Creating a perfect content schedule can be a little difficult, but oh so satisfying. Since I am a huge planner, I love to organize all of my posts in advance. From my blog all the way to my Instagram account, you can bet I’ve got it all planned out. About two weeks, or sometimes even a month in advance, I will sit down with my phone, grab a pen and notepad start brainstorming.
Not only do I brainstorm everything I would like to focus on for the upcoming month, I plan it all out to a T, and get it scheduled. Once it’s time to post, all I have to do is click a couple of buttons and I am on my way. Keep reading to see how I plan my blog, podcast, and Instagram on the fly.
On the blog:
Create your best work, with a focus. Tune into your purpose and what you’d like to share with the world. Are you wanting to focus on beauty, fashion, health + fitness, or your boss babe moves this month?
Find your monthly inspiration
A week or two before the new month starts, I sit down for about two hours and think about the direction I would like to take my content for the upcoming month. From there, I can list my creative ideas.
Check social media sites to spark creativity
Once I have the idea of what I would like to focus on that month, I check out Instagram, Pinterest, and Bloglovin’ to spark more creative ideas. I don’t suggest copying anyone’s ideas, I just like to use it as a creative benchmark to create a starting point.
Schedule them all out
Once you have a running list of all your interesting blog topics, start scheduling them into your calendar. I will schedule mine out on my Google Calendar based on when I would like to create my outlines, research, and when they should be pushed live. This allows me to visually see when a post needs to be completed and pushed live ~ on time + in prime shape.
+ Batch work ~ always batch work
Always, always, always, batch work. I will set aside a few hours to outline my blog outlines, then my research, and uploading these pieces to my blog. That way, when I am doing the task at hand, I stay focused on that one project specifically. That way, I’m not constantly switching tasks and focus. I am able to master the task at hand and stay in my flow state.
Tools I use:
- WordPress
- Google Calendar
- Social media ~ Instagram, Pinterest, and Bloglovin’
For the pod:
Shed light on your favorite girl bosses or spill the beans on your latest endeavors. Brainstorm who you’d like to bring on the podcast or schedule your solo episode’s next big hits and get to creating.
Utilize connections + reach out to them
Finding the right people to come on your podcast is the hardest part. You have to think about those that you may already have a connection with, are realistic to catch their attention, and have great speaking skills. Once you reach out to them, it may take a few days, weeks, or even months to hear back. (So do this as far in advance as you can!)
+ Dig up creative ideas you already have in store
This tip depends on your podcast ~ if you do solo episodes, start brainstorming. Normally, I like to sync up my podcast episodes with my blog to ensure I am covering all the topics I would like to. I like to look at other podcasts I love to spark creative ideas and ask myself what else I would have liked to know a few years ago.
Schedule what you can
If you do solo podcasts, put those on the calendar! As you hear back from podcasts guest speakers, schedule those as soon as you can. Honestly, podcasting takes a lot of time. Recording takes a few hours, the interview prep takes a few hours, and the editing can take up to a full two or three days worth of work. Get familiar with how long it takes you to complete a task and schedule it.
Sync it up with your social media accounts
Once you have all your recordings set up and ready to go, plan out your social media content. I will always create a blog, two Instagram images, and a few stories to be posted the week of the podcast. For this, I schedule the content on Planoly. I am able to write captions and post the images far in advance. Once it is time to upload, Planoly will notify me and I will easily copy and paste it on my feed with no sweat!
Tools I use:
On the ‘gram:
Level up the ‘gram by making it impactful. Honestly, creating organic traffic to an Instagram account is hard ~ start by posting content that you really thought through and see the impact!
Round up other content platforms
If you have a blog, podcast, or even Youtube channel, think about content that you already have in those places. Are you able to repost images off these sites, or are you needing to promote those on your Instagram to drive conversions? If so, schedule those out before you brainstorm other interesting content for the month.
Plan your theme
With what you already have planned out for your Instagram, look at your Planoly layout to see what real estate you have left and what content pieces could make this more cohesive. For instance, if you have a white and black theme, and you already scheduled a lot of dark images, utilize light content to make your theme more balanced.
See what you may already have
Once you have a game plan, see what you already have stored up. Back in the day, I would do a photoshoot about every three months. To this day, I still have a ton more images that are in prime condition just waiting to be posted on my feed.
Take, schedule, and post with no sweat
When you need more images, ask a friend, or hire a photographer to snap the shot. Normally, when I hire out, I try and shoot as many looks as I can on the same day. That way, I am able to make each photo shoot last as long as possible on my feed, blog, and any other platform I/you may have.
From there, upload and schedule them on Planoly to ensure that your post will be ready to go live when you want it to!
Tools I use:
Social media is one of those things that seems rather easy, but that isn’t always the case ~ especially if you’re wanting to stay on top of your posting schedule. To stay on the ball, figure out the tools that work best for you, schedule everything in advance, and batch work like a pro.
Cheers to you and your *best* content.
XXXX – Kayla
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