Consistency is one of the most important hallmarks of an effective thought leader brand. Whether you are a burgeoning expert or just beginning to consider how to get credit for the work you’ve always done, sharing your perspective on platforms that will reach your intended audience is just as important as establishing a posting rhythm and sticking with it over the long haul.

However, there’s one common challenge most people face: finding the time and energy to fulfill that commitment and populate their platform with valuable content.

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What is a content calendar and why is it important?

Creating and managing a content calendar is more of a strategy than any specific app or solution. A content calendar is essentially an editorial calendar for you as a thought leader. It is an organized system of planning what to post, along with when and where it will live on your platform. A content calendar will typically encompass a strategy for blog, newsletter, and social media postings.

Your content calendar will let you plan ahead and consolidate the time and energy you put into creating and sharing content. It will also make clear how one piece of content can be extrapolated into multiple updates across your platform.

Some people even go a step further and define content categories (content medium, topic, product, etc.), which enables them to plan and execute an intentional mix of material over a given span of time.

How can you get started?

Although it may sound complicated, a content calendar can be as simple as a spreadsheet, or a printed calendar or yearly planner. Whatever medium you choose, your next step is to consider how often you want to share new posts and promotions over a set period of time. You would likely want to post much more frequently on Twitter than on your blog, so give yourself a frequency target to hit for each piece of your ecosystem. Also, take into consideration what you know about your community and take note of times you see spikes in website visits or engagement, as that is a great indicator of when to share new content.

Next, create a list of priorities you want to address. Make a bulleted list of the types or categories of messages you want to share or actions you want to drive. Do you need to drive visitors to your website, to a product or services page, or to sign up for a newsletter?

When it comes to posting on your social media profiles, there’s one common misconception: thinking that you can only post original material. Content curation is an option that makes sense for a wide variety of experts, and has many benefits--including helping you keep your audience engaged.

Now all you have to do is start filling in those blanks on your content calendar. You should experiment and try to find the right time to dedicate to planning out and writing for your posting schedule.

The purpose of a content calendar is to make the process of creating and sharing content more efficient, so carve out time to plan a week, month, or even a year ahead! Even taking the time to outline just your weekly blog posts for the upcoming year can relieve stress and make your content more cohesive and consistent. Your cadence of managing the calendar can be augmented by identifying the right time of day to do it, which can be very different for everyone.

What are popular options for creating and maintaining a content calendar?

There is no single “correct” way to set up your content calendar, nor any reason you couldn’t adjust or optimize your process if you see an opportunity. As you consider where to start, here are some options to explore:

• If you want to start off without any cost, you can use a piece of paper and a pen to start mapping out a week of content, or build a simple spreadsheet organized by day. You could also use a notes app on your phone to capture inspiration throughout your day.
  • If you want some guidance and structure, but still want to save money, HubSpot has a great social media content template that you can download for free.
• If you are willing to pay for the convenience of a full-service solution, there is a host of providers who help thought leaders, influencers, and even companies plan and post their content. Among the most popular are HubSpot, Buffer, Sprout Social, Hootsuite, Asana, and Monday.

Once your system is in place, you can begin populating it for the near future. Here are some tips for identifying content categories and specific topics to get you started:

• Group together your material by breaking down larger themes into smaller steps that can be isolated and detailed. This is particularly helpful in identifying blog post topics, which can then be promoted on your social media channels.
• Examine your own upcoming schedule and your industry’s annual calendar to identify opportunities. You can plan content around upcoming events and major conversations set to happen within your industry, or more broadly in the culture.
• Plan to repurpose previously released content that has proven to perform well (high engagement or click-through rates) by adding a new spin relevant to current conversations.
• Make an effort to look for material to share or things you have a perspective on in your daily consumption. If you read an interesting story, send a link to your notes to add to your upcoming calendar--there are so many opportunities you likely already have that will make this process less intimidating.
• If you have a book, use it as a basis for planning an entire year of content. A single chapter can lay the groundwork for a blog post, newsletter, and a week of social media content.

Remember that this process is an ongoing commitment and you should reevaluate how it is working for you as you go. The most important thing is to keep trying different things until you find one that works best for you. Don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t come naturally to you at first. You will find your voice sooner or later! If you have any questions or would like any assistance determining the answers to the many questions posed here, Greenleaf can help in a variety of ways. If you’d like to understand more about those options, please send a note to platform@greenleafbookgroup.com.