A Year of Content

“I need new content every day” is a thought soaked in burnout energy.

Even if you find yourself excited to create and full of ideas, getting started feels daunting. 

Your ideas have value and you know you have information to share, but the comparison game is strong. Tell me if any of these thoughts sound like yours:

• She’s already doing the same thing – I should find a more original idea.
• They have thousands of followers and I can’t even get ten likes.
• There’s no way I could post every day – I don’t have time for that!

We all feel doubt in some capacity whether we acknowledge it or shove it in a drawer. Let’s talk through how to organize your content throughout the year to cultivate an audience and curate copy that inspires people!

How to plan for a year’s worth of content.

#1 Find your perfect formula

Does writing come naturally to you? Are you a master of speaking and inspiring a room? Have you always wanted your own show? 

Formula = [content] + day * number of weeks left in the year

Math has never been my strong suit, and the word formula still sends me back to Mrs. Shaffer’s algebra class in 11th grade. This is a fake math formula so hear me out.

• Content = a blog, a video, or a podcast that allows you to wow your target audience
• Day of the week = the day that you’ll show up consistently 
• Number of weeks left in the year = how many pieces of content you need to make 

Please note that this content goes hand in hand with your social media content, but it is not the same thing. This content is some free, valuable information that your audience looks for each week to learn tips, be entertained, or get a glimpse of what you have to offer.

You can post daily on social media if you’d like, but let’s start with coordinating one piece of content with one social post that drives people to that blog, video, or podcast weekly. 

#2 Map out your topics

Say your plan is to post a blog every Wednesday starting on October 14. That means you’ll need 12 topics to post on for the rest of the year. I recommend making a list of all of the topics you’re looking to touch on. Allow the ideas to flow in bullet point form and don’t worry about sticking to this list.  

After about ten minutes of brainstorming, pick the 12 topics that bring you the most excitement and the least dread. If there is overlap between things you’re promoting or selling, even better!

#3 Keep it simple

We see the people out there who somehow are posting on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Tik Tok, while writing a blog and sharing a podcast,  every second of every day. The person who is doing all the things often has been doing it for a long time and has a team of people who helps them. Props to them, but there’s nothing wrong with keeping it simple! 

Drive traffic to your new blog post by:

1. Creating a social media post that links to the new blog. 

2. Sharing a similar teaser with your email list. 

If you only have one or the other, no worries! Share it whatever way works for you and stick to this process every week.  

#4 Streamline the process

Once you feel a little more confident in your weekly ritual, consider scheduling content in advance! This frees up mental space and time. Later is a social media scheduler that is Instagram friendly – consider signing up for their free version!

Other social media schedulers that I’ve used are Hootsuite and CoSchedule. Each have different strengths and weaknesses. Hootsuite is very user friendly. CoSchedule allows you to integrate WordPress blog scheduling and test email subject lines. Later is the only one I’ve found so far that allows you to schedule stories in advance.

Remember that making this process as simple as possible for yourself at the start is totally worth it.  

Start with the intention of showing up for your audience. Think of one supportive person who will really benefit from your content and write or speak to them. They are your ideal customer.

If you’re just starting to create content and are a one woman show, stick to once a week for this content! I know you’re an over achiever and like to see quick results, but every day is hard to sustain long-term as a solopreneur. Eventually, you can start scheduling daily posts on social that drive daily engagement, but starting small will help you to stay on track.

If you’re feeling ambitious, create a plan with 52 post ideas! That will take you to the next year and will help you feel prepared and empowered each week. 

Get excited – you’re doing the damn thing!