A content material calendar is an effective way to visualise your publishing schedule. From weblog posts and social media content material to e mail campaigns and YouTube movies, holding observe with out one is a ache to say the least.
It will get much more difficult if you’re publishing throughout a number of platforms and managing a crew of creators, editors, and producers.
These are a few of my favourite content material calendar templates for staying organized.
monday.com: A multi-purpose content material calendar template
Searching for a versatile and highly effective technique to handle content material and different forms of work in a single place? monday.com is likely one of the high venture administration options I’ve used.
The free plan is nice for as much as two customers and is greater than sufficient to attempt monday.com’s free content material calendar template. Nonetheless, paid plans include much more performance and are higher fitted to groups needing automation, formulation, integrations, and dashboards.
Be taught extra about monday.com: monday.com evaluation | monday.com’s latest options.
This content material calendar template is nice for groups that want a technique to plan and execute content material alongside different forms of initiatives.
It’s nice for high-level or short-term planning, nevertheless it actually shines if you use it as a technique to assign duties and get work executed. With tons of in-built venture administration performance, you’ll be able to simply set due dates, set off notifications, and observe progress too.
It really works simply as nicely for any sort of content material, from social media and movies to long-form weblog posts.
You’ll be able to view all the work as a easy desk, Kanban view, calendar, timeline, or interactive dashboard (relying in your plan).
Though the template itself is comparatively easy, the extensibility of monday.com as a instrument means you’ll be able to add on or mix it with different templates to create a whole enterprise operations system that runs your total division or firm.
ClickUp content material calendar templates
ClickUp isn’t as versatile as monday.com or Notion, nevertheless it has extra in-built performance. As a substitute of constructing what you want, it already exists and can be utilized proper out of the field.
On high of that, the free plan is way extra beneficiant. You’ll be able to have a vast variety of customers plus you get limitless duties, collaborative docs, crew chat, customized fields, and a number of venture views.
Superior options, like automations, Gantt view, calculations, time monitoring, objectives, workload administration, and superior permissions are all obtainable on paid plans if you’re prepared.
Be taught extra about ClickUp: ClickUp evaluation | ClickUp vs monday.com | ClickUp vs Notion.
A complicated all-purpose content material administration template
ClickUp’s advertising and marketing content material calendar template is likely one of the most fully-featured and versatile choices on my record. It’s versatile sufficient for solo entrepreneurs and mid-sized groups alike, Plus, you don’t must do a lot to get began.
It comes with eight distinctive statuses, ten customized fields, and crew collaboration instruments so you’ll be able to assign duties and observe the progress of all of your content material.
Relying in your plan, the template consists of eight views, giving everybody in your crew the chance to see their work in a approach that works finest for them. Customers can simply swap between calendar, board, record, timeline, and Gantt chart views with out impacting anybody else.
On the calendar view, color-coded content material sorts make it straightforward to remain organized and see what’s occurring throughout completely different platforms at a look.
As a bonus, ClickUp’s collaborative doc creator additionally makes it straightforward to create an organization wiki, doc your processes, plan campaigns, and take notes as a crew.
A easy editorial calendar template
This editorial calendar template is ideal for bloggers and editors. It comes with 4 completely different views — calendar, board, record, and timeline — making it straightforward for all the crew to view big-picture planning whereas additionally specializing in their particular duties and to-do lists.
The template consists of seven in-built statuses, together with in evaluation, scheduled, and revealed. As a result of it’s arrange for running a blog, you gained’t must customise it to match your wants.
The entire in-built statuses are shade coded, so it’s apparent the place every part stands, even from a excessive degree.
You’ll be able to take issues a step additional by categorizing your content material and importing all the digital property you want for publishing. As soon as a submit is stay, there’s additionally a customized discipline for the URL so you’ll be able to rapidly entry it sooner or later.
