Content Calendar

I set this one up for SEO content, so every row has a target keyword, search intent, funnel stage and cluster next to the dates and owners. That makes it easy to see whether you are building out a topic properly or just publishing whatever comes up.

It also has an ideas backlog so good ideas do not get lost, and a status key so everyone knows what each stage means and who moves it on.

What’s included

• How to use: step-by-step instructions inside the sheet.
• Calendar: publish date, week number, title, target keyword, search intent, funnel stage, content type and cluster for every piece.
• Owners and links: writer, editor, brief link, draft link and live URL in the same row.
• Status dropdown: Idea, Brief, Writing, Editing, Scheduled and Published, so you can filter by stage.
• Promotion column: the channels each piece goes out on once it is live.
• Ideas backlog: keyword, volume, intent, why now and priority for ideas that are not scheduled yet.
• Status key: what each status means, who owns it and when it is ready to move on.
• Worked example: 12 posts over six weeks for a fictional online coffee roaster.

How to use it

1. Decide how often you can realistically publish, then add a publish date for each slot. The Week column fills in from the date.
2. Pull your highest priority topics from your keyword research or the Ideas backlog and add a title, target keyword, intent and cluster for each.
3. Assign a writer and an editor, then add the brief link once the brief is ready.
4. Update the Status column as each piece moves along. The Status key tab explains who moves it and when.
5. When a piece goes live, add the live URL and the channels you shared it on.
6. Review the calendar weekly and pull new ideas from the backlog so the next four to six weeks are always planned.

Tips from my client work

• Publish supporting posts close to their pillar page so you can link them to each other from the start.
• Run your weekly content check-in by filtering the Status column. Anything stuck in the same status for two weeks needs a decision.
• Keep one row per piece of content. If you are refreshing an existing page, choose Update in the Content type column.
• Add ideas to the backlog as soon as they come up, with a note in Why now. It makes prioritising much quicker later.

FAQs

What should an SEO content calendar include?

At minimum: the publish date, title, target keyword, search intent, owner and status. Adding the cluster and funnel stage shows whether your content is building coverage of a topic or scattered across unrelated ones.

How far ahead should I plan content?

I usually keep four to six weeks scheduled in detail, with a prioritised backlog of ideas behind it. That leaves room to react to new opportunities without losing focus.

Can I use this calendar for more than blog posts?

Yes. Use the Content type column for landing pages, buying guides, page updates or videos. The columns work for any content that targets a search.