blog strategy: using an editorial calendar {part 1}

What makes some blogs grow and others wither away?

Is it strictly content? Quality content matters but it isn’t always the determining factor in a successful blog. As much as the adage, “Content is king,” is repeated online, we all know bloggers with great content who haven’t grown. Is it just luck or knowing the right people or attending the right conferences? Is it about finding your voice or simply declaring yourself a writer?

None of those things is the brass ring for blogging. In fact, if you were to interview most successful bloggers, they would all agree it was a combination of many of factors above along with hard work that contributed the most to their success.

Part of building a great blog is having a strategy.
You need a purpose for your blog and a plan for reaching your goals.

{At this point, I’d like to acknowledge each of us have different goals. It doesn’t matter if you are building your platform in hopes of a publishing contract or blogging on behalf of your nonprofit or company or if you are sharing parenting tips and organizing advice with fellow moms. The point isn’t so much what your goal is, the point is you need to know and be able to articulate what your goal is!}

Knowing what you are going to write on your blog is a key ingredient to your blog’s success. Maintaining an editorial calendar is an excellent way to manage your content and develop the focus of your blog. Here are few questions to ask yourself as you begin developing your editorial calendar.

1. How often do I plan to post? 
2. What types of posts do I enjoy writing?
3. How much time does it take for me to write and promote each post?
4. Who are the primary and secondary audiences of my blog?
5. What is the information they are looking for when they read my blog?

Answering these five questions can help you identify the frequency of and primary topics for your blog posts.

In addition, you will want to consider if there are any weekly or monthly link-ups you want to participate in and add those posts into your calendar. Finally, make sure you look at your personal/family calendar. Don’t schedule blog posts needing a great deal of promotion or personal attention on days when you will be busy with family commitments. But also, your family calendar may also provide you with ideas for posts relating to holidays or other special events.

As for the practical building of your editorial calendar, I share some examples and ideas for that next week. In the meantime, if you are looking for more solid information about blog strategy or growing your blog, we highly recommend {affiliate link} ProBlogger’s 31 Days to Build a Better Blog program. Day 2 is all about editorial calendars.

Do you use an editorial calendar?

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