5 Common Content Calendar Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Apr 8

Not all content calendars are created equal! In fact, most people won't be able to create a GOOD content plan because of some pretty major mistakes. Things they may not even know about.

But creating a content calendar is about so much more than just putting together some topics and filling in the blanks. To get the most out of it, you need to be strategic too!

That’s why, in this video, I’ll show you five content calendar mistakes I see far too often — and how to fix them so your content can drive the leads you’re working for!

Content calendar mistake #1: You’re on too many platforms

I know you’ve heard from at least one marketing “guru” that you need to be on every single platform because you can reach more people this way. And I know it makes sense because a big part of marketing is a numbers game.

But in this case, it’s pretty much just a one-way ticket to burnout — which can really make you hate creating content altogether. Before you know it, you haven’t posted anything in half a year and you’ve got to re-nurture your audience to your offers.

I know you can feel FOMO when all you see are people talking about the latest and greatest and how you need to be there too. But honestly? What it really comes down to is what you can handle.

Whatever is draining you, or whatever is making you feel excited (mostly because it's working), take note of that. That will help you know where you should (or should not) be putting your time and energy.

Content calendar mistake #2: You don’t time block

Once you decide what you want to create, you have to actually create it! And because I know you’re busy, I’m going to tell you something that someone told me long ago. Something that REALLY helped me down the line when it came to managing my time for content creation…

You have to make time to create content. Pencil it in. Set reminders. Treat it like an appointment.

When you’re mapping out a content calendar, especially for YouTube, you have to factor in all the ideation, production, editing, and filming time. How long those take determines how much you can do in a week.

It’s a lot, but that’s why I batch create my content. I find it's easier for me to stay on a consistent content creation cycle when I have a routine. So every other Tuesday, I script my YouTube videos, and then that Wednesday, I film those YouTube videos.

This makes it SO MUCH easier to stick to the plan!

Content calendar mistake #3: You plan too far in advance

I know, I know. I just said to stick to a plan. But there is such a thing as planning too far in advance.

The reason is simple — life happens. Planning too much just means you end up wasting your time because who knows what’s going on in six months or what kind of ideas may pop into your head.

For example, you’re in the middle of Q2 and get a great idea you want to start up next month. Well, obviously, you didn’t think about that when you sat down to map out the year ahead.

That’s why I recommend sticking to a 90-day planning routine. I find that it’s been that sweet spot for me. Not too short that I’m rushing around at the last minute, but not so far out ahead that it’s a waste of time.

It helps you stay flexible and still create the best content!

Content calendar mistake #4: You’re forgetting to sell

Stop and think about why you’re creating content. I don’t mean the deep stuff (though that’s honestly the most important part). I mean, simply put, bottom line, what’s the reason?

You’re doing it to sell. You own a business, and you want to make money from it. Otherwise, it’s just a hobby, right?

A major mistake I see when I'm reviewing my client's content plans is that they aren't even talking about what they are selling or launching. They aren’t pointing people in the direction to buy from them.

Maybe they do know that you offer courses, products, or whatever it is you sell. But people need to be reminded! We have so much information floating around now that you have to give them that gentle nudge back to your offers.

When I do my quarterly planning with my clients, I have a specific process for determining what goes on our content calendar. One of those major steps is deciding what they’re selling each month.

This doesn't mean a big, full-on launch, but instead, it’s what we want to focus on — whether it’s a product or service.

If you haven’t been talking about your offers, go back and look for opportunities. You could have inserted a “Hey BTW, speaking of … I have this great offer that can help!” Then, decide what you want to focus on next quarter, and use those missed opportunities to guide the rest of your content plan and scripts.

Content calendar mistake #5: You’re not reviewing your stats

I love the definition of sanity — doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Because THAT’S what you’re doing if you aren’t stopping and looking at how your past content has performed.

You can spend entire months thinking your content is the bomb dot com, but when you look at the numbers, you realize that it’s not getting the traction you wanted or bringing in the traffic you need to see results from those videos.

If you want to ensure that your content calendar is growing your audience, making you sales, and attracting clients…you've got to figure out what is or isn't working!

It’s so important that I actually offer my clients inside the YouTube Coaching Experience audits for their YouTube channel as part of their membership. We look at all kinds of things, but mostly, how to increase click-through rates and audience retention because that directly correlates to the traffic they’re bringing into their offers.

But here’s the thing — we wouldn’t know how to improve those numbers if we didn’t sit down to look at them. You can’t tell by views, subscribers, etc alone. Look at the facts and numbers, and you’ll see how your content is doing.

Want to make sure YOUR content stays on track?

I know creating a content calendar that’s strategic and effective isn’t always the easiest thing in the world. There are a lot of moving pieces, and when you’re trying to wrangle in all of your big ideas, too, it can be tough.

BUT the good news is that I have something for you that I think might be able to help (and is FREE). I created a marketing calendar standard operating procedure (SOP), a matching Asana template, and a video walkthrough to help you master it!

In this freebie, I show you how we create our marketing calendar here at Trena Little HQ, start to finish!

And while it is free right now, it’s going to go back up to $97 soon, so make sure you grab it here before it does!