Need to create a content plan for 2021 but not sure where to start? 

Create your 2021 content plan with my easy-to-follow plan - in just a few hours (or less)

This four step plan will take the overwhelm out of content planning - and get you all set for 2021. 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}  

• Why most people struggle to create a content plan (01:50)
• How to create your annual content plan (02:44)
• What to do if you don't know what's happening in your business in 2021 (04:24)
• How to plan content if you sell the same product/service all year round (06:06)
• What to do with your content plan if your business plan changes  (7:29)
• Why I recommend publishing ONE key piece of weekly content on your website (8:27)
• How to create your quarterly content plan (10:26)
• How to repurpose one piece of content into many  (16:11)

STEP 1: Create your annual content plan

Write down 3-5 important things you will be doing in your business in each quarter e.g. launching a new product/service, attending or speaking at an event, hosting an event/special promotion. 

STEP 2: Create your quarterly plan

Once you have an overview of your year, you can create your quarterly content plan.  If you have one, you’ll find the Q1 quarterly planning template on page 9 of your 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner.  

How to create your quarterly plan:

1. Write down your business focus for each week. If you have a copy of my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner, there are templates provided for this (the first is on page 9). What are you going to be selling /promoting each week? This will help you plan and schedule relevant content that makes it natural for you to talk about your products/services. For example if you are launching a 12-week group coaching programme on productivity, it would make sense to schedule content on creating new habits, avoiding procrastination and dealing with distractions around that time. 
2. Schedule a piece of ‘core’ content  for each week e.g. blog, podcast, YouTube video that relates to your business focus. Typically this will be around something your ideal customer/client might be struggling with that relates to your product/service. Committing to a regular publishing day will help keep you accountable. You don’t need firm titles at this stage - topic ideas are fine.
3. Pick out a couple of awareness dates for each week that are relevant to you/your business (there are hundreds listed in my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner but you can find awareness dates online - it might just take a bit of Googling to find relevant ones for you/your business).  Get them on your calendar. Remember not every piece of content you share has to be business related. It’s fine to post content that is just about generating engagement/conversation. In fact this can be a great way to connect with your audience. You will find the awareness days listed at the beginning of each month (alongside a month-per-view calendar).  

Listen to this podcast to learn more about how to use awareness days to generate content ideas for your business. 

Simply by doing these three things, you can create a quarterly plan (i.e. 12 weeks of content ideas) in a very short space of time.

STEP 3: Create your quarterly plan

Depending on your personal preference, you might decide your quarterly plan can double up as your monthly plan (adding new ideas as you go).But you might prefer to sit down once a month and create a specific plan for the following month (using the content from your quarterly plan as a starting point). 

It’s up to you.

Step 4: Creating your weekly/daily content plan

If you have a copy of my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner, you will also have a planning template where you can map out what you’re going to post on each content platform each day (the first is on page 14). If you don't, you can 

So now you’re ready to create your 2021 content plan. Good luck!

Resources

Join my 2021Sorted Club Buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner bundles Buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner

Other useful podcasts

 

[Bonus] Should you buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner? (podcast)

How to create 30 days of content in 30 minutes (podcast)

How to create engaging content if you only sell one product/service (podcast)

How to create a content plan you can actually stick to (podcast)

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