By: Cecilia Fay

A content calendar is a useful tool for organizing and planning your content creation process, whether it is for social media, a blog, or other types of content. You’ll stay consistent with your publishing schedule, cover a variety of relevant topics, and align your content with important dates and events. With a content calendar, you can streamline your workflow, save time, and produce high-quality content that resonates with your audience. Here are three steps to creating a content calendar. 

Pick a system 

The first step in creating a content calendar is to determine where you want to plan and manage your content. No matter what method you use, making sure your calendar is accessible and in one place is the most important. Free templates are available online for all kinds of content calendars. My favorite site to use is https://www.template.net. Pick a template you like and make it your own. Edit away to make YOUR system work for YOU.

Gather and add content including appropriate dates, events, themes, titles, and more. 

Content is the purpose of this calendar, so make sure you add as much as possible! If the calendar is for a blog, add in blog titles, who is responsible for writing, and due dates. If it's for social media, add content pillars and holidays, and indicate the platform(s) for each post. Depending on the type of content, you can add due dates, but make sure they are structured and relevant. For example, if you are wanting to run a holiday campaign on social media, have your content due dates be due well before the holiday.

Color code and label 

A content calendar will have a lot of moving parts, especially if you are working on a team. Be sure that each part of the calendar is cohesive and understandable for everyone who needs it, by labeling and color-coding tasks, content, and any other relevant information. You can label by client or by project. Your boss’s duties can be blue and yours can be red. If you keep it clear and concise, the sky's the limit. The goal is to make the job easier, not harder! 

Ultimately, a content calendar can save you time and effort while improving the effectiveness of your content efforts. Happy content planning!