How’s that content situation looking for your business?
Are you posting on social media haphazardly? Sending off those blogs in bulk batches or not at all? And is your monthly newsletter more like a semi-annual event?
It’s tough to keep track of all that content. You might have social media under multiple platforms, blogs, newsletters, eBlasts and more all going out on a regular basis. But if there’s no schedule and no underlying strategy to your posts then you’re essentially tossing your content into the void and hoping for the best.
Guess what we’re going to recommend, nay, we’re going to have to insist…
You need a content calendar.
A content calendar is about a long-term strategy. It’s about consistency and quality content. Most of all it’s about managing content so it does what it was intended to do: bring you more customers and more revenue. And research has proven that marketers with a content marketing plan (which includes a calendar) are 60% more effective.
If you don’t have a content calendar, you’re making your marketing strategy less of a targeted, systematic approach and more of a gamble. You’re also risking the loss of engagement and reach from your content. You spend a lot of time on your content. You need to make sure that investment pays off. And for that you need to schedule it out in congruence with your overall marketing strategy.
Here’s how a content calendar can shape your approach to business.
Organization
Just ask Marie Kondo, organization is life changing, and business changing. Calendars can give you a bird’s eye view of your marketing strategy and help you notice any gaps. This organization is going to make your team more efficient and your content more potent. Not to mention it’s going to relieve stress so that everyone knows where they’re at in the content production process.
Consistency and quality
One of biggest differences a content calendar can make in your business is by allocating time to create better content. How do those last minute blogs and social posts work for you? When you have more time to craft your message, you can speak more eloquently, more effectively and you’ll have less errors. Additionally, you’ll create the consistency that consumers crave if they’re going to engage.
Further improve strategy through metrics
When you’re following a calendar, you can look back at your engagements and other metrics to measure the effectiveness of your content and campaigns. With this information, you can then return to the calendar, reshape it, fine tune it and make it even more effective.
Seasonality and trends
A post about Christmas isn’t going to fare so well in July. One of the things a content calendar does best is to help you curate your content for the seasons, as well as the important dates in your industry. You can also follow trending topics and incorporate these into your content and your calendar to best reach your audience in the moments that matter.
Communication and strategy across departments
No matter the size of your company, if you have multiple people or multiple departments tackling tasks and projects, there needs to be strategy and communication between sales and marketing, as well as other sections that need to be in the know. A content calendar puts everyone on the same page, literally. This creates better communication, better content and ensures that the overall strategy is being implemented effectively.
Set your business up for long-term success
Looking ahead rather than at your feet as you try to keep up with daily demands is going to give your business a much better chance. As an added bonus, it might just help you keep your sanity! Every business needs to have a vision for their future if they want long-term success. A content calendar sets you up to better manage day-to-day activities as well as giving you a concrete form to plan and measure your future success.
Get that content calendar going ASAP! Don’t make us come over there and force organization upon you… Because we’ll do it. And we’ll only be sort of happy about it.
Got content questions? Don’t know where to start with your content calendar? The Found Gen’s got you, Boo.