Does it feel like publishing compelling blog content is more trouble than it’s worth?

Whether you’re sharing personal stories or blog content relevant to your business, there are times it’s just a huge pain, especially when you find yourself scrambling to publish new blog posts regularly.

Have you considered that it might be your content creation strategy? Having a solid system in place can make all the difference.

Typically, creative folks and solopreneurs find it easy to generate awesome ideas but making sure they’re well organized and thought-provoking while spawning new business can easily become stressful and discouraging.

Do you stress out each week or month trying to decide what, when, and where to publish your blog content?

Managing the demands of creating new and strategic blog posts designed to grow your audience requires having a good content creation system.

When I don’t follow a plan or a system, I get stressed, my enthusiasm wanes, and my writing suffers.

Failing to plan is Kryptonite to the success of your blog’s content. ~jh

What is the secret to creating engaging content?

Dedicate time each month to organize your ideas and create a content distribution schedule using a detailed Content Creation Strategy. How?

Learn how to Launch A Boss Content Creation Strategy in 3 steps:

1. Outline your blog post ideas and topics in an Editorial Calendar.
2. Determine what content you will publish and where using a Content Distribution Plan.
3. Decide when & how often you will publish your blog posts in a Content Distribution Schedule.

Here’s Your 3-Step Boss Content Creation Strategy

#1 Create an Editorial Calendar to map out the ideas/topics you’ll share with your target audience.

You’ll benefit from planning your content strategy. An editorial calendar lets you see your content schedule clearly and make adjustments when necessary. An effective editorial calendar ensures your posts are published on your intended dates, allowing flexibility during holidays and special promotions.

To help you outline your blogging topics, think about the following questions:

• What topics are your ideal readers most interested in?
• What is your POV (point of view), specialty, or industry know-how?

Now, start a running list of what will surely be chock full of great ideas.

💡Tip: It’s really helpful when your idea list is easily accessible because you never know when that great idea will pop into your head! I like to use Google docs or Evernote because they are conveniently available on my desktop and cell phone, making it easy to jot down ideas quickly.

Brainstorm topics, then refine the list down to a select few. There is no exact amount necessary, but 3-5 is a good starting point. Got a surplus of blogging ideas and topics? Each of your main blog topics could also have subtopics.

Here is an example of blog topics and subtopics for an Editorial Plan:

• Blogging & Writing:
  • subtopics: storytelling & WordPress tips, freelance writing resources, journal prompts
• Purpose & Focus:
  • subtopics: mindfulness, intentional living, personal development
• Confidence:
  • subtopics: empowerment: self-motivation, accountability, mindset
• Accountability:
  • subtopics: productivity, time management, systems, organization tips
• WILDCARD

#2 Next, determine your content’s format and where you’ll post in a Content Distribution Plan, starting first with your blog and the following potential outlets:

• Guest post on other blogs. Types of content to share as a blog post:

• • Articles or personal essays
  • Video or podcast posts
  • Product reviews
  • Peer interviews
  • eBooks or how-to guides
• Newsletter (your email subscriber list)
• Links to your blog posts or industry news shared through your social media accounts:
  • Facebook personal profile or story
  • Facebook business page
  • Facebook groups
  • Twitter
  • Instagram feed or story
  • Pinterest
• Networking sites:
  • LinkedIn personal profile
  • LinkedIn company page
  • LinkedIn groups
  • LinkedIn publishing portal
  • Quora
  • Reddit
• Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) page

Please don’t think you need to publish to every channel all at once when developing your content creation strategy, but make an effort to publish on a minimum of two platforms to test how your content performs for a specified period. This data will be invaluable when you finally revise your Content Distribution Plan based on your content’s performance. We’ll chat about metrics and conversions in an upcoming blog post.

Also, consider the following 7 key actions for your content distribution. Namely, your content should aim to:

1. Be authentic
2. Stir emotion
3. Create connection and familiarity
4. Be relatable
5. Build trust
6. Show authority
7. Build loyalty

#3 Lastly, determine a Distribution Schedule for your content creation strategy.

Your Distribution Schedule outlines when and how frequently you intend to publish blog content. You can focus on one of your topics weekly or use them as daily or monthly themes.

Here’s a Distribution Schedule (one post per day) example using the above blog topics:

• Blog posting schedule:
  • Monday – Confidence + Motivation
  • Tuesday – Blogging + Writing Tips
  • Wednesday – Purpose + Focus 
  • Thursday – Productivity
  • Friday – WILDCARD*

*You can use the WILDCARD day to publish content related to current events or something unrelated to your main content themes.

Okay, your Distribution Schedule may not include daily content releases. You can use the above example as a guide. Feel free to mix it up and choose a different theme daily or weekly. 

Once you have a clear picture of your priorities – organize around them. ~Stephen Covey

When you dedicate the time and energy to map out your content creation strategy, you’ll find you have a strong blogging foundation, and stress won’t derail your success! 

What creative content are you working on for your blog, newsletter, YouTube channel, or podcast this week? Have you hit a snag and need some support, advice, or feedback? 

Join a supportive network of creative women to discuss your content ideas and get no-nonsense accountability, quality feedback, and guidance to hit publish consistently!

Boss Squad is a membership community for women leaders to connect, network, and create value-aligned content for their business or passion project #LikeABoss 💥 

For a limited time, join for only $25/month (regularly $99/month). Join us!