How do you create and manage a content calendar for multiple teams and channels?

1 Define your content goals and KPIs

Before you create your content calendar, you need to define your content goals and key performance indicators (KPIs). What are you trying to achieve with your content? Who are you targeting? How will you measure your success? Your content goals and KPIs should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, you might want to increase your organic traffic by 20% in the next quarter, or generate 50 qualified leads from your white paper in the next month.

2 Audit your existing content and channels

Next, you need to audit your existing content and channels. What types of content do you have? What channels do you use to distribute them? How well are they performing? How do they align with your content goals and KPIs? You can use tools like Google Analytics, SEMrush, or HubSpot to analyze your content metrics and identify gaps and opportunities. You might find that some content types or channels are more effective than others, or that some topics or keywords need more attention.

3 Create a content matrix and a content brief

A content matrix is a framework that helps you map your content to your buyer personas and their journey stages. It can help you create relevant and personalized content for your audience, and avoid creating duplicate or irrelevant content. A content matrix typically includes the following elements: buyer persona, buyer stage, content type, content topic, content goal, and content KPI. For each piece of content you plan to create, you should also create a content brief that outlines the details of the content, such as the title, format, tone, keywords, sources, call to action, and deadline.

4 Build a content calendar template

A content calendar template is a document or a tool that helps you organize and visualize your content plan. It can help you manage your content workflow, assign tasks and responsibilities, and track your progress and results. You can use a spreadsheet, a calendar app, or a content management system (CMS) to create your content calendar template. Your content calendar template should include the following information: content title, content type, content brief, channel, date, status, owner, and KPIs.

5 Collaborate and communicate with your teams and stakeholders

Creating and managing a content calendar for multiple teams and channels requires collaboration and communication. You need to involve your teams and stakeholders in the content planning and creation process, and keep them updated on the content calendar changes and updates. You can use tools like Slack, Trello, or Asana to communicate and coordinate with your teams and stakeholders, and share feedback and ideas. You should also establish a content approval process and a content governance policy to ensure quality and consistency.

6 Review and optimize your content calendar regularly

Finally, you need to review and optimize your content calendar regularly. You need to monitor your content performance and measure your content KPIs, and compare them with your content goals. You need to analyze what works and what doesn't, and identify areas for improvement. You need to adjust your content strategy and calendar accordingly, and test new ideas and experiments. You should also update your content inventory and audit your content and channels periodically, and remove or repurpose outdated or underperforming content.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?