Plan & Commit to an Editorial Calendar for your whole year?

That can feel a little overwhelming, right? In fact, it’s downright paralyzing.

I’m a bit of a commitment-phobe, so it’s really hard for me to commit to what I will be writing about EVERY week for the next year. That’s too constricting! And overwhelming…and scary.

And it’s not realistic either. I mean…I love a good plan, but that’s a bit too much to decide all at once. I need to be able to shift when there is a new trend or idea brimming & bubbling over in my mind that I am just dying to share with you.

BUT I do need to know that it will all work together – within a cohesive message that will connect all of us & continue to draw in new readers. I need to be having a consistent conversation with you, or you might get lost in the scatter-brained randomness.

So how do we find that flexibility we crave, along with the continuity & consistency we need?

We build an editorial calendar with moveable parts, strategically placed throughout the year…peppered with spaces left for stand-alone segments that your readers will look forward to & love.

When I work with clients in my Blogging VIP Days, we spend 3 hours per planning session – working through revenue goals, industry patterns & target market profiles – to discover & map out the priorities, pace & placement for Series & Segments within their brand.

*HINT* Series & Segments are the key to the whole show…so stay tuned, because that’s what you are going to learn about today.

We brainstorm & chat & come up with lists of great post-types & stories to connect with their readers & fill their own hearts with happy. It’s a great process, & it sets them up for a year without the questions & wonder of content creation.

But it’s a lot & not everyone can commit to VIP Days right now (one reason why I’ve decided to create a really accessible BlogYourVoice Membership program…but that’s still top-secret, so shhhh!).

I really want you to be able to make real progress with your blog planning – today.

And I think that the key to that immediate progress is here: in the intersection between your blog’s Audience & Purpose and the potential Series & Segments you can use to connect them.

So we’re going to work together on those first 2 steps, & we’re going to get you set up to build your own calendars without all that overwhelm.

Sound good? I thought so.

First, I want you to download and print these two printable planners:

The first page (Audience & Purpose) will help you to brainstorm the 3 most important pillars for your blog content calendar. Think about these things & how they connect with one another: that’s where your brand voice should be sitting.

When you fill those three circles with different ideas, perspectives & topics, you’ll have a great visual representation of what your conversation should be about.

It will be skirting around these 3 things:

• Your readers’ needs
• Your unique perspective on helping them
• And your blog’s overall purpose

Ta Da! That’s the beginning, kitten. And it should be a good beginning for you, so that you know your readers will feel understood & you’ll feel equipped to offer them something that is unique to your expertise & experience & that will reach them in exactly the way you want – all year long.

It’s really that straight forward.

I mean, you could get into the Great Big Why for your business & add that in too; you can look at your planned launches & pencil those in & make a detailed plan for your year, but seriously – this is a great start.

And a start is a move in the right direction – especially when the whole shebang feels more than a little overwhelming.

So start! No more procrastinating, for you.

Now, flip to the second page (Yup! 2 free printables in one post, just cause I love you), & start thinking about how it will all look in reality.

There are two columns: the first one is for potential Series, & the second one is for potential Segments. Those are the moving parts you will use to build your whole calendar, and they are going to change everything for your blog.

Here’s how Series & Segments are going to work for you & your blog calendar:

In-depth Series are perfect for expanding ideas your readers need to understand in order to value your offerings. They will help your readers their goals with your help; that is a key piece in building trust in your expertise & experience.

Series can last from 4 to 6 weeks & should be placed in your calendar relative to the times in your year when you & your readers will be concerned about those things (think industry trends or launch dates).

Stand-alone or Recurring Segments are great for the in-between. You know those times when you want to just write about something light and easy and fun for you and your readers, but you still want your post to be an effective and engaging piece of your overall conversation.

They should stand alone, but can often be a recurring thing – like a book club or a customer spotlight.

When you use these two puzzle pieces to design your own calendar, you will feel like you have it covered & prepared, but you still have the ability to pivot & be flexible when needed.

Click to Tweet: Want not 1 but TWO free printables to help you plan your blog calendar? @TweetWithaK has you covered, kitten!

If you want to know more about how these pieces work together, & you want to join the rest of the Blog Your Voice boot-campers in the new With a K Blogging Membership site, check it out!

Embrace simplicity & get the support you need to get your own blog feeling just right. Learn how to build a brilliant & effective Series (even for a Launch) & have 50 different Segments ready to go for you – all year long.

xo
Kris