How to Create an Editorial Calendar

Having an editorial calendar is an integral part of blogging. An editorial calendar will not only help you to plan the topics and content for your blog, but it is an excellent way to keep yourself accountable. It allows you to stay focused on your content while planning ahead to be prepared.

When I first started blogging I did not use an editorial calendar. I would just post whenever I felt necessary on topics that I felt like writing about that day. Although this may work for some bloggers, it did not work well for me. I do love when creativity strikes and I have a new topic I want to write about but that is not always the case. Not only was I not consistent with the days I would post, but I also started including way too many topics.

 

A huge part of the growth with my site came from being organized and sticking to a planned schedule. Once I had my editorial calendar made I knew what needed to be done each day. It helped me to stay accountable and consistent with my blogging topics.

 

I always like to plan a few months in advance by printing out a blank calendar and then filling in the posts that are due each day. Plus, it is a great way to see what is coming in the future months and how to plan for events, holidays and other posts that needed to be done for certain months. It may seem straightforward, but a lot of bloggers do not have a schedule which then causes a lot of stress. You do not want to be staring at your computer trying to figure out what to write about.

 

Start Making an Editorial Calendar

Now that you understand the importance of having an editorial calendar you are probably wondering where to start or how to make one.

1. Depending on how new your blog may be, you may skip this step, but I always suggest starting with a list of topics that you want to write about on your blog. Be sure to take a look at a calendar and include holidays or special events. If you have been blogging for awhile you should take the time to go through your analytics and figure out which keywords people are searching for and being brought to your site. This will help you carefully plan the topics for your blog because you can see what people are looking for so that you can provide more of those topics.

2. Decide how many days a week or month you want to be posting on your blog. Once you have figured out what will work with your schedule you can start filling in the topics on your calendar. I always like to keep a few days open in case a sponsored post arises or a collaboration with other bloggers. My site has several large categories that I focus on, so I try to alternate those days on my calendar. For example, if you write about DIY projects, recipes and kids crafts you can have set days for each topic and it allows you to rotate your content so that your readers do not get bored.

3. Now it is time to follow the schedule that you have made and start posting. Seeing your entire month written out {or typed if you like an online scheduler} will really help you stick to a schedule. I also like to have a ‘to-do’ list on my editorial calendar along with a few of my monthly goals. These steps really help me to stay focused with my blog and see where I need to be spending my time.

Staying organized and having an editorial calendar really took my blog to the next level. Even though it may seem simple you may be surprised at how much it can change your mindset and help you to buckle down and complete the tasks that need to be done.

 

Addi Ganley is a full-timer blogger and writer at Frugal Fanatic, where she offers a fresh perspective on frugal living and provides various options to earn an income blogging. She focuses on how to make money either full-time or part-time, and teaches people about money management on a tight budget. Follow her on Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook.