Planner Printable Junkie? This is the Best Blog Post Planner Ever!
The Blog Post Planner Printable
This post is the third in a series of about blog planning. We will be adding planner printable to your toolbox that will help you create a more streamlined blog. You can download the post planner printable if you scroll down to the end of this blog post. However, I urge you to read the post to get an idea of how to use the post planner printable so that it can be most useful for you.
If you followed my other planning series on goal setting, then you’ve gotten the just of how I plan. When I plan, I first brainstorm ideas. Then I put everything into categories. Finally, I put everything together to create a plan of action.
I don’t use these steps for content planning alone. I use them for my own personal goals and plan as well. Planning is like putting together a puzzle.
The Planning Puzzle
My first brainstorm session is dumping all the puzzle pieces out on the table. The second session is about putting things together in categories and making sense of everything that I’ve got. The third step is putting the pieces together in a way that allows me to see the big picture.
Without further delay, let me introduce you to my blog post planner. I’m sure you’ve seen something like this before. If you blog, a blog post planner is a tool that will help you reign in the chaos and finally get things done. So it’s not surprising to see that many people use them.
Don’t be fooled. A blog post planner includes a lot more than just the act of writing the blog post. As a blogger, you’re doing so much more before and after the writing process is over. Writing a blog post includes everything from research, creating graphics and images, all the way through to social media and other forms of marketing and promotion.
There are a lot of steps in creating a blog post. For this reason, a blog post planner is such a handy tool. This worksheet will not only keep you on track but also keep you focused on what you’re writing. This plan will help you streamline your main idea as follows.
Headlines & Categories
The first part of this blog post planner is dedicated to the things that you do before you write a post. Everything from crafting the perfect title and defining categories.
I’ve dedicated the second section to outline your post. Outlining your post includes performing research and drafting your key points and central theme. In this section you may also be searching for statistical references, thinking of stories to enforce your point. Or merely stating an opinion if your opinions are relevant to your post.
Monetizing and Calls to Action
The third section of the post planner is where your monetization and calls to action come in. This part is where you start thinking about the best products and services to recommend for your readers. You can do this through affiliate links or external links to amazing resources.
If you don’t monetize your blog, you will still want to have a few calls to action in your post. Calls to action are asking your readers to take further action. Some CTA’s could include signing up for something, watching a video, reading another post on your site, downloading something, etc.
In this section, you also want to think about other posts you’ve written that would enhance your writing. Here you would write a list of topics you can link to (internal links) on other areas of your blog.
Photos you need to take
Images, if any should also be listed here. If you photograph your products and demonstrations, you can include all of that in the photos section.
Having this written down will help you go from writing the post to preparing visuals seamlessly. When you list these tasked out up front, you lessen the odds of forgetting to get specific shots and then having to haul out all the equipment again.
Promotion & Marketing
The fourth section of the post planner is all about promoting and marketing. Therefore, you’ll find I’ve added a variety of promotional outlets to the worksheet. Including social media outlets, syndication and other channels for promoting your post and getting your message out.
An Overall Post Planner for Testing What Works For You
The blog post planner is not an exhaustive list of everything that you do to create a blog post. However, the planner does focus on the main points.
The keyword research, for example, is something that will take many steps and could probably have its own worksheet. Still, knowing that you have to perform specific tasks will give you a sense of the time you need.
Now you can allow for accurate task completion. Further, having high-level activities on your post planner will help ensure that you don’t overlook critical aspects of your workflow.
The same goes for social media outlets. There are a lot of social media outlets that I have not included on this worksheet. Your process may be different than mine.
Perhaps you don’t syndicate, which is something I do. Maybe you don’t promote in Facebook groups, which is something that I find helpful for my blog.
In general, these are all things that can be tested and evaluated through your Analytics. Test and see what works for you and what doesn’t. Create a better understanding of your ideal workflow. Then, consolidate and streamline your workflow. In doing this, you will create something that is specific to you and your blog or business.
The Blank Blog Planner Printable
I’ve also included a blank copy of the post planner printable so that you could start out following the things that I do. The planner printable gives you a starting point, something to work off of and test. Once you have the things that are working the best for you, add them to your own worksheet
A planner printable like this isn’t something that everyone uses. Several digital apps and planners work great for workflows. However, when you’re first starting out or when you’re trying to create a process it’s essential to have a checklist. Something workable to get an idea of what you have to do.
Once you get your process down, you may not need this planner printable. However, in the beginning, it will be a huge timesaver. The planner printable will help you drill down to your core process.
Learning Your WorkFlow
Creating a blog post from start to finish can be very time-consuming if you don’t have a strategy and a workflow. In general, unless you drill down and focus, you will feel scattered, and your finished product will feel disingenuous. You don’t’ want that.
I’ve been through this many times, where I’ve written a blog post because I was short on time so I didn’t get my research done. I didn’t get secondary opinions, and my posts suffered for not doing this work.
Understanding your topic is vitally important, not just from your perspective but the perspective of many. Doing research will ensure you teach your subject in a balanced and complete way.
I hope the blog post planner printable serves you well. If you’re feeling scattered or stuck and your posts just don’t feel right, I would recommend you try using a post planner to get focused on your content.
What’s Next?
Make sure to check out the first and second parts of this blog planning series and download the worksheets for those posts as well. Part one of this series deals with brainstorming topics and categories. Part two focuses on organizing and scheduling content from a higher perspective. Both these planner printables along with the blog post planner will give you a solid foundation for your blog plan.
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