Content planner or content calendar - what’s what?
As I further my copywriting experience, I’ve been keeping a list of questions I’m commonly asked about content creation.
One of those asked, to my surprise, fairly regularly is what’s the difference between a content planner and a content calendar.
At first glance, these two things may seem quite similar – and in some ways they are - which is why I've been working on what is a hyrbid of the two as I personally find it easier to focus on one document as opposed to having to maintain a number at one time.
Both involve planning out the content you will create for a certain period of time, perhaps a few months or for the year ahead (January is a good time for this - hence it being my frist blog of 2023). But there are some key differences between the two.
What is a content calendar?
A content calendar is used to map out specific dates for when certain pieces of content should go live. Simple right?
It's essentially like a schedule or timeline of what needs to be published and when it should be published. Content calendars can help ensure that all deadlines are met, as well as give you an overall view of what’s coming up in terms of content production.
They’re also great for helping event marketers or content creators to stay organized and keep track of their tasks as at a glance, you can see what you need to be creating to help promote yourself, your work or your event ensuring you are continually hitting your goals.
What is a content planner?
Content planners, on the other hand, are used to plan out the types of content that will be created, who will create it, where it will be posted, and how it will be promoted. They include the who, they why and the what for.
Content planners allow marketers to think about their strategy holistically rather than just focusing on individual pieces or posts — which helps create cohesive campaigns that have a better chance at success.
Additionally, since they take into account elements such as post topics and promotion channels and target audiences, they require more research and planning than content calendars do. A lot of event marketers will start with their planner and once happy, move onto their calendar (which is why I like to have both in one document).
What does a content planner do?
One of the biggest benefits of a detailed content planner is that it gives you a clear roadmap for what content needs to be created, who it’s for and when it should be published.
This helps marketers ensure that they are always putting out content that’s relevant and engaging, promoting their products at the right time and providing consistent value to their target audience. And this, in turn, can increase the chances of incoming leads and conversions for your events business.
If you’re using freelancers for your copywriting, a detailed content planner can also help them understand your wider content picture in what you’re trying to create as well as knowing key information such as your target audiences and what they’re looking for when creating an article or series of social posts for example.
Overall, a detailed content planner can be an extremely valuable tool that helps you create better, more effective content strategies – and ultimately the kind of results you want to see in terms of increased traffic, leads, and conversions.
How do a content planner and content calendar work together?
While there are some differences between a content planner and a content calendar, as mentioned, I prefer one template to keep them both together, but, just to be clear, your content planner provides the strategy and direction around your content creation efforts, and a content calendar helps keep everything organized so that you can stay on track and meet deadlines for getting your content live at the right time.
Simple right?
Some people may find that using just one is enough, while others may benefit from having both.
Either way, having both a content calendar and a content planner can help take your content planning efforts to the next level by allowing you to plan out your campaigns in advance, stay organized, meet deadlines, and ensure that each piece fits into the bigger picture in terms of reach and engagement goals.
With careful content planning comes greater chances of success!
How to make a content planner
Want a basic content planner to use in your content strategy?
There are countless books, blogs, podcasts and online advice about content planner templates and if you’ve looked at a few already, there’s one thing clear… not one size fits all!
But, here are some basics I used to help me create my own content planner for the year or quarter ahead.
Define your target audience, including key demographics and interests (the who!)
Determine your goals for the content you're creating, both in terms of reach and engagement (otherwise, what's the point?)
Plan out what types of content you'll create and when it should be published (article? podcast? whitepaper?)
Think about how each piece will fit into your overall content strategy and marketing goals (sometimes content is just for fun, but how does it fit?)
Determine where your audience sits - where are they most active and most likely to engage with your content? Be there, post there, engage there.
These basic processes have helped me build my own comprehensive content planner that helps keep me to track and execute a more effective content campaign rather than a scatter gun approach.
Whether you're using a content planner template or creating your own, having one can help ensure that you're always putting out relevant and engaging content that meets the needs of your target audience - and ultimately raises the chances of seeing increased traffic, leads, and conversions for your events business.
If you want to build a successful content strategy that drives greater reach and engagement, drop Matt at Waves Connects a line.