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Content Planning Tips for Bloggers

If you’re here, you’ve probably decided to start a blog or maybe you’re looking for ideas to revamp your current site! It would be magical if all the content we needed came through bursts of inspiration, but sometimes you just need to produce in spite of a creative block! Let’s talk about what content actually is and how you can effectively create a content plan for your blog.

What is content?

Content is such a buzzword in online spaces with repeated phrases such as “content is king,” “leverage your content” or “create authentic content.” But what is content?

Content is the information you produce and publish on your own platforms. This information can be in the form of written posts, videos, photos, infographics, captions, and more. 

For bloggers, content is primarily shared through blog posts and oftentimes linked to a plethora of social media offerings. Generally, bloggers will also share the content of the blog (from the blog posts) in email newsletters to their subscribers.

Now, to start creating!

Before you can even begin creating content, decide these things:

Know your audience.

Who, specifically, are you hoping to reach with your content and what do those readers need or want? For example, are you trying to reach the busy parent who needs effortless, healthy meals for the workweek? Or, maybe you desire to help start-up entrepreneurs with vital business tips and tricks.

Define your ideal audience and anticipate their areas of need!

Know your goals.

It’s OK (and even beneficial!) to clarify your goals for both yourself and your readers. What would YOU like to achieve or WHY are you creating this content? How do you want your readers to feel after interacting with your content (motivated, inspired, etc.)? 

Knowing your goals will give you a guiding direction when you struggle to generate ideas.

Create a long-term strategy.

Right now, your motivation to begin is probably brimming over, but a long-term content plan will help you create consistent content that meets your goals. This strategy can help you pace your production with guidance to build your site piece by piece.

Determine what is sustainable.

You may feel the need to quickly fill your blog with a large quantity of content, but it’s important to set a pace that will be sustainable for growth. For example, what is a realistic goal for quality posts per month if you are also tying in email newsletters, social media posts, and videos? Determine your goal for blog posts per week or per month, and base other content production around those.

Know your niche so you can stay focused.

Determine 3-5 main categories to narrow your focus and allow you to create valuable content that showcases your expertise. Keeping your content categories limited will also benefit you in the long run as you repurpose items and link connecting articles across your site.

Why should you plan your content ahead of time?

If you want your blog to grow as a sustainable business or hobby, planning your content ahead of time will save you time and bring you freedom as you move forward!

Additional benefits to pre-planning your content are:

• Consistency in messaging – With a content plan set in place, you can create a consistent stream of information with a similar tone. Your message will become clearer as you emphasize the different categories and topics of your site.
• Staying on track – As we mentioned before, knowing and staying in your niche can actually give you direction rather than limitations. 
• Reduces stress in your business – If you want to build a business through blogging, you are likely attracted to the freedom and flexibility of managing your own tasks. By having a blueprint for content before you create, you will be able to make adjustments as needs arise and not scramble for content in a time crunch!
• Help you grow your blog – Planning your content ahead helps you publish consistently – and consistent posting brings traffic! 

Tips for Planning Out Content

Some prefer to plan ahead in detail, while others prefer a looser outline with more variables. Either way, follow these tips for efficient bulk planning.

• Do keyword research and keep a running list of ideas. Keyword research is an ever-evolving skill set so it is helpful to hear from experts in this area. Check out our podcast interview Secrets to Keyword Research Success with Aleka Shunk to learn about finding the best keywords for your content.
• Determine how far ahead you’d like to work. Is your content evergreen enough to plan weeks or months in advance, or does it need a more brief window of advance planning due to audience needs? 
• Start with your blog content and use that to fill in your other content. Repurposing is key to prevent burnout and to allow you to consistently publish and promote the quality work that you have already produced.
• Batch work when possible. By grouping together like tasks, you will save yourself time and effort! Work on related content at the same time to minimize extra steps – such as grouping your photography tasks into one block, or your administrative tasks into another time block.
• Put everything on a calendar! Many blogs start as creative outlets in their spare time, but a strategy that is on a calendar keeps you accountable to your goals. Be sure that your calendar shows when content goes live and the time blocks to actually create your content. 
• Follow up and adjust the plan as needed. If you notice your plans aren’t working efficiently, don’t hesitate to make changes! Make it work for you to actually create! 

Once these plans are in place – begin! As Margaret Thatcher stated, “Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan.”

Tools you can use for content planning 

As you get started in the online creative space, you will quickly find out just how many digital tools are available for planning, creation, and content management. 

You can find virtually any level of complexity – from basic all the way to premium! Don’t let endless options bog you down!

A spreadsheet is a simple tool to help you calendar posts and track analytics such as views, comments, shares, etc. You may also find that a traditional printed calendar or planner helps you efficiently pencil and move things around. With paper products, consider if you need to frequently share items with any team members (this may be a disadvantage if it causes you to duplicate your work by converting to digital forms later.)

Other tools like Airtable can provide widgets and task-based apps in one place to house all of your project management. You can also integrate content scheduling tools for your posting across platforms with online tools such as Coschedule for marketing strategy or Tailwind for connecting social media apps.

These tools can greatly help streamline processes and plans, however, the downside is  – there are so many tools to use! It is easy to become distracted by all the latest and greatest productivity software while struggling to actually get the productivity in motion. 

Tip: Try a few tools that offer free versions or trial periods to test before you commit to paid versions. You can always build as you go and find out what works best for you!

Growing a blog is a venture with many moving pieces! A clear content plan along with some tips and tricks for efficiency will build the foundation you need to showcase your message and start sharing!