Between the 2 templates, this one is way less complicated and simpler to begin utilizing on day one. Nonetheless, it could possibly really feel cluttered and overwhelming in the event you’re utilizing it for extra than simply weblog posts.
Notion content material calendar templates
Though Notion has venture administration options, it could possibly do an entire lot greater than that. It’s basically a clean slate with the flexibility to create any sort of system or workspace you want. It really works significantly nicely for issues you’ll want to preserve observe of.
In our context, it really works nice for content material. However it’s additionally glorious for notes, budgeting, HR, finance, and extra.
In the event you’re a solo consumer, the free plan will get you by for a very long time. Groups can attempt Notion with the free plan, however you’ll must improve to a paid plan to proceed utilizing it.
Be taught extra about Notion: Notion evaluation | Notion vs monday.com | Notion vs Confluence.
A fundamental content material calendar template and Kanban board
Notion’s fundamental content material calendar template is a good place to begin as a result of it requires zero effort to arrange. Out of the field, you’ll get pre configured calendar and Kanban views you’ll be able to add content material to straight away.
The calendar is nice for guaranteeing a constant publishing schedule whereas the Kanban board makes it straightforward to maintain observe of manufacturing alongside the way in which.
You’ll be able to brainstorm concepts utilizing the in-built “concept” standing and transfer gadgets to “in progress” if you’re able to get to work. Don’t like an concept? All it’s important to do is delete it. Every merchandise enables you to connect media information so you’ll be able to collect every part you’ll want to publish in a single place.
This template works simply as nicely whether or not you’re working by your self or with a small crew.
A Notion template for managing social media content material
Notion’s easy social media content material calendar works very well in the event you repurpose present content material throughout a number of channels. Relatively than creating 4 gadgets for a single video, you’ll be able to create it as soon as and tag the merchandise for YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
Like different Notion templates, you’ll be able to simply arrange a variety of views, one among which is a calendar that makes it straightforward to see each bit of content material and the platforms it’s going to go on.
As quickly as an merchandise has a date, it exhibits up in your calendar. That is true even when it’s nonetheless within the technique of being created.
However shade coding on the calendar view relies on every merchandise’s standing, providing you with an instantaneous visible of what’s on observe or operating behind.
As a result of Notion is so versatile, you’ll be able to simply replace both template or broaden on them to make them give you the results you want and your crew.
Airtable editorial calendar template
Airtable is by far probably the most highly effective instrument on this record, particularly when you have quite a lot of knowledge you’ll want to join collectively. My crew makes use of it for all types of issues, together with income, content material manufacturing, service supply, and extra.
Like Notion, it requires a major quantity of labor up entrance. However you’ll find yourself with a customized setup designed round the way in which you’re employed in the event you’re keen to place within the time.
When you’ve got fewer than 5 collaborators, you can begin utilizing Airtable at no cost. You’ll get limitless bases, 1,000 information per base, 1 GB of storage per base, and 100 month-to-month automation runs.
Be taught extra about Airtable: Airtable evaluation | Airtable vs monday.com | Airtable vs Notion.
Airtable works very well when you have quite a lot of knowledge. It’s an amazing answer for reporting, analytics, content material administration, workload administration, and anything that accumulates quite a lot of knowledge factors. This template affords a superb place to begin in case your present focus is on planning, organizing, and managing high-volume manufacturing.
Like different templates, you’ll get a number of views — grid view, calendar view, and creator workload come pre configured.
You’ll additionally get particular person tables for managing content material, planning content material, and holding observe of your crew (together with their roles, capability, and availability).
Though this template is straightforward, you gained’t have to fret about deleting a bunch of belongings you’ll by no means use. As a substitute, it’s a place to begin you’ll be able to construct on as you get comfy and your wants change.
Airtable’s greatest downside can also be its greatest benefit.
The software program’s flexibility means there are dozens of the way to perform the identical factor and it could possibly take quite a lot of time to determine what works finest for you.
