Building a meaningful “big picture” editorial calendar is an essential tool for having a successful blog. Content marketing expert Laura Busch explains why in this detailed look at the components – and most importantly the processes - that drive the creation of an editorial calendar. You’ll learn about recognizing and defining your blog’s constraints; methods for identifying your blog’s personas; sources you can use to collect research on the content you’ll incorporate into your blog; specific design practices you should follow when producing your content; and how to create and fill out an effective editorial calendar template.

• Understand why creating an editorial calendar is crucial to successful blogging
• Explore the processes successful bloggers use to create their editorial calendars
• Learn about the convertible persona concept and how it’s used in planning a blog
• See how sources like comments, analytics, and surveys are used to identify personas
• Review the best tools to use to collect research on the content you’ll want to blog about
• Learn to create and use an editorial calendar template most appropriate to your needs

Laura Busche, director of content strategy at Creative Market and co-founder of the interactive agency Ozone Labs, has been working in content marketing, branding, social media, and on-line marketing since 2008. She authored the O'Reilly title "Lean Branding"; contributes regularly to Smashing Magazine andSitepoint; and is a member of the Global Shaper program at the World Economic Forum. She holds a business degree from American University and a M.A. in design management from the Savannah College of Art and Design.