22 comments

How to Blog Like a Boss With an Editorial Calendar & Content Idea Bank

electro house fashion blogger

Here on IFB, we write a lot about your ‘editorial calendar‘ and ‘keeping your content fresh.' What does an editorial calendar actually look like, and how exactly does one keep coming up with new and fresh ideas to blog about? I'm going to give you a peek into my editorial calendar, which doubles as my content idea bank. I've also made it a downloadable PDF for you to make it your own!

The Editorial Calendar

Before we dive in, let's go over the perks of keeping an editorial calendar. Besides helping you stay organized, it's the closest thing you have to “set it and forget it.” The last thing you want to do after a busy day or week is to sit down and stress out over getting a blog post up because you haven't in awhile. By maintaining an editorial calendar, you can plan out your posts well in advance. By seeing all of your posts in one place, it also allows you to visualize “big picture things”: themes, series of posts, and making sure you have a diverse variety of the things you're writing about. For brands, an editorial calendar is a clear indicator of a blogger's professionalism. They know they're working with a blogger who's on top of what's to come on his/her blog. Brands and bloggers can work together to synchronize sponsored posts or campaigns with the rest of that brand's marketing campaigns. Make sense?

The Idea Bank

The inspiration for your next blog post or three can strike you at any given time. If you're like me, then you've scribbled those ideas down EVERYWHERE: on napkins, at the top of your to-do list, in your Notes or Evernote app, sent yourself emails, or all of the above. What better place to put all of these ideas than right next to your editorial calendar? You can keep one running list of all your ideas or categorize them in themes or post series idea. Then when you're ready, you can plug them into dates on your editorial calendar. Simple as that!

The Hybrid

I use a very simple, unscientific Google Doc spreadsheet as my calendar/bank. It's practical, easy-to-use and accessible from my smartphone and tablet as quickly as it is on my laptop. If I need to share pieces of it with contributors or brands, I can just send a link to the doc via email.

You'll see the entire month of August laid out on the left, along with space to note holidays and special events, like when you're out of town. On the right are several sample categories to organize your blog ideas. Rename, add or delete these dates and categories to suit your blog! My actual spreadsheet has categories like: Books I've Read, Inspirational People (to interview), etc. Anything with a deadline (i.e. sponsored posts) are added in the calendar, then I drag ideas from the other columns into it as well. If I'm working on a post, I mark it yellow. Once it's completed, I mark it green.

I try to update this doc at least once a week, adding new ideas, getting rid of stale ones I don't feel like writing about anymore, and planning out my next blog posts as far as I can. Even if life gets busy and I don't update it for awhile, this is a place I can always come back to and wrap my head around a consistent stream of content for my blog.

This is just one of many ways you can organize yourself. By no means do you have to take this word for word! If you don't currently have an organization system or calendar, maybe this can be a start for you. For those who already have a good system down, maybe there's a new piece from here that you can incorporate in what you're already doing. Whatever the case, keeping a calendar and idea bank will always set you up for taking your blog to the next level.

 

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22 Responses

  1. oscar

    thanks for the article, however i get an error when trying to access your materials.
    you might want to look into it.

    Oscar

    Error>
    AccessDenied
    Access Denied
    FED5E1B404D5879C

    z3Psu4+F46FBluJQli1ImvflYiHhWm2d7iawEFW/BtKn9rMKb9OfLx+ZcFf6NnNr

    Reply
    • Jess Estrada

      Hi Oscar! Try this. It should give you the Google Doc spreadsheet version:
      https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AvaU0UemUrEpdEpNZUNRTi1kOWhubU9vb29CVmtHa3c&usp=sharing

      Reply
  2. Leona Mizrahi

    Super helpful article. I tried downloading the editorial calander provided at the end of the article, but unfortunately it is not working properly. Could you please fix?

    Thanks!
    Xx

    Reply
  3. Hey There, Stylish!

    These are really great tips! My editorial calendar is determined by my readers, however the choices that I really like that didn’t get chosen in the poll become another week’s topic! If I see something I like, that becomes a poll too!

