Creating an Editorial Calendar for Beginners

December 12, 2013 by Allison Carter

Most likely, as the year is winding down, you are also thinking about the year to come.  In fact, right now you should be setting your editorial calendar for 2014.

What is an editorial calendar?  Your editorial calendar is your business’s map for content and social media.  By planning the entire year in advance you can effectively use your company’s website, blog (you do have a blog, don’t you?), and social media outlets to increase exposure.

How do you create an editorial calendar?  You may think that you don’t have enough content or generate enough ideas to provide relevant content for a full year.  Think again!  You probably have more than enough to last 12 months, once you start planning.  

Here’s how to start your editorial calendar process:

1.  Decide how often you will post blog articles and when.  Will you post once a week, twice a week, every other week?  Fill in days without scheduled posts with a planned social media attack.  Select news on specific topics and plan to tweet, share, and post articles.  (See our article about 7 Tips to Manage your Social Media for ways to streamline this process.)

2.  Create a document for your calendar.  Pick an Excel spreadsheet, a Google doc, or an actual calendar, but have a place where you can organize your thoughts, see the year at a glance and, most importantly, share your editorial calendar with your entire team.

3. Get on the Internet and start to research! In no time at all you will be brainstorming ideas for your business to tackle.  

Potential topics you could cover include: FAQs, a spotlight on your employees, new products, testimonials, industry trends you support (or don’t), what makes your business different, how you set prices, articles on the Internet written by others that you want to share.  

The sky is the limit.  Remember that if it is interesting to you it is interesting to others.

(Extra tip: if you are a member-based organization, poll your members! Ask them what they want to know.)

The editorial calendar can really make your business’s marketing campaign in 2014 organized, efficient, and easy to implement.  By taking some time at the end of 2013 you and your team can move forward with a strong message in 2014.

If you have your editorial calendar in place and are ready for professional feedback, BP Studios can help.  Contact us at info@bpstudios.com.

About the Author
Allison Carter is a Senior Content Strategist with BP Studios.  She loves writing blogs, tweeting, Facebooking (which she still thinks should be a verb), and helping companies get their message out.
- See more at: http://www.bpstudios.com/Blog/December-2013/Managing-Social-Media-during-the-Holidays#sthash.35Xzr7Tc.dpuf
About the Author
Allison Carter is a Senior Content Strategist with BP Studios.  She loves writing blogs, tweeting, Facebooking (which she still thinks should be a verb), and helping companies get their message out.



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