Creating content without a plan is like setting off on a road trip without a map. Sure, you might get somewhere—but will it be where you actually want to go?
A great content plan acts as your GPS, guiding you toward your goals while making sure you stay on track. Instead of getting lost along the way (and perhaps giving up entirely), you have a direct route that you’re taking to hit your content milestones and reach your destination.
For purpose-driven brands, a clear roadmap is even more crucial. Your work matters deeply, and you want that to shine through every piece of content you create. It can be difficult to create content that is both aligned with your values and strategic enough to drive results.
But we know this: brands driven by purpose want their content to have true, meaningful impact.
So, how can you be certain that your content is actually making an impact in the right way—and you won’t stray off course trying a flurry of different left and right turns? It all starts with a content plan.
What is a content plan?
A content plan is a document that outlines your goals, target audience, messaging, and key stories you want to tell on your chosen content channels. It is your trusted roadmap, guiding you in the direction of creating the right content to see results.
Put simply, your content plan determines what you’re going to create, who that content is for, and when and how it will be created, reviewed, and published.
Why do you need a content plan?
A content plan is there to keep you on the right path towards creating engaging, meaningful content that connects with your audience.
It provides clarity on your objectives, enhances your content flow and productivity, and guides you on your way to earning (and keeping) your audience’s trust through strategic storytelling.
And a key part? A content plan is actionable. It is built off of your existing content strategy, helping you execute your marketing efforts in a determined amount of time.
What is the difference between a content plan and a content strategy?
If you’re wondering whether you need a content plan, a content strategy, or both, you’re not alone. These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they do serve different purposes in content marketing—and they work together, hand in hand.
Your content strategy looks at the big picture. Think of your strategy as your North Star. It defines your ‘why’ for creating content, who it’s for, and what impact you want it to have. Your strategy typically includes your goals, audience personas, key messaging, brand voice, content pillars, and overall approach to how you will tell your story.
Your content plan is the action plan that makes your strategy happen. It’s your roadmap or your GPS system, guiding you in the right direction as you move forward. It’s your what, when, and how—a tactical breakdown of what type of content will be created, when it will be published, and which channels it will be delivered on. It’s much more practical and execution-focused.
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The 6 Step Guide to an Actionable Content Plan
Step 1: Set clear (and doable) goals
Before you create a single piece of content, you need to define what you want that content to achieve. This is where small but strategic goal-setting comes in.
Think short-term and measurable. Choose 2-3 objectives that you can realistically accomplish in the next 90 days—goals that are specific, actionable, and tied directly to your larger business objectives.
Align with your broader strategy. Your content plan goals should support your big-picture content strategy, but with more precision and a shorter timeline. If your content strategy includes a broad goal like increasing email sign-ups, your content plan should narrow it down into something clear and timebound.
Example: Grow our email list by 15% in the next 3 months by launching a lead magnet campaign on Instagram and LinkedIn.
By making your goals specific, achievable, and deadline-driven, you’ll have a clear understanding for your content and a way to measure your success at the end of the quarter.
Step 2: Get to know your audience
The more clearly you define your audience, the less guesswork goes into your content. Instead of throwing out generic messages and hoping they stick, knowing your audience allows you to create intentional, strategic content that speaks directly to the right people.
For your content plan, focus on how you best solve your audience’s problems, what they’re truly interested in right now, and where they tend to consume their content the most.
- Document your audience’s key pain points
- List the topics your audience is interested in
- Explore what channels your audience uses the most (Instagram, LinkedIn, Email, etc.)
- Understand the formats they prefer (videos, blog posts, podcasts, etc.)
And on the flip side, also make sure you know who you want to repel. If your content is meant for everyone, it’s really meant for no one. The goal isn’t to reach the most people—it’s to reach the right people.
Step 3: Define your messaging
Now that you know who you’re talking to, it’s time to define what you want to say—and say it consistently across all of your content.
Without a clear messaging foundation, your content can feel scattered, making it harder for your audience to understand what you stand for. And as a purpose-driven business, it’s even more important for your message to be clear and easy to understand.
Start with what you want people to know, feel, or do when they engage with your content. Your messaging should align with your brand’s purpose, resonate with your audience’s needs, and be simple and to-the-point.