However in the event you want one thing that’ll by no means impede your development, it’s price studying the fundamentals.
Asana social calendar template
The entire instruments we’ve lined to this point are extremely versatile. If you need one thing that requires much less setup and has far much less room for error, Asana’s a better option.
Though it’s extra inflexible, there’s normally one finest technique to set issues up so that you don’t have to fret about doing it incorrect, doing it incorrect once more, after which doing it incorrect another time earlier than determining one of the best answer.
Its free plan can also be very beneficiant, permitting for limitless initiatives, duties, messages, and storage. It’s an amazing choice for small groups or bigger groups who wish to attempt earlier than they purchase.
Be taught extra about Asana: Asana evaluation | Asana vs monday.com | Airtable vs Asana.
Technically, this template is for managing social media content material. However you should use it for any sort of content material from movies and podcast episodes to free downloads and case research.
It consists of every part you’ll must ideate, strategize, prioritize, and assign work throughout each channel you utilize. Plus, you’ll be able to add new initiatives and tie them to high-level milestones or objectives to remain aligned.
With each bit of content material, there’s a spot for the content material itself, key phrases, and information so you’ll be able to simply collect every part in a single place.
The template even consists of built-in approval workflows to manage high quality at each degree and activity dependencies if you wish to use the critical path method.
Regardless of being extremely feature-rich, it’s comparatively straightforward to get began. All it’s important to do is add all the channels you submit on, add a bit of content material, fill out all of its info, and set a date. From there, you understand every part you’ll want to know to make use of it.
You’ll be able to simply flip your calendar into completely different venture views, together with record, Kanban view, Gantt chart, customized dashboards, and extra.
Not like different content material calendar templates, Asana’s calendar view is clear and aesthetically pleasing, at the same time as you add a number of gadgets per day. It’s additionally shade coded by no matter discipline you select, making it straightforward to visualise progress at a look.
A content material calendar you should use with Google Sheets, Excel, or Phrase
In case your wants are easy otherwise you need one thing acquainted, you should use a spreadsheet to maintain observe of your manufacturing schedule as an alternative. When arrange nicely, you’ll have the ability to keep organized and on schedule with out having to make use of venture administration software program.
There are lots of of free content material calendar spreadsheets, however this one from Smartsheet is one among my favorites as a result of it affords a streamlined technique to handle content material on a number of platforms.
Smartsheet’s easy content material calendar template is free to obtain for Excel, Google Sheets, Phrase, PowerPoint, and PDF.
It has area to plan for the subsequent week, so it’s much more restricted than different choices on the record. However it’s a really clear technique to preserve observe of content material throughout a number of platforms with out getting overwhelmed. Plus, you may make a replica to plan forward.
The setup could be very easy. Days of the week are throughout the highest and completely different advertising and marketing channels are down the left.
Say you’ve got an concept and wish to submit it on Fb. Simply choose a day of the week and add your concept within the applicable row. You’ll be able to add a number of concepts in the event you’re undecided.
That is about so simple as it will get. Nonetheless, it doesn’t seem like a conventional calendar and it’s difficult to plan forward. You’ll have to begin with a brand new sheet each week and there’s no technique to preserve observe of the content material creation course of.
That mentioned, it’s a simple technique to plan forward at low quantity.
Do I actually need a content material calendar?
In the event you’re publishing one or two items of content material per day or week, you don’t want something fancy.
A easy calendar that allows you to drag and drop, alter dates on the fly, and collect property in a single place is greater than sufficient. My crew used a easy Kanban board for years with no issues.
We did finally improve to one thing else however elegant and easy can get you a large number additional than you assume.
That mentioned, you in all probability don’t want a content material calendar (or can get by with a easy spreadsheet) in the event you don’t want to stay to a constant schedule or solely publish a number of instances monthly.
Something past that and also you’ll possible begin to really feel overwhelmed with out a centralized place to visualise dates, statuses, property, and technique in a single place.
