- Colleen Watson
Building A Content Calendar: The Final Phase of CCP
Hello again!
And we’ve made it! Here we are, the final post in this series. In the last one we answered some important housekeeping questions. Now we have to do the work: actually, building a content calendar for your content.
From StockSnap on Pixabay
What is my SEO keyword portfolio?
A year ago, this process would have started in a very different way, the time before AI (can you believe it made such a big difference so quickly?) But for this ChatGPT comes in handy. Why? Because it saves tons of time on research.
Why is this important? Answer: for Search-Engine Optimization. SEO is a complicated subject, but I’m going to give you a basic (and I mean BASIC) explanation of how it works.
Think of the Internet as a huge, ever-growing set of file cabinets. Each of these cabinets is dedicated to a subject. Each time you ask a search engine for a piece of information, it then adds it to the sites that are in that file. But how does the Internet know where to put each page of your website (yes, it does record each page individually)? You tell it using keywords. Let me repeat that, you tell the internet what your content is about. Great, but how do you know which are the best keywords to use? That’s where research comes into play.
Back to ChatGPT and the trick you need to use it well; the quality of your answer depends on the quality of the question, or query in AI terms. Generally speaking, the more specific the better. Here are a few examples that I used to collect mine:
Create a list of the top 20 keywords for (topic)
Create a topic cluster for (topic)
Create a content outline for (topic)
I got a good cross section out of it. Next stop, research. How popular are they? Too popular or general, you have way too much competition. Too specific you don’t have enough potential readers to make it worth the effort. You want your ‘just right’ keyword collection. Oh, the profile is a moving target as how people search for things changes, so periodic reviews are necessary.
My Actual Content Calendar
Here is the plan for the rest of 2023. I have tentative plans for the first half of 2024, a general set of topics. I spend a few weeks in November getting things worked out, and this is already added to that list. Anyway, here are the blog posts you’ll see through to the end of the year:
September: I’m attending Denver Startup Week and I’m planning to make both of the posts about that:
Post date (PD) 9/6: The importance of a conference plan. I’ll cover several issues including transportation and networking
PD 9/20: Planning ahead to 2024, I’m getting a list of potential conferences I am interested in going to and why
October: I’m finishing up my posts from Denver Startup Week and then talk about my 5 Day Blog Challenge that will come at the end of the month:
PD 10/4: Will do a full wrap-up including favorite speakers, workshops and how my follow up went and connections I got out of it
PD 10/18: The 5 Day Challenge. An explanation of it in connection to my roll out of a promo around my Blog package, ensuring you get it for your ‘24 marketing plan at ‘23 prices
November: This is one of the months that has 3 posts, as there are 5 Wednesdays. Perfect as I’m telling you all about my plans for 2024
PD 11/1: What am I taking from this year into the next one? What will I lose and what will I expand upon in the following year. I’m also throwing in tools I’m hoping to add to my collection in the new year
PD 11/15: Content calendar: yep, here is where I take those loose ideas and tighten them up. I’ll also review what got the best results and see if I can repurpose or update them
PD 11/29: Time to talk marketing including conferences I’ve decided to go to, networking groups I’m going to join and podcasts and speaking engagements I plan on pursuing
December: My last blog of the year will focus on the owner and not the business:
PD 12/6: Yes, I know it’s a week early, but I’m closing out my business on the 12th. Why? My Birthday is on the 13th and I want to enjoy it. After that, well, because most business owners are too busy working in their businesses, making those Christmas sales and spending time with family, to work on them.
And there you go. The rest of my 2023. I’m hoping you stay on the ride with me and keep reading along. I have fun things in store and a few surprises up my sleeve. In the meantime, thanks for reading along and remember, it’s never too late to bloom.
PS-Has this got you thinking about blogs, but need some more data? Download my FREE 2023 Blog Review: 30 Facts and 5 Deep Dives in 1 Document
Pictures in Gallery 1: uniquedesign56 on Pixabay, Ena Marinkovic on Pexels and NoName_13 on Pixabay
Pictures in Gallery 2: jpelino on Pixabay, Jill Wellington on Pexels and Ural on Pexels