Use a Content Calendar To Help You Be an Expert

close up on calendar dateAny marketing department, PR firm or news outlet uses various tools to make itself successful. Aside from great writing, clear communication and all the facts, these three entities usually use one tool that keeps them focused. An editorial content calendar. And in this case, you can learn from these businesses to make yourself more informed and influential among your audience(s).

The content calendar (or editorial calendar) is simply a topic list organized by date and theme. Its power comes from its ability to keep people on track – especially creative types like writers and designers. Just as a wedding magazine might plan to have a feature on flowers every April and May, the smart marketing department or blogger does the same.

They pay attention to the global calendar, the newswire, historical events and questions from their readers to inform the areas on which they write. A great example is when a client was looking to reach a lot of personal technology users from all over the world. They chose to release their articles during the annual South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas. And they chose topics and examples germane to the event – best hot sauces in the world; the overlooked music genres at SXSW; how to eat and drink for free when attending a conference.

Each of these pieces was appropriate to the timeframe and showcased the client’s expertise in an area of interest to the show’s attendee base. While it might be too late to craft a campaign and content calendar around this year’s SXSW, you can still look ahead through 2015 for ways to be an expert and reach your readers/customers.

Here are two subjects to help you deliver content that boosts your authority in specific areas. Using a content and Julian calendar, let’s look ahead a few months in 2015.

The New York Auto Show in April 2015

traffic safety conference flyerAlthough the government and regulatory agencies are always focused on legislating the enjoyment from our lives, they are particularly stringent when it comes to areas that affect taxes and common infrastructure. This year at the NYIAS (New York International Auto Show), there is already a special symposium planned around world traffic safety. You can use that event as the launch pad for posts talking about any aspect of safety for a variety of clients.

Wouldn’t it be great to help Subaru with its marketing efforts by dovetailing their status as the safest car company along with the traffic safety symposium? You could also craft pieces about new car safety technology; how snow removal safety this winter was an area of discussion; or even how tires are being redesigned to ensure a better (and safer) driving experience.

Back-to-School Time

halloween twinkies on store shelfTo continue on a product and lifestyle slant, we all know when it’s back-to-school time. Think about school menus and health and fitness, then use those topics be bill yourself as more of an expert in those areas.

As was discussed in 2014 (and in every year it seems going back to the 1980s), healthy meals and snacks affect the healthy development and success of students. You can be sure that every morning talk show is going to have guest chefs talking about healthy diets and how to cook for your kids as we get closer to the school year. Beat these ‘news’ outlets to the punch and showcase your authority on this topic by running blog posts and articles in late July on the same issues. Find out the best snacks for kids and then craft your own article on that topic.

Share the latest on school lunch programs and legislation and write an opinion on that. The key is to make sure all your articles and expert analysis are released just before the buzz starts on an issue. This makes your piece the most referenced and makes you the expert.

Those are just two ideas to get your creative juices flowing. But leverage a content calendar correctly and your timing serve to build your authority in whatever topic you research and choose. Try it this year and enjoy the added prestige that comes with being THE expert people turn to for information.

Please share any tools or methods you use regularly to make yourself more efficient and informed. Perhaps we’ll feature them in a future article. Thanks for reading!

Calendar Photo: DafneCholet / Foter / CC BY

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