Do you feel like you are constantly creating and posting content to grow your business? Are you fed up of thinking on the spot and want to get more organised with your marketing content? Well, in this post, I will be sharing how you plan your content for a week (and even further in advance if you would like to).

 

Recently, I ran a poll in my Facebook Group, Superstar Solopreneurs (If you aren’t in it, why not? – Join my fabulous community of solo business owners by clicking here ), about how far in advance people were planning their content and was shocked that the majority answered – “Planning? I just go with the flow”.

Whilst I understand that some people like to be in the moment when they are creating content, especially social media content, I always recommend where possible to plan your content in advance.

Planning in advance will help you to:

• Follow your posting schedule – Releasing content consistently across your chosen marketing channels is key and planning in advance will help you to stick to that schedule
• Be strategic – Different content has different purposes. Planning your content in advance, rather than doing it in the moment, will help you maximise the opportunity for your content to be supporting the overall strategy as intended.

Now that you know the reasons why planning your content in advance is a good habit to get into, it is time to dive into how you can plan your marketing content in advance.

 

Step 1 – Determine what a week of content looks like

A week of content will look different for everyone. I have never worked for a single brand, business or client that uses the same marketing channels and follows the same posting schedule. So the first thing you need to do is get clear on what a week of content looks like for you.

A super simple way to quickly work out is to use a grid that has all your channels down one side and then days across the top. Then you write in how much content you need for each channel on each day.

Once you have filled it in. It is time to count how many pieces of content you need for each channel per week.

Does that number shock you? If so, don’t worry! It is easy if you have been creating content in the moment to not realise actually how much you are creating.

 

Step 2 – Choose a theme

When I work with clients who are first getting into planning their marketing content I always recommend having themes for their content. It will just make your life so much easier. When it comes to themes there are two ways you can approach it.

Day themes – This is where you have content that is specific to the day of the week. For example, if you follow me on Instagram (I’m over at @charellegriffith) and decided to check out my Friday post then it most likely will be a post about a book (#FridayReads), a post introducing myself (#FridayIntroductions) or a post celebrating the end of the working week (#Friyay). Using these themes instantly gives me a focus for my content and stops that dreaded feeling of looking at the blank screen and not knowing where to start.

Weekly theme – This is where you choose a theme for the week and create all your content around that. Ideally, the theme would be aligned with your weekly piece of high-value content, such as a like a blog post, video or podcast episode. If you haven’t already decided on what platform you should be creating high-value content check out my post How to choose you’re the right platform for your high-value content . Now I know some people feel like this can be overkill. However, due to social media algorithms, most of your followers don’t see all of your posts so they won’t even release you are talking about the same topic. And most importantly, it will mean you are driving traffic back to your high-value content, which should be a big priority for you.

 

Step 3 – Get creating

Now it is time for the fun bit – creating! Block out a time slot once a week where you can sit down and create all of your weekly content. In the beginning, it will be a bit of trial and error regarding how long it takes you to create the content, but time yourself so that you can ensure moving forward you give yourself the most time.

If you have a high-value piece of content (blog, video, podcast) do that first and then create your email and social media content.

Sitting down in one sitting may feel daunting, but once you get into the habit you will release by batching your creation is so beneficial. And if you don’t believe me, I share 5 reasons why batching your content is great for you and your business over at How to save time by batching your marketing content.

 

Step 4 – Schedule 

When it comes to content I class content in 3 ways

Content Type 1: Can be created, scheduled and forgot about

Content Type 2: Can be created and then need action at the relevant time

Content Type 3: Must be delivered live

I highly recommend, especially whilst you are working by yourself, that you schedule as much content you can in advance. I schedule blog posts, videos, emails and social media content. Yes, this might not get the best reach on social media platforms, but for the lack of reach, it gives you the time to implement Content Type 2 and 3.

For Content Type 2, you want to keep that someone easily accessible and put a note in your calendar, planner or diary so that at the right time you can quickly access and upload.

For Content Type 3 have the outline for your Facebook Live, Instagram Stories etc and ensure that is your calendar, diary or planner so you don’t forget and are ready to go.

 

Step 5

Keep on repeating steps 2 to 4 and make sure to be reviewing how your content is performing. If you aren’t sure how to review the performance of your content then you can find some ideas to get you started here.

 

Are you ready to plan your content for a week?

Above I have shared the steps I have used myself, and with clients, to easily plan a week of content in advance. There is no reason why you can’t start planning your content a week at a time, but you have to be dedicated to put a time slot in your diary once and week and do it!

 

Want to take your planning to the next level? 90-day planning is where it is at and that is exactly what I offer with my Intensive Strategy Days. Over the course of a day, we will work together to put a 90-day plan together across all of your marketing channels.

No more guessing? No more thinking what should I do each day? You will have a clear plan for content creation, delivery and evaluation that will ensure your marketing is working as hard as possible for you so that you can be free to do the work you love.

Find out the full details of my 1:1 service here –   or book a discovery call with me to talk through your options.