Earlier, we had discussed the importance of a content map to work as a good reference and starting point for the written pieces you had in mind. With that set in place, we will be needing content to schedule proper.

Not all content is created equal, and some pieces will hold varying degrees of weight, and effectiveness, that are largely dependent on timing. Understanding the nature of timing for the pieces you are working on will allow you to make adjustments to your deliverables to still keep on track, and not stretch yourself too thin or put your efforts in the wrong place. I like to begin by placing them in two categories.

Evergreen pieces are content that will always be applicable to your business, and should be among the first pieces of content you create. Evergreen pieces will be the cornerstone of your written content, and can always be referred and backlinked to. These pieces should be done earlier, as when you get more traction, you will want your readers and potential customers to have the right understanding of what your company and business stands for. A good example of evergreen pieces to start with are a basic introduction to the products and services that you render. It is always good to go general to provide an overview before going into details. Make the general piece the base that leads up to more detailed pieces to give you the flexibility to refer and backlink to this will be a great start for your SEO purposes.

Evergreen material should function to educate and position yourself as approachable subject matter experts for your readers and customers. Seasonal pieces on the other hand are time sensitive, be it pegged to current news and specific events that you can find a link and association with, or with a season. An example would be if your business focuses on power saving and green solutions, the Paris Climate Summit would be an event that you would peg a piece to. Or if you were a health and fitness solution, getting word out after Christmas and New Year holidays after everyone has been celebrating with excess food and drink, and thinking of getting back in shape would be aligned to your message.

For trending news and events that fall under the seasonal category, time is of the essence, and being able to ride that trend and slip in your messaging works for as long as the trend of the particular event lasts. The viability of these pieces are a matter of opportunity, and can be chanced and acted upon depending on your bandwidth.

You can create campaigns revolving around seasons and holidays provide a good basis as a CTA for pre-existing customers, or having deals that incentivise to get new customers. Run a good Christmas and New Year campaign and you should have a good framework to move along for what you would do next year. In some cases, campaigns can take a life of their own and become seasonal to resounding success. If you remember the ALS ice bucket challenge that was introduced along July-August of 2014, it had enough success to warrant the challenge returning in 2015, and 2016. Leading to breakthroughs in understanding the disease.

Thus a successful campaign run has the potential to spawn a season entirely of its own that is synonymous with what your business stands for.

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I hope the breakdown of the relevance of written content will give you better insights to better understand the material that you can prioritise along your content map. If you’ve any questions, please do hit us up or start a discussion at the comments below.