Information in this blog post was obtained from Semrush.com, Copy Blogger, and Sprout Social.
It's a slow Friday afternoon. You are looking forward to your big weekend plans until you realize that you had been given a content creation assignment at the beginning of the month that you let slip your mind. This isn't the first time you've let this happen and you think to yourself that it probably won't be the last until you figure out what you can do to keep yourself or your business organized. Everyone forgets or takes a bit more than they can chew - but that doesn't have to be you anymore when you keep your social media marketing management simple.
In every job, there will be deadlines, content, paperwork, or other necessary tasks that must be completed no matter how redundant we might think it is. The overall question is – How can one person create a system that works for them? Is there a way to simplify and streamline content consistency and organization? What system meets your needs?
Ranging from paper and pencil to simple spreadsheets to high-tech applications, there are several ways to ensure that your content is organized and consistent. As with every choice, there come ups and downs. Below, find the reasons why creating a content organizer can boost your business and what is the best way for you and your business to manage and make your content work and flow for you.
Three Best Ways to Organize Your Content
Back To The Basics: Pencil and Paper Organization
According to the blog post “What Is A Content Calendar? Get Serious About Publishing Your Ideas” written by Stefanie Flaxman, Editor-in-Chief of The Copy Blogger Blog on February 9th, 2023, a low-tech content calendar is one of the most basic types of the organization but can be the most simple and effective tool to use for consistency. Only using a paper calendar, writing utensils, and a notebook, you can keep your business and blogging content down pat. Throughout the notebook, elements of publish date, publish time, front page, back page, and draft transfer will work together to form the central idea for the low-tech calendar.
There are multiple set-ups to make your low-tech content calendar work for you. In Flaxman’s example, she completes her calendar using the front and page of one page for content ideas while using the next to focus more on the calendar aspect of the planning. On the first page, she fills the pages with the publish details including the day of the week, date, and time. On the flip side, she utilizes the back for organization and creation. Once complete with the previous stage, she works to transfer the important data to a digital document to complete the draft.
If you are someone that gets overwhelmed by transferring dates to a digital platform, the basic handwritten plan might be for you. It may seem silly that you are organizing social media content on paper; however, once you find the notebook system that works for you, you can keep your ideas clear with The Copy Blogger’s suggestions you can find here.
The Standard: Digital Content Calendar
A successful social media marketing firm is always backed by a tried-and-true social media plan. In many cases, a form of a digital content calendar is used by some of the most successful marketers in today’s world. A featured blog post on Sprout Social Media Blog titled, "A complete guide to creating a social media calendar" by Jamia Kenan on February 20, 2023 shares numerous ways that having a digital content calendar can benefit you.
Saves time and widens team bandwidth.
Maintain a consistent posting schedule.
Quality Assurance and brand safety.
Streamline cross-functional collaboration.
In addition to Kenan’s findings, it has been found that using an online calendar smooths the navigation process for your documents and data. To increase productivity, quick links can be added for your convenience to frequently navigated pages and websites.
6 Sprout Social Steps are critical to creating a social media content calendar. The steps to completion are listed below.
Conduct a social media audit.
The basis for this audit is to a multitude of data targets to determine your target audience, high and low-performing posts, brand goals, metrics and indicators, publishing frequencies, and opportunities for improvement.
To complete this, you can use a number of resources from social media analytics or even Sprout's Social's own report builder you can find here.
An audit will help you to narrow down specifics to key in on as you begin the creation of your new social media marketing content organizer.
Use a social media Calendar Template
The usage of a calendar template may prove easier from the beginning but the eventual creation of your own unique calendar could work to your advantage.
Your social media calendar might need to include account names, keywords, hashtags, notes, links, etc. You can also eventually create your own template for others to use.
Select your social media channels and content types
Following your audit results and creating a content calendar, Sprout suggests choosing your following on various platforms.
To find your following, visit your target demographic to find what your audience is engaging with. Work to find patterns and themes in their content to help you develop your own engaging content.
To best reach, your audience, pull together a group of keywords, hashtags, and topics that will best be absorbed by your target.
Define a social media calendar posting schedule.
Let your content calendar work for you and make your life easier by creating a schedule for posting. Once you can understand and follow the schedule, you will begin to see more consistent results and interactions.
Work regularly with professionals to stay up on the tactics of successful marketers to find the best times and trends to be following.
Utilize tools like creating a more defined schedule to optimize post times and dates.
Track and analyze your social media content calendar.
Using your social media content calendar to plan and track will help you to see where your business’s marketing and other content needs to be re-evaluated.
Improve your social media calendar by sharing across teams.
When working with so many different individuals (maybe even some remote employees), it is best to keep your teams on track and on the same page during different projects and collaborations.
Teams can make sure to fulfill their goals by the due date of the project and assist others if need be. Keeping important dates and guidelines available to your whole team will help to lay out a timeline to follow.
In Semrush.com’s blog post, “3 Content Calendar Examples For All Your Content Needs” created by Connor Lahey on June 24th, 2021, templates are given to make content calendar creation even easier for you. According to Lahey’s research, a content calendar can help your business in the following ways.
Produce better content.
Increase time efficiency.
Help manage resources.
Align team members.
Clarify responsibilities within your team.
Assist with reporting.
Keep marketing messaging consistent.
Semrush.com provides great social media marketing organizational content to keep creators and marketers at the top of their game. These 3 content calendars are beginner friendly and provide outstanding results.
All the templates above are available on Semrush.com for free usage. The templates keep basic information organized with information such as URL, Keywords, Hashtags, Owner, Date, Subject Line, and many other key needs.
The Next Step: Content Creation Applications and Programs
If you are searching for a one-stop management shop for your social media organization, look no further. Semrush.com has exactly what you are looking for. A combined program that allows creators to plan, write, and analyze content in one place. According to their website, Semrush.com is trusted by several major companies including Tesla, Decathlon, P&G, Samsung, Forbes, IBM, and even Walmart. Semrush helps to build content using data and strategy all while detecting areas for improvement, creating content based on your audience, and keeping your content consistent.
Semrush.com backs you with trusted individuals and advisors to help assist you through difficulties and successes within your business.
Need more help with your social media marketing platform management? Semrush.com has something for you too. With their data collection findings on competitors, Semrush.com is ready to help you find your winning strategy and target your audience in the best way possible. Creating and directing content is added plus for this program. If you slack on scheduling and the previously described ways just aren’t working, Semrush.com can help you by creating pre-scheduled content to boost your engagement. Monitorization of messages and analytical insights are made easy.
View Semrush.com’s Content Management Program by clicking here.
View Semrush.com’s Social Media Marketing Platform Management by clicking here.
Did I mention that both programs are free to view and access before committing? It’s just that simple. Log in with a Google Email account or create a Semrush.com account and access the programs. If you want to use the programs after your free trial, account pricing starts at $119.95 to 449.95 monthly depending on the amount of guidance and assistance you need.
Making The Best Choice for You
Any options you choose to take to keep your business content consistent and organized will only make your business more successful. There are many pros and cons to each different choice. Some are free, and others can provide additional benefits but those come at a cost.
After you have become organized, view my colleague Rheanna's post to find tips and resources to help increase engagement in your content here.
Resources
3 Content Calendar Examples for All Your Content Needs. (n.d.). Semrush Blog.
Sprout Social. (2019, August 20). How to create a social media calendar that works. Sprout Social. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-calendar/
What Is a Content Calendar? Get Serious About Publishing Your Ideas. (2023, February 9). Copyblogger. https://copyblogger.com/what-is-a-content-calendar/
Comments