How to create a Content Calendar with Google Sheets - WordPress Membership Plugin - Membership Sites

Jul 22, 2023

How to Make A Content Calendar using Google Sheets

An organized plan will keep your content ticking over easily. You don't have to shell out the money to purchase a tools for managing projects. Create the ideal content calendar by using a simple software you probably already are using, Google Sheets. Find out the process.

How to create a content calendar in Google Sheets

The exciting world of content marketing in which deadlines and timeframes increase faster than a cheetah sprinting on an energy drink.

Imagine being in this tense situation without a map or any sense of direction or maybe a vague idea of what you want to achieve. Sounds daunting, doesn't it?

It's the exact feeling you get as you create and arrange content, without having a schedule for it.

Content schedules are the outline of information you'll share, when it's going to be published along with the exact date of launch.

But it's more than just being a well-organized organizer. It's the heartbeat of your content strategy ensuring your goals for marketing stay in line and that your audience remains engaged.

Gripped audience eating popcorn

Keep an eye out for our best tips and ways to create your own content schedule within Google Sheets, that'll keep the entire team on task and on schedule!

The advantages of having a Calendar Calendar

Here are some reasons why you must plan for the coming years with a plan:

Your team's process can be streamlined

A content calendar combines all the essential information required by your creative team as well as anyone else who contributes to your content.

It defines:

  • What is the best way to do it?
  • Deadlines,
  • Additional crucial details (such in the form of keywords, references or even keywords)
  • The person who is responsible for the project in question.

The clarity will help reduce confusion, last-minute rushes as well as confusion.

If everyone is crystal-clear about their roles each person can concentrate to do their best job. This is an excellent strategy for maximizing productivity!

Strategically Organised Content

If you've got a planned content calendar it's not simply throwing out content and wishing for the very best. Every piece of content serves an objective and is an integral part of your overall strategy to create information.

This ensures that the content has a point, sticks to themes, and aligns with the message of the brand. This also ensures that every kind of material and topic gets the attention that it merits and makes sure nothing is left unnoticed.

The Schedule Content Prior to Timing

Give yourself the gift of time with a content calendar

You're at a late hour and your deadline is fast approaching and you're trying to make blog posts or think of a clever name for your Facebook page. If this's a scenario that you've encountered, it's time to establish an outline for your post!

By using a schedule of contents, stressful scenarios can be avoided.

The content you plan can be planned for weeks, or months in advance, giving you plenty of time to search for sources, conduct studies and develop more captivating and engaging content.

Additionally, it allows users to organize the content around key events or dates that are relevant to your business or your industry.

Differentiate Content

A content calendar provides an picture of your current content.

You can easily check if you're sustaining a wide range of diverse types of content, whether you're publishing blog posts or social media updates videos, podcasts, or other types of content. The use of colors is a great way to check this.

Content Calendar Example

Your content will remain fresh and interesting, meaning your audience won't get bored by monotonous content.

Some of the benefits of taking the time to prepare your content before its release.

Making a Content Schedule that's efficient

We'll provide step-bystep direction to assist you in getting ahead to win.

Step 1: Understand the purposes that you want to achieve with your Content Marketing

It's not recommended to create content in the hopes of making it. If you wish to increase the impact in your work, you must identify your objectives and determine your direction.

Find out "Why" as well as "Who"

Why?

What is the motivation behind your content creation?

Arrow hitting target blue yellow leadership aiming achievement goal target

Who?

Once you've set your goals It's time to get intimately familiar with a key player within your game of content your target audience.

They're the ones are trying to reach by your contents. If you know their needs, interests as well as challenges more likely it is that you create content that connects with them.

Utilize This Information Each time You Produce Content

The goals of your content marketing and the audience you want to reach should be in the forefront of your head every time you create or compose the latest information.

These factors will decide the kind of content that you compose, the subjects you'll cover, as well as the channels you'll use to share the content.

Step 2: Planning Your Content Strategy

Now that we've nailed down the basics of your goals and the audience you're targeting Now we're ready to get started on the exciting part of planning your strategy for content.

It's where strategy and creativity merge and your content plan is beginning to take shape. Take a sip of your preferred drink, don your creative hat and get to work!

Innovating Content Ideas

Get brainstorming your content ideas. And when we say content, we are refer to all types of content.

  • Blog posts,
  • Posts on social media,
  • Newsletters,
  • Podcasts,
  • Webinars,
  • Videos,
  • Infographics
  • Quotes
  • Customer testimonials
  • Demos

Be bold! Take a look at every medium your clients use and the factors that drive them to buy.

Imagine, for instance it's your online educational platform that targets professionals who are looking for advancement in their profession. The goal might include helping them develop new abilities and skills regardless of their busy schedules.

Your content that you intend to share could include short tutorial videos, straightforward instructions for learning, or inspiring achievements to post on social media platforms where career-focused individuals are most likely to engage with you. This includes LinkedIn as well as Twitter.

TIP I Use ChatGPT to get Content Ideas

All are looking for ways to integrate ChatGPT for better efficiency. their effectiveness. This is a great method to achieve this.
    Utilizing the power of ChatGPT is great for brainstorming concepts. As the chatGPT language is an AI modeling language It's highly adept at presenting numerous and creative ideas that you may not think of.

