Create a Simple Blog Content Plan (2023)

How good would it feel to know that you have a simple blog content plan for 2023 (without stifling your creativity or becoming overwhelmed)? Wouldn’t it be amazing to have 12 blog posts (also known as “long-form content”) outlined that you could repurpose on Facebook, etc. so that you’re never stuck for inspiration?

Do you usually plan content or do you get caught on the hop?

When you nail down blog post ideas to focus on each month, you have time to go deep and create an ultimate guide that really helps your people, instead of just dashing off the first thing that comes into your head.

It’s time to avoid the pain of doing a content audit and discovering that you didn’t hit your blogging goals because you’d no real blog marketing strategy.

In this article, I’m going to cover the benefits of creating a blog content plan, why it should be flexible and how to make sure it’s strategic and matches your 2023 business goals. So if you’re ready to make your content creation a whole lot easier, let’s get started.

Why Bother Creating a Blog Content Calendar?

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I have great intentions about posting on social media or writing blog posts but my brain and creativity are faster than my capacity to actually get it done!

Some months I’m busier than others or feel less creative and it’s harder to create content. Or sometimes I spend too long trying to make content for different platforms and it all feels really overwhelming.

It can feel like you’re stuck in a content rut and trying to churn out a post or Reel for the sake of it. People pick up on that and it doesn’t feel good.

So I’ve been thinking about how to work smarter not harder and how to streamline the content creation process in a step-by-step guide so that it actually gets done!

Here’s my super simple content creation hack:

Creating an editorial calendar sounds a bit intimidating, doesn’t it? But this whole thing really doesn’t have to be all that complicated. Here’s how to simplify your content planning:

1. Outline 12 blog content ideas or themes with the aim of creating one blog a month
2. Choosing some evergreen themes (topics that don’t date) and some seasonal ones that I know people will be searching for online
3. Repurpose the 12 blog posts on Linkedin, Facebook, etc.

And if you’re already doubting your ability to nail down your blogging strategy, because you can’t think of anything to write about, never fear, I’ve got your back. (And if you’re in my Tech Membership, you have access to even more support).

Click the button below to use the blog content idea generator and you’re sure to have plenty of ideas!

Sounds doable right? And there’s still room for flexibility and creativity, which I love.

Benefits of Creating an Editorial Calendar

Reduce overwhelm

If you don’t normally plan content you might sometimes find yourself caught on the hop.

Creating a (loose!) blog content strategy helps you to focus on creating effective posts that will benefit your target audience and reduce overwhelm.

When you nail down blog post ideas to focus on each month, you have time to go deep and create an ultimate guide that really helps your people, instead of just dashing off the first thing that comes into your head.

Get Loved by Google

A search engine such as Google is more likely to rank your content near the top if you pinpoint the topics your target audience is interested in.

Never forget a seasonal topic

It gets you thinking about the year and means that instead of forgetting about key dates in your niche, you’ll feel more on top of things because you’ll have your content strategy mapped out in advance.
No more scrambling to put together something seasonal because it just snuck up on you!

Streamline content creation

It could help to reduce burnout because instead of feeling like you “should” be doing more, you’ll have a simple content creation plan to stick to.

Boost SEO

A bonus benefit is that more than likely you’ll boost traffic to your website because you’ll actually write your blogs because you’ll be more focused, instead of feeling overwhelmed and struggling to narrow down what to write about.

Creating 12 blog outlines is as simple as jotting down ideas and tuning into what your audience needs help with. If you have a rough idea of your business goals, you can align your content to upcoming workshops, courses, etc. (instead of frantically scrabbling to pull together something to share on social media lastminute.com)!

Why You Should Make Your Content Plan Flexible

Put it this way, I bet anyone who created a very detailed rigid content calendar in 2020 had to quickly pivot! Unless you’re psychic, you’re not going to be able to predict world events that haven’t happened yet, so it’s good to give yourself some wiggle room.

The other thing is that if you’re creative, you have to allow for switching your plan because you’re inspired by a new topic or maybe you have to go in a different direction based on feedback from your people. So map out a content plan, but don’t be too rigid, leave room for magic and inspiration 🙂

This is about creating a content calendar that works for you and your business, not being rigid and stifling!

How To Put Together Your Content Strategy For 2023

Here’s your step-by-step guide to content planning:

Remember why you’re doing this: you’re giving your people a reason to visit your website and making sure that there’s helpful content that’s timely and relevant.

You’re also making your life easier by creating a bank of content inspiration that you can use for other platforms, such as Instagram. You only need to map out 12 blog topics or themes, so this isn’t going to be draining and time-consuming.

Now that you know the benefits of creating a blog content strategy and how important it is to make sure it’s flexible, let’s jump into how to put together a strategic plan for 2023.

Blog Calendar Planning Prompts

1. Seasonal events that happen every year (but somehow still manage to catch you off-guard – ask me how I know)
2. Upcoming events in your business that you want to promote
3. Themes relevant to your industry – look up key dates e.g. starting school if you teach Mindfulness to young children

Jotting down these ideas means that you’re no longer staring at a blank page, struggling to come up with topics.

Remember, this is about outlining topics, you’re not trying to craft 12 stellar blog posts all in one go!

Life Coach Blog Strategy Example

M. is a life coach who encourages women to prioritise self-care. She’s not feeling confident as a blogger but is excited to use a blog post template to write content that helps potential clients find her online.

She also wants to up her email marketing game because she’s been procrastinating on nurturing her existing email list. M. knows content marketing could help her to attract more clients who want to recover from burnout.

Blog content examples:

• 6 Self-care Tips for Busy Executives
• 3 Must-Read Books on Self-care
• The Ultimate List of Self-care Tips for the Time Poor

You get the gist. At the end of each blog, she adds a simple call to action to book a complimentary call and she repurposes the content on YouTube and in her weekly newsletter.

Pro Tip: Use isitwpheadlineanalyzer to write catchy headlines that hook the reader in.

Key Takeaway

Having an organised editorial calendar could make your 2023 a whole lot easier. There’s still room for creativity and flexibility within your 12 monthly topics, but content creation for your blog and other platforms will be way more focused. Good luck with the blog content plan template and I’d love to hear how you’re getting on with this, so please do keep me posted!

P.S. If you feel like you need more help with your blog content strategy, try this post for inspiration.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

😎 Grab the Free Blog Planner so that you can generate a year’s worth of blog content inspiration without overwhelm.