Content planning for your (growing) blog: 6 easy-to-use tips

Sustaining a weblog is about extra than simply writing a bunch of weblog posts. You need to develop a technique and plan your content material – particularly when you’re writing with a number of authors. You must also work together along with your viewers and reply to their feedback. On this put up, I’ll clarify the significance of content material planning and provides some sensible tips about the right way to plan your weblog posts – effortlessly!

A weblog put up planning that works

In case your weblog and viewers are rising and also you’re getting extra severe about running a blog, it’s best to make a plan to your content material. This might sound pointless at first, however it’ll make your life a lot simpler! Particularly when you work with visitor bloggers or a number of authors who write about totally different subjects.

However how do you create a correct plan? Properly, we’ve obtained six vital pointers for you:

1. Create an editorial calendar

An editorial calendar is important when you’re working with a number of authors and also you’re posting ceaselessly. So, what is an editorial calendar? It’s a calendar during which you plot all of the posts that you just’re going to write down the upcoming weeks, months, and even 12 months!

This might simply be an Excel sheet, but it surely’s simpler to make use of an editorial plugin or a service with a drag-and-drop calendar. Suppose Trello, MeisterTask or Monday. On this calendar, you’ll be able to simply assign posts to authors and editors, and (when you like) use labels for categorization.

2. Sit down and brainstorm

If you wish to fill your editorial calendar, you would begin with a brainstorm session. Invite all of your weblog authors, and sit collectively. Ask everybody what their concepts are and which posts they wish to write within the close to future. After all, it’s best to use your keyword research as a foundation.

When you’re brainstorming, make a listing of everybody’s concepts and needs, then plot them out on the editorial calendar. Make sure that your authors end their weblog posts just a few days earlier than the publish date so you’ll be able to proofread and edit if wanted. Plus, you should utilize that point to find or create accompanying illustrations or photos.

3. Determine on frequency

You need to weblog commonly. Nonetheless, it’s exhausting to present precise numbers. For many firm blogs, one day by day put up is okay and doable. For a private weblog, nevertheless, this in all probability isn’t be possible. Attempt to set up some sort of frequency and stick with it. Your readers will admire a dependable schedule.

As soon as you’ll be able to decide to your chosen schedule, make sure that to speak it to your viewers, so that they know what they will count on!

4. Add variation

In the event you usually write about related subjects – watch out for keyword cannibalization although – make sure that to range somewhat. Don’t put up articles about practically an identical subjects one after one other. After all, you’ll be able to nonetheless write weblog sequence, however attempt to range between topics as a lot as potential.

You could possibly additionally make variations within the type of your content material. A video put up, for instance, spices issues up!

5. Use information and present occasions

When planning your content material, it’s best to check out your calendar as nicely! Are there any main occasions developing which might be price mentioning in your weblog put up? Or must you write just a few seasonal posts? Make sure that to combine these ‘current-events posts’ with different posts you could have lined up.

6. Use a mode information

Creating a mode information to your weblog is an effective way to ensure everybody writes and spells in the identical method. After all, we should always all write in a grammatically appropriate method, however using capitals and model names may differ. As all authors write for a similar weblog, it’ll create extra unity if everybody spells the vital phrases in the identical method.

Within the model information, you would additionally agree on the size of your posts, using paragraphs and headings, and the use of images. It ought to be a doc during which you write down all of the issues that should be constant in your posts. And don’t neglect so as to add some pointers for SEO copywriting as nicely!

In the event you work with an occasional visitor blogger, a mode information could possibly be an amazing doc to assist them write a put up that matches the model of your weblog as nicely.

Content material planning will allow you to develop!

A rising weblog will ask for extra content material planning, particularly when you’re working with a number of authors. It’s vital to agree on model, the subjects you need to write about, and the variety of weblog posts you need to publish. And don’t neglect to evaluate your content strategy every now and then. So long as authors carry on working and speaking collectively, a weblog with a number of authors could be a nice success and make your website develop even additional!

Learn extra: Blogging: the ultimate guide »