What is a content plan?
I was having coffee with a marketing freelancer friend the other day and we were talking about all the amazing things we both have planned for 2020.
We talked about our growth strategies, retainer clients and keeping momentum with networking when I think I threw him a curveball.
“So, what’s your content plan looking like?” I asked.
There was a long pause as he stared at me like I just asked him to recite the Greek alphabet backwards before he asked, “Should I have one?”
“Yes, you should definitely have one,” I replied, sipping the froth from my decaf coconut milk latte.
He rapped his fingers on the table. “What is it and why?”
While my friend is well-versed in content strategy (the writing portions of a marketing strategy), I wasn’t surprised that he didn’t know what a content plan is. Or possibly, as in most cases, he knew what a content plan is but had never put any words around its function and form.
In all likelihood, you are already using some kind of content plan if you are at all involved in the planning of marketing and advertising at your business.
What is a content plan?
A content strategy is an overarching summary of what you want to achieve in your marketing using writing as the driving force. Therefore, if your marketing strategy is the driver, then the content plan is the road that gets you to your destination.
Content plans are more than a spreadsheet containing an outline, bullet points and meeting notes with arbitrary deadlines attached to them. Content plans are extremely detailed messaging documents that function as a playbook for all of the writing you need, want and don’t want.
The writing you need
Before we get too tactical, your content plan should include the writing you need for the next quarter (or more, depending on how far out you’re able to plan ahead). Writing you need includes:
Website updates - because you’re always enhancing the user experience (UX), right?
Internal communications - emails, signage, talking points, flyers, job descriptions, etc.
Events - announcements, invitations, reminders, event planning, promotion, sponsorship communications, advertising, thank you’s and post-event recaps
Blog posts - at least one new post a week
Social media content - Daily, scheduled posts ready to deploy on your preferred networks
Others - press releases, speeches, letters, emails, announcements
The writing you want
Try to include in your content plan items that you don’t necessarily need. These are the “nice to haves,” like posting on social a photo of the day your team volunteered at an animal shelter. Other writing you want:
Mentions of you or your business on social media
News articles
Blog posts featuring your company or a colleague
Testimonials from clients or customers
The writing you don’t want (but absolutely still need)
Maybe there’s a better way of phrasing the writing you don’t want, but it basically means having a plan inside your plan in case there’s a crisis you need to manage or mitigate. The best marketing managers I know always account for crisis communications. Some examples of communication you might need during an unplanned event are:
Talking points
Frequently asked questions
Press releases
Media statements
Leadership messaging
Email updates
It’s often difficult to predict what kinds of events or incidents will result in the need for crisis communication, but look at upcoming dates of significance in your calendar for clues. For example, if you work for an internet service provider and you’re set to make major upgrades which may result in disruptions in service, you’re going to want to have a crisis communications plan handy.
What else should go in your content plan?
Great question. The answer is lots of stuff that I can’t possibly elaborate on in one blog post. I can keep you posted! All you have to do is sign up for our newsletter and the rest will be delivered to your inbox on a regular schedule.
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