How to Create A Content Calendar in Google Sheets - WordPress Membership Plugin Member Sites

Jul 20, 2023

How Do I Create A Content Calendar in Google Sheets

                        The right schedule can keep your blog content flowing smoothly. You don't have to shell out for a fancy tools for managing projects. You can create the perfect content calendar using a free program you likely already have in use, Google Sheets. Find out how it's done.          

How to create a content calendar in Google Sheets

Welcome to the thrilling world of content marketing where deadlines approach faster than a sprinting cheetah on an energy drink.

Imagine trying to navigate this intensely fast-paced space without any guidance, any sense of direction or perhaps a vague notion of where you're going. Sounds daunting, doesn't it?

It's just what it's as it is to manage and curate content without a content calendar.

A content calendar is an outline of the content you'll post and where it will be displayed, and the precise timeline for it's release.

However, it's not just the most sophisticated planner. It's the heartbeat of your content plan, making sure your goals for marketing stay on course and your viewers are active.

Gripped audience eating popcorn

Stay tuned as we share our top tips, and how to build a schedule of content in Google Sheets, that'll keep your entire team focused and on schedule!

The benefits of using the Calendar Calendar

There are several motives to plan for the future with a planned schedule:

The process of your team can be streamlined

A content calendar consolidates all crucial information for your creative team and any outside contributors.

It outlines:

  • What is required to be accomplished,
  • Deadlines,
  • Other crucial details (such in the form of references and keywords)
  • The person accountable for each task.

This transparency can dramatically minimize confusion, rushes at the last minute as well as confusion.

When everyone is clear about their roles, they can be focused on their most effective work. That's the perfect method for efficiency!

Strategically Organised Content

When you have a scheduled content calendar that you're not posting content and wishing for the best. Each piece of content has a purpose and contributes to the overall strategy for content.

This ensures that the content serves a reason that is consistent with the themes you have chosen, and aligns with your brand's messaging. You can also make sure that every type of content and topic gets its fair share of attention, ensuring nothing gets overlooked.

Schedule Content Prior to Time

Give yourself the gift of time with a content calendar

The deadline is looming, and you're frantically trying to create the perfect blog article or come up with a clever headline for your social media posting. If this is a scenario you've experienced it's time to get a content calendar!

With a content schedule These stressful situations are avoided.

You can plan your content for weeks, or even months ahead, which gives you plenty of time to collect sources, conduct studies, and develop more interesting and dynamic web content.

Additionally, it allows the coordination of content with important dates or events relevant to your industry or business.

Multiply Content

A content schedule provides an overview of your content landscape.

It's easy to check whether your content is a mixture of various types of content such as blog posts or updates on social media and podcasts or even videos. Colors are a great option to determine this visually.

Content Calendar Example

It ensures that your content is fresh and interesting, meaning the audience isn't bored of the same information.

Just a few benefits of taking the time to prepare your content prior to its release.

Building an Efficient Content Schedule

Let's take a step-bystep guide to help you propel your approach to victory.

Step 1: Establish Your Content Marketing Goals

There's no point in creating content solely for the sake of it. If you really would like to maximise the value of your content, then you need to identify your goals and the direction you're heading.

Find out "Why" and "Who"

Why?

What's the reason behind your creating content?

Arrow hitting target blue yellow leadership aiming achievement goal target

Who?

When you've established your objectives Now is the time to get in touch with a key component of your content strategy the audience you want to reach.

These are the individuals that you want to reach through your contents. If you know more about their needs, interests, and challenges and challenges, the greater your chance of creating content that genuinely is a hit with them.

Use This Information Each Time You Make Content

Your content marketing goals and your intended audience must be at the forefront of your mind every time you conceive or create new content.

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 foundations with your objectives and audience in mind, we can get into the fun aspect: planning the content plan.

It's the point where creativity and strategy meet and your content schedule begins to take shape. Take a sip of your preferred beverage, slip on your creative hat and let's get started!

Finding Ideas to Create Content

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

  • Blog posts,
  • Social media posts,
  • Newsletters,
  • Podcasts,
  • Webinars,
  • Videos,
  • Infographics
  • Quotes
  • Customer testimonials
  • Demos

Be bold! Consider every type of media your customers use, and what motivates them to make a purchase.

Imagine, for instance, that you're an online platform for learning for professionals looking to advance their careers and your goal might be to provide them with the latest capabilities and expertise despite their busy schedules.

The content you plan to publish could comprise short tutorial videos, simple-to-follow learning guides, and inspiring success stories that you can share via the social media platforms on which career-oriented people are likely to interact in conversation, including LinkedIn as well as Twitter.

TIP I: Utilize ChatGPT for Content Ideas

All are looking for ways to use ChatGPT to streamline their processes This is a great illustration of how to accomplish it.
         
          Leveraging the power of ChatGPT can be a great way to brainstorm ideas. It's an AI language model It's highly adept at presenting numerous and innovative suggestions you might not think of.

