How To Create A Content Calendar using Google Sheets - WordPress Membership Plugin Members Sites

Jul 20, 2023

How Do I Create A Content Calendar in Google Sheets

                        The right schedule can keep your blog content flowing smoothly. There's no need to fork out money for an expensive software for managing your project. It's possible to create the ideal content calendar using a free program you likely already have in use, Google Sheets. Find out how to do it.          

How to create a content calendar in Google Sheets

Welcome to the thrilling world of content marketing which is where deadlines are closer than a cheetah sprinting on an energy drink.

Imagine trying to navigate this intensely fast-paced environment without a guide or a sense of direction, or even an idea of your end goal. Sounds daunting, doesn't it?

That's exactly what it feels like to curate and manage the content you create without having a schedule.

Content schedules are a visual timeline detailing the content you'll post, where it's going to be displayed, and the specific timeframe of it's release.

But it's more than just an efficient organizer. It's at the core of your content strategy to ensure that your objectives for marketing remain in line and that your target viewers are interested.

Gripped audience eating popcorn

Stay tuned as we share our top tips, and how you can create your own content calendar using Google Sheets, that'll keep your team in line and on schedule!

The benefits of using an Calendar Calendar

Here are a few motives to plan ahead with an organized schedule:

The process of your team can be streamlined

Content schedules provide the most important information needed by your creative team as well as any outside contributors.

It describes:

  • What must be achieved,
  • Deadlines,
  • Other essential specifics (such as keywords and references)
  • And the person responsible for each task.

This clarity can greatly decrease confusion, last-minute rushes as well as miscommunications.

If everyone is crystal-clear about the roles they play, everyone can concentrate on delivering their best work. That's the perfect method for efficiency!

Strategically organized Content

By having a schedule for content that you're not tossing content around hoping to get it noticed. Every piece of content serves a purpose and contributes to your overall content strategy.

This ensures that the content is purpose-driven, sticks to themes, and is in line the brand's message. It also helps make sure that each type of content or topic receives the attention it deserves and ensure that nothing is left unnoticed.

Schedule Content Prior to Time

Give yourself the gift of time with a content calendar

You're up late, the deadline is nearing and you're scrambling to create a blog post or think of an interesting caption for your social media blog post. If this is a scenario you've experienced it's time to get an agenda for your content!

With a content schedule, these stress-inducing situations can be avoided.

You are able to plan your HTML0 content for weeks, or even months ahead, giving you ample time to gather resources, conduct research, and create more engaging, dynamic web content.

In addition, it lets you to coordinate content around crucial dates or times that are important to your company or industry.

Multiply Content

A content schedule provides a clear overview of your content landscape.

It is easy to determine if you're maintaining a good mix of different content types including blog articles, social media updates, podcasts, or videos. Colors can be a fantastic way to check this visually.

Content Calendar Example

Your content will remain varied and engaging, so your viewers don't become bored by repetitive information.

These are only a handful of the advantages of taking the time to plan your content prior to its release.

Making a Content Schedule that is efficient

Let's break down a step-by-step guide to help you propel your approach to victory.

Step 1: Establish Your Content Marketing Goals

It's not a good idea to create content solely for the sake of creating it. If you want to maximize your content's potential, you need to identify your goals and the direction that you're taking.

Determine "Why" as well as "Who"

Why?

What is the motivation behind your creating content?

Arrow hitting target blue yellow leadership aiming achievement goal target

Who?

When you've established your objectives, it's time to get acquainted with the other key player in your content game - - your audience.

They are the people that you want to reach through your content. As you gain a better understanding of the needs, preferences, and challenges, the better your chances to create content that connects with them.

Utilize This Data Everytime You Design Content

The goals of your content marketing and your intended audience must be on your radar each time you conceive or create new material.

The elements that determine the kind of content, the topics you'll tackle, and even which channels will be used to publish your material.

Step 2: Planning Your Content Strategy

Now that we've nailed down the basics of your goals and target audience, let's begin the exciting part making a plan for your strategy for content.

This is where strategy and creativity merge, and where your content schedule begins to take shape. Take a sip of your preferred beverage, slip on your artistic hat, and let's get started!

Finding Ideas to Create Content

Begin to brainstorm your ideas for content. If we refer to content, we mean any kind of content.

  • Blog posts,
  • Social media postings,
  • Newsletters,
  • Podcasts,
  • Webinars,
  • Videos,
  • Infographics
  • Quotes
  • Testimonials from customers
  • Demos

Don't hold back! Take a look at every form of media that your clients consume and the factors that drive them to buy.

For example, imagine you're an online platform for learning targeting professionals seeking career advancement and your goal might be to empower them with new capabilities and expertise in spite of their busy schedules.

Your content schedule could include quick tutorial videos, easy-to-follow instructional guides and inspirational successes to share via the social media platforms on which career-oriented people are likely to interact, like LinkedIn and Twitter.

TIP I: Utilize ChatGPT for Content Ideas

All are looking for methods to integrate ChatGPT to streamline their processes This is an excellent example of how you can do just it.
         
