating a content calendar that is perfect for your blog!

Gather Ideas #

The first step to creating a content calendar is simply generating ideas. Some great places to turn when you’re stuck in the idea phase are your company values, the needs of your audience, and anything that is seasonally relevant to your audience. Let the brainstorming begin!

Mind mapping is a great way to brainstorm. Learn how with this mind mapping tool . You can also check out this AI driven mapping tool called ContextMind . It helps with generating and organizing content ideas that are SEO friendly.

Once you have a good list of ideas, it’s time to start thinking about the format each piece will take. Will it be a blog post? A video? An infographic? Decide on the content type before moving on to the next step.

Get Organized #

The next step is to organize your ideas. The seasonal posts will be obvious and you can fill the rest in from there based on other campaigns or strategies. Once you have all of your content ideas placed in the list, it’s time to start thinking about a posting schedule.

Consistency is key when it comes to blogging, so try to post on the same day each week. If that’s not possible, shoot for the same day each month. And finally, make sure to leave room for content spontaneity. No matter how well you plan, there will always be ideas that come to you last minute.

Get to Work #

Now that you have your content calendar, you can start working on the next item on the list while at the same time making sure that you have a place to gather the research for any else you have coming down the line. This will help you stay organized and on track, which is the best way to get the most out of your content calendar.

With a content calendar in place, you can now confidently move forward with your content marketing strategy, knowing that you have a plan in place to keep things moving smoothly. No more scrambling to come up with ideas or worrying

Stay Flexible #

Remember that you can change gears at any point. Update the order, throw something out if you’re not feeling it, and adjust the plan based on what’s important to your people, what’s going on in the world, or maybe even what you’re passionate about. The content needs to connect with your people, so if it’s not working, do something else.

Be Consistent #

The most important thing is to be consistent with your content. If you’re not, people will forget about you and it’ll be harder to get them back. So, make sure to stick to the schedule as best you can and keep pumping out great content.

Check in Regularly #

Set some time aside each week (or each day, if you’re really ambitious) to check in on your content calendar. Make sure everything is still on track and that there aren’t any problems. This is also a great time to brainstorm new ideas and come up with ways to make your content even better.

Get Feedback #

Finally, don’t forget to get feedback from your audience. See what they’re saying about your content and use that to improve future pieces. After all, they’re the ones you’re doing this for in the first place!

Tools #

Creating a content calendar for your blog is an essential step in ensuring that your content is consistent and of high quality. By following the tips above, you can be sure that your content calendar will help you meet your blogging goals.