By now you know tons of options WordPress gives you to create new content + the best way to style that new content to make it easier to read. If you aren’t already using an editorial calendar, now’s the time to implemnt one to continue that momentum of making your blog better.
What does an editorial calendar do
The term editorial calendar could be used interchangeably with the phrase blog post plan. It is something that many use to map out upcoming posts on their blog, along with newsletters, social media posts + other marketing channels. There are many systems that you can use to create an editorial calendar, but the benefits are largely the same for all of them.
Keeps you organized
How many times have you written a post idea on a Post-It note only to lose it in the shuffle or forget what your messy note meant? With an editorial calendar system in place, those things are much less likely to happen. Yes, you have to get your idea onto your calendar, but when you know where those ideas go, it’s easier to stick with that process.
Schedule around upcoming launches
When you create an editorial calendar, aka when you plan what you are going to write about, you tend to take other factors into consideration that will benefit you + your audience versus those times that you throw a post together the night before only to realize that you are scheduling an epic article for a holiday weekend…. whoops!
But a plan also helps you factor in promoting your upcoming launches. Let’s say you have an ebook that will be finished by december 1st. Your November editorial calendar might include a couple of teaser articles that will get your audience excited about the upcoming ebook, instead of just springing it on them the morning you launch.
Encourages a regular posting schedule
The other large benefit to an editorial calendar is that it helps keep you on a consistent posting schedule. There are some schools of thought that say it doesn’t matter when you post as long as your content is good. While I do think that great content will do a lot of work for you, I also think that your audience needs to know when to expect your next post. Of course you want them all to subscribe to your mailing list + appropriately stalk you online to see when you have hit “publish” on your next piece of greatness. But that doesn’t always happen.
Create a system that works for you
Free PDF download
You know how much I love creating PDFs + sharing them with you, right?! Of course I wanted to share the actual editorial calendar that I use to plan out this blog. It features an area for noting your “next great thing” ideas, noting what days you want to post your content + checkboxes to celebrate keeping up with your plan with that oh-so-glorious feeling of marking something as done!
Create your own spreadsheet
Are you a spreadsheet junkie? That nerdy side of you is super hot! Take a little bit of time + lay out your own editorial calendar in your favorite spreadsheet software. Be sure to include areas that you would find useful – note taking, things you want to write on your social networks, possible graphics to include in your posts, quote sources, etc. As with most things, you can always search pinterest for inspiration + examples.
Free WordPress plugin
While I truly do use the PDF that I want you to download + use too, I also use the WordPress Editorial Calendar plugin. It makes adding scheduled posts ridiculously easy. Plus, I’m a sucker for the click + drag feature they built in for when I need to re-arrange scheduled drafts. I recommend this option for my nerdy friends that are more tech-addicted than I am.
Take action right now
Here’s a task list for you to conquer before the day is over –
- Download the editorial calendar PDF sheet
- Fill it out for at least the next 4 weeks {if you post once a week or less, you can plan out a couple months}
- Celebrate being awesome by enjoying your favorite beverage tonight, getting a new color of nail polish + giving yourself a mani/pedi, or breaking in to dance to your favorite song