Content Marketing Calendar
If you search Google for “content marketing calendar”, you will find so much vague and confusing information. I hope that my hours of researching, googling, reading, and YouTubing will help you. Others try to be too general so that I left more confused. I created a formula that works well and still leaves wiggle room for the odd newest/latest/greatest/fun/random thing that happens. It’s simple and clean. I hope it works
Month:
I break my marketing into months, then weeks, then days. Each month is a different main topic. Let’s pretend we are picking the month of November. It’s a chilly month and just before the holidays go into full swing. Pick your topic for the month.
- Interior painting if you’re a painter
- Thermostats if you’re an HVAC person
- Tire alignments if you’re an auto repair shop
- Pre-holiday sales for crafters
- Specialty cookies if you’re a bakery
- I think you get the idea
Week:
Then break that topic down further. There are roughly 4 weeks in a month. Each week can be something different. You are not trying to advertise and say “buy from me” in every post. That’s annoying. Fans and Followers want diversity and fun with little sales sleeze.
- a tip (key thermostats temperatures)
- education (why the steering wheel giggles)
- regulation or product update (new laws that effect the consumer)
- a discount/sale/deal
- holiday related post (happy… be you! Pick your holiday)
- special hours (closed or open extra long?)
- images of damaged verses perfect condition
- quotes
- something cute, fun, and/or random (lipsinging employees while working!!)
Once that is complete and your ideas are flowing, break it down a bit further. Write it all out either by spreadsheet, word document, or whiteboard calendar. Keep track of this information because it will be a great template for the next year or if you decide to repeat the same topic later.
Now, take it a step further. Yes… again!!
- write out the tips
- create content for regulations or product update
- write any holiday related posts
- find quotes (brainyquotes.com)
- take, find, or hire a photographer for the damaged/perfect images
Congratulations!
If you have followed the process beyond just reading this article, then you have a month’s worth of your marketing content calendar complete. Each piece of content can be tweaked slightly between the various social media you plan to use.
If this seems too much work to start and you want to make things even more simplified, then below is another example. A whole month can be written on one sheet with just a few basic details. No dates so this can be repeated a few times.
For more assistance creating a content calendar, please feel free to give me a call. I am happy to talk to you and learn more about your business and digital marketing goals to help you develop a marketing plan and calendar for your business. I can be reached at 804.402.0084 or [email protected].
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