How to decide on one of the best content material calendar template for you
Though most templates are simply customizable, selecting the best one means you’re that a lot nearer to a system you should use. Listed below are a number of situations and what I like to recommend for every.
You’re publishing combined content material throughout a number of channels
monday.com’s content calendar and ClickUp’s marketing content calendar are each good.
They’re full of options, a number of board views past a fundamental calendar, and include built-in crew collaboration options. You should utilize both of those to write down blogs, create movies, produce podcasts, or any content material mixture that can get distributed throughout your web site, social channels, and past.
In the event you’re on the fence, you’ll be able to attempt each templates at no cost to see which one’s a greater match.
You’re working with a small crew
I like to recommend ClickUp. Each ClickUp templates are tremendous straightforward to make use of and you will get the entire crew on board rapidly with out a steep studying curve or losing an excessive amount of time on non-content-related duties. Everybody can clearly perceive their position and what duties they should knock out — all whereas watching their work progress on the month-to-month calendar.
monday.com’s template works, too, in the event you don’t thoughts getting your palms soiled and need some extra superior options.
You’re a sophisticated content material strategist
Go along with Airtable. It’s probably the most versatile and superior choice for groups producing content material at scale. I personally use it to trace income from completely different sources. Though it took us a very long time to get every part dialed in.
monday.com is a strong alternative, too. Whereas it’s not as superior as Airtable, it’s good for skilled customers who need one thing a bit less complicated.
You’re a solo content material content material creator
Begin with Notion or one among Smartsheet’s Excel/Google Sheets templates.
Notion’s collaboration options aren’t fairly pretty much as good as among the different platforms on the market. However it is a moot level in the event you’re working alone. You should utilize this for years with out having to contemplate anything, even in the event you begin working with one or two different individuals down the street.
An Excel or Google Sheets template is so simple as it will get, making them nice for solo use.
You’re strictly specializing in social media
Use Asana’s social media calendar.
When you can customise any template to suit your social media plans, this one is optimized for social scheduling from the second you begin.
I actually like how one can color-code every social channel, which is nice for visualizing how gentle or heavy your content material is all through the month. It’s additionally one of many few calendars that doesn’t look too cramped when you’ve got a number of gadgets scheduled on the identical day.
Notion additionally works nicely, particularly in the event you’re pushing out the identical submit throughout a number of social channels without delay.
Learn how to create your individual content material and editorial calendar
You’ll be able to create your individual content material calendar template utilizing spreadsheet software program, relational database instruments, venture administration options, and even pen and paper. If nothing above works for you, you will get artistic and use one thing you have already got.
Excel and Google Sheets, for instance, have built-in calendars you can begin with. Or you’ll be able to draw one on a whiteboard, use a bodily calendar, or construct one in Google Docs.
When you determine, it’s only a matter of including content material and selecting dates.
Whereas which will work for quite simple wants, a extra superior content material calendar ought to have a spot to maintain observe of:
- Content material sort.
- Publish date.
- Channel.
- Standing.
- Information and pictures.
- Notes.
- Proprietor.
- Assigned to.
If the thought of including all of that sounds intimidating, you’ll be able to at all times begin with one of many templates from this record and customise it to match your wants.
What can I observe with a content material calendar?
Content material calendar templates are actually versatile instruments. They’ll work nicely for particular person use and high-level planning to monitoring total manufacturing schedules and full-scale content material groups with editors, strategists, writers, and extra.
You should utilize a content material calendar to:
- Manage and plan content material advertising and marketing actions.
- Construct out brief or long-term campaigns.
- Produce and publish social media content material.
- Write, edit, and publish weblog posts.
- Replace or repurpose present content material.
- Guarantee constant publishing for various audiences.
That is actually simply scratching the floor with what you are able to do with a content material calendar, particularly in the event you’re planning to leverage the built-in venture administration options.