The very best editorial calendar is a pretty subjective idea. And what works for one blogger isn’t going to work for another. I’ve tried a few different methods and I have some advice to help you find the best editorial calendar for you.

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It’s a well known fact that I’m a paper planner. So, it makes sense that the best editorial calendar for me is on paper. But I wouldn’t expect more tech-minded people to put up with this system.

And I should also note that I’m the only one that touches the backend of this here blog. (That phrasing was unnecessarily silly. I apologize for NOTHING.) So, the only person who needs access to my editorial calendar is me. And since I don’t mind crumpled up sheets of paper, well, sometimes that’s what my system looks like.

I freely admit that this wouldn’t work for all blogs or bloggers. And depending on how many platforms you’re wrangling, paper may not be the best option.

So, with that in mind, I’ve created a list of tips that will help you determine the best editorial calendar for the blogger you are.

The Very Best Editorial Calendar Click To Tweet

After all, the important thing is the calendar itself. It shouldn’t matter how you keep it.

(Need an editorial calendar refresher? Check out this post on how to create an editorial calendar. And if you want to know what to post when, check out this post on blog post ideas.)

Best Editorial Calendar

001: Know what you want to track.

The editorial calendar is a place where you plan out your posts. But it can also be a place where you plan out keywords and all the metadata for a post. Your blog categories and post tags are all important things to think about, because that information is what will link that post to others in your blog.

I see the value of a spreadsheet for this purpose. And I’ve even seen downloadable templates from other bloggers. Creating a spreadsheet with columns for post titles, keywords, tags, and other posts you will link to is a great way to plan out your posts in advance. And, if you’re brave enough, you can even merge this spreadsheet with Google Calendar.

It should go without saying that I have no idea how (or desire) to do that. PAPER 4 LYFE.

002: Know how you want to interact or access it.

I like keeping my editorial calendar in my planner. I do this mostly because my planner is always with me, and I try to get away from screens as much as I can. And, like I mentioned earlier, I’m the only one that needs this document. So written on a page in my planner is enough.

But it’s worth noting that there are plugins you can add to your WordPress site, and even subscription-based software you can use. For a time, I used the free version of Trello as my editorial calendar, but found that I really just like to check something off a to do list more than I like to have to login to a program.

As a blogger, I really like to get ahead, so for me, a system that enabled me to focus on drafting posts rather than learning a new program was key.

003: Set your budget.

In this, the year of our lord, 2019, you can find pretty much anything you want at any price point. Generally speaking, the more bells and whistles and capabilities something has, the more expensive it is. So, let your budget dictate what you use as your editorial calendar.

Sometimes I look at software like CoSchedule and Kapost, but mama ain’t got that kind of money at the moment. And if I’m being honest, I have no use for a lot of the features. So in the end, make sure you’re paying for something you’re going to use, and not something that just has a lot of cool features.

Also, a lot of stuff has a free version or at least a free trial. Don’t be afraid to try something out for a while and see if it works for you.

004: Think about what you need to schedule.

As a blogger, I only publish one post a week. And I only post one YouTube video a week. Both WordPress and YouTube allow me to schedule my posts so I can have them uploaded and ready, and then let them publish automatically. That works great with my paper-based system.

However, when it came to Pinterest and Instagram I knew I needed something that would post to those automatically on my behalf. So I use Tailwind for both, and I absolutely love it. Not only does it let me schedule those posts ahead of time, but it also lets me see what my feeds will look like by showing me what I have scheduled and ready to post.

So, when it comes to your editorial calendar, you kind of need one for all the platforms you’re on. If you’re trying to build a consistent posting presence there, then you should create some sort of editorial calendar or find a scheduling software for that platform.

Trying to get organized as a blogger? Here are my tips for creating the best editorial calendar. Click To Tweet

What’s Your Best Editorial Calendar?

How do you schedule your online content? Is there a secret you’ve found to having the best and most consistent online platform? How do you plan out what you’ll post? Let me know in the comments!