A plan is great, but execution is key. Now ensure you have a timeline to produce this content: - Work Backwards: For each major piece, mark when work needs to start or be completed. For example, for a July 1 YouTube video, you might need the script done by June 15, filming by June 20, editing by June 27. Note these in your calendar or a separate planning doc. - Batch Work: Identify opportunities to batch produce. If you need four blog posts in January, perhaps you write them all in December . If you do daily Instagram posts, maybe you can set aside one day a month to photograph a bunch of content.
Add these batch creation days to your personal schedule. - Coordinate Team Members: If you have others helping (writers, designers, etc.), communicate deadlines to them well in advance. Share the content calendar so they see what’s coming. Make sure they know when you’ll need their contributions (e.g., graphics by next Friday for posts the following week). - Buffer Time: Build in a little slack. If something is due to publish Thursday, don’t make final review Wednesday at 5 PM—aim for Tuesday or earlier . This gives wiggle room for last- minute tweaks or delays without derailing the schedule.
Creating a production timeline might feel like extra work, but it’s the safety net that ensures your beautifully planned calendar actually gets executed on time.
Step 6: Review and Refine the Plan Before you declare victory on your content planning weekend, take a step back and review: - Whole-Year Scan: Does your content feel balanced over the year? Check for any unintentional dry spells (e.g., no content at all in one week) or overloads. Adjust if needed. - Alignment with Goals: Cross-check each major goal you set earlier against the calendar . For each goal, can you point to content on the schedule that supports it? If not, you may need to add or adjust content. - Audience Perspective: Put yourself in your audience’s shoes. If someone followed you all year , would the flow of content make sense and provide ongoing value?
Make sure you’re not focusing too heavily on one topic and neglecting another area they care about. - Flexibility Check: Identify which planned content could be swapped or skipped if something urgent comes up. It’s easier to adjust when you know where the “low-stakes” content lies. Marking a few posts as “nice-to-have” vs “must-do” can be helpful. - Get Input: If you have colleagues or mentors, get their thoughts on the plan. They might see an angle you missed or reassure you that it looks solid. Sometimes just explaining your plan to someone can reveal small tweaks that improve it. After refining, you should have a content calendar that’s both ambitious and realistic, strategic and audience-centric.