Tips in Creating an Effective 2017 Content Calendar

The year is almost coming to an end, and as early as now, digital marketing in thePhilippines is already seeing the start of a tougher competition to usher the incoming trends for online marketing for the year 2017.

Lagging behind of the competition is out of the question and if you’re intent on upping your game, then creating a content calendar before 2016 bids goodbye is a good move. Below are tips you can use to get it started.

Begin with a comprehensive spreadsheet.

If it’s about making a calendar for any event or plan, spreadsheet is always a top choice. Aside from its easy navigation and user-friendly interface, it gets the job done. Whether you choose to use Excel or Google Sheets, you can assure that all items you place in different cells can be easily placed under categories and labeled accordingly.

Even if you’re still doing your draft, spreadsheets already give you an easy means to track every change and addition you make so you can finalize it later. When making a calendar for your content plan on 2017, you can start by labeling different cells according to months with corresponding weeks and dates.

Plot holidays and special events.

As soon as you have the skeleton calendar ready, the next thing you must work on is the scheduling of important events. Needless to say, these events should be based on the location of your primary target market. If you’re selling products or services in the United States, then events such as Thanksgiving Day and Fourth of July must be plotted accordingly.

If the reach of your product is localized in one city, then make sure to include the celebrations that the area holds. These events could be a vital window opportunity for you to make your brand more visible.

Identify the specific products or services that are related to each event.

For companies selling different kinds of items, it’s important to understand that particular events could dictate which product would sell best. As soon as you have plotted the important celebrations, the next thing you must focus on is to identify what product should you boost during the event. 

This would help you put your marketing resources to better use and will help you use your time on services that will likely be in demand for a particular season.

Create general topics and subtopics fit for the theme.

Themes more like dictate the general approach you’re likely to use in a campaign so the content must be in line with the theme.

If you’re celebrating a health month, for example, then creating topics such as eco-friendly products, energy efficiency and diet tips for adults would be great picks. Of course, you’ll need to consider the kind of product your company offers. Which part of your items could be related to the theme? What approach will you use?

Of course, topics and subtopics are ultimately subject to change, and you can always revise it along the way.

Consolidate all the topics and specify what type of post would best present it.

As soon as you have the list of potential topics, the next thing you must work on is the type of posts you’ll make. You have several options:

•    Blog articles

•    Infographics

•    Slideshow

•    Images

•    Videos

•    Podcast

You may also combine two kinds in one post or reduce a longer post into a shorter one just like in the case of an article converted to infographics. Identifying the specific post type will help you prepare for each kind of post and will give you enough time to make changes if any.

Every successful campaign has a solid plan behind it, and they all start with a calendar. Start plotting potential posts as early as now and create a solid foundation for your online marketing efforts!