A Content Calendar Helps You Get Organized
Being organized when writing your digital marketing content is half the work of publishing it. Each person will gravitate toward a content planning system that works for them.
How often have you tried someone else’s method, invested in a planner, filing system, or template that worked for them, but didn’t fit your workflow, and you ended up not using it? If you didn’t adjust it to your needs, or start simple, it probably fell by the wayside. Not sure about you, but I’ve been there many times in the past!
Make It Your Own
That is why I customize what I use to suit my own needs, just like I recommend you customize to what works for you. Someone else’s way, or even ChatGPT’s, can give great ideas, but ultimately, you need to make it your own.
When I teach marketing copywriting and using AI for system building, I focus on the end user. We are all creative human beings, and our lifestyles, work habits, and needs change over time. The 5 elements you’ll see below are a stepping stone. Start there, adapt it to your needs, and you’ll gain confidence, save time, and develop your own content organization process.
Choosing the Right Tools
Having a content calendar only works if you use it. It can be:
- A simple paper calendar page
- A bullet journal or blank notebook
- Google Calendar
- A project management app (e.g. Trello or Asana)
If you’re not yet tech-savvy or don’t want to spend time learning an app, start simple—a spreadsheet, document, or paper calendar works perfectly.
Short-Term Planning with Long-Term Vision
I recommend planning content 30–60 days in advance. This allows you to monitor analytics, respond to market changes, and avoid being stuck to an inflexible plan.
At the same time, keep your long-term goals in mind: marketing objectives, product or service launches, and new market opportunities. Your digital marketing content should evolve while staying aligned with your bigger business vision.
Need a little AI help? Check out this recent blog, Plan a Month of Content in 10 Minutes with AI.
6 Key Elements to Include in Your Content Calendar
The more specific and organized your content calendar is, the more time you save when posting blogs or scheduling social media content. You can have a column, box or bullet point for each of these 6 elements. I have provided a summary table at the end to make it easier for you to implement the elements.
1. Core Content Topics
- Choose topics that add value to your audience and that are in line with your service or product offerings.
- Audience research and market trends will guide your content topics. Direct primary research (from audience) is best, but if you are looking online for content ideas, look at:
- Answer the Public – registered free users get 3 market topic searches per day
- Google’s “People Also Ask” – do a search on Google, scroll down, and you will find this section (it isn’t fancy, no graphics) – then you will see topics related to your query that other people look for. For example, search “client onboarding process”, click on a down arrow in PAA, and it will keep expanding.
2. SEO Keywords
- Select a primary keyword for each post.
- Also include short and longtail keywords based on what your audience searches for – use 2-3 keyword phrases for a blog post that is 700-1500 words. Make them into long tail keywords, but don’t stuff them in. Use them strategically in headers and blend into well-written copy.
- Examples of keywords
- A nutrition coach chooses “healthy meal planning” as the primary keyword for a blog post and adds “easy weekly meal prep” and “family-friendly recipes” as supporting keywords.
- A marketing consultant targets “small business social media strategy” as the main keyword and includes “content planning for solopreneurs” and “social media tips” as secondary keywords.
- A nutrition coach chooses “healthy meal planning” as the primary keyword for a blog post and adds “easy weekly meal prep” and “family-friendly recipes” as supporting keywords.
3. Outline Key Points
- Outlining your key ideas will make writing easier. Include a few important points, and for a blog or article, write a thesis statement or one sentence that states the purpose of your content.
- Use bullet points for easier reading in your content calendar – this helps draft content faster.
- Examples of key points to outline
- A career coach creates bullet points for a blog post: 1) Identify your strengths, 2) Update your resume, 3) Build your network.
- A wellness consultant outlines an Instagram carousel with 5 slides, each covering one key tip for healthy habits.
4. Links & Research Sources
- Add internal and external links, then you don’t need to go back looking for them when it is time to do your content writing.
- You can do simple or more in-depth research at this point; it is up to you.
- How to streamline research:
- Save URLs, PDFs, or screenshots in a folder linked to your calendar.
- Maintain a running list of resource ideas for quick reference.
- Examples of links
- A consultant links to previous webinars and relevant blog posts to increase internal traffic.
- A coach references industry reports or research studies to add credibility to social media posts.
5. Due Dates & Scheduling Posts
- Include the publishing date and any prior deadlines at each step (milestones and deliverable dates in project management terms).
- Plan drafts before publication dates to allow for editing and revisions – this prevents stress from trying to finish at the last minute.
- Use a scheduling tool or write it in your calendar to remember when to manually post (more work, but if you are starting and don’t know the tech tools, just write it down).
- It is more important to just get the content published than worry about what day or time of day is best to post – you will learn over time by testing analytics of open rates.
- Examples of scheduling
- A life coach sets a Monday deadline for blog drafts and a Wednesday posting schedule for social media.
- A business consultant schedules content 6 weeks ahead to align with email campaigns, client workshops, and seasonal launches.
6. Content Length & Platform
- Matching content length to audience preferences. Choose the platforms where your audience are – if you are an artist, Instagram is where to hang out. If you are a business consultant, focus on LinkedIn. Does your audience prefer audio, video or reading longer blogs? Over time, your audience will inform you as to where they engage, along with open and viewing rates.
- Use headings, bullet points, or visuals to make longer content more digestible.
- Example of content length and platform planning
- A wellness coach writes short Instagram posts (100–150 words), medium-length newsletters (300–500 words), and longer blog posts (1,000+ words) for her website.
- A marketing consultant posts LinkedIn articles (~800 words), Twitter threads (5–10 tweets), and short video scripts (~2 minutes) to match platform best practices.
Summary for Planning Your Content Calendar
| Element | What to Add in Your Content Calendar |
| Core Content Topics | List the topic/theme for each piece of content |
| SEO Keywords | Add 1 primary keyword + 1-2 supporting/longtail keywords |
| Outline Key Points | Add 3–5 bullet points + a thesis/purpose sentence |
| Links & Research Sources | Add links you plan to reference + saved resources |
| Due Dates & Scheduling Posts | Add draft date + revision date + publish date |
| Content Length & Platform | Add content type (blog, reel, email) + estimated length |
Remember, I recommend you adapt this – maybe you want a very simple calendar page, with a link to a spreadsheet that includes the detail elements. Others may want to only use a spreadsheet or app, with all the details in the same place. You may decide you like to do most of the work when you start to write your content, and your content calendar holds less detail for you. Any way you choose is best for you, and you can always adjust it later as you become more familiar with your workflow.
Conclusion
A content calendar is only effective when it includes the right elements—and when you follow a simple workflow to turn ideas into finished copy. With this approach, you’ll save time, reduce stress, and consistently show up for your audience. You will have a routine and reference point in your calendar.
Ready to simplify your content creation? Book a free 20-minute consult to get started on planning your content calendar workflow.
I can help you create a practical system designed just for you to write faster, stay consistent, and grow your coaching or consulting business with ease.
Book your FREE consult HERE