Developing Your Editorial Calendar
We’ve all been there…you sit at your desk and stare at your screen as if some magical idea is about to pop into your head. On the rare occasion, yes, we can admit that this works but not every day has to be this way. We’ve created a guide to help our clients and community offering insight on some of your general practices. Let’s get started!
Be authentically you, your audience knows the difference.
1.Who Are You?
This seems simple. For example, who are we? Well, Howzit Agency is a brand developer and communicator, but if one looks further, we’re more than that. We are community informants, meaning we share products and services and the reasons behind why they’re just not good, they’re great. We have knowledge to share, we aren’t here to compete but to help everyone rise up with us, it’s in our DNA.
Now it’s your turn, who are you? Sit in a quiet room and write everything you feel your brand is and what it means to you. Ideally, employees should take the time to do this as well and share it with you.
2.Define Your Content Mix
Now that you know who you are, besides what your website wants to tell customers – who YOU are and who your TEAM IS, you can get to understanding your content mix and what it is you have to offer. Content publishing requires an understanding of your WHY, yes, we get it, we’ve said it a million times but this surrounds your very reason for even starting the company, working at the company or showing up that day. The purpose of content is to share your company with your desired audiences, whether it’s your products or services, or even thought leadership, it all comes down to giving your content a purpose and establishing connections with your current and potential customers. Therefore, your content mix has to be understanding of this through offering a variety of information without becoming repetitive or sales focused.
3.When Is Too Much, or Too Little?
We commonly hear two challenges from clients, either they are stuck with ideas and can’t create the content, or they have too many that it causes an overload for audiences. So how do you overcome these sticky points?
Well, we’re revisiting the “why” …Why are you wanting to share this information? Why do you want to connect with audiences? Why should your audience follow/engage with you? There’s additional why’s that may be specific to your brand, however it comes down to ultimately why your content is being put out there and the messages you’re aiming to create for your customers.
This may seem repetitive and a no-brainer, but put yourself on your audiences shoes.
Objectives may include:
- Relevant content
- Brands personality & culture
- Promoting events
- Thought leadership
- Industry trends
- New products/services
- Acquiring new customers
- Nurturing relationships with current clients
- Increasing traffic
So how do you know what topics to address and share? Establish your priorities.
The key to getting started is identifying your top 10 goals (5 is okay, 10 is ideal) to create your best mix. This means breaking it down to employee highlights, product releases, reviews, educational posts, influencer posts, etc. Every brand will vary and these may change over time.
4.Employees Voices Matter
Regardless of your position in the company, all employees should be offered the opportunity to share ideas to highlight your brand. Utilizing employee feedback is key, as despite your position, it’s almost impossible to have your head in all sectors at all times.
Asking your employees to share ideas intern sets you up for success, especially since it’s often the case that they receive direct feedback from clients and may have additional insight on your competition.
- What would you like to see more of on our social media channels?
- Is there a specific date or season attached to the idea?
- Are there any other thoughts you’d like to share(good/bad/idea)?
- Do you wish to remain anonymous or can we share your name with the team? *Having the marketing team work with you directly may aid in putting the idea into fruition*
5.Posting Schedule for Social Media Channels
The frequency at which you post is not decided by what the standard rules are, I.e., 3 x per week as it’s often assumed, posting on a more frequent basis is at your best interest. To understand the frequency of each channel, one must first understand your brands capacity at the time, as more content isn’t always key if it’s going to be sloppy content. If you don’t have the ability to handle multiple post creations per day, find your medium in the meantime or consider on-boarding an agency.
- Twitter 1 x per hour
- LinkedIn 2 x per day
- Instagram 3-7 x per day
- Pinterest 3-7 x per day
- TikTok 3-7 x per day
Hot Tip: Keep all social media channels open on your computer throughout the day! Through engaging immediately, you’re able to create additional buzz and rapport.
Determine Your Goals
- Who will be creating the content, publishing and monitoring brand pages?
- How many posts will you be scheduling per day per platform?
- What are upcoming releases, events, announcements or trends that this manager should be aware of? If none currently, who will handle updating the SMM on such updates?
- List any holidays, events and trends you’d like to focus on.
Questions? Ask our team below!