The Best 2023 Content Marketing Calendar Template

Knowing how to use your content marketing calendar will save you so much time. Here’s how!

Yes, I want to Download the Content Marketing Calendar HTWM Content Marketing Calendar spreadsheet

How to use your content marketing calendar template

Columns 1 and 2: Day and Date

The first two columns list the day and date in HTWM Content Calendar 2023 which you will post your content. In column 1, we highlighted major U.S. holidays and observances. This is so you can use holidays to sell your products and services as often done by the retail industry.

Column 3: Social Media Updates / Blog Post Teaser and Link

In this column, write your social media updates or blog post “teasers” (remember to insert the hyperlink to your blog post).

What is a blog post teaser? Say you have an article listing 11 ways to Build Your Email List. “One way to build your email list is…. See more ways to build your email list now!” and link to your article. Don’t give your reader the entire article upfront.

I draft updates about a month in advance. At the beginning of each week or each month, we schedule our updates using Hootsuite, Buffer, Later, or Post Planner scheduling tools.

A Content Marketing strategy is about 25% of a successful marketing plan. You need to drive traffic to your engaging content. Learn more about our program to your success in Get Your Blog Done Monthly Workshops Online

Column 4: Social Channels Posted To

In this column, note which social channel you’re scheduling or posting to: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Snapchat, and Pinterest.

Often, we’ll schedule identical content on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn so in Column 5, we note FB, T, L. Instagram and Twitter are similar in that you use hashtags to attract your audience.

We write a similar-but-shorter update for Twitter, it only allows 140 characters. We compose the tweet in Column 3, and note that it’s for Twitter.

Not sure which social media to use for your business? See 6 Tips to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

or Why Use Instagram for Business?

Column 5: Content Buckets

In this column, list the content buckets into which you are filing the post. A content bucket is a visual way to apply content to an emotional theme. This helps in organizing your posts. We organize our posts into six content buckets; introduce, inform, interact, inspire, entertain and influence.

 

Content buckets remind you to publish a variety of content types (images, videos, links, text-only) on a variety of topics or themes.

1. Introduce

These posts help our fans get to know the person behind the brand. They can be fun, goofy, random, reflective, inspirational… whatever you want. But they need to be candid and to reflect the “real” you.  You might introduce a person, your company, products, services you offer. Make it interesting.

Need help writing an Introduction? Here are 3 steps on How to Write an Introduction and grab the reader’s attention.

1. Grab the readers attention. This looks different for every piece of writing.
2. Present the reason for the post-existence.
3. Explain how the post will help correct the problem that brought your reader to it.

2. Educate

Help your followers solve a problem or meet a challenge by offering a wealth of niche-related educational content. This is my favorite content bucket; as many as 80% of my updates are informational.

3. Interact

We all know that social media is intended to be relational and interactive. Yet many of us (myself included) forget to ask our followers to participate in the conversation. Are you asking questions? Challenge your followers to do something you’ve taught them.

4. Inspire

Motivate or encourage your fans with graphics, videos, quotes, success stories, and testimonials.

5. Entertain

Make them laugh. Make them cry. Make them go aaaaah.

6. Influence

Be extremely careful about overwhelming your fans with “buy my stuff” posts. Limit promotional content to about 25% of your posts.

Recommended reading: “Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook” by Gary Vaynerchuk

Mix-and-match social media updates into multiple content buckets. Write an update that is both informational and interactive, by sharing a tip and then challenging your followers to put your tip into practice.

Or write an entertaining “influence” post. Promote a product or service you offer, but do it in such an entertaining way that your fans don’t even realize you’re promoting something.

Link to other people’s content. One of the best ways to establish authority in your niche is to serve as a reliable source of information. My personal goal is to link to other people’s articles, blog posts, or social updates 40-60% of the time.

Backlinks. You’re quoting other bloggers, ask them to link back to you.

Give yourself permission to move things around. Monitor how your updates are performing on various social channels, and adjust regularly.

Save As. We manage social media accounts for several clients, so before we start filling in the calendar, we first save a blank calendar for each client.

Don’t forget to Track and Measure Your Results

 

 

 

Source: https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2018/09/content-marketing-effectiveness/

Get Your 2022 Content Calendar Now

If you haven’t requested your free content calendar template yet, now’s the time!

Download the 2023 Content Calendar Now

 

Other Relevant Content Marketing Blog Topics

• How to Format the Perfect Blog
• Keep in mind the Learn How To Create the Perfect Blog. Our own proven and perfected Workshop. Transform your business.
• Get Your Blog Done Monthly Workshop

Hit-the-Web Marketing is an inbound marketing agency in Boston and Rhode Island. Contact Us today. We’ll analyze your website and determine gaps in the content. Remember, the content takes the customer down the buying journey. or Call (781) 996-9163 today.