Understanding Content Writing Tools: Your First Content Calendar

How do you transform basic advice about writing content to market your business into an actual process that produces real-world results? Ask any experienced pro, and they’ll tell you that one of the most vital content writing tools is the calendar itself. 

Basing your strategy around the time of year, from the style of your posts to their content, offers a simple structure and an important reminder that your content doesn’t exist in a vacuum. A calendar helps you stick to a strategy that leads users through a funnel and continuously brings in new leads.

According to 60% of marketers in an industry survey, inbound marketing generates the best-quality leads online. So, charting a strategy that creates value for users in the moment and drives sales for your brand in the long run, is ideal. How do you get started? Let’s consider a few of the significant steps you need to take to set up a working content calendar system that offers the framework you need to make a difference for your brand. 

Choose a Calendar Tool You Understand 

This isn’t the type of project you want to try doing with pen and paper. A content calendar must contain a wealth of information, and it should allow you to keep track of progress and any collaborative efforts in your team. Spreadsheets are a classic choice but can be difficult for joint projects—you don’t want to silo off your calendar. Many popular tools online for project management let you map your content to a calendar. Explore these solutions and choose one that matches your needs. 

Define Your Schedule and KPIs 

How often do you need to post? A good rule to follow when starting is to aim for one to two posts per week on a regular schedule, but some professionals recommend as many as three or four new posts a week. You need to keep your ideas organized on the calendar when you might need to publish up to sixteen pieces of content or more a month. 

Define the content type and code it by length or channel. Ensure you can associate more in-depth content briefs with each post where necessary so that you and your writers can quickly review each piece’s requirements—factor in enough lead time between writing and publication to allow for editing and review. At the same time, start laying out what performance you need to see for each blog—and don’t forget to track your performance with analytical content writing tools after posting. 

Plan Around the Calendar Year and Your Business Schedule 

As you look across the calendar, don’t forget that it should inform some of your strategy. While you should still aim to capitalize on trends as far as possible, plan content launches around key dates for your business during the year. This could be the run-up to a big trade show, a new product launch, or a season of sales—but it should all have accompanying content to promote your business. 

Don’t forget the holidays, either. It’s a myth that web traffic or shopping activity drops off a cliff during holidays, though there are key dates to target, too. A single day of online sales, such as Cyber Monday, can generate over $10 billion in total revenue. Use your calendar to plan content campaigns that will help you capture some of that seasonal interest. 

Balance Different Forms of Content for a Structured Approach 

Using your calendar to plan different types of content at regular intervals keeps things fresh, gives you a better chance at effective SEO, and appeals to more readers. You don’t want to overwhelm your editor with a flood of content, nor do you want your readers to feel like they can’t keep up with your posting schedule. At the same time, you shouldn’t go radio silent for an extended period. 

You might identify periods where it’s best to grab the reader’s attention in short bursts. For example, you can use your calendar to see how often you post long-form versus short-form content. Similarly, you should vary how often you post timely content versus evergreen pieces—and use your analytics to see how each performs at different times of the year. 

Start Building Your Calendar Today 

There's much to consider, from the basics, such as choosing a tool and defining your metrics, to thinking about the big picture of using and re-using content across channels. It’s true: making content writing tools such as the content calendar produce the results you want takes some hard work. As you build out your campaign and cross off the days, you can see that hard work pays off in tangible ways—all while gaining experience that will keep fueling your marketing in the future.