Joomag’s Content Calendar Checklist! (Part 2)

Welcome back to Joomag’s Content Calendar Checklist!

You’re wondering what to plug into your content calendar, we’ve got a checklist to help you find out!

Your content calendar should have…

LABELS: have each step of your editorial process labeled (like brainstorming ideas, publication release days, ad campaign dates, etc.) so you know how long each process takes and can make adjustments accordingly.
TITLES: list the titles of your publications, blogs, and other promotional material so you don’t lose track of them when working on multiple projects.
COLOR-CODES: color-code calendar entries to convey structure and more easily distinguish between different stages of your editorial strategy.
ANALYTICS: include relevant analytics (like page views and average session durations) so you know what is and isn’t popular with your publications. Then use that valuable information to fine-tune your future content.
TRENDS: incorporate some trend research, like the best keywords for boosting your SEO. It’s a great way to know at a glance which keywords and phrases generate the most traffic for your publications.
LINKS: include links to online resources (like research articles and surveys) that you want to include in your publications. And once your content is finally published, be sure to link it to your calendar, too.
DETAIL: your content calendar won’t be that useful if it only contains snippets of information, like abbreviations or acronyms. It needs to include a complete record of your content history so as to avoid any possible confusion later on.

Some Quick Tips:

1. Start slow if you have to. Fill your calendar’s content on a monthly, weekly, and then daily basis. Pretty soon you’ll be calendaring your publishing strategy by the hour, like a pro!

2. If you’re active on multiple social media sites, a good idea is to create separate calendars for each of them. You’ll stay organized and won’t have to worry about stuffing a lot of information into one calendar.

3. Be flexible! Remember that not everything’s set in stone. Online publishing is exciting because things are always changing. Your calendar should reflect that and leave some space for any last-minute changes you may be anticipating (be it publication release dates, marketing efforts, or trends).

Paid calendaring services, like Divvy HQ and CoSchedule, can help you get started with your content calendar. But If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, then Google Calendar is a great choice. It’s free, lets you easily share your calendar with your team (if you’re part of one), and provides a lot of really useful features like those mentioned above. You can watch this video tutorial that shows you how to use it effectively.

Planning can make or break your publication’s success. Use a content calendar to focus your publishing strategy and get the results you want!