What is Blog Content Planning? This blog post is going to talk about how you can streamline your blogging process and create more content for your readers. In this article, we’re going to discuss 12 tips that will help you plan blog posts in a way that’s simple and effective. Planning out the topics of your blog posts before you start writing them will save time, keep your energy levels high, and ensure that all of the content on your site is cohesive so it doesn’t confuse or frustrate visitors.
- 1. Plan blog posts ahead of time
- 2. Plan blog posts in bulk
- 3. Plan blog posts by listing out ideas
- 4. Plan blog posts with mindmaps
- 5. Plan blog content with slideshows
- 6. Plan blog content with a spreadsheet
- 7. Plan blog content by creating an outline
- 8. Plan blog posts using Trello
- 9. Plan content with documents
- 10. Plan blog content with Evernote
- 11. Plan out future blog posts when scheduling social media posts
- 12. Plan blog posts whenever you’re writing a new one
1. Plan blog posts ahead of time
It’s important to have a plan for the content you’re going to create. You need to know what topics are coming up, which ones will be covered in depth, and how much detail you want each post to contain before you start writing. When I do this myself, I keep an editorial calendar that outlines topics for each month of the year, as well as how many posts I want to provide on a weekly basis. This saves me from having to think about what my next topic is going to be while I’m writing and allows me to keep my content organized and relevant throughout the entire year.
2. Plan blog posts in bulk
You can also plan blog posts in bulk, which means you should create a list of ideas for your next few months or even years’ worth of content. You can do this by asking yourself what trends are happening right now and brainstorming other topics that relate to those themes. Plan blog posts like these ahead of time so when the moment comes (and it’ll probably come sooner than you think), you’ll be ready to write about it.
3. Plan blog posts by listing out ideas
You can also plan your content using a simple list of topics, which can include links or notes on why that topic is important for your audience. This method works well if you’re new to blogging and aren’t sure what your next blog post is going to be. You can use a list of ideas that you create for the future, or just brainstorm topics as they come up and add them into this list so you have an idea about what your audience needs from you in terms of content.
4. Plan blog posts with mindmaps
Mindmapping is another great way to plan blog posts since it allows you to quickly collect ideas and store them in your mind or on paper. You can create a mindmap by jotting down different words that relate to the topic of your post, then expanding those topics into subtopics (and so on) until you’ve created an outline for what your content will be about. Plan blog posts using mindmaps by allocating a color to each topic and then adding that color into your post when you get started writing.
5. Plan blog content with slideshows
Slideshows are another method of planning content since they allow you to create an outline for what’s going to be discussed in detail, as well as how it’ll be presented. Plan blog content with slideshows by creating a set of questions that you want to answer in the post and then figuring out how those answers will fit into your presentation. You can use pre-made templates or create your own, which is what I personally do when I’m making my posts since they have a lot more personality than just a simple outline.
6. Plan blog content with a spreadsheet
You can also plan your posts using a spreadsheet, which is what I do when I’m writing more in-depth pieces of content. Each column on the sheet represents one part of my post (introduction, body, conclusion) and each row represents a topic or subtopic that’s going to be covered in that part. Plan blog content with a spreadsheet by creating your document, then adding all of the topics or subtopics into one column and assigning them to each row as you go along. Once you’ve finished planning your posts, it’s time to move on to the next step!
7. Plan blog content by creating an outline
An outline is similar to a spreadsheet in that each part of your post includes its own set of topics or subtopics. The difference between this method and using a spreadsheet is that when you create your document, you’ll want to add headings and labels so it’s easier for someone else to look at your outline and understand what topics are going to be discussed. Plan blog content by creating an outline by writing down each heading or label, then adding in the subtopics that fit under them.
8. Plan blog posts using Trello
You can also use Trello to plan blog posts. Plan your content by creating a board that’s dedicated to planning, then adding cards for each post you want to create (and the order in which they should be created). You can add labels or other details into your card so it’ll be easy for someone else who looks at your board to understand what they’re seeing. Plan blog posts using Trello by adding a checklist into each card that goes over the things you need to do before moving on to your next post (create an outline, draft introduction and conclusion, etc.).
9. Plan content with documents
You can plan out all of your future blog posts in one document or file if you want to. Plan blog content with documents by typing up a header for each post that you want to write, then adding in the different topics and subtopics within those headers. This method isn’t as dynamic as something like Trello or mindmaps since it’s not visual. Plan content using this method if you’re someone who likes working off of lists instead of visuals.
10. Plan blog content with Evernote
Evernote is another great tool for planning your posts, especially if you like to use the web and mobile apps on a daily basis! Plan blog content by creating an account (if you don’t already have one), then using the app’s “Notebooks” feature to create a board just for your content planning. Plan blog posts with Evernote by creating a notebook that’s dedicated to blogging, then adding cards into it for each post you want to create. Make sure to add in labels and other details so whoever views the card knows what they’re looking at!
11. Plan out future blog posts when scheduling social media posts
Plan blog content when scheduling social media posts by creating a document that has all of your social media updates in it. Each entry should have the topic, subtopic or point you’re going to be covering followed by how long you feel each section will take (and which part(s) of your post they’ll cover). Plan out future blog posts when scheduling social media posts by adding in your different topic headings and subtopics, then adding the estimated time that each one will take. Once you’ve finished writing a section or post, move on to the next entry until all of them are done!
12. Plan blog posts whenever you’re writing a new one
The best time to plan out your future content is while you’re actually in the process of creating it! Plan blog posts by making sure to add all relevant topics and subtopics within each section, then adding in any other details that make sense (headings, labels, etc.). Plan blog posts whenever you’re writing a new one by using the actual post as your outline!
For these 12 tips on how to streamline content creation, we hope that they help out in some way. Good luck with planning and creating future blog content!
