Two types of often-used content calendars are editorial calendars and social media calendars. Here are the differences between them:

• Editorial Media Contents Calendar

These calendars are primarily used by publishers, bloggers, and content creators to manage and schedule written content.

• Social Media Contents Calendar

Social media calendars are designed to plan and schedule content across various social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

Content calendars include a lot of moving pieces to deliver the planned content on schedule.

A content calendar template is a document that acts as a framework to help you stay on top of these moving pieces and keep your content creation on track.

A content calendar template offers some big advantages compared to starting each content plan or campaign from scratch. Here are the top benefits:

The layout of a content calendar template can vary by type and purpose, but here are the components you might come across in a typical one:

1. Date and time: Specifies when the content is scheduled to be published.
2. Platform: Indicates where the content will be published (e.g., on a specific social media platform or in a blog or email newsletter).
3. Content type: Details the format of the content (e.g., blog post, video, infographic, podcast, or social media post).
4. Title/topic: The main content idea or title of the piece.
5. Status: The stage of content creation (e.g., brainstorming, in-progress, editing, ready for review, or published).
6. Assigned to: Who’s responsible for creating, editing, and publishing the content.
7. Target audience: The content’s primary audience.
8. Goals/objectives: Outlines what the content is meant to achieve (e.g., increased engagement, better lead generation, or greater brand awareness).
9. Keywords/SEO: Important keywords for SEO purposes to help improve the visibility of the content in search engines.
10. Resources needed: Details the resources required to create the content (e.g., budget, tools, or additional team members).

So, where can you find a content calendar template?

Many companies offer free online content calendar templates. However, these templates might not have all the features you need or be reusable without a subscription.

Spreadsheets are an easy medium to work with. Here’s a simple, four-step process for creating a custom content calendar template in a spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.

1. Step 1. New spreadsheet
2. Step 2. Layout your desire Metrix
3. Step 3. Format the template for clarity
4. Save the blank Copy

When your template is ready, fill in the details for your content series or campaign. Here’s what to include in each section:

1. Date: The dates on which you plan to publish your content. This can be daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on your schedule.
2. Platform: Where each piece of content will be posted, such as in a blog or on Facebook or Twitter.
3. Content Type: The format of each piece of content (e.g., blog post, video, infographic, or social media post).
4. Title/Topic: The subject or main idea of each content piece.
5. Assigned To: The team member responsible for the creation and management of each content piece.
6. Status: The progress of each content item, such as “Planning,” “Drafting,” “Review,” or “Published.”
7. Target Audience: Who the content is intended for.
8. Keywords: Relevant SEO keywords for each piece of content.
9. Notes: Any additional instructions, links to resources, or any other comments that could benefit the people working on the content.