Content Calendar + Promotional Calendar Combo This guide is designed to address one of the most common challenges with social media success: coming up with a never-‐ending stream of quality content to share on your networks! First of all, the good news is that you don’t have to generate all your own original content. You can easily share what I call “OPC” – Other People’s Content. In fact, it’s common practice to share OPC across all your social profiles. Over time, you’ll become known as a go-‐to expert for your specific area of expertise, simply by sharing other people’s content + having an opinion on the posts you do share + sharing a combination of your own posts, too! It’s a winning formula! ABC = Always Be Curating! And, Always Be Connecting!
GO HERE -‐ http://bit.ly/comboSMcalendar -‐ to access the calendar as a Google doc spreadsheet – be sure to make a copy and/or download. Use the calendar to decide in advance what you will post on your blog and across your various social channels. Be sure to intersperse your own promotional campaigns throughout your content! © 2012 Mari Smith International, Inc. All rights reserved. www.marismith.com | www.facebook.com/marismith | www.twitter.com.marismith
Page 1 of 7
International Holidays and Special Events Refer to these various resources to select holidays around which you can plan your content! • 2012 US Holidays: http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/ (scroll down for holidays and observances) • 2012 World Public Holidays: http://sgholiday.com/public-‐holidays/ • Worldwide Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations -‐ http://www.topics-‐ mag.com/internatl/holidays/festivals.htm • List of Holidays by country: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_holidays_by_country • Add Public Holidays to your Google calendar: http://www.guidingtech.com/2329/add-‐public-‐holidays-‐google-‐calendar/ (excellent reminder for planning content in advance!)
Types Of Posts Fill in the blank, e.g. I’m most happy when _______. Quiz Poll Click like if you like Caption this Case study Best practices Top 10 Tips …. 101 Ways To… © 2012 Mari Smith International, Inc. All rights reserved. www.marismith.com | www.facebook.com/marismith | www.twitter.com.marismith
Page 2 of 7
How To… Summary of… Roundup of… Top posts… Favorites… Ideas for questions: Who can guess…? Why types of….? What are you doing for this (holiday) weekend…? Has anyone heard of…? If you could change …? Add your own:
Sources Of Content • Your blog reader, e.g. www.google.com/reader. Now that Google acquired PostRank.com, you can view items in your Reader via PR number. The higher the number, the more popular the post. • Alltop – http://alltop.com. Create your own “MyAlltop” with your favorite sources, e.g. mine is at: http://my.alltop.com/marismith • SmartBrief -‐ http://smartbrief.com
© 2012 Mari Smith International, Inc. All rights reserved. www.marismith.com | www.facebook.com/marismith | www.twitter.com.marismith
Page 3 of 7
• Twitter lists – make your own lists with your favorite sources on Twitter. E.g. I refer to my “Facebook and social media” list frequently for up-‐to-‐the-‐minute content to share on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and more: https://twitter.com/MariSmith/facebook-‐social-‐marketing • Twitter trending topics • Hashtags – see: http://sproutsocial.com/insights/2011/08/twitter-‐hashtags/ • Facebook Friend Lists • Facebook Interest Lists – create your own and subscribe to others, e.g. please be sure to subscribe to my FACEBOOK Experts & Resources! Interest list: https://www.facebook.com/lists/10150585382860868 • Find more Facebook Interest Lists here: https://www.facebook.com/addlist • List of favorite Facebook fan pages, see this helpful directory: https://www.facebook.com/pages/browser.php • Your Google+ circles • People you follow on Pinterest • Groups on LinkedIn • Add your own:
Ideas To Spark Topics • Current movies • Popular TV shows • Magazines • Headline news • Tech news • Global news • Trends, memes • Something interesting happening in your own life © 2012 Mari Smith International, Inc. All rights reserved. www.marismith.com | www.facebook.com/marismith | www.twitter.com.marismith
Page 4 of 7
• Keep a secret stash of international content sources, e.g. if you’re in the US, from time to time, be sure to also view blogs and news sites catering to the UK market and/or Australian market.
Keep Your Own Swipe File • Always be searching… for great content ideas! o Keep these in a handy notebook, or a notes app on your mobile device (EverNote, Notes). o Or, pull up an audio app to record ideas when you’re driving. (I like the simple Voice Memos iPhone app). o Use the Stickies app on your Mac or Notepad on PCs. Then drop into a folder on your computer just for content ideas. o If you work with a team, create a shared Google doc for everyone to add their content ideas.
Observe Your Environment Take photos Post short status updates • Park • Playground • Local store • Malls • Streets • Funny things • Animals • Children
© 2012 Mari Smith International, Inc. All rights reserved. www.marismith.com | www.facebook.com/marismith | www.twitter.com.marismith
Page 5 of 7
• Events Also, pay attention to the marketing messages that catch your eye – on billboards, car bumper stickers, TV ads, radio ads, magazine ads, store signage… anywhere eyeballs land! Notice what catches your eye and keeps you engaged. See how you can come up with your own creative attention getting messaging for your market place.
Additional Resources
22 Ways to Create Compelling Content When You Don’t Have a Clue – absolutely fantastic Infographic! http://www.copyblogger.com/create-‐content-‐infographic/ http://www.copyblogger.com/create-‐content-‐ideas/ How to Put Together an Editorial Calendar for Content Marketing http://www.contentmarketinginstitute.com/2010/08/content-‐marketing-‐ editorial-‐calendar/ What to Say on Social Media – 10 Talk Worthy Topics http://www.lauraroeder.com/2012/01/what-‐to-‐say-‐on-‐social-‐media-‐10-‐talk-‐ worthy-‐topics/ How To Get More Likes And Comments On Facebook http://allfacebook.com/how-‐to-‐get-‐more-‐likes-‐and-‐comments-‐on-‐facebook-‐ book-‐excerpt_b74466
© 2012 Mari Smith International, Inc. All rights reserved. www.marismith.com | www.facebook.com/marismith | www.twitter.com.marismith
Page 6 of 7
ABOUT MARI Mari Smith is one of the world's leading Social Media experts, specializing in relationship marketing and Facebook marketing. She is author of The New Relationship Marketing and coauthor of Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day. Fast Company describes Mari as, “A veritable engine of personal branding, a relationship marketing whiz and the Pied Piper of the Online World.” Both Dun & Bradstreet Credibility and Forbes named Mari one of the Top Ten Influencers in Social Media. Through her consulting and training business, Mari works with businesses of all sizes around the world to help accelerate their profits by integrating proven social media marketing strategies. As a veteran in the genre, Mari also travels the United States and internationally to provide sage social media keynotes and in-‐depth training to entrepreneurs and corporations. She regularly appears in media locally and nationally in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Inc., Forbes, Fortune, and Success Magazine. Connect with Mari at http://www.marismith.com. FACEBOOK PAGE: http://facebook.com/marismith FACEBOOK PROFILE: http://facebook.com/maris TWITTER: http://twitter.com/marismith
© 2012 Mari Smith International, Inc. All rights reserved. www.marismith.com | www.facebook.com/marismith | www.twitter.com.marismith
Page 7 of 7