When you have a small team, planning next year’s content can feel daunting, especially when Q4 is already packed. But if you don’t build your content plan now, you risk not filling the top of your funnel, hurting next year’s results.
As a small team ourselves, we have learned to streamline the content planning process so we can get a plan in place for next year while still taking time to do what’s important at the end of the year. Here’s how we do it.
1. Review metrics from the year
Before we start planning anything, we always begin by taking a look at the content that performed the best this year. What received the most clicks in our newsletter? What are people engaging with on social media? What LinkedIn posts started conversations with prospects? And what are people searching for and clicking on?
We’ve found that our most popular content is often the easiest to produce, a huge win for small teams like ours. So while we are super proud of our thought leadership pieces, including this one on why we’re not using ChatGPT for writing, our quick tips — like how to write time zones and when to capitalize New Year — tend to perform much better.
2. Review content cadence and distribution
Each year, we ask ourselves: Was our content plan too ambitious? Could we be equally effective if we produced less? Are we publishing in the right places?
For example, last year we determined that Facebook was not an effective channel for us. So we pinned a post directing our followers to find us on our other social channels. On the other hand, we found that we get most of our leads from LinkedIn and our e-newsletter, so we invested time in creating more content for those channels.
You might find your audience is most engaged on YouTube or that publishing to your blog weekly is the sweet spot between effort and outcome.
3. Build your editorial calendar
Once you determine which channels you’ll focus on and the types of content you’ll produce, it’s time to build your editorial calendar. Start by plotting out how many long-form pieces of content you’ll need and whether you’ll produce any specialty series. For example, we’ve done proofreading tips, creativity boosters and writing prompts, all of which have been great for audience engagement while also making it easy for us to come up with content ideas.
Next, you’ll form specific story ideas so your team knows exactly what content to produce and when. Our team conducts a virtual brainstorm each year via Google Doc, but in-person brainstorms can be effective and fun, too, if your team is local.
We start by jotting down key dates by checking holiday and observance calendars and seeing if there’s any specialty content that should be tied to certain times of the year. For us, National Grammar Day is a big one. Health organizations often create content in line with observances such as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Suicide Prevention Week. Software companies might focus on World Backup Day and Cyber Security Awareness Month. Be sure to check your company’s calendar and goals, too. Will your sales team need content for an upcoming tradeshow, or is there going to be a big push for a particular product in Q3?
Then, check out these other places to look for content inspiration.
4. Get those January assignments out now.
Like you, we appreciate taking time each December to enjoy the holidays with our families. That’s why we aim to have all of our January content complete and scheduled to post by Dec. 15. If you wish to do the same, you’ll want to get started on your Q1 content now. (You might also want to review our tips for how to write faster.)
Small Teams Can Have Big Results
Larger organizations may have more resources, but small teams can be mighty. If content will play a key role in your marketing next year — and it should — start planning now. Focus on what resonates, double down on your most effective channels and don’t be afraid to outsource strategically when necessary.