The search engines and your potential customers are looking to you to write more great content than ever before. And to disseminate it widely, across social networks and using social media. For some, producing sufficient content to keep the blog looking busy and the newsfeeds of your followers full of quality copy, can prove difficult, which is why many outsource it. For others, it is a matter of finding the time, rather than the inspiration.
An editorial calendar will help with the discipline of regularly producing content for your target audience; and it has other advantages too.
Ten Useful Tips On How To Create An Editorial Calendar
The most important thing to remember is that you must make time for content. It does not write itself; yet it has become possibly the most vital component in your Internet marketing strategy now. Here are some handy tips on producing and keeping to an editorial calendar.
- Consider how much time you have available and how frequently you should be producing fresh, quality content for your blog, website and audience. Even if it is only once a week, you should rigorously adhere to that production schedule. Your readers like regular updates, and will learn to look out for these, especially if you maintain a high standard, and can produce unique, interesting content that has not been already flogged to death!
- Plan ahead. If you know you will have extensive commitments in the month ahead, you need to write your copy in advance. Also, look at upcoming industry events in your sector or niche. These often ignite interest (and searches) on hot topics and you should be able to second guess many of these subjects by looking at the agendas and speakers at future conferences, seminars and webinars.
- The hidden advantage of doing research for your editorial schedule is that you may become aware of events that you would have otherwise missed. These events can often assist you in producing up to date copy on hot topics. Many conferences now offer online access, so you can take advantage of this and listen to speakers who can provide you with ideas for new content. Follow the event hashtag on Twitter to get a feel for the audience and what is being discussed or is breaking news in your subject area).
- While it can be difficult to know what news will break next, or what new product or service is going to be launched, many companies now issue snippets of information early to warm up the audience and create a buzz. Watch out for these in your industry, and build likely launches into your calendar so that you can catch the wave when it breaks.
- Keep it simple. Do not attempt to overreach yourself by planning an extravagant schedule for the months and year ahead. It is easier to add items to your calendar than to keep missing deadlines. Better to have regular output so your audience does not hold expectations that you cannot manage.
- Be flexible. You may have decided to write all about widgets this month but if the bigger news is that gadgets are all the rage, you should be able to change tack and produce content more appropriate to the current interests in your sector.
- Monitor your audience responses to your content. If you are not getting many readers, and content is not being shared, are you writing what your audience wants to hear? Look at articles on your competitors' websites, blogs and social media profiles, and see which ones are the most popular. Build these into your calendar, giving yourself time to become an expert on the topic. Don’t forget to include sources, references and links to these popular articles as this will help with your search engine visibility too.
- Make your editorial calendar public. You may attract advertisers, sponsors or contributing authors if people know ahead of time what you are likely to be covering.
- Be firm with yourself, but be realistic too! If you miss a deadline, then look at why and adjust your calendar to suit your life and commitments.
- Most of all, you should enjoy producing content for your business and audience. If you struggle to get inspiration, consider finding a ghost writer to do the work for you. There is plenty still to be done once content is produced to market it and ensure it reaches the right audience, as well as planning what other topics might be suitable to achieve your business goals.
For more advice on content marketing and how to create and stick to your editorial calendar, call MintCopy at 888-646-8003 or send us an email.