Content creation is an excellent way (if not the ONLY way!) to build an audience for your side hustle.
But creating content randomly and only posting content when you feel like it won’t do you any good. One of the key aspects of an effective content creation strategy is consistency, and to get that consistency you need to develop a content calendar.
Early on in my own content creation efforts, I noticed that just writing content on its own wasn’t giving me the results I wanted. Only after I started organizing my content and planning ahead, did I start to see the results I was looking for.
And that’s why this week we’re sharing with you how to build an effective content calendar for your side hustle!
This week’s newsletter brings you:
- Trends. We bring you the latest data regarding content marketing to inspire you to get that content calendar set up!
- Strategies. This week, learn how to create your own content calendar, and how to make the most out of your content creation efforts.
- Tool of the Week. The best way to plan your content is through an all-in-one content management and publishing platform, and Loomly is exactly that.
Trends
Wondering how much of a role content should play in your side hustle marketing strategy? Here’s a hint: A really big one!
There’s a reason 97% of marketers use content in their marketing strategy. Check out the stats below to learn more about the most successful content types and consider adding them into your content calendar!
Content marketing strategy
Content marketing is clearly something that businesses are doubling down on.
However, a little less than half of SEMrush respondents indicated that they were only taking their initial steps in creating a content marketing strategy—meaning as a side hustler you have a great opportunity to stand out in 2023.
Use of content marketing
Over 97% of SEMrush survey respondents claimed that content was a tactic that formed an important part of their overall marketing strategy in 2021, and 2023 will be no different.
Most successful content types
Video and blog posts prove to be an excellent and cost-effective method to generate quick wins for your side hustle.
We’re also seeing bigger gains for case studies, success stories, video, and other content formats that provide original research. Focus on authentic content as part of your strategy to earn customer loyalty and trust.
Content marketing success factors
When creating content, you first priority should be the continual improvement of the quality of your content. Focus on improving personalization and humanizing your content, while making sure it’s backed by solid research and an understanding of who your customers are.
Don’t be afraid to show your personality in your content to give your audience a reason to engage with you.
Strategies
Now that we’ve got the numbers out of the way, let’s learn how to create a content calendar to market your side hustle consistently.
How to create a content calendar
Begin by asking yourself, “What is the major purpose of my future content?” The answer to the question should be used to determine the appropriate channel and format. Is the content intended to generate new leads, attract readers to a website, achieve visibility, or potentially increase your Facebook followers?
The goals you specify have a significant impact on who, where, and how frequently you create material.
Defining your goals is the first step in putting a content calendar in place. Pushing out material with no clear aim will not serve your hustle; it’ll be a waste of your valuable time.
Create a calendar template.
There are numerous programs like Trello and Asana that provide calendar functions; so feel free to select whichever template suits you best. However, if you want to keep it simple, you can get started with a basic spreadsheet.
If you’re planning on hiring a VA to manage your content, the calendar should contain a share option. For example, you can use the free Google Sheets tool to create a calendar template, which allows anybody involved in content creation to update the sheet on their own computer and contribute comments and ideas.
Your content calendar can be tailored however you like, but it should include the following information:
- The channel through which the content will be distributed
- The subject
- The kind of content
- The publication date and time
Select your channels
Determine which channels your target market are hanging out on. This will assist you in determining the type of material you should concentrate on writing. Should you publish blog articles? Instagram and Twitter photos? YouTube videos? A poll on Facebook?
It can be advantageous to distribute material on many platforms and in multiple formats in order to broaden your audience. However, ensure that you have enough resources to focus on the platforms on which you wish to appear. Instead of posting on every network you can think of, choose your most critical channels and focus on providing high-quality content.
Social media posts are typically the simplest and least time-consuming sort of material to produce. However, make sure that your content schedule is more than just a social media calendar. It should also include more in-depth information.
Furthermore, social media can be utilized to cross-promote and share your more in-depth information. Posting an infographic from a blog post on Instagram or Facebook, or sharing an article on Twitter or LinkedIn, will increase traffic and drive buyers to your website.
Come up with content ideas
Now it’s time to start filling in the blanks of your calendar with content ideas. This content could include:
- Blog series – Are you an expert in a service that you’d like to share with your customers? Serial postings are an excellent approach to educate and share your knowledge.
- Expert essays and guest blogs about your services and relevant industry themes
- Press releases announcing the launch of your side hustle
- Season’s greetings or holiday greetings
- Images and videos from events, marketing, goods, and projects
- Interviews with relevant people in your niche
Make sure you have enough relevant ideas to keep your schedule full. Keep your content interesting by varying it.
Determine the frequency of publication
Consider how frequently you can realistically post new content. Because writing content takes time, it is critical to select a posting frequency that works for you. Understanding your personal boundaries is critical to the calendar’s efficiency.
The material will suffer if it is overcrowded. However, there should be enough material to generate traffic and provide value to your audience on a consistent basis.
To put it another way, planning should always be time-constrained to ensure that deadlines are met.
However, your content schedule should not be rigid; a degree of flexibility should be anticipated and accommodated in the scheduling. This way if there’s breaking news you’d like to respond to in your content, you can push back previously scheduled content so that the news is delivered in a timely manner.
Resources:
10 Tips for Creating a Content Calendar by Liana Tech
How to Create a Social Media Content Calendar by Hootsuite
Five Pillars of Content Marketing by Scribbly
Getting the most out of your content
Here are a few ideas for getting the most out of your content:
- Think about your target audience’s preferences: You’ll want to go where your audience is, and not the other way around. This is the most critical principle to remember when creating content. Traditional content types such as news stories, research papers, blogs, e-books, and commercial brand email content are preferred by 68% of Baby Boomers. If you want your content marketing to have the greatest impact, you must reach your audience where they are (social, email, etc.) and with the content they prefer (written, audio, video).
- Remember that video covers all three types of content: One distinct feature of video is that it allows you to diversify your material into all three media. Begin by uploading the video, extracting the audio for a podcast or recording, then preparing the transcript for a blog post or infographic. As video gets more popular, repurposing and reformatting it is a simple approach to reach your target audience.
How to diversify and maximize your content
With these trends in mind, it’s critical to evaluate all three content types in 2023. We also understand that generating new material from scratch can be time-consuming. So, how do you broaden and optimize your content?
- Supplement blogs with audio and visual material: Is it possible to incorporate a video or audio podcast into your blog postings to optimize content? Find ways to include audio and video content into your web content.
- Use show notes and additional resources to maximize podcast reach: If you’re making podcasts, use show notes to make the most out of your content. You can also enhance your podcast efforts by offering your listeners the option to download other information.
- Repurpose resources into other formats: To get the most out of your investment, you may quickly repurpose, repackage, or expand every piece of content you create. Consider how you might reuse essential ideas and concepts from a piece of long-form content, such as a video or e-book, for other channels, such as social media or email.
Resources:
A Guide to Getting the Most Out of Your Content Marketing by Entrepreneur
8 Ways to Maximize the Value You Get From Your Content by Medium
Repurposing Content by Backlinko
Tool of the Week
If you want to get more out of your content calendar, consider using an all-in-one content planning and publishing platform like Loomly.
Loomly provides tools in addition to content scheduling and management. This tool gives inspiration and guidance to assist you in creating content. It also lets you manage your content assets, schedule articles, see them as a list or a calendar, and assess which pieces are working and which require improvement.
