On a daily basis, a sea of content is released into the internet for popular consumption. How this content is consumed and shared depends on quality, relevance, reach and its ability to engage netizens (users). All these parameters assume all the more importance if you are looking to digitally market a particular product or service to a target group. How do you ensure that the content you create reaches the right person at the right time and evokes the kind of response you expect? Sounds daunting, isn’t it? The answer is by maintaining a content calendar.

Why you must make an editorial calendar!

In content marketing, an editorial calendar is indispensable. It simplifies the process of strategically disseminating content- created and curated. In a way, it gives you a greater degree of control over content, right from aggregation to creation to publication. Besides, it keeps the editorial and marketing teams on the same page. In other words, an editorial calendar is when a timetable meets a to-do list.

We’ve tackled what and why now let’s answer your how

The prerequisite for a good editorial calendar is a sound content strategy. You must clearly outline what conversations are you passionate about, what days/ festivals/ events are relevant to you, what percentage of your content is curated, what brand milestones are you chasing and finally, what the passion points of your audiences are.

With the strategy in place, follow the steps mentioned below to create your editorial calendar:

• Take stock of the content you already have and that which will be created and curated over the next three months. Create a tentative editorial schedule detailing what content piece will be pushed out when.
• Make a list of important dates and events that may impact the response your content is likely to get. Treat these as red-letter days in the calendar. Ensure that you have relevant content in place for these days. As days and events get separately talked about by netizens, ensure you have multiple pieces of original and third party content ready to go out in case required.
• Let social media promotions be an integral part of the calendar. Remember: In today’s day and age, nothing amplifies the reach of your content like social media does.
• If necessary, create separate editorial calendars for a single campaign, especially when there are multiple content types (articles, infographics, videos and slideshows, to name a few).
• If any keywords need to be included in any specific content piece, mention them in the editorial calendar. This way, the calendar will help you in creating SEO-friendly content as well.
• Your editorial calendar should be dynamic and flexible in nature. It should change based on user feedback such that the content marketing exercise derives maximum value.
• Assign names of persons to tasks. Delegation leads to more accountability and responsibility.

Scatter helps you with an extensive editorial planning tool so you never miss an important event again and always keep the engagement going. Click here for our monthly conversation ideas.