Here’s a recap of our fave tweets from this week’s informative and insightful chat. We’d love to hear from you! Please feel free to comment below and share your two cents on these questions.
Please welcome our guest @BrianHonigman. Topic: How to Create an Editorial Calendar. #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/AR9BDB8K3y
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
We invited our friends from Hootsuite to come on the chat and kick it off by answering one pressing question about Twitter marketing. Let us know if you like this new feature.
Ask @hootsuite: What are some ways people are failing at Twitter? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/Y0cs0Xpdc3
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
1|4 One of the (many) ways people are failing at Twitter is that they don’t engage. Take the time to respond ? @madalynsklar #TwitterSmarter
— Hootsuite (@hootsuite) September 29, 2016
2|4 Another Twitter fail: Always selling. Twitter isn’t an infomercial. It’s about building relationships! @madalynsklar #TwitterSmarter
— Hootsuite (@hootsuite) September 29, 2016
3|4 Fail #3: You aren’t “real”. When tweeting for a brand or your own account, be authentic with your tweets. @madalynsklar #TwitterSmarter
— Hootsuite (@hootsuite) September 29, 2016
4|4 Fail #4: You aren’t taking advantage of multimedia. Spice up your tweets with a GIF or an image! @madalynsklar #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/xPTSFa0NFE
— Hootsuite (@hootsuite) September 29, 2016
Q1: What is an editorial calendar? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/qlMVNwpcCW
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
A1: It's a document that organizes the timing of your content production, publishing, distribution & measurement efforts. #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A1: It can be used to manage social media posts, blog articles, podcast episodes or any other type of content. #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A1: An effective editorial calendar outlines what specific content is being produced and published by your organization. #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A1: It's a flexible document that will definitely change over time as campaigns get altered content gets improved and more. #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
Not just social! Editorial calendars can be used for podcasts, blog posts and most other types of content. ? #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/E2NdMoFl6j
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A1 @MadalynSklar A guideline to help define audience, channels, and goals so that everything is in alignment digitally. #TwitterSmarter
— HMH (@hmhagency) September 29, 2016
A1: It's a calendar to help you manage your social media posts/content. It's a great way to be organized. #twittersmarter
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
A1: Editorial calendar is a can't-live-without way to organize your content for publication on a schedule, for any channel #TwitterSmarter
— FreshSparks (@FreshSparks) September 29, 2016
A1 An editorial calendar is your road map for content creation. What to create, When to create it & Where to distribute it #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/XCOM9MRyvq
— LinkTrust Tech (@LinkTrust) September 29, 2016
A1: A editorial calendar includes regular, holiday, and special occasion blog posts and other content for consumption. #twittersmarter
— Bakari Chavanu (@bakarichavanu) September 29, 2016
A1: An editorial calendar contains your deadlines for writing, editing, and publishing posts. #TwitterSmarter
— Zachary Fenell (@zacharyfenell) September 29, 2016
A1: Editorial calendar / plan helps you gather, layout, collect and plan ALL content across platforms you wish to publish #TwitterSmarter
— Zala Bricelj (@ZalkaB) September 29, 2016
A1 – editorial calendars have really saved me. Got ideas out of my head. Showed me a weekly/monthly view to revise. #twittersmarter
— Sue Duris (@SueDuris) September 29, 2016
A1 An editorial calendar is a documented #content schedule to keep you organized, focused, and accountable when you publish. #TwitterSmarter
— Michael Roach (@mr0ach) September 29, 2016
Q2: Why invest in an editorial calendar? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/pTlls1BEMa
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
A2: The document helps your company in planning and organizing campaigns, concepts, and ideas related to content. #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/L2K1USGuEZ
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A2: Think of this practice as an ongoing brain dump of all your ideas to address later. #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/8kdpd2xnBh
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A2: A calendar prevents confusion around when content is published, who is responsible, where it'll be distributed etc #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A2: An editorial calendar allows your brand to remain strategic with the content you're producing #TwitterSmarter ? ? ?
