Editorial Calendars for Content Marketing

The emergence of storytelling for business communications, education for consumer engagement and entertainment as a viable marketing tool has caused many marketers to reassess our roles.

» Should we support our enterprise or entertain our supporters?
» Do we promote value, or are we responsible for creating it?
» Are we advertisers or publishers?

For some who have embraced content marketing, the answer to all the questions above is a resounding “yes!” We truly produce content to support our marketing and market the content we produce.  To keep our content marketing engines running, an editorial calendar is an invaluable tool.  Yet, there are many aspects of our content marketing campaigns that determine the nature of the program, sources of content and promotion tools that come into play.  When it comes to scheduling our work in an organized fashion, an editorial calendar for content marketing is not a one-size-fits-all utility.

Here are a few different program types with recommendations for creating a reliable editorial calendar. Note: the information below refers to “Bricks and Feathers”, a simple analogy to differentiate between heavier, more substantial content productions and smaller, short-term posts that require less of an investment.  Read the full post about Bricks and Feathers here on Jay Baer’s Convince & Convert blog.

Thought Leader Programs

• Gist: Promote the organization and its ideas to stand out in a competitive industry.
• Content Sources: Thought leaders rely primarily on themselves and like-minded industry pundits to produce content.
• Content Types: Blog, Live/Online Events, eBooks, Infographics, Slide Presentations
• Promotion Tools: Social Media, Email, Search, Event Sponsorship
• Key Metrics: Subscribers, New Blog/Site Visits, Shares, Downloads (for eBooks, graphics and slides)
• Content Frequency: Weekly, Monthly
• Sample Organizations: Consultants, Service Organizations, Software Companies
• Calendar Components: Bricks, Production Timeline, Promotion Channels, Key Metrics

View Sample Thought Leadership Calendar
 

News Crafter Programs

• Gist: Share news and compelling information about a dynamic product or service that has something valuable to offer unfailingly.
• Content Sources: The product itself is the primary source of fresh content.
• Content Types: Social Media, Video, Photos, News Feeds/Podcasts, Guides, Maps
• Promotion Tools: Social Media, Advertising, Public Relations
• Key Metrics: Subscribers, Social Reach, Video Views, Downloads (for guides and maps)
• Content Frequency: Daily
• Sample Organizations: Theme Parks, Pro Sports Franchises, Travel Destinations
• Calendar Components: Feathers, Keyword Targets, Publication Channels, Key Metrics

Layer Peeler Programs

• Gist: Unveil new and interesting features, aspects and utilization methods of a universal or complex product/service.
• Content Sources: Marketing and product development teams. Rely heavily on the audience (i.e. committed evangelists) to produce content.
• Content Types: Website/Blog, Social Media, Photos, Video, Customer Contests/Games
• Promotion Tools: Social Media (prominent photo and video usage), Email, Search, Advertising
• Key Metrics: Visits to Individual Posts or Pages, Shares, Subscribers, Participants
• Content Frequency: Daily
• Sample Organizations: Consumer Packaged Goods, Car Companies, Retail Stores
• Calendar Components: Mix of Bricks and Feathers, Keyword Targets, Promotion Channels, Key Metrics

Do you rely on editorial calendars for content marketing? Any additional tips you can share?