editorial calendars: plan your work; work your plan
TRANSCRIPT
Editorial Calendars
Plan your work; work your plan
By Angie Pedersen, KCGeeks.com
@angiepedersen/@kcgeeks
Agenda
○ Editorial calendars 101: What and Why
○ Creating an editorial calendar
○ Editorial calendar forms/formats
○ WordPress plugins
○ Incorporating an editorial calendar in your content marketing plan
@angiepedersen/@kcgeeks
Editorial calendars 101: What?
○ Tool used by bloggers, publishers, businesses, and groups to manage content publication across different distribution channels, including:
○ Blog(s)
○ Email newsletters
○ Social media
○ Paid media campaigns
@angiepedersen/@kcgeeks
Editorial calendars 101: Why?
○ Define the process and execution of creating content, such as:
○ Brainstorm content ideas
○ Research and writing
○ Editing
○ Publishing per calendar schedule
○ Promoting
○ Help ensure content is being published and promoted consistently
@angiepedersen/@kcgeeks
Plan the work: Creating an editorial calendar
Consider:
○ Monthly/weekly themes
○ Holidays (e.g. gift guides/recommendations, build awareness, offer resources, etc.)
○ Campaigns (e.g. conventions, ads, book/product/service launch, contests, etc.)
○ Frequency of posts
○ Vacation/scheduling posts
@angiepedersen/@kcgeeks
Editorial Calendar formats
○ Paper calendar printouts
○ Spreadsheets (e.g. Excel or Google Sheets)
○ Google calendar
○ WordPress plugin
○ 3rd party platform (e.g. Spreadfast, DivvyHQ, etc.)
@angiepedersen/@kcgeeks
Spreadsheet
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○ Create separate tabs for each channel/property
○ blog○ social○ newsletter○ ebooks/case studies/etc.
○ Track various data - deadlines/status/etc.
○ Post date○ Author○ Tentative title○ Keywords○ Categories○ Call to action○ Status
Spreadsheet
@angiepedersen/@kcgeeks
Google Calendar
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○ associated with a Google account
○ may want to set up a unique account
WordPress calendar plugins
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Editorial Calendar plugin
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Editorial Calendar plugin
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○ Calendar item automatically creates new post
○ (even unscheduled/ “parked” posts)
Co-schedule:Plugin + Platform
○ Starts at $30/month, after 14-day free trial
○ WP plugin available
○ Also syncs with Google Docs, Google Analytics, & Evernote
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@angiepedersen/@kcgeeks
Third-party Platform: DivvyHQ
○ Starts at $30/user/month, after 14-day free trial
○ No WP plugin
@angiepedersen/@kcgeeks
Work the Plan
○ Incorporate an editorial calendar into your content marketing plan○ Blogs
○ Social posts
○ Email marketing
○ Campaigns
@angiepedersen/@kcgeeks
Links
○ Hubspot: Free Google calendar & Excel calendar templates
○ Includes how to set up Google Calendar
○ Content Marketing Institute: Editorial Calendar tips & templates
○ 15 Life Changing Editorial Tools
○ TimeandDate.com Fun Holidays
○ Bizarre & Wacky Holidays
@angiepedersen/@kcgeeks
BONUS Content Links!
○ 100 Blog Topics for Your Business
○ 100 Blog Topics I Hope YOU Write
○ I Brainstormed 180 Blog Post Ideas for You [PDF available]
○ 6 months of writing prompts (Problogger newsletter subscription)
○ 50 Can’t-Fail Techniques for Finding Great Blog Topics
@angiepedersen/@kcgeeks