Example: “Making sustainability simple, actionable, and accessible for everyday people.”
After solidifying your messaging statement, layer in proof points to make your messaging more credible and persuasive. Compile these in your content plan so that you can refer to them as you enter the content creation phase.
- Testimonials allow real words from real customers to build trust and authority.
- Case studies show how your work has made a difference.
- Stats and hard numbers can make your message more compelling.
Step 4: Choose your best-fit channels and content types
Once your messaging is locked in, it’s time to decide where your content will live—and how you’ll deliver it. The goal here is not to be everywhere all at once, but to show up consistently and meaningfully where it counts most: where your audience already is.
And it all starts with a home base.
Think of your home base as the foundation of your content plan—your main platform for publishing original, in-depth content (we call this anchor content). This is the place where you have full control and can truly showcase your thought leadership, brand personality, and expertise.
Your home base could be:
- A regularly updated blog on your website
- A LinkedIn newsletter
- A monthly email to your list
- Or even a YouTube channel or podcast, if that fits your brand
Once you’ve chosen your main platform, the next step is to expand your reach by selecting 1–2 secondary channels where your audience is already active.
This might include:
- Instagram or TikTok for visual storytelling
- LinkedIn for B2B and thought leadership
- Threads or X for fast, conversational takes
- Facebook for community-focused engagement
The key here is intentionality. Don’t try to be everywhere. Instead, double down on what works—the channels where your people are hanging out, engaging, and taking action.
Step 5: Create and fill in your content calendar
Here’s where everything starts to come together. With your goals, audience, messaging, and channels locked in, it’s time to lay it all out in a clear, visual calendar so you know what to create, when to share it, and how it connects to the bigger picture.
A content calendar helps you:
- Stay consistent (without scrambling)
- Plan around campaigns, launches, or key dates
- Repurpose content with purpose
- Build momentum with your audience over time
Start with your anchor content. These are your macro content pieces—think blog posts, newsletters, videos, or any high-value content that aligns with your messaging and goals.
Fill in your supporting content. From each anchor piece, plan out your micro content—these are your supporting posts on social media, email snippets, carousels, quotes, infographics, and more.
Look at your publishing frequency and work backward:
- Will you post on Instagram 3x a week?
- Do you send a bi-weekly newsletter?
- Is there a campaign or seasonal theme to consider?
Let your calendar be your creative foundation, not a limitation. It’s there to support your ideas, guide your team, and bring your content plan to life—one well-planned post at a time.
Step 6: Track, check-in, and adjust
So, your plan is in motion. Your content is rolling out. Time to set it and forget it… right?
Not quite. 😉
Even the best content plans need a little real-world testing—and that’s where tracking and check-ins come in. Because the truth is: content success doesn’t just come from planning, it comes from learning and adapting as you go.
Start by reviewing your goals (remember those from Step 1?). Keep tabs on how your content is performing against those objectives.
Depending on your content goals, that could mean:
- Engagement rates on social media
- Email open + click-through rates
- Website traffic to key blog posts or pages
- New leads, inquiries, or newsletter signups
We recommend setting aside time to check in at the 30- and 60-day marks of your 90-day plan. Ask yourself:
- What’s working? (Double down!)
- What’s falling flat? (Time to tweak!)
- Are there any unexpected insights or opportunities?
These check-ins don’t need to be complicated—they just need to be honest. You might discover that one post sparked surprising engagement, or that a new format resonated with your audience more than you expected.
Creating a purpose-led content plan doesn’t have to be overwhelming—or overcomplicated.
By taking time to set clear, achievable goals, deeply understand your audience, root your content in clear messaging, choose the right channels, map it all out on a calendar, and keep checking in as you go, you’re laying the foundation for content that feels aligned and drives results.
Whether you’re planning your next quarter or just trying to get a handle on next month, your content plan can become a powerful tool to communicate your values, connect with your audience, and grow your business—on purpose.
Need a little extra help getting started?
Our Quick-Start Content Plan service is designed to do just that. In 1–2 weeks, we’ll work with you 1:1 to build a strategic, actionable 90-day plan that works for your brand—and your bandwidth.
Let’s make content planning feel doable (and even kinda fun). We’re here when you’re ready.
