Using content to boost your business visibility remains a valuable tool, with 74% of companies seeing increased lead generation from content marketing. Given the need for a constant stream of content, how do you keep it all organized? An editorial calendar is the tool to do just this.Â
The editorial calendar began in the publishing world as an actual calendar that provided a framework for putting out content over the year. Now, it is used to help marketers and businesses create, plan, and execute a long-term marketing plan to distribute content that achieves their brand goals. This differs from the content calendar, which outlines the execution of day-to-day content creation.
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Steps to building a powerful calendar
Define the goals of content and the key performance indicators (KPIs). KPIs and metrics measure what is and is not working with the marketing efforts. They should answer the questions "why," "how," and "where" of the goals for brand awareness and lead generation. They also allow for tracking results and look for room to improve.
Choose the team. The editorial calendar can allow for brainstorming and feedback directly on the calendar. Decide which team members will use the editorial calendar to provide the best collaboration. Schedule and assign tasks to the team directly in the calendar.
Choose a format that works for your team. Editorial calendars help teams collaborate more effectively. Each organization's needs with a calendar will vary based on the location of the team members, their collaboration needs, and the tools the team is using. Keep this in mind when choosing the calendar format. Editorial calendars come in different formats, including spreadsheets, calendars, and project management software. Some editorial calendars are actual physical calendars or whiteboards.
Understand the audience. Describe the audience through demographics. Define how your content can help them. Determine the customer journey -Â where are they in the funnel, and how the content will move the audience along in their journey.
Map out details.
Identify the topics or themes the content will focus on.
Plan the frequency of posting. Make sure there is consistency in the schedule to help develop a regular audience.
Identify important dates, such as events, holidays, or seasons to keep content timely.
Determine which distribution channels to utilize. This includes newsletters, blog posts, social media, and podcasts. Use different colors on the calendar to make identifying the channels easier for team members.
Track content. Map out the content in advance. Keep a place on the calendar where team members can brainstorm content ideas that align with themes and campaigns. Keep the big picture of brand goals in mind.
Regularly check in with the team. The calendar gives an ease to checking on the status of team members' projects. This helps improve team communication and eliminate any last-minute scrambling from deadlines going off track. Â
With 92% of businesses and marketers seeing value in content marketing, this area continues to boom. This also means there is more noise for your potential audience to filter through. The editorial calendar can help elevate your marketing efforts above the noise by focusing on consistent branding. Improving team efficiency and keeping everyone on top of posting goals with the calendar will go a long way in increasing lead generation.
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