Imagine this: you woke up today and know that you should post on social media, but it’s been on your list for the last week and you haven’t done it. You just don’t have time to think about it and when you do, you have no idea what to post about. You, my dear small business owner, need a content calendar.
Staring at a blank page can be overwhelming – especially when you’re under pressure and have so many other things on your to-do list. That panic and paralysis can be avoided by setting aside some time each month to draft a content calendar for your social media and other marketing communications.
This doesn’t have to be a super involved, complicated process. Just set aside 1 hour per month to think about your goals and priorities for the weeks ahead.
Start with a blank monthly calendar. Then fill it in with…
Most business cycles and retail promotions revolve around holidays, so you will want to plan your content around them. Also, don’t forget to look for interesting “special days” that are observed mostly on social media (like #nationalhotdogday #nationalpetday). Don’t go overboard with these, but choose a few that relate to your business niche or you personally. Put them on your calendar!
Social media audiences love a reason to celebrate and want to know what you’re up to as a small business owner, so be sure to acknowledge your special days!
What is going on in your industry? Be sure to include events, sales, and news-worthy happenings on your calendar and brainstorm how you would incorporate them into your social media content. For example, if you own a clothing boutique, you might want to create content related to NY Fashion Week; a photographer might post about “engagement season” or graduation photos.
See? You already have a good portion of your monthly calendar filled out. This is a great start! Now, we move to the slightly more complicated content planning…
Come up with 5-7 categories related to your business that you want to post about regularly. This is where I find the concept of “content buckets” most helpful.
Determine the buckets that you want to fill each month – the types of content that your audience would benefit from and that reinforces and extends your brand identity.
For example: A health coach might want to post inspirational quotes, tips about mindset or habits, client success stories/testimonials, product recommendations, education about their specific approach to health coaching.
Whereas a real estate agent might want to cycle through content such as: Just Sold/Just Listed, neighborhood features, client testimonials, homeowner tips, FAQs about home buying/selling, best places to eat/drink in the area, education about the buying/selling process.
The key is to ensure that the content relates to your business and your industry, and that it Engages, Educates, or Entertains your audience (read more about my 3E strategy here).
These categories should be broad enough that they are REPEATABLE every week or every month.
Many business owners find it helpful to post the same type of content on the same day every week – such as a Monday Motivational Quote/Tip, or a recipe posted every Friday.
To complete your content calendar, slot in your category content throughout the month according to how often you are planning to post.
Congratulations! You have a content calendar! When it comes time to post, you have a head start!
Lorem ipsum dolor amet mumblecore stumptown meggings, poutine quinoa brunch waistcoat fashion axe paleo williamsburg.
With over 15 years of experience, I've worked with countless small businesses just like yours. I can provide you with the tools and resources that will help make marketing less overwhelming.