One of the biggest lies about creating content is that it’s easy.
Tell that to a video editor who spends one to two hours editing a 15-minute video. Or a blogger who must spend hours writing, editing, and creating graphics for their blog posts.
Just like any other professional career, content marketing can be time-consuming. But just like other professionals, there are tools that we can use to become more productive.
One of those tools is a tool that many content creators – me included – would swear by. That tool is an editorial calendar.
What is an Editorial Calendar?
Don’t worry if this is your first time hearing about an editorial calendar. It’s not as distinguished as it sounds.
An editorial calendar is a scheduling tool used for content creators, publishers, and other businesses involved in content marketing. It is used to maintain the creation and promotion of different types of content.
Editorial calendars are great for businesses who:
- Use different types of teams to produce content
- Want to create an organized schedule for distributing content
- Produce content for several types of platforms.
- Produce content that involves several steps before publication.
Benefits of an Editorial Calendar
So, what can you gain from using an editorial calendar for your content marketing? Let’s find out.
Better Use of Your Time
One of the greatest benefits you receive is better use of your time. Instead of finding the time to complete several tasks for your content, you can plan ahead for the tasks you need to complete for your content.
You can use your editorial calendar to schedule when certain content should be published, allowing you to work backwards and plan that content step by step.
Even if your content isn’t finished by the assigned deadline, you still have the power to reschedule as situations arise.
It’s a great way to plan your company’s time accordingly.
Greater Way of Tracking Content
Another benefit an editorial calendar brings is a better tracking system for your content.
You may be creating several types of content for several types of platforms. It can be overwhelming trying to keep up with the content created for your company’s website and social media pages.
Using an editorial calendar can make it easier for you to track the different types of content for your company. You can schedule different times to work on social media posts, updates to your website pages, and affiliate blog posts.
An editorial calendar also gives you a greater perspective on the types of content you create. You can start to track the number of blog posts, social media posts, videos, and other forms of content you create on a monthly basis.
Better Communication
If your company has a marketing team that produces content, an editorial calendar is key for communication. The last thing you want is frustration and miscommunication on several projects.
Instead of wondering who is working on what, tasks can be assigned to certain people. The editorial calendar can be used as another communication tool that displays who is working on what part of the content.
Members can also add any updates or changes to their tasks as they happen. This helps keep each member of the marketing team on the same page.
Multiple Forms of Content
Another key benefit is being able to create different types of content efficiently.
When it comes to content marketing, multimedia content is key. Multimedia content is content that involves a little bit of everything – audio, visual, and text.
To create that type of creative content, you must be able to make effective use of your time. And guess what an editorial calendar is great for? Helping you make effective use of your time.
You can take time to create different types of content, from blog posts to podcasts. If there are extra days in your calendar, you can get creative and think of different types of content to schedule on those days.
Strategic Planning for Your Content
Last but certainly not least, the best benefit is the strategic planning you’ll be able to do.
Using an editorial calendar allows you to strategically market your content. You can take the time to create a marketing strategy and execute it week to week, month to month.
Instead of wondering what type of content to create for your audience, you’re starting the month off with certain goals. You’re able to cater your content around certain subjects and promote them efficiently.
How to Create Your Own Editorial Calendar
There’s no better time than now to create your own editorial calendar.
When designing your editorial calendar, think about what works best for you and your team. If technology is one of your strengths, you may want to look into some apps like Asana and Google Calendar.
These apps allow you and other members of your team to sync events effortlessly.
If you are a more visual person, you can use a traditional wall calendar to schedule deadlines.
Whatever your method, make sure that it is convenient, effective, and productive for you and your team.
Final Thoughts
We all know how precious our time is. Why not make the most of it?
If you’re thinking about using an editorial calendar for your content marketing, answer the following questions:
- Will this help me make better use of my time?
- Will this make it easier for me to track my marketing content?
- Can an editorial calendar increase the communication between me and my team?
- Will I be able to create several different types of content?
- Will this help make my content marketing strategy more effective?
To learn more about the best tools for your business, check out my blog posts Best Legal Software For Law Firms – Valeria Publications and Top Software Programs For Self-Published Authors – Valeria Publications.
Share your thoughts about an editorial calendar below.
