Creating an effective content marketing strategy is essential for attracting and engaging your target audiences. But developing a documented content plan can be an overwhelming undertaking.
This is where leveraging content marketing plan templates comes in handy. Templates make it easy to outline audiences, topics, distribution strategies, calendars, and success metrics in an organized, cohesive document.
This guide will cover tips for creating content plans along with customizable templates and examples you can reference.
Benefits of Using Content Marketing Plan Templates
Here are some of the main advantages of using templates for your content marketing plans:
- Save time – Templates provide an established structure and outline to build from.
- Ensure thoroughness – Templates act as a checklist so no key elements are missed.
- Improve clarity – Consistent frameworks keep plans focused and easy to follow.
- Facilitate collaboration – Templates make it easy to delegate topics across teams.
- Identify gaps – Templates help surface areas lacking enough content volume or variety.
- Track performance – Templates enable analyzing content metrics versus goals.
- Build alignment – Documented plans get all stakeholders on the same page.
- Enhance effectiveness – Structured content plans drive better results.
Tips for Creating Content Marketing Plans
When developing content plan templates, keep these best practices in mind:
- Audit existing content – Analyze performance across channels and asset types.
- Clarify target audiences – Define key buyer personas and their interests.
- Set measurable goals – KPIs for consumption, engagement, conversions, etc.
- Map content topics – Align themes and angles to audience needs.
- Specify channels – Owned, earned, paid, and shared media distribution.
- Build editorial calendar – Plan types of content per timeframe.
- Outline promotion strategy – Social, email, influencers, ads, etc.
- Assign owners – Writers, designers, editors, and reviewers.
- Establish approval workflows – Drafting, feedback, revisions, final sign-off.
- Integrate with experiences – Weave in events, offers, tools, data, community.
Content Marketing Plan Template Examples
Here are some content marketing plan templates covering different frameworks you can reference:
One-Page Editorial Calendar Template
- Goal Statement – Overarching KPIs
- Target Audiences – Core buyer personas
- Topic Buckets – Content categories and themes
- Channels – Blog, social, ads, etc.
- Content Types – Article, video, tool, ebook, etc.
- Owner – Created by role
- Promotion Plan – Email, social, SEO, etc.
- Calendar – Titles and publishing dates per month
Blog-Focused Content Plan
- Executive Summary – Overview and recommendations
- Audiences – Profiles of target buyer personas
- Goals – Consumption, engagement, conversion KPIs
- Editorial Strategy – Topics, angles, formats
- Content Calendar – Planned blog posts per month
- Repurposing – Spinning into other formats
- Promotion Strategy – Social, email, influencers
- Workflow – Drafting, approval, publishing, amplification
- Metrics – Consumption, engagement, lead gen KPIs
- Next Steps – Resource requirements, risks, first priority actions
Expanded Integrated Content Plan
- Executive Summary
- Audiences
- Goals
- Persona-Specific Topic Calendars – Blog, social, videos, tools etc.
- Channel Distribution Plans – Mapping content types to channels
- Promotion Strategy
- Creative Strategy – Guidelines, best practices, brand voice
- Contributors and Content Workflow – Writers, reviewers, approvers, publishing
- Ongoing Performance – Analytics, optimization
- Technology and Tools – CMS, collaboration tools, tracking
- Budget and Resources – Financials, team roles
- Next Steps
How to Use Just Think AI for Content Plans
Just Think AI makes it easy to create stellar content marketing plans leveraging done-for-you templates. Key features include:
- Access a library of customizable content plan templates for a variety of scenarios.
- Provide details on your business, audiences, goals, and existing content for Just Think AI to tailor templates.
- Get AI-generated ideas and recommendations on content topics, formats, distribution strategies, etc.
- Create integrated plans spanning owned, earned, paid, and shared media channels.
- Use the AI to optimize and enhance existing documented content plans.
- Easily collaborate on plans by exporting to share with stakeholders.
- Continuously refine plans over time based on performance data.
Just Think AI Prompts for Content Plans
Here are some sample prompts for using Just Think AI to assist with content marketing planning:
- "Please create an integrated content marketing plan template for my small business focused on driving website traffic and leads."
- "Generate a one-page editorial calendar template I can use to plan blog content over the next year."
- "Develop a content plan focused specifically on leveraging Instagram to reach my target demographic."
- "Craft a content plan for my podcast covering topics, guest ideas, repurposing opportunities, and promotion strategies."
- "Review this existing content strategy document and suggest ways to improve the approach across owned, earned, paid, and shared channels."
- "Create a presentation outline I can use to summarize my 2023 content plan and gain executive buy-in."
The key is providing details on your business, audiences, goals, and resources so Just Think AI can tailor the templates specifically to your situation.
FAQs
How often should you update your content marketing plan?
Review plans quarterly to account for learnings, new topics, and changing goals. Conduct an annual complete refresh to realign priorities and strategies.
What's the ideal length for a content marketing plan?
For internal use, plans can be very detailed. For executive presentations, keep it to max 10 slides focused only on key elements. Include supplemental slides for details.
What are the most important parts of a content marketing plan?
Executive summary, target audiences, success metrics, integrated distribution strategies, owned/earned/paid/shared media plans, calendars, budgets, workflows, and next steps.
Who should be involved in content planning?
Content strategists, writers, designers, social media marketers, SEO experts, paid media managers, analytics, email marketers, sales enablement, executives, and relevant cross-functional partners.
What should you include in a content plan presentation?
Tailor it for executives highlighting goals, target audiences, integrated strategies, content calendar preview, promotion tactics, budget requests, and projected ROI.
Well-designed content marketing plan templates drive strategic, high-performing initiatives while facilitating alignment. Just Think AI expedites researching, ideating, creating, and communicating stellar plans leveraging AI-generated templates.