Start by outlining the content goals and target users (as you did in the first step) and then interact with ChatGPT as if in a chat.

Here's how to make the perfect prompt:

1. Your company's mission and market

"We're a start-up specializing on organic skincare products aimed at health-conscious consumers aged 20-35.

2. Explain your goal

We're launching a new line of vegan, cruelty-free facial serums. Our aim is to increase the number of sales we make online by advertising the distinct benefits of our products.

3. Contact ChatGPT which content ideas you'd like to see it develop

Are you able to help us develop persuasive content ideas or strategies that highlight the positives of our serums and convince our audience members to a purchase?."

Here's the output GPT-4 produced by following this question:

Then, you are able to request it to provide you with blogs with titles suggestions and blog outline suggestions, or suggest questions for your interactive quizzes.

Interaction is the key - the more specific your prompts, the more focused and useful the responses.

Tip II: Find Keywords to use in the Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Keywords are the actual key to SEO in internet-based content. Keywords that are powerful can make what makes the difference between being lost in a web-based content sea and appearing on the search results of your desired clients.

It also provides a fascinating understanding of how your target audience is searching for similar items to yours on the internet. Through keyword research, you have the capability to produce web content that meets their needs or meets their desires.

SEMrush or Google Keyword Planner are great tools for discovering these invaluable treasures. Embed these keywords into the content of your site to improve your SEO, and help push your websites higher on the search engine results ladder.

SEMrush homepage 2023

3. Create a Master Content Calendar In Google Sheets

Once you've got an picture of the type of material you'll provide The next thing to do is to determine when and where to unleash the material.

Maybe you've got a live video on your site or an email newsletter that's waiting to be sent out, a new demonstration of your product, or a gathering for your social media for the same month.

In addition, you should consider your regular blog posts as well as your regular social media interactions.

Your timeline for posting is totally yours to decide, however remember, the consistency of your posts is essential for each of your social media channels to be successful.

This is when a master calendar comes in handy. The aim of the master calendar is to provide a bird's eye view of your content strategy and establish a timeline for the publication of every piece of content.

This is how you accomplish it:

On the account you have created in your Google Drive account select New in the upper left corner of your screen. Next, click on the arrow to the right  an icon, then select From a template

Scroll down to select the Yearly Calendar. This will generate an annual calendar in the year currently in.

Click on the Customize your calendartab for a selection of designs. Once you're done, you can delete that tab so that you can make room for useful information.

After that, click the tab for the month you wish to change.

Enter the type of content you'd like to deliver on that day, and color mark it so that it is easy to see what sort of content is planned for the day. It will help ensure that you've got a an appropriate variety of content.

Content Calendar in Google Sheets

Individual Content Calendars

After your monthly overarching schedule has been established, now is the time to figure out the finer details:

Who's the writer? How long do you need to edit and format the article? Who will be responsible for the social media content and what exactly will they post? No stress--we've got a schedule to handle these tasks as well!

This is the way to build a schedule for your blog using Google Sheets:

  • Click on the (+) icon at the bottom left of your Google Sheet to add a new tab.
  • Click the tab to move it next to the month that is in it.
  • Design an             Blog Schedule            Sections with columns to
  • Publication Date
  • Blog Post Topic/Title
  • Writer
  • Deadline (give yourself ample time to revise and format the blog post in advance of the published date)
  • Keywords
  • Additional information
  • Based on the design the blog is designed, you could include additional columns, such as "Blog Category" (long-form, informationgraphic, short, etc. ).
  • Copy and paste this information from your master calendar.
  • Transfer the responsibility to another author by right-clicking the cell and pressing Comment.
  • @tag an individual on the team, or enter the entire email address of the assignee
  • Make sure that all contributors have access to the calendar.
blog content calendar and social media calendar

And now, let's look at social media timetables.

You can either create your own tab. Or, to make things more central you can enter the details beneath your blog's schedule.

In all schedules for social media, you should include:

  • Social Media Platform
  • Post Time
  • Day
  • Content

For a more comprehensive schedule you can consider including relevant hashtags, links photos, images or even the actual content in your article.

In addition to your blog's schedule it is possible to assign the author and have a column indicating if it's already queued by your social media administration tool (like Hootsuite or Buffer).

To conclude

From enabling you to map the strategy for your content, to ensuring that all the goals of your marketing are in line, a content schedule serves as your trusty companion in the dynamic market of content marketing.

With Google Sheets as your platform making a schedule of content is just as simple as it is effective.

From master calendars to detailed schedules for your blog and social media There are plenty of devices you need to simplify your workflow, diversify your content, and stay in the forefront of your field.

So why wait? Begin to harness the potential of a planned content calendar today, and see your marketing campaigns for content flourish.

Be aware that success in content marketing is not about which one shouts loudest, but who plans the best. If you've got a updated content plan it's clear that you're well on your way to success. Now, let's get planning!

           Are you using the calendar of content? Got any tips to share with the Member community? Please share them by leaving a comment below.

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