    Reply
  4. kim @ DESIGN + LIFE + KIDS

    I need to get on the ball already! But that link gives me this error message: AccessDeniedAccess Denied92B0D57A617B2CEFyfCatJP7d7ds3U9vJmhAVrNKI2Vm2h2UU3j9lh79kYhT0X32hpaBDNyGWjReRtQk

    Reply
    • Jess Estrada

      Hi Kim! Try this. It should give you the Google Doc spreadsheet version:
      https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AvaU0UemUrEpdEpNZUNRTi1kOWhubU9vb29CVmtHa3c&usp=sharing

      Reply
  5. Jess

    Hi all! If the link doesn’t work for you, try this. It should give you the Google Doc spreadsheet version:

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AvaU0UemUrEpdEpNZUNRTi1kOWhubU9vb29CVmtHa3c&usp=sharing

    Reply
  6. Astrel Medina

    This is great organizational tool! I’m currently putting the final touches on my editorial calender for August.

    I also make notes of relevant special days/holidays such as Fashion week so that I can relate my post to those days. And include external links/content I’d like to share via Facebook or Twitter.

    Thanks for including a copy of your own editorial calender!!!

    Reply
  7. karin boon

    There is no download possible with Mozilla Firefox, do you have another document version?

    Reply
  8. Joyce

    Using google docs is such a great idea! Right now I use google calendar to plan out posts for my blog since it allows color coding and includes holidays. But i’ll try google docs too, thanks giving the example one:)

    Reply
  9. Laura

    Thank yo so much for sharing! I have a much more organised Google doc that I use. I had no idea that what I was doing was an editorial calendar and idea bank!

    Reply
  10. Jennifer

    Great suggestions and a nicely laid out doc to organize your posts. I use a doc to keep track of blog ideas too. It always needs to be easily accessible as ideas can come at any time.

    Reply
  11. laurence

    nice tips. i have never really worked with such a calendar but i certainly will as of now. thanks!
    PS the download works with me 🙂

    Reply
  12. Fabulous 30s

    Great article and great tips. I needed some work on my editorial calendar and this will sure help. Thank you.

    www.fabulous-30s.com

    Reply
  13. Caitlin Kobrak

    A really fantastic article Jess, i’m trying to get more organised on my blog before university starts again in September! The Calendar is a great tool!

    Reply
  14. Loma Sernaiotto

    OMG this article is really helpful!
    I have trouble with finding inspiration, somedays I have 15 ideas and somedays I have none! I tried to keep a calendar once, but I failed in my own planning, skipped posts, gave up, lost the notebook. Downloaded already and definately gonna use it. Thanks ^.~

    Reply
  15. Aida

    this is a cool idea. I use that little notes thing on my iphone as an idea bank and it makes sure I never ever lose an idea for a post. I think i should work on an editorial calendar though. that sounds like a cool idea

    Aida
    x

    http://sunshinesuperwoman.blogspot.co.uk

    Reply
  16. jaime

    I love calenders for blogging.
    Actually I have maybe too many. I use Google calender, post scheduler plugin for WP and a paper and pen calender.
    I am looking into going big into dropbox, since so many of my idea come from random places. One day.
    Nice post.

    Reply
  17. Miss Daja

    Thank you for this. I’ve been beating myself up for wanting to stay more organized with EVERYTHING. I’ve tried this once but quickly resorted back to my old ways. I’m ready to take it serious. I’m going to implement your ideas. This is a great start. Thank you!

    Reply
  18. Melody Fugazzotto

    Thanks for sharing your editorial calendar and your tips too. You’ve got some wonderful insight.

    Reply
  19. Selina Austen

    Thanks for the advice! I just started my blog recently, and this will help me a lot in this beginning stage!

    Reply
  20. Lisa

    Thanks for this template! It works so well with the way my mind works!
    I am always jotting down random ideas in so many different places so I know this will help plenty.
    Love it!

    Reply