Blog content plan and how it helps for your blogging needs

You shouldn’t underestimate a blog content plan and its benefits! For beginners, it might sound boring, but it is a necessary tool if you are serious about blogging. It is a must-have step to be more productive, consistent, and provide quality content. And it will make your life so much easier, as everything is already planned. 

So how can a blog plan help you out? Well, the main benefits are:

• It increases efficiency. According to the studies completed by Joe Pulizzi from the Content marketing institute, 60% of companies with written content strategy are more effective than those who have it just in words. And the same goes for individuals. Blog planning is crucial when it comes to efficiency. 
• It helps to define your goals and objectives for a period. Blogging should never be aimless, especially if you want to monetize your blog and find a decent following. 
• A plan helps to always know what to write. When you have it all drafted for at least six months in advance, you won’t get stuck with writing because of the lack of ideas. There will be no writer’s block and nerves about what topic to cover. 

A content plan for a blog is as important as a business plan for a company. After all, the competition is enormous, only in the years 2014-2020, the number of bloggers grown by 10 million!

How can one beat that? Well, with a smart strategy and planning beforehand, of course. 

How to plan content for a blog? 

Now, let’s get into practical details of how to plan a blog and draft content for 6 months ahead. We’ll go through all the steps, starting from the goal and audience. 

Set the goals

Having clear goals is important because you’ll shape your content according to them. I divide the year into 4 parts 3 months each. And set goals for each period. Do not worry; you can change them in case something new arrives. The goals should be smart:

The more specific you get, the easier it will be to achieve. For example, in the first 3 months, you want to boost your email list by 20% or increase conversion rates by 15%.

Another good example is increasing blog’s traffic by 10% in a particular period. 

Define the audience

How to plan a blog without paying attention to the readers? It is impossible! Whether you are a comedy writer, product reviewer, or lifestyle blogger, you need to know who you are writing for. 

Create a target audience persona – approximate demographics (age, location, employment) and their motivations. It will help to find topics to cover and choose the particular formats. 

Create calendar

Now it is time for a content calendar. I like to use Excel spreadsheets but there are many other ways to do it. What do you need to add? 

Posting schedule – consistency is the key.

Vasy Kafidoff

If you are only starting it is easy to think that you’ll write every day. But in reality, it is extremely hard. The average blog post is 1,236 words and if you add proofreading, finding visuals, and other tasks – it takes a decent amount of time.

A lot of bloggers choose to post once or twice a week, which is fine. Quality goes before quantity. 

Create sheets for each month. For example, in May you need to produce 5 posts. Create lines with deadlines. 

Also, add lines for topics and keywords for each post. We’ll fill them in later. 

Important! Add specific dates and events to the calendar. For example, holidays or industry-specific dates. You can craft the content according to them to attract more visitors.

If you have sponsorships, add them too and create pieces around the same subject. 

Outline the content

Now it is time to brainstorm ideas for the next period. First of all, decide what content forms you can do, such as:

• How-to guides; 
• Product reviews; 
• Opinion pieces; 
• Listicles; 
• Case studies; 
• Researches; 
• Videos or podcasts; 
• Interviews; 
• Guest posts, etc;

Another great idea is to reuse your old content. For example, rewrite and update old blogs or social media posts.

To make the blog more entertaining, diversify them in the calendar. For example:

Brainstorm ideas

There are many ways to find ideas to plan a blog. You can do market and keyword research, look at what is trending, find ideas in comments and questions, make an audience survey, search for some catchy headings or subheadings, or look at what is in the news. 

Any decrease or disruption in the amount of content you are producing and using can have a negative impact on your rankings. However with a full plan in place, you will have a steady flow of content to use throughout your campaigns.

John Waghorn

The fun part is to brainstorm all of them according to categories. If you need 5 pieces per month, it means that for 6 months you’ll need 30 pieces, 6 topics for each category. 

So draft 6 how-to guide ideas, then 6 product reviews, find 6 pieces of old content you can update, think of listicles, and podcast topics. It is a manageable amount of topics to think of and you’ll have your content strategy drafted for half a year! 

After you are done, put them on the calendar month by month. And add keywords that you’ve found during the research. 

As an example, a travel blog schedule for May can look like this:

Here you go – the content plan is ready all you need to do is to bring it to reality!

Ready to plan your blog content? 

A blog content plan is a great organizational tool. It helps to be professional, stay on top of the industry, and be more successful in what you do. And it’s also perfect for managing your time better.

You’ll draft the strategy for a year or 6 months once and then you’ll get to do only fun things – actually create content. Do not forget to review it before the new period in case some updates are needed.

One of the most important aspects – you should always aim for quality and consistency in posting. Remember that and your blog will rock the world! 

Vasy Kafidoff

Vasyl Kafidoff is a founder and mastermind of KAFIDOFF.COM. He has a strong interest in education, modern technology, marketing, and business management.

If Vasy is not working, you can find him somewhere in the world attending a Rock Concert with his mates.

Personal website

• Scouting Talent: My Two Cents on Where to Find Stellar Blog Writers!July 26, 2023
  Unravel the mystery of finding the perfect blog writer for your needs with our comprehensive guide. Explore top platforms for hiring freelance writers and learn from the pros about their best practices. Plus, gain insight into the world of blog writing, costs, and why you might consider hiring a professional team.
• Where To Find Free Images For Your Blog: 10 Best WebsitesApril 14, 2023
  Are you searching for ways to add visually-appealing images to your blog without breaking the bank on expensive stock photos? Our article offers a detailed list of websites where you can find top-quality images for free, as well as valuable advice on how to select and incorporate them into your blog content. Whether you need striking nature photos or authentic human portraits, we’ve got you covered. Start crafting captivating blog posts today!
• Content is King, But Editing is the Crown: Why Marketers Need Copy Editors?March 13, 2023
  In the fast-paced world of marketing, producing high-quality content quickly is a must. But in the rush to get content out the door, mistakes can happen. That’s where copy editors come in. By reviewing and revising content, they ensure that it is accurate, engaging, and on-brand. In this article, we explore why copy editors are essential for marketers, and how they can help improve the quality and effectiveness of your written content.
• From Generalist to Expert: The Advantages of Writing in a Specific NicheFebruary 13, 2023
  Are you thinking about focusing your writing in a specific niche? Good news – writing in a specific niche can be super beneficial for several reasons. From becoming an expert in a particular subject to attracting a loyal reader base and opening up new opportunities, writing in a specific niche has many benefits. Plus, it can just be more fun that way.
• 50+ Most Profitable Blogging Niches With Low Competition in 2023January 16, 2023
  Everybody who’s willing to make money blogging wants to know what are the most profitable blogging niches with low completion in the year 2023. Soooooo…let’s figure it out.