The One Hour Content Plan

1. Define Your Blog's Purpose and Content Categories

Your Blog as a Driver of Change

Clarify your blog's mission. Start by defining the group you want to help and the specific area in which you can assist them. Use this formula to craft your blog's purpose statement: "I educate/inspire/entertain/teach/help [specific group] who want to [desired outcome]." This statement will guide all your content creation efforts.

Identify content buckets. Determine 3-7 main content categories that support your blog's overall message. These buckets will help you organize your content and ensure you're consistently addressing key topics that matter to your audience. For example, a frugal living blog might have categories like budgeting, intentional living, and saving/investing.

• Example purpose statement: "I help homeschooling moms plan paleo meals on a budget."
• Content buckets should directly support your blog's purpose
• Limit yourself to 3-7 main categories to maintain focus

2. Create a Detailed Reader Persona to Target Your Audience

"Your ideal reader should become like an imaginary friend. You should know your ideal reader so well that you can start a conversation with her at any time."

Develop a comprehensive reader profile. Go beyond basic demographics and dive into your ideal reader's psychographics, motivations, fears, and aspirations. This detailed understanding will help you create content that truly resonates with your target audience.

Use research techniques to understand your audience. Employ methods such as:

• Searching Facebook groups with keywords like "need help" or "desperate for" in your niche

• Analyzing comments on popular blogs in your space

• Surveying existing clients and subscribers

• Example reader persona: "Emily is a stay-at-home mother of two children under six. She wants to earn income on the side but fears she lacks expertise. She follows Marie Forleo and Carol Tice for inspiration and relies on Facebook for news during her lunch hour."

3. View Your Blog as a Driver of Change for Your Readers

Because when you think about everything you publish not simply as "content," but as a catalyst for specific change, your approach to blogging will shift.

Implement the Driver of Change (DoC) Model. This approach focuses on transforming your readers from their current state (Before) to their desired state (After). Consider three components:

1. What are your readers going through?
2. What do your readers feel?
3. What thoughts run through their minds?

Map out the reader journey. Understand the stages your readers go through:

1. Stranger
2. Casual reader
3. Subscriber
4. Engaged subscriber and fan
5. Brand advocate + Customer

• Create content that moves readers through each stage
• Address specific pain points and desires at each level
• Tailor your content to match where your audience is in their journey

4. Develop a Distinctive Brand Voice Using the ADDE Formula

A brand voice is the tone you use to communicate with your audience.

Define your brand's unique voice. Use the ADDE (Attribute Markers - Do's - Don'ts - Expressions) Formula to create a consistent and memorable brand voice:

1. Attribute Markers: Choose 3 words that describe your brand (e.g., bold, fun, honest)
2. Do's: Describe what these attributes mean for your content
3. Don'ts: Clarify how you don't want your brand voice to come across
4. Expressions: Identify specific phrases, slang, or writing styles unique to your brand

Maintain consistency across platforms. Apply your brand voice to all content, including blog posts, social media, and emails. This consistency helps build a strong, recognizable brand that resonates with your target audience.

• Example: Bold (Attribute) → Do: Use strong language and take clear stances → Don't: Be arrogant or dismissive → Expressions: "Let's dive in!" or "Time to shake things up!"
• Regularly review your content to ensure it aligns with your defined brand voice
• Adjust your voice as needed based on audience feedback and engagement metrics

5. Generate Content Ideas Using the E.O.G. (Expert-Offer-Goal) Method

Throwing spaghetti at the wall is never the answer.

Expert Method: Create content to make readers proficient. Break down your main content categories into sub-categories and specific blog post topics. This approach ensures comprehensive coverage of your niche and positions you as an expert.

Offer Method: Promote products and services. Tailor content to address different stages of awareness:

1. Unaware of the problem
2. Becoming aware of the problem
3. Aware but not ready to buy
4. Ready to buy but have questions
5. Post-purchase

Goal Method: Align content with objectives. Create content that directly supports your quarterly goals, such as increasing subscribers or launching a product.

• Example: Main category "Email Marketing" → Sub-category "List Growth" → Blog post "20 Essential Elements of a Killer Email Opt-in"
• For product promotion: Create content that addresses objections, showcases benefits, and provides social proof
• Set specific quarterly goals and plan content to support those objectives

6. Structure Your Blog Posts for Maximum Reader Engagement

Your blog posts can be dripping with value but still get no readers.

Optimize key components of your blog post:

1. Headline: Be clear, specific, and searchable
2. Introduction: Include a compelling hook
3. Body: Use subheads, "you" language, and trigger words
4. Formatting: Make it scanner-friendly with short paragraphs and bullet points
5. Conclusion: Inspire action and summarize key points
6. Visuals: Align with your brand and optimize for SEO
7. Sticky assets: Add social sharing buttons and related posts
8. SEO: Optimize title tags, meta descriptions, and keywords

Engage readers throughout the post. Use techniques like:

• Asking questions to involve the reader

• Including relevant examples and case studies

• Breaking up text with bullet points and subheadings

• Adding "click to tweet" options for easy sharing

• Aim for headlines that are clear, specific, and address reader emotions or desires

• Use the introduction to hook readers with questions, statistics, or benefits

• Format your post for easy scanning, with short paragraphs and clear subheadings

• End with a strong call-to-action that aligns with your post's goal

7. Implement a Multi-Channel Content Promotion Strategy

Ever heard of the 80/20 rule? You should spend 20% of your time writing your content and 80% promoting it.

Utilize five main promotional pathways:

1. Social Media: Share on platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook
2. Outreach: Contact influencers mentioned in your post and pitch to relevant outlets
3. Email: Notify your list about new, valuable content
4. Automated: Use tools to schedule and recycle content shares
5. Paid: Consider sponsored posts or ads to boost reach

Optimize content for shareability. Implement these strategies:

• Make posts scanner-friendly with clear formatting

• Add "click to tweet" options throughout the content

• Include social share buttons at the top and bottom of posts

• Create platform-specific visuals for each piece of content

• Tailor your promotion strategy to platforms where your audience is most active

• Reach out to influencers or sources mentioned in your content for potential shares

• Use automation tools to maintain a consistent sharing schedule without constant manual effort

• Monitor which promotional efforts yield the best results and focus on those channels

8. Use an Editorial Calendar to Maintain Consistency and Flexibility

An editorial planner, put simply, is a visual representation of your content plan.

Implement an editorial calendar for better content management. Benefits include:

• Maintaining consistency in publishing schedule
• Planning ahead for seasonal content or promotions
• Making informed decisions about new content opportunities
• Viewing the entire content roadmap at a glance

Avoid common editorial calendar mistakes:

1. Not tracking analytics alongside your calendar
2. Failing to consolidate content ideas in a single swipe file
3. Neglecting to use the calendar regularly and relying on memory

• Use your calendar to plan content around key events or promotions in your niche
• Regularly review analytics to identify successful content types and replicate them
• Schedule time to update and review your editorial calendar weekly or bi-weekly
• Integrate your content plan, promotion strategy, and analytics for a comprehensive view of your content marketing efforts

Last updated: August 10, 2024