Pro Tip: How to develop a content calendar that’s relevant with creative leeway

Using this three-step process to identify your audience and topics, you can quickly and effectively publish content that is relevant to each target audience.

Creating an annual blog editorial calendar can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Using this three-step process, you can quickly and effectively produce enough blog topics to fill the calendar with four ideas per month, resulting in 48 topics for the year. Not only is this something you can do in an afternoon, but it also ensures each topic is both relevant to overarching content strategy yet broad enough to give content writers some creative leeway.

1. Identify four key audiences

Challenge yourself to think of four existing customers that can serve as examples of the types of customers you’d like to land for your company moving forward. Pinpoint each customer’s unique challenges, emotions and values, as you’ll want the content to speak to those needs.

2. Identify three solutions

Think of three solutions your company offers to each of the four customers. Perhaps it’s three different services, different products or different value propositions. Match up each of your three solutions with each of your four audiences.

  • Solution A for Audience 1
  • Solution B for Audience 1
  • Solution C for Audience 1
  • Solution A for Audience 2
  • And so on until you have twelve broad topics to explore

3. Identify four content categories

Finally, come up with a list of four content categories that will allow you to approach each solution/customer pairing from a variety of perspectives.

Some ideas include:

  • Expert Q&As
  • Step-by-step Guides
  • Industry News
  • Listicles
  • Case Studies

Combine this list of categories with your 12 solution pairings to generate 48 unique topics. For example:

  • Expert Q&A that addresses Audience 1’s challenges from the perspective of what Solution A offers

Keep in mind that a blog is not an advertisement, so while your company and its services and differentiators are being mentioned or alluded to in every blog, it won’t be strictly promotional in nature. Instead, focus on providing value to your readers.

As for a publishing timeline, try to address each unique audience in one blog post per month. That way, each month, a blog will be published that is relevant to each target audience.

Pro Tip is a special feature for marketers in our community to share a specific tactic others can use to elevate their performance. You can submit your own here.


Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Marketing Land. Staff authors are listed here.


About The Author

Ryan Brock is the founder and CEO of Metonymy Media, an agency of creative writers dedicated to helping businesses and organizations communicate effectively for growth and success. A full-time writer, editor, and entrepreneur for nine years, Brock’s professional focus is on creating fulfilling career opportunities for creative writers while empowering genuine brands to tell powerful stories that connect with audiences on every level to create powerful customer experiences. Brock has edited a number of books and publications, and is also the co-author of Nothing New: An Irreverent History of Storytelling and Social Media.

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