Discover 4 crucial tips for crafting an effective content calendar and elevate your content strategy to new heights. Click for expert insights!
4 Tips for Creating an Effective Content Calendar
While it has been decades since Bill Gates declared that “content is king,” the phrase still rings as true today as it did in 1996. Every digital marketing professional needs regularly published content to keep their blog ranking high and their social media followers engaged.
Bob Cates with Ten Peaks Media states “with the Google algorithm updates since last August, Google has signaled how important high quality content valuable to users is.”
Google August 2022 Helpful Content Update – Google rolled out a massive new update that heavily rewards people-first content. The search company notes that the central focus of content should be on satisfying the reader—not just search engines. Websites with loads of useless content (i.e., the one created with just optimization in mind and that offer no value to people) may plummet in rankings even if some of their pages are helpful. If you get hit by this update, it can take several months to recover.
Google December 2022 Helpful Content Update – This was the second helpful content update, and it enhances the helpful content system introduced by Google in August. It expands to all languages and can introduce new ranking signals or adjust existing ones.
Google August 2023 Core Update – This is the second broad core update of 2023. As a core update, it affected all content types in all regions and languages. It is meant to reward high-quality content valuable for users.
It’s easy to see why quality content is so important, however, sticking to a consistent schedule for creating and posting content can be daunting, especially when it feels like there is so much else to do.
Creating a content calendar is a viable way to ensure content creation doesn’t become a neglected part of your business. Here are four tips for how to create a content calendar that works for you.
- Establish Your Content Goals
Before you can create an effective content calendar, it is helpful to understand what you aim to achieve with your posts. Are you looking to build brand awareness? Would you like to increase conversions and sales? What about establishing yourself as a thought leader?
Knowing your overall goal will determine the type of content you post, how frequently you post, and which channels you publish your content on. All of this information is key for developing a robust content calendar. - Identify and Audit Your Channels
An effective content calendar must include information about which channels you will post on. Identifying your channels helps to solidify which type of content you need, as the formats and audience might differ between them.
For example, an Instagram post may include a few carousel photos with a short caption and two hashtags, while a pillar blog post requires long-form content with lots of keywords and internal links.
Before you decide on your channels, complete a short audit to see which ones work best for you and where your audience is most responsive. Your content calendar for social media should focus on the channels with your most active followers instead of trying to post to all channels. - Develop the Right Workflow
Developing your workflow will help you create a content calendar to suit your needs. For example, you may prefer to start with your channels and then work on filling in timelines, publishing frequency, and content types.
Those with a team around them might start by assigning a channel to each team member and then letting the other elements fall into place. Use the method that works best for you and your team. - Track All Content and Create Reports
Once you have completed a cycle in your content marketing calendar, track and report on how well your content performed on each channel. Doing this will help you make the necessary adjustments before you fill in your content calendar for the next cycle. It will also make sticking to your calendar much easier since you’ll be able to see the tangible results of your hard work.
Finding a Content Publishing Partner Can Yield Amazing Results
The best thing about high-quality content is that it lives on the internet forever. When you commit to regular posting, you create long-term value that will make a solid foundation for your brand to grow and thrive.
If you need help creating fresh, SEO-friendly content regularly, Ten Peaks Media has got you covered. Contact our content marketing team today and discover the difference a tailored content plan can make for your brand.
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