If you’re waiting for the next lightning strike of inspiration before writing and publishing your next piece of content, your mind probably works a lot like mine, and you’re doing it wrong. 

As with every other aspect of your business, your content marketing plan should be intentional, quantifiable, consistent, and agile. The organizations with the strongest content strategies use content calendars to ensure that each piece of content fits into a strategic content marketing plan and maintains a reliable publishing cadence. 

Content goals should be measurable, but with room to adapt when needed. 

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at how to create a content calendar, which is probably both easier and more difficult than you think. I will also do something very few content marketers are willing to do, show you my content calendar, a.k.a., the system that saves me from my own worst instincts.

Step 1 — Define your goals

I have an acquaintance who loves to talk about his professional credentials during the most random conversations. I can’t fault him for being proud of his accomplishments, but after a few minutes, my mind often starts wandering. 

The content strategist in me would love to ask him some questions, like what he hopes to achieve by bringing up his unrelated credentials in the middle of discussing the weather or Greyhound dogs. 

Does he want to show his professional side (awareness)? Does he want to demonstrate himself as an expert? Does he want me to introduce him to potential clients (lead generation)? Or does he just want to change the topic of conversation (engagement)?

Of course, unlike a casual dog park chat, even the least expensive content marketing efforts cost time and money. Each piece of content should be published with a goal in mind. That goal could include SEO, brand awareness, lead generation, building trust, nurturing customer relationships, improving customer retention, or building your social media presence. 

Each of your goals should align with your overall business goals. Each should be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound). Although some goals, such as trust building, nurturing customer relationships, or demonstrating authority, are difficult to measure, but they’re also vital in growing your business. 

Step 2 — Identify your audience and channels

Believe it or not, only about 2/3rds of businesses have a clearly-defined target audience. Not surprisingly, only about 2/3rds of consumers feel as though content relates to them. Yet, personalization is the holy grail of content, with over 90% of marketers recognizing its impact in increasing sales and driving repeat business. 

Has a business you’ve worked with ever sent you a survey request? Probably. In fact, it likely happens relatively frequently, and you often click them away. 

The surveys might ask about your demographic information (age group, race, gender, location, etc.), interests, lifestyle, pain points and challenges, professional information, or goals and objectives in doing business with you. They may also ask about preferred media formats. 

You may have had a picture of your audience in mind before you started your business, or before developing your newest product. Perhaps you even organized focus groups. Even if you were right from the start, things can change. 

You should regularly survey both existing customers and those who may become customers in the future. 

Content can target a generalized audience or specific audience profiles, but regardless, be sure you’re speaking to your buyers and potential buyers. 

Pro tip: Instead of surveys, tools such as Google Analytics, social media insights, and your customer relationship management (CRM) software can provide invaluable insights into yours and your competitors’ customers. 

Step 3 — Choose your calendar format

Content calendars come in a variety of formats, ranging from spreadsheets to project management tools to dedicated software. The format that works best for your organization depends on a number of factors.

If your writing and editing team is small, a spreadsheet should be fine. If you already use project management tools like Trello, Asana, or ClickUp, you can add a content calendar. If you have a large team, you might look into designated content calendar software like CoSchedule, Airtable, or Monday.com. 

Your format should include essential fields like:

• Publishing date
• Due date
• Headline/topic
• Content type (blog, video, social post, landing page, article, webinar)
• Audience persona
• Assigned author
• Assigned reviewer
• Status
• Goal
• Distribution channels
• Keywords
• Performance metrics

I use a simple Google Sheets spreadsheet. Feel free to use it.

Step 4 — Find topics and formats

Finding topics that will resonate with your audience while aligning with your goals can be challenging, especially if you’re managing a heavy stream of content. If you follow these strategies, however, you should be able to find engaging and relevant topics.

Most blog topics should be evergreen, or relevant year around, but you should pepper in some more timely ones for holidays or end-of-year reviews, etc. 

Understand your audience needs

Great content starts with understanding your audience. Dive deep into their pain points, interests, and questions. Here’s how:

• Talk to your audience — Use surveys, interviews, or social media polls to ask what they want to learn
• Analyze FAQs — Review frequently asked questions from your sales or customer service team
• Join their conversations — Explore forums, social media groups, or Reddit threads where your audience hangs out

Example: If you’re a SaaS company, your audience might be asking, “How do I automate my workflow?” or “What are the best tools for team collaboration?” Turn these questions into blog posts or guides.

