Coming up with blog content can be overwhelming. One strategy that makes it a little easier is having a comprehensive calendar in place. While it takes some time to build, it will save you hours in the long run and ensure your posts are strategic, well-timed and cohesive.

1. Set or review your goals.
To create a calendar, start by setting or referring to your marketing goals. Think about how you want to be positioned in the marketplace and jot down post categories that would support those efforts. For example, if you know you’re looking for new talent, focusing on your company’s culture throughout the year is a good idea. In contrast, if you want to show technical expertise, brainstorm areas where you could feature your team’s acumen.

2. Consider your brand.
It’s also important to think about your business’s personality and how you can showcase it. If you’re recognized as innovative, posting about awards, new technology, industry trends and design solutions might make sense. Share news and information that authentically fits with your company. Think about how you’re different and then, look for ways to highlight that.

3. Create a comprehensive calendar.
To do this, you should:

• Make a note of which events you’re attending and when projects are expected to wrap up. Also, write down any company events or planned volunteering efforts. All of these can be great sources for blog posts.
• Add holidays, so you can adjust your schedule around them, if needed.

Once you have those items ready, create a large grid in Excel or Word. Leave columns for topic, due date and the names of co-workers who could help by supplying content details. Then, begin by placing the topics that are time sensitive into your table.

4. Develop a varied list of topics.
Next, look at the categories you developed to help work towards your goals and those that reflect your personality. Add topic ideas based on those to the table. These can be placeholders if you’re not exactly sure how you’ll cover an area. For example, you may want to do a post on interior design, but don’t know if you’ll talk about furniture selection, new trends or answer a frequently asked question. If you offer multiple service lines, come up with ways to highlight each one.

As you fill in the calendar, think about how the topics are balanced. Evaluate it to see if there is a variety of content throughout each month. Adjust as needed.

5. Be flexible.
Most importantly, remember this is a starting point. Blog editorial calendars can and should be adjusted to reflect what’s happening at your company.

Questions about editorial calendars? Contact lane@dottedlinemarketing.com to learn more.