A list of ideas for blog posts is one of the best things that a blogger can do to start the year. You may wonder how to create a content calendar for your blog that suits your needs and will keep you on track through 2024.
It is also called a “blog editorial schedule” and helps you to plan your posts and programs and organize your blog.
You’re probably wondering about how to create an editorial calendar for your blog. What do you do first?
If you commit to one blog post per week, that’s 52 posts.
You’ll need to come up with 52 topics for your posts, which you can then turn into a calendar of content.
You can do it if you follow a weekly and monthly schedule.
In many cases, the organizing part is simpler. Sometimes, the brainstorming process can be difficult. What should you write and when?
Blog topics and the timing of their publication are affected by a number of factors.
This post will explore the key questions everyone has when creating a blog content calendar.
Types of blog posts used for creating a blog content calendar
A content calendar for blog posts needs blog post topics!
Consider these types of content in your calendar before you start brainstorming blog post ideas:
You can also explore other types of jobs, including:
Interviews featured on the site
Posts with transcripts or summaries of podcasts
You can use all of these to increase your blog traffic year-round.
Blog posts for your blog calendar that are seasonal
One of my favorite content calendar tips is to include seasonal blog posts.
I see a big increase in traffic if my content is relevant to the current season.
Blog posts that relate to seasonal events include those related to the Holiday season, the beginning of the seasons, and holidays, both national and international.
You can plan your blog posts 2 to 3 months in advance if you know the dates of these events.
Why so early, you ask? You want Pinterest to index your posts and pins properly so that they can be searched before the event.
You can choose to focus only on the general activities of a season if your blog doesn’t fit well with holidays like Christmas, Easter, or any other. If your blog is all about hiking, for instance, you might want to concentrate on Spring gear or tips for Spring hikes.
Consider seasonal trends as well: lose weight and get your finances in order in January, fall in love in February, prepare for spring in March, etc.
PRO TIP: Use Google Trends and Pinterest Trends to do research. Plan your posts two to three months in advance by researching the current trends.
Evergreen Blog Content
Consider blog types that generate consistent traffic when creating your blog content calendar.
Evergreen blog topics are those that have subjects. You can add them to your calendar any time of the year.
You can use these topics to fill in the gaps when there is nothing urgent or relevant.
Evergreen content is a great way to drive traffic.
Cornerstone Blog Content
Cornerstone content is next on my list.
Cornerstone content for blog posts is evergreen, but it is more than that. A cornerstone blog post is a blog that links to other blog posts.
Similar to a pillar blog, these posts often cover a wide range of topics. Related blog posts provide more detail on the points that were raised in the cornerstone post.
Consider one or two blog posts that are cornerstones and the other blog posts related to those posts.
Cornerstone content is important because, with the right interlinking, you can keep your site visitors on your blog longer as they browse relevant posts.
Announcement/News Blog Posts
This type of blog post is great for announcing the launch of a program or if you are part of an event or summit.
Add some content to your website before launching a product or event to create excitement and interest.
It’s a great way to show off the blogger. This is a great way to show more about what goes on behind the scenes or to express your enthusiasm for your work.
100 Ideas for Lifestyle Blog Posts for Beginners
75 Spring blog post ideas for lifestyle blogs
100 Ideas for Summer Blog Posts on Lifestyle Blogs
More than 120 fall blog post ideas for lifestyle blogs
Ideas for Winter blog posts that go beyond the Holiday Season
How to Create a Blog Content Calendar
You can create a content calendar for your blog in many different ways.
First, I do a brainstorming session for my blog post topics.
I use Google Sheets or a notebook to brainstorm all ideas for blog posts. To start, keep it simple to collect all your ideas.
These can be thought up quickly. Add them to your calendar two to three weeks before the event or the start of the season.
The second set of posts that I am working on is cornerstone articles with related posts. These posts are published close together to keep my readers interested.
General Evergreen Posts is where I go to find answers to questions new bloggers ask on Facebook.
Finally, I review my goals for the entire year and book blog posts/announcements that are perfect for launch. If you plan to launch a new course in March for your readers, you can book the post then.
Use AI to help with blog post ideas: Content calendar tips
AI can help you come up with new blog ideas.
You can use many great tools to come up with blog post ideas. Research them to see if there are high search volumes.
You can generate blog ideas by using the following:
Writesonic includes a tool for generating blog ideas.
Google is an excellent place to find blog ideas. Check out the “People Also Ask.” section.
Use a monthly planner to organize your blog posts.
Consider using a monthly organizer to make organizing your blog posts easier.
You can choose to use an online or a paper planner. You can use whatever works best for you.
I keep things simple. I created a template with Canva that has four slots for each blog post per month. After printing 12 sheets, one for every month, I am ready to start planning.
I can now post one blog a week. For the whole year, I use a pencil. I can easily change anything if I need to.
I created a Google Sheets version of these notes. It can also be used as a monthly checklist or for other purposes, such as my Pinterest schedule calendar.