Research trending industry topics

Stay relevant by keeping an eye on what’s trending. Use tools to spot popular topics and conversations:

• Google Trends — Discover current search trends and see what’s gaining traction
• BuzzSumo — Analyze trending content in your industry and uncover what’s resonating with audiences
• Social Media Monitoring — Look for hashtags or trending topics on platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram

Pro Tip: Jump on trends quickly, but make sure your content offers a fresh perspective to stand out.

Perform keyword research

SEO is about more than just finding keywords. It can also help you find topics. By targeting keywords your audience is already searching for, you can create content that drives traffic and ranks well.

• Start with keyword tools — Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Semrush, or Ahrefs to find popular search terms in your niche
• Focus on long-tail keywords — These are specific phrases (e.g., “best email marketing tips for startups”) that are less competitive but highly relevant
• Explore “People Also Ask” on Google: This feature reveals related questions people are searching for, offering great topic inspiration

Repurpose existing content

Look at your current content library to see what’s performed well in the past. Then, think about ways to expand or repurpose it:

• Turn a high-performing blog post into a video or infographic
• Update older content with new stats, insights, or examples
• Create spin-offs: If you wrote “10 Tips for Social Media Marketing,” create follow-ups like “Social Media Marketing Mistakes to Avoid”

Repurposing content saves time and allows you to maximize the value of what you’ve already created.

Leverage competitor analysis

Sometimes, some light corporate espionage is a good thing. Read their content. I subscribe to my competitors’ and my clients’ competitors’ blogs and newsletters. 

Tools like BuzzSumo, SimilarWeb, and Semrush can (legally) show you what’s working well for your competitors, It can also show you any gaps in their content strategy.

Use this information as a starting point only. Copying from a competitor (or anyone) is unethical, illegal, and definitely not the way to differentiate your business. 

Leverage AI and content idea generators

If you’re feeling stuck, AI-powered tools can help spark creativity. Tools like ChatGPT, Jasper, or AnswerThePublic can provide topic suggestions based on industry keywords or audience questions.

Example: Type “content marketing tips for small businesses” into a tool, and you might get ideas like:

• “How to Create a Content Marketing Plan on a Budget”
• “5 Content Marketing Hacks for Busy Entrepreneurs”

Follow industry experts

Industry leaders are often ahead of the curve when it comes to new ideas. Follow them on LinkedIn, Twitter, or their blogs to spark inspiration. Consider creating content that:

• Responds to their insights
• Expands on their ideas
• Offers an alternative perspective

Crowdsource ideas from your team

Your colleagues can be an untapped source of inspiration. Ask sales, customer support, or product teams for input—they’re often closest to customer needs and can suggest topics that address real pain points.

Experiment with new formats

If you’re stuck in a blog-writing rut, consider experimenting with new formats to inspire fresh ideas:

• Create a listicle: “Top 10 Tools for Content Creators”
• Host an expert interview or Q&A session
• Write a how-to guide or tutorial
• Publish a case study or success story

Different formats allow you to present your ideas in dynamic ways that keep your audience engaged.

Step 5 — Assign roles, responsibilities, and deadlines

A content calendar isn’t just for planning—it’s for executing. Make sure everyone on your team knows their role:

• Writers create the content
• Designers provide visuals
• Editors ensure quality
• Social media managers handle distribution

Set clear deadlines for drafts, reviews, and final approvals to keep the process moving smoothly.

Step 6 — Monitor your performance and adjust

A content calendar isn’t static — it evolves. Use analytics tools to track how your content is performing. Are certain topics getting more engagement? Is your audience responding better to video than blog posts? Use these insights to refine your strategy.

Best practices for content calendars

1. Consistency Over Perfection — Focus on steady, quality content rather than overloading
2. Collaborate with Your Team — Regular team input ensures all perspectives are covered.
3. Repurpose Content — Plan ways to reuse high-performing content across formats and platforms
4. Track Performance — Use analytics tools to measure results and refine future plans
5. Stay Flexible — Allow room to adjust for trending topics or unexpected opportunities

A content calendar isn’t just a tool—it’s a game-changer. It keeps you organized, ensures consistency, and helps you create content that resonates with your audience. 

Whether you’re a solo marketer or part of a large team, investing time in building a robust content calendar is one of the smartest moves you can make.

Or, you can download my free content calendar template and take the first step toward more organized, effective content marketing.