We often refer to “filling a space in your content calendar”, but if you’re a new content manager fresh from the graduation stage, chances are you won’t know where to start with a content calendar. The good news is that it’s something easy to pick up, but if you’re merely resting on what was done before you got into the chair, you’ll have quite the stagnant and stale calendar.
You can add your own creativity to a content calendar, which will, in turn, cause no more users to switch off from your campaign due to boredom with the same stuff every week. If that sounds appealing, take a look at our tips to create the perfect content calendar.
Decide your content format
The first step is to decide what your content formats are going to be. This really, more than anything, comes down to the capabilities of your team. Luckily, a lot of social media formats are accessible to the average user, and modern users aren’t impressed by something too polished, so if you want to get into amateur videography for the sake of a TikTok, then go for it.
However, if a polished look is for the sake of your brand or business, you might need to limit yourself down to photos and blogs until someone is brought onto the team that can put together a professional-looking video.
Decide your content genre
Now, what are you going to make? As a business, it might seem that you are limited to TikToks about what your team members are having for lunch or what your partners are doing, but that isn’t true. Depending on the industry that you’re in, you’ll have a lot of content to work with if you show it off. There are businesses that build PCs, bake cakes, stockpile merchandise, etc. that all have something to show off. Tap into that aspect of your business that allows for fun content and show it off.
Choose your social media channels
Going hand in hand with choosing your format comes choosing your social media platforms. This might even come initially as you might have a preference for a social media channel, either due to its popularity or its format or any other reason. But going back a point, make sure the format of the channel is supported by the talent on your team. There’s no point in telling a team member who hates talking to fill a stream, for example.
Celebrate the (relevant) holidays
Another tip you’ll often hear is to follow the trends, and while that is valid, you can’t predict them. What you can predict, and therefore a lot of content managers rely on, is the holiday calendar. Christmas, Easter, Pride, World Pancake Day, etc. all get added to the roster whether they are relevant or not to your brand.
Some things, like Pride and Christmas, are too big to not be relevant, but just about every day is assigned to something somewhere in the world. You have plenty of choices. If you’re going to celebrate a “Day” make sure that it’s relevant to your brand. Why are you celebrating World Pancake Day when you sell sports equipment?
Keep evergreen content
Make sure you mix up your bucket of content ideas with a healthy dose of evergreen content. This is content that you can schedule in at any point. Unlike World Pancake Day, it isn’t assigned to a particular day or time, it’s ready to go whenever you see a gap in your calendar.
Consider keeping a content library full of resources and footage that will allow you to put something together quickly.
Come up with content ideas in advance
Aside from your evergreen and your holiday calendar ideas, it would be a good idea to put a brainstorm together to come up with ideas to use in advance. Maybe it would be a monthly meeting to discuss what the latest trends are and how you can adapt them to your brand, and whether they are even a good idea to get involved with in the first place.
And don’t forget…
Of course, there is the calendar aspect of the content calendar. You should come up with a publishing schedule that fits the social media channels and their algorithms that will give you the biggest boost – and then stick to it.
If you are interested in more affiliate and social media marketing insights, take a look at our blog for all the latest news and advice. Or for a more personalised approach, book a free call with a member of our team.
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