In Need of Some Clairification?

I have a dream for 2013 — and beyond. Do you share my dream?

6 Ways to a Kick-Ass Content Plan for Your Nonprofit Blog: Part II of the C.P.A. Series
C.P.A.? Yup. In [a recent] post, I introduced you to the “accountant” theory of an effective blog content strategy. C for constituent-centered. P for plan. A for accessible. Today we’re going to talk about the “P.”

For starters, you’ve done your market research and you know what your constituents care about. Now, take all the great topics you’ve researched and brainstormed — all the questions you’ve been collecting from your constituents — and build an editorial calendar for your blog. I’m going to give you some tips and tools that will make this really simple. Promise.

Your blog editorial calendar is your playbook. You want to fill it with all your best moves. And with lots and lots of answers to your constituents’ questions. Lots and lots of content.

Why? According to HubSpot’s research, 70 percent of companies that publish articles two to three times per week have acquired a customer through their blog. Substitute “donor” for “customer,” and you see how your blog can have real legs. And HubSpot has a free editorial calendar template to make it easy for you to stay organized and on target. Now … let’s fill in your plan!

Let me count the ways:

1. Think you don’t have enough blog content to fill a calendar? Take a look at some of your most frequently asked questions. My guess is that you can get multiple mileage from hot topics. For example, select different angles and publish several posts on that subject. Begin, for example, with “Biggest Misconceptions about [your subject].” Then go on to address some of these misconceptions in greater detail in subsequent posts. For example, I found three posts on the blog of the Capital Area Animal Welfare Society that were all categorized under “common misconceptions.”