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A2. keeps you sane! 😛 #twittersmarter
— MioDatos (@MioDatos) September 29, 2016
A2: An editorial calendar helps keep you organized. When you can plan in advance, content creation is much less stressful. #TwitterSmarter
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) September 29, 2016
A2: An editorial calendar will help you be organized and stay focused with the content you put out. #twittersmarter
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
A2 Organizing ahead of time smarter than doing things "on the fly". Gives chance to see what works & refine moving forward #TwitterSmarter
— HMH (@hmhagency) September 29, 2016
A2: Editorial calendars help you save time planning your next campaign and set weekly content themes to peak engagement. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/bdD8M42JAd
— Alison Masniuk (@AlisonPaigeM) September 29, 2016
A2: I have found an editorial calendar helps you build self-discipline. That's kind of important for entrepreneurs. #TwitterSmarter
— Zachary Fenell (@zacharyfenell) September 29, 2016
A2) Sanity! It allows you to brainstorm ideas/content that you can flesh out later. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/yAAhg2JafU
— Meaghan Alvarado (@meaghanmae) September 29, 2016
@MadalynSklar A2: An editorial calendar helps you plan ahead to achieve goals + reach your target audience. #TwitterSmarter
— Wilde Agency (@Wilde_Agency) September 29, 2016
@MadalynSklar A2: Have an action plan in place at all times to make sure you aren't missing out on opportunities. #TwitterSmarter
— Bantunium Labs (@bantuniumlabs) September 29, 2016
A2 An #editorialcalendar is an important part of #marketing strategy. Especially if you're doing 1-2 yr at a time #content. #TwitterSmarter
— Steve Morozumi (@SFenthusiast) September 29, 2016
A2 "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!” @MadalynSklar #TwitterSmarter
— LinkTrust Tech (@LinkTrust) September 29, 2016
A2: Investing time to create & manage an editorial calendar increases productivity & helps you meet goals for your efforts. #TwitterSmarter
— FreshSparks (@FreshSparks) September 29, 2016
Q3: What should the goals of your calendar be? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/nZ0MwlF8Lo
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
A3: Choosing the goal of your editorial calendar clarifies what elements to focus on and which aspects should be ignored. #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/0kpMxTyLJ1
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A3: The content scheduled on your calendar should also reflect existing business goals. #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/OuzWknRwla
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A3: Most goals fall under: Content Creation, Content Consumption, Content Engagement, Lead Generation and Driving Sales. #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A3: Variation of content between your own, resharing, and personalized tweets make it a meaningful calendar #TwitterSmarter
— Social 4 The Good (@Social4TheGood) September 29, 2016
A3 Similar to my last answer, to write consistently and provide a variety of VALUABLE content #twittersmarter
— jasgraff (@jasgraff) September 29, 2016
@MadalynSklar A3: Goals should be based around the viewership you have and how to engage them continuously. #TwitterSmarter
— Bantunium Labs (@bantuniumlabs) September 29, 2016
A3: Goal should be to produce great content, get it shared and keeping it all organized. #twittersmarter
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
A3 – the editorial calendar can be the check point for your brand, message, audience and growth goals. #twittersmarter
— Sue Duris (@SueDuris) September 29, 2016
@MadalynSklar A3: You should anticipate "moments" relevant to your brand – holidays, industry events + similar occasions. #TwitterSmarter
— Wilde Agency (@Wilde_Agency) September 29, 2016
A3 Editorial calendar goals: Set realistic dates and times. Consider your audience's interests. Factor in time for research. #TwitterSmarter
— Michael Roach (@mr0ach) September 29, 2016
A3 no matter how organized, I need to keep my plan visible, in front of me at all times. #twittersmarter
— Mike Barzacchini (@MikeBarzacchini) September 29, 2016
Q4: What are the best tools for creating an editorial calendar? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/OPkGZTvK72
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
A4: Make sure the tool you choose offers the right functionality you're looking for, and is aligned with your company needs. #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/VMGiv2YO9p
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A4: Now in my experience, Google Sheets, @Trello, and @CoSchedule are the top choices for calendar tools. #TwitterSmarter ? ?? ?