          Utilizing the power of ChatGPT can be a great way to brainstorm concepts. It's an AI machine language model It's highly adept at presenting innovative and diverse suggestions you might not think of.

The first step is to outline the content's objectives and the intended viewers (as you did in the previous step) and then interact in ChatGPT like the course of a dialogue.

Here is how to create the perfect prompt:

1. Your company's mission and public

"We're a start-up specializing in natural skincare products that target health-conscious consumers aged 20-35.

2. Define your purpose

We're launching a new line of vegan, cruelty-free skincare products. Our goal is to boost the number of sales we make online by advertising the distinct benefits of our product.

3. Contact ChatGPT what content ideas you'd like the company to create

Do you have convincing content or ideas to highlight the advantages of our serums, and convince our target audience to make purchases?."

Here's what GPT-4 created by following this prompt:

Then, you are able to ask it to give you blog titles and blog outline suggestions, or suggest questions for your interactive quizzes.

It's all about interaction. the more precise your questions are, the more specific and useful the responses.

Tip 2: Search for Keywords that are relevant to SEO (Search Engine) Optimization (SEO)

Keywords are actually the key to SEO when it comes to online content. Utilizing powerful keywords can be an important factor in ensuring that your content is not lost among the web-based content sea and being visible in search results of your desired potential customers.

It also provides a fascinating understanding of how your target audience searches for products like yours online. With the help of keyword research, you have the ability to develop material that answers their questions or addresses their wants.

SEMrush and Google Keyword Planner Google Keyword Planner and SEMrush are excellent instruments to discover these valuable hidden gems. Incorporate these keywords in your website content to increase your SEO and push your pages further up the search engine results ladder.

SEMrush homepage 2023

Step 3: Make a Master Content Calendar In Google Sheets

Once you've got an concept of what kind of content you'll be delivering, the next step is determining when and where to unleash it.

Maybe you've got a live video lined up for your website or an email newsletter that's queued up, a demonstration of your product, or a gathering for your social media in the same time.

Not to mention, your regular blog posts and everyday social media engagements.

Your posting timeline is entirely yours to decide, however keep in mind that consistent posting is crucial for each of your platforms to really flourish.

A master calendar becomes indispensable. The goal of a master calendar is to provide a bird's eye view of your content plan and to establish a timetable for the publication of each bit of content.

This is how you do it:

From your Google Drive account, click New towards the top left of your screen, then click on an arrow , and click on from a template

Scroll down to select the Yearly Calendar. Scroll down and select Annual. It will create an annual calendar for the year currently in.

Select the Customize the calendartab for a selection of styles. Once you're done, you may delete the tab to make more room for useful information.

Then click on the month tab that you would like to edit.

Select the type of content you want to provide on the day, and color the content to make it clear at a glance what kind of content you have scheduled to be delivered on that particular day. This will ensure you have an appropriate variety of material.

Content Calendar in Google Sheets

Individual Content Calendars

Once your overarching monthly schedule is established, it's time so figure out the details.

Who is the person who wrote it? How much lead time do you require to format and edit the post? Who will be responsible for the social media and what kind of content will they be posting? We've got plans to handle these tasks also!

However, this is how to build a schedule for your blog within Google Sheets:

  • Simply click on the (+) icon at the lower left corner of the Google Sheet to add the tab.
  • The new tab is then dragged to the appropriate month.
  • Design an             Blog Schedule            sections that have columns
  • Publication Date
  • Blog Post Topic/Title
  • Writer
  • Deadline (give yourself plenty of time to revise and format the blog post prior to the publishing date)
  • Keywords
  • Further details
  • Based on the design the blog is designed, it is possible to add additional columns like "Blog Category" (long-form, shorter, infographic, etc. ).
  • Copy and paste this information from your master calendar.
  • The task can be assigned to a different writer, by right-clicking the cell and hitting Comment.
  • @tag an individual on the team, or enter the complete email address of the assignee
  • Ensure all contributors have access to the calendar.
blog content calendar and social media calendar

Now, onto the social media calendars.

You may either make a new tab or, to make things more central, enter the information in the blog's calendar.

In all schedules for social media it is recommended to include:

  • Social Media Platform
  • Post Time
  • Day
  • Content

If you want to create a more extensive schedule it is recommended to include pertinent hashtags, hyperlinks photos, images and even the actual text in your article.

As with your blog schedule it is possible to assign the author and have an indicator column that indicates if the blog has already queued within your social media management software (like Hootsuite or Buffer).

In conclusion

It can help you map out your content strategy, to ensuring that all the goals of your marketing are in line, a content schedule can be your trusted companion in the dynamic market of content marketing.

Utilizing Google Sheets as your platform making a schedule of content is as easy as it is efficient.

From master calendars to detailed calendars for social media and blogs You've got the devices you need to simplify your workflow, diversify your content, keep on top of your game.

Why wait? Start harnessing the potential of a planned content plan today and witness your content marketing efforts thrive.

Keep in mind that success with the field of content marketing isn't about who shouts the loudest, but who plans the most intelligently. If you've got a newly-created content calendar, you're already on the right track. Now, let's get planning!

           Are you using the calendar of content? Got any tips you would like to share with our Community of Members? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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