By Ross Young
There are lots of good reasons why you should create a content calendar.
It helps to formalise your company’s approach to social media and blog writing and means you can effectively reach and engage with your target audience.
But how do you actually create a content calendar, and what do you need to think about before putting your plan in place?
Below, we explain some key things to consider before creating a content calendar and offer a helping hand as you look to get on top of your content strategy.
Identify your company’s style
Every company communicates differently, and there isn’t necessarily a right or wrong way to target your audience.
Adjusting your tone and writing directly for your audience is key, and this will help you adopt a relevant and appropriate style for all your content.
Your style extends beyond language. It’s also about imagery, videos, and even sound clips from your organisation. We work with companies that do a brilliant job of creating GIFs and other modern forms of short and snappy content.
If you can articulate your style and define who you are as a company, it will help you create a content calendar consistent with your content goals and that speaks to your target audience.
Set realistic content goals
Our clients often ask us how much is enough when it comes to putting content out into the world. We speak to some people who want to post three times a day on five different social channels, while others are content with two to three blog posts per month on their website.
There isn’t a right or wrong amount of content to share with the world. In fact, quality always trumps quantity as far as content is concerned, whether it’s TikTok videos, blog articles, or LinkedIn posts.
You need to consider what is realistic and reasonable for your organisation. Of course, budget and time play crucial roles, but you also need to think about your audience. Who are you trying to reach? How do these people typically engage with content? What’s the best way to reach them?
You might find that a multi-channel approach is best suited to your business, as you can use LinkedIn for potential B2B contacts and Facebook or Instagram to cast the net further.
When you think about your budget and the audience you want to reach, you can then determine how much content is “realistic” and whether or not it’s manageable for your business.
Of course, you can outsource everything to Magic Word Media, getting expertise and value for money.
Identify what your audience needs
A key element of any content calendar is the type of content your business produces. We say this because what works for one business doesn’t necessarily work for another.
You don’t have to post on Instagram just because one of your competitors does. Rather, you need to consider what your audience wants to see and whether Instagram posts are the best way to reach the right people.
Some of the content we provide for our clients includes:
- Short-form blog posts—up to 1,000 words—that target specific keywords to help a website rank on search engines like Google, answering the questions we know people are asking.
- Long-form articles and PR pieces.
- Website content (from homepage and about us to service pages and blogs).
- Written social media posts with images or videos for Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
- Video posts for TikTok.
- Professional business posts for LinkedIn.
When we speak to potential clients, we always consider what their specific audience wants to see. There’s no point in creating content for a specific channel that won’t generate any relevant leads or interest, so it’s crucial to understand who you’re targeting and what they potentially want to see.
Keep it varied
Variety is the spice of life, and this is 100% true of content. Our most successful clients post various content to their socials, engaging with their customers in numerous ways throughout the month.
Take Instagram posts as one example. There isn’t just one way to post on Instagram. There are feed posts, reels, stories, videos, and even live broadcasts.
The same is true of Facebook – there are so many ways to post and engage with your potential audience.
Though consistency is key in terms of the regularity of your posts and engaging with your audience, variety is equally as important when it comes to the content of your posts.
Don’t be afraid to try new things to interact with your audience and draw on your experiences and those of your team members to keep your social media and website blogs varied and interesting.
Get professional support
Formalising your content strategy and creating a content calendar can seem daunting, particularly if you already have 101 different things on your to-do list.
Don’t worry, we’re here to help.
At Magic Word Media, we work with numerous clients in different sectors to create compelling content that increases engagement.
We write copy for leading global companies in iGaming, finance, travel, and more. We also create social posts for businesses in numerous sectors, always tailoring content to the client's needs and requirements.
We’d be delighted to help you with your content calendar, so please reach out to Karla or Sophie to find out more about how we can help you get on top of your socials and content, in general, this year.
T: +44 1473 526 424