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A4: @CoSchedule is the best for more complex content programs as it's functionality is robust w/social sharing options etc. #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A4: @Trello is also another solid choice for a calendar tool due to its main integrations and its ease of use #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/tYNq2oSdn1
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A4: Google Sheets is free & 1 of the simplest tools for creating a calendar but it's got far less features than the others #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A4 Has anyone used @SmartSheet's template for editorial calendars? I like it but haven't met anyone who has implemented it. #twittersmarter
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) September 29, 2016
A4: @CoSchedule has free editorial calendars. https://t.co/Tum7NSQFR5 #twittersmarter
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
A4. @hootsuite has "publisher": Access by clicking the airplane icon in your #hootsuite dashboard. @CoSchedule goes DEEP! #TwitterSmarter
— Steve Morozumi (@SFenthusiast) September 29, 2016
@MadalynSklar A4: Google Sheets, @trello, @CoSchedule, @HubSpot #TwitterSmarter
— Betsy Bash (@tweetsbybetsy) September 29, 2016
@MadalynSklar A4: simply Google editorial calendar and there are plenty of free options! #TwitterSmarter
— Betsy Bash (@tweetsbybetsy) September 29, 2016
A4: Editorial calendar tools- @Google Docs, @CoSchedule, @Trello, @Basecamp, @WordPress Editorial Calendar plug-in. #TwitterSmarter
— FreshSparks (@FreshSparks) September 29, 2016
A4: Old-fashioned Excel, or Google Docs if collaborating with clients. We have a template:https://t.co/pqPi26epBP #twittersmarter
— jasgraff (@jasgraff) September 29, 2016
A4 – I absolutely love WP's editorial calendar. #twittersmarter
— Sue Duris (@SueDuris) September 29, 2016
Q5: What's the right time frame to account for on your calendar? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/Iuv50T2EmJ
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
A5: How often you're publishing & on which channels is the difference between a healthy content program & a troubled one. #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A5: A calender w/a clear timeline will help contributors understand how often individual content items are being published. #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A5: The short answer is it depends on goals, but it's safe to say planning over 3 months ahead is overkill in many cases #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A5: I don't think there is a right answer or just one. It depends on so many factors. But do find what works best for YOU. #twittersmarter
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
A5) The earlier the better! But you need to be agile to account for unplanned shifts in the marketplace. #TwitterSmarter
— POWr.io (@POWrPlugins) September 29, 2016
A5: For blogs, we find a 6 month time frame works well for measurement. For social planning, 1 month at a time. #TwitterSmarter
— FreshSparks (@FreshSparks) September 29, 2016
A5: Your calendar should have a month-by-month, day-by-day, hour-by-hour tracking. Keeps you from posting too little/often. #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/yrLaMkz6pY
— Proteus Technologies (@proteuseng) September 29, 2016
A5. It's ok to plan a month or two in advance at least for scope. Then take it weekly with room depending on trending topics #twittersmarter pic.twitter.com/qTAjwKSmgo
— gifwolfpack (@gifwolfpack) September 29, 2016
Q6: How should a marketer organize their calendar for success? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/a9e2icEf0J
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
A6: Organization will help you stay focused with content, even when you're facing difficult challenges. #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A6: Organize by setting limitations, regularly updating it to reflect your existing strategy & creating a consistent layout. #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A6: Limitations ensure there's only so much information included on a calendar, keeping it both actionable and specific. #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A6: These limitations will vary by company & calendar & should help ensure there isn't too much information on any document. #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
Exactly, take todays recommendations and apply them to your unique circumstances. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/vSH6IM5JEb
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A6 The important thing with organization is not just dates/titles but (especially for blogs) CTAs, visuals,etc. #twittersmarter
— jasgraff (@jasgraff) September 29, 2016
A6: Organize by having the most important items first and working your way down from there. Prioritize. #twittersmarter
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
A6 One way is to have categories for various types of social posts. For example: quotes, promo items, humor, educational… #TwitterSmarter
— Steve Morozumi (@SFenthusiast) September 29, 2016
A6: Make it a healthy mix of own content + relevant content by others. Set daily, weekly, monthly posting goals for yourself #twittersmarter
— Allison L. Jensen (@allisonjensen_) September 29, 2016
A6) Your editorial calendar should be organized in reverse around your quarterly goals and company agenda? #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/jWDRNTBs4K
— POWr.io (@POWrPlugins) September 29, 2016