The first step is to outline the content's purpose and audience (as you have done in step 1), then engage with ChatGPT just like you would in a chat.

Here's how to create the perfect prompt:

1. Your company's mission and public

"We're a new company that specializes on organic skincare products for people who are looking to live a healthy lifestyle and healthy between the ages of 20-35.

2. Determine your goal

We're launching our brand-new range of cruelty-free and vegan skincare products. The goal of our venture is to improve our sales make online by advertising the benefits that come with our product.

3. Contact ChatGPT about content suggestions you'd like ChatGPT to create

Are you able to convince us with your content or ideas to promote the benefits of our products, and to convince our targeted audience to make an order?."

This is what GPT-4 produced with this request:

It can be used to offer you blog titles as well as blog outline, or provide questions to the interactive questions you're making.

The key is interaction - the more precise you are with your requests, the more focused and helpful the answers.

Tip II: Look for relevant keywords to the subject of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Keywords are actually the key in SEO when it comes to content that is based on the internet. Making sure you include powerful keywords makes an important factor in ensuring that you are not lost in the midst of content on the internet and being displayed in the results of searches by the people you want to attract.

Also, it's an interesting knowledge of the way your customers are searching for products similar to those you offer online. With the help of keywords, you'll be able to have the capability to design website content that addresses the needs of your audience or meets their desires.

SEMrush along with Google Keyword Planner can be excellent tools to discover the hidden treasures of these search engines. Include these keywords into your content for increased your SEO and push your site's ranking higher on the results page of search engines.

SEMrush homepage 2023

Step 3: Create the Master Content Calendar In Google Sheets

Once you've got an picture of the kind of content you'll offer The next thing to do is to determine the best date and time to publish it.

Perhaps you have a live video planned for your website, an email announcement in the pipeline, a demonstration of your product or gathering on your social media for the same month.

Additionally, it is important to take into consideration your blog's regular articles along with your routine interactions on social media.

The timeframe for posting is totally yours to decide, however remember, the consistency of your posts is vital for all of your social media platforms for them to become successful.

A master calendar comes in handy. The goal of a master calendar is to give an overview of your strategy to create content, and also establish a an outline of when you will publish each item of content.

How do you accomplish it:

If you are logged into the account that you made in your Google Drive account Click New at the upper left corner of your screen. Then, you click an arrow  and then choose the template you have selected.

Scroll down to the bottom, and pick Yearly Calendar. Scroll to the bottom and choose Annual. This creates an annual calendar dependent on the calendar year that you are currently in.

Click the customize your calendartab to select a variety of options. Once you're done, you are able to delete this tab in order to make more room for information that is useful.

Then click on the tab that corresponds with the month that you would like to switch.

Select the type of content you would like to publish on this day and then color your content so that it is simple to determine what kind of content you have planned to be published on the particular day. This will ensure you have the right mix of information.

Content Calendar in Google Sheets

Individual Content Calendars

Once your overarching monthly schedule has been established Now is the perfect time to work out the specifics:

Who's the person who wrote it? What's the timeline you have to format and revise the article? Who's taking care of social media content and what types of posts will they post? We've got you covered. to handle these tasks too!

But, here's how to make a blog calendar within Google Sheets:

  • Choose the (+) icon at the bottom left of your Google Sheet to add an additional tab.
  • The new tab is then moved to the month which is on it.
  • Make a Blog Plan sections and columns to
  • The date of publication
  • Blog Post Topic/Title
  • Writer
  • Deadline (give yourself enough time to edit and edit the blog post in advance of the published date)
  • Keywords
  • Additional details
  • According to the style the blog is designed, it is possible to introduce extra columns such as "Blog Category" (long-form, informationgraphic, short, etc. ).
  • Copy and paste this info from your master calendar.
  • The task can be assigned to a different writer by clicking right on the cell and pressing Comment.
  • @tag one of the members on the team, or write in the full email address of the team member.
  • Make sure that all contributors have access to the calendar.
blog content calendar and social media calendar

And now, let's examine the social media calendars.

You can create an entirely new tab, or to make things more central you can simply add the details below the blog's schedule.

For inclusion of the calendars of all social media platforms, you should include:

  • Social Media Platform
  • Post Time
  • Day
  • Content

For a thorough plan it is recommended to include important hashtags, links to pictures and images, as well as the actual text to the blog article.

Similar to your blog's scheduling and scheduling, you could also designate the author and include an indicator column that indicates if the blog has already queued within your social media management software (like Hootsuite and Buffer).

To conclude

From enabling you to map the strategy for content you'd like to implement, to ensuring that all your goals in marketing are aligned, a content schedule can be a trusted guideline to traverse the ever-changing field of content for marketing.

Making use of Google Sheets as your platform to create a content calendar is simple as it's efficient.

From master calendars to precise calendars for your blog as well as social media, you've got the tools at your fingertips to streamline your workflow so you can increase the variety of your posts and remain in the forefront of your game.

So why wouldn't you? Start leveraging the power of a content calendar that is planned right now and you will see your content marketing strategies thrive.

Make sure you realize that the effectiveness of content marketing doesn't depend on who is loudest and who organizes the best. If you've got a new plan for content, you're moving in the right direction. Now, let's get planning!

     Do you use a content calendar? Are you able to think of any suggestions you would like to communicate with the Members community? Let us know in the comments below.

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