{Handmade Business in 31 Days — Day 21, Create an editorial calendar.}

Day 21// If I didn’t feel so comfortable as I do around here I may hesitate to share this embarrassing business fact: just this summer we started using an editorial calendar for our blog content. Oh yes, you read that correctly. I have been writing here for over four years {FOUR!}, and for most of that time this blog has been a business/full-time income for my family. And to admit we never used an editorial calendar until this summer?? I feel like it’s almost shocking. I know it’s silly, it’s just a calender, but having an editorial calendar breathes goodness {and growth} into your blog.

 ^ our monthly cal, which includes our editorial calendar for October

I’ll never forget the scene. Cambria + I were meeting at Panera to work together for the morning when I rushed in with my Macbook and said, “Today is the day we’re going to create an editorial calendar for Gussy Sews!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” And then I started rambling off ideas + suggestions and there sat Cambria, doing what she does best: helping me to get it done.

I can’t tell you how many times I’d email her an idea, or we’d talk face-to-face about one, but it would never come to fruition. I can almost guarantee it’s because we didn’t have an editorial calendar. Now that we have one it’s so easy to follow one of our ideas with, “OK, when should it happen?”

Boom, an idea becomes a plan. When you schedule things — when you take something seriously and “pencil it in” it is more likely to actually happen.

5 REASONS WE USE AN EDITORIAL CALENDAR:

• When I sit down to work on a blog post I know exactly what I need to be working on
• We can plan ahead + make sure all content reflects our purpose statement
• Any gaps in the blog’s schedule are easily visible {weekly, monthly, quarterly}; similarly, it helps us to know the ebbs and flows of the content of my blog posts {to ensure we have a variety of content}
• Since I have an assistant {Hello, Cambria} helping me with advertising, sponsorships, blog content, sales tracking + promotions (really I could go on and on) it’s important we are in tune with what’s happening on the Gussy Sews blog
• Planning out blog content in advance gives you more time to better prepare for + write a quality blog post

HOW TO YOU SET UP AN EDITORIAL CALENDAR:

It’s so easy, I can’t believe we didn’t do this years ago — and I truly mean that.

• First things first: consider using Google Calendar which allows you to share it with others, like an assistant or spouse/partner
• We have a main calendar linked to my email address that includes sub calendars for blog content {aka: editorial calendar}, employee schedule, events {like the Allume conference I’m speaking at later this week}, mentorship calls, important tasks to accomplish each week
• Fill in any monthly or re-occurring editorial content to your blog calendar, like baby bump updates, sponsor giveaways, noteworthy links or contributor posts
• Fill in any one-time content you have in the works, such as unique topics/ideas, collaborations with other bloggers/brands or guest posts. Don’t forget about that series you are wanting to publish {get it on the cal now} :)
• Review your calendar! How is the month looking? If you are trying to post just a couple of times a week, do you have enough content? The same applies for if you want to have content for every weekday, do you have enough? What if you have two giveaways scheduled? Are they spaced out far enough?

^ The Dainty Squid shares her editorial calendar tips via paper + sticky notes

To start, commit to filling out an editorial calendar for the rest of October the best you can. It’s OK the month is quickly coming to an end, the goal is to practice writing one. For example, jot down any major events, like conferences; if you make a product, write down when you’ll be blogging about that new piece; or any upcoming family/personal events you want to document. Then for the following months work on having a more complete calendar each month. Try to put down one post topic for every day you’re supposed to write.  And this may be the most important part of all: leave room each month for content to be shifted around at the last minute. For example, anything that has a firm content deadline could be a darker shade of green whereas flexible content could be a lighter shade of green.

It’s important to try to plan as many days of your calendar as soon as possible but it’s totally OK when the topic comes to you the day before. This is where having flexible content a couple of times each month will help you out.

Homework// Start by writing down the content you know you need to post this month, then commit to following through with publishing it. Then map out November + December, keeping in mind the many upcoming holidays and their potential implications for your blog. For example, will your readers be checking in on their favorite blogs the days surrounding Thanksgiving? Commit to checking in on your editorial calendar at least once daily. I usually keep mine open in a new tab so I can easily reference post content deadlines + other blog related tasks throughout the day.

I’m so curious to know what you think: would an editorial calendar help you, or doesn’t it matter? Regardless of which way you sway, share with us why you feel this way below in the comments. I’d love to discuss and/or answer any questions. xo

read the entire 31 Days series here