12-Step Plan For Approaching Content Creation The Right Way

“Design is honestly only 20% of the work. It’s all about the preparation and marketing objectives at hand.”

Before we get to the step-by-step plan there’s one important aspect to address here.

Content creation isn’t just about creating a design that could increase conversions, engagement, or awareness. You’re gonna want to know with a clear explanation, exactly how each facet of the design is contributing to the marketing message/objective at hand.

Whether you’re a marketer within a company or an agency owner/freelancer you’re going to want to ensure that this is addressed.

Now let’s get straight to it.

1. Decide Your Posting Frequency:

You’re going to want to decide how often you want to post on each social media platform. All while considering factors such as your audience’s preferences, platform algorithms, and your available resources. Try to aim for consistency without overwhelming yourself or your audience. This part is absolutely key.

2. Choose Your Social Media Platforms:

Determine which social media platforms you will focus on based on your target audience and marketing objectives. Make sure you choose only the platforms that your target audience is truly on. Factor in things like cost per conversion and time/budget spent on a particular platform to determine if posting on it will benefit your current profits.

3. Research Peak Posting Times:

Research the peak posting times for each social media platform to make sure your content reaches and engages your audience the best. I suggest looking for industry studies and platform analytics to determine the best times to post. That’s a great way to understand how others are succeeding in posting at the right times.

4. Choose a Content Calendar Tool:

Select a content calendar tool that suits your needs and preferences the best. Options include Google Calendar, Trello, Asana, or specialized social media management tools like Hootsuite or Sprout Social. Sprout Social is a really good option. Its learning curve is smaller compared to other content calendar tools.

5. Set Up Your Content Calendar:

Create a new calendar or project in your chosen tool specifically for your social media content. Divide the calendar into weeks or months, depending on your posting frequency. The more organized you are will pay off greatly for the future.

6. Define Your Content Categories:

Identify the main categories or themes that your content will fall under. This could be educational content, product promotions, user-generated content, or industry news. Assign each category a specific color or label in your content calendar. Remember, organization is key.

7. Gather Content Ideas:

Generate a list of content ideas based on your content categories, target audience, and marketing objectives. Consider having AI help you with ideas. I suggest surfing more through Medium to find how others are leveraging AI for their content ideas. There are writers here on Medium that have created pretty amazing Chat GPT prompts that I use on a normal basis.

8. Create a Content Schedule:

Now you’re going to want to assign specific content ideas to each day or time slot in your content calendar. Consider the platform-specific requirements and limitations, such as character limits, image sizes, and video durations. Especially for image sizing and character limits. They can make the finishing of a project more prolonged if there’s confusion.

9. Incorporate Special Events and Holidays:

This one is extremely undervalued. People love to be reminded what particular holidays are going on. It emphasizes depth within the cultural aspect of the holiday for them and within the company. Plan content around these events to keep your audience engaged.

10. Include Evergreen Content:

Mix in evergreen content that is not time-sensitive and can be repurposed or reused in the future. This helps maintain a consistent flow of content even during busy periods or when you need a break. Most people think reusing content is a bad thing. It’s actually refreshing for your audience. Plus, assuming you have gained a newer following since the first time you posted the post it will most likely be the first time your new audience is seeing the content.

11. Schedule Content Creation Time:

Create dedicated time for content creation and scheduling in your calendar. This ensures you have enough time to create high-quality content and avoid last-minute stress. You’ll be happy you carved intentional time out for this.

12. Review and Adjust:

It’s a great habit to regularly review your content calendar. Mainly to assess its effectiveness and make adjustments if needed. Also monitor engagement metrics, feedback from your audience, and industry trends to refine your content strategy. That’s always something that will keep the momentum rolling.

Now that you know this, implement it. If you already do, then you know how effective this approach is.

Be as thorough as you can so by the 5th or 6th time you do it you’ll be able to get it done with an ease and quickness. You’ll be glad you did.

That’s going to conclude my writing for the day. Remember to stay disciplined and consistent. Until my next piece!

Best, Bucho Abina III

Want to follow me on my journey?

I run a social media marketing agency called Climate Cause Media where we work with environmental nonprofits that help mitigate climate change.

My foundations: Shield Wildlife Foundation and Amazon Revival Foundation

My IG: bucho_abina