A6. Don't live or die by the calendar (it's only a help) Live by giving specifics that fit your audience & go with the flow. #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/Q97bFaDtee
— gifwolfpack (@gifwolfpack) September 29, 2016
A6 Ability to access my calendars on my mobile device is key. #TwitterSmarter
— Mike Barzacchini (@MikeBarzacchini) September 29, 2016
Q7: What’s the most effective way to encourage team collaboration on your calendar? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/8M4Si9VeZ7
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
A7: Set up your calendar to ensure it's user-friendly for all relevant contributors & departments to add their input. #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A7: This is also where your calendar tool choice comes into play as well, so all contributors can edit the same document. #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A7: It's important that all team members are trained on how to use your calendar and all of its features. #CRUCIAL #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
Smart. The only way to do it otherwise your calendar become a burden instead of a tool! #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/8diWHsSL8P
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A7: Make sure it's user-friendly like @trello and you can tag people or notify them easily #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/XIXVj4wYO2
— Nilesh Surana (@nileshsurana) September 29, 2016
A7: Make it super easy for everyone on your team to use the calendar. Communication is also key. #twittersmarter
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
A7. Set meetings online, phone, and/or #IRL on a regular basis to discuss #content options for your #editorialcalendar. #TwitterSmarter
— Steve Morozumi (@SFenthusiast) September 29, 2016
@MadalynSklar A7: Make your calendar accessible to all + share updates/changes as necessary. #TwitterSmarter
— Wilde Agency (@Wilde_Agency) September 29, 2016
A7 Get their ideas & input from the beginning, let team members have autonomy over content they are most passionate about #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/r5g9dEzFEY
— LinkTrust Tech (@LinkTrust) September 29, 2016
A7. Give them the chance to lead and suggest new topics and projects to collaborate on. Everyone wants a chance #twittersmarter pic.twitter.com/DiNN9u3PnP
— gifwolfpack (@gifwolfpack) September 29, 2016
A7 To promote team collaboration, give chances to present ideas and let members select and take ownership of specific tasks. #TwitterSmarter
— Michael Roach (@mr0ach) September 29, 2016
Q8: What's the best way to improve your calendar over time? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/R9TcNH9bp4
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
A8: Some of your changes to your calendar will be negative as some content campaigns will fail, budgets will be moved etc. #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A8 The more people involved over time, the more advanced features will be needed on your calendar to help with collaboration #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
A8: Understanding editorial better in the long term may lead to creating more content & experimenting with different types. #TwitterSmarter
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
Right on Zala! It's not plug and chug, you have to upgrade and adapt over time. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/TYbzzKYILj
— Brian Honigman ? ? (@BrianHonigman) September 29, 2016
@MadalynSklar A8: regular evaluation with team and other departments to get new ideas. #TwitterSmarter
— Nilesh Surana (@nileshsurana) September 29, 2016
A8 see what has worked and what hasn't. Maybe re-vamp certain posts add a new twist. #twittersmarter
— MioDatos (@MioDatos) September 29, 2016
A8 Don't copy paste it from past years. Upgrade, re-work, adapt to changes and what (didn't) work. Shows you know ur stuff #TwitterSmarter
— Zala Bricelj (@ZalkaB) September 29, 2016
A8: Keep refining your calendar. Get input from others. Bottom line: make the effort. Make it great. #twittersmarter
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) September 29, 2016
A8 Reviewing the content you're publishing w/ a view toward achieving the goal for that content is important for improvement #twittersmarter
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) September 29, 2016
A8 To improve your #editorialcalendar over time, see my A7 + use #analytics & @twitter polls to deliver the right #content #TwitterSmarter
— Steve Morozumi (@SFenthusiast) September 29, 2016
A8: Get a sense of what's working and what's not working. Redefine your strategy as you move forward. #twittersmarter
— Allison L. Jensen (@allisonjensen_) September 29, 2016
A8: Improve your editorial calendar content over time by looking at metrics for performance. The numbers don't lie! #TwitterSmarter
— FreshSparks (@FreshSparks) September 29, 2016
A8. Have better content. Always seek for better topics, structures, & strategies to add to your calendar for better results #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/UO4wp1Y4Dm
— gifwolfpack (@gifwolfpack) September 29, 2016
@MadalynSklar A8: Incorporate others in the planning (outside of marketing). SMEs in the company who can contribute ideas. #TwitterSmarter
— Meaghan Alvarado (@meaghanmae) September 29, 2016
For more tips, advice and resources to help you master Twitter and grow your business be sure to follow me at @MadalynSklar. I’m also available for one-on-one and group coaching and consulting. Get details here.
Be sure to join us every Thursday on Twitter at 1pm ET at hashtag #TwitterSmarter.