Streamline Your Marketing Efforts with Content Calendars

When managing large amounts of content, it’s easy to lose track and forget a post or miss some of those finer details. 76% of successful B2B brands use content organization tools, but only 40% have a documented content marketing strategy. To discover why your B2B brand should be part of the 40% and how it helps your marketing efforts, read these tips.

The Advantages of a Content Calendar

Content calendars are important tools for tracking what all teams are doing, so opportunities can be maximized. A centralized content calendar allows your team to be more organized and keeps everyone on the same page. When everyone is working off of the same document, there is more room for collaboration between the different branches of your brand. With more space for integration, you can further refine your content to create the best fit for your brand. Additionally, with more eyes on the project and its deadlines, the chances of missing things like a social post or blog are minimized.

How Content Calendars Help You Build Relationships with Customers

Remember: your content is how you build relationships with your customers. Consistent content builds trust in your brand and your product. Content calendars are the perfect way to keep track of all the social media, blogs and emails that keep your consumers engaged. With all of the information in one place, it’s easier to adapt your content based on responses from customers. You can evaluate responses and easily pivot if you discover a particularly strong reaction to one form of content. 

How We Do Things at ColinKurtis

Yes, we use content calendars here at ColinKurtis! Since we handle multiple clients, some of whom have a range of products, we create a detailed calendar for each one. Depending on the needs of our client, we may further break down our content calendars by quarter so the information is less overwhelming. We organize our content calendars into paid, earned and owned media sections.

Paid Content

The paid section is where we include things like: campaigns, Google ads and social ads. Campaigns can cover a wide range of content such as industry publications, digital ads or sponsorships. For formats like Google and social ads, set a goal for your ad in order to better focus your content.

Earned Content

The earned section is about those connections your brand builds with its public relations efforts. This is another great place to set a focused goal. 

Owned Content

As a marketing and design firm, the owned content is our most extensive section. Owned content can look like content development, case studies, white paper and infographics, as well as drip campaigns, social media, SEO management and media reporting. It’s a lot to work with, which is why a well-organized content calendar is so essential. Content calendars don’t need to be limited to the things you post or digital metrics; include events like trade shows (both attending and exhibiting because there’s value in both).

Remember Your Messaging

Your content calendar should include your brand’s messaging pillars to make it easier to develop content that fits those pillars. At ColinKurtis, we work primarily with B2B food and beverage companies, so some of the things our clients might talk about are food manufacturing processes, food ingredients or VMS. Remember that your messaging pillars should include your brand’s purpose, identity, values and experience. Your calendar should also have a strategic focus that provides direction for your marketing and sales teams and informs your content. Include a description of your target audience so you remember who you’re designing content for. You want to tailor your content to fit the consumer. 

If you are struggling with your content calendar or creating your brand identity, ColinKurtis Advertising can help—contact Mitch Robinson at Mitch@colinkurtis.com or call 815-965-6657 EXT. 1 to learn more about our approach.

 

Blog post from:

Matt Hensler
Vice President, Digital Integration