The Content Planning System
Define your content pillars, plan your weekly calendar, batch your creation workflow, mine ideas from daily life, and review performance monthly.
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Content Pillar Framework
Define 3 primary content pillars and up to 2 optional pillars. Every piece of content should map to one pillar.
Primary Pillar 1
Primary Pillar 2
Primary Pillar 3
Optional Pillar 4
Optional Pillar 5
Why Pillars Work
Content pillars eliminate decision fatigue. When you know your 3-5 topics, you never stare at a blank screen wondering what to post. Pillars also train the algorithm: consistent topical focus tells platforms who to show your content to, which increases reach over time.
Weekly Content Mix
Define your ideal weekly content balance.
Weekly Content Calendar
Plan each day's content with topic, pillar, format, platform, and status. Sunday is for planning and review.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday - Planning and Review
Batch Creation Workflow
Split your creation into two focused sessions: Thinking Cap (ideation and drafting) and Doing Cap (production and publishing).
Thinking Cap Session
Focus on ideas and first drafts only. Do not edit or format.
- Review your weekly calendar and pillar assignments
- Write all ideas and angles for each planned post
- Draft 4-6 pieces of content in one sitting
- Focus on one pillar at a time to stay in flow
- Do not stop to format, add hashtags, or find images
Doing Cap Session
Focus on production, formatting, and scheduling only.
- Take your drafts and polish the copy
- Add formatting, hashtags, and alt text
- Create or source all visuals and thumbnails
- Schedule everything using your publishing tool
- Set reminders for engagement windows after each post goes live
The Repurpose Rule
Every piece of pillar content should become at least 3 pieces across formats. A long-form post becomes a carousel summary, a short video hook, and a story poll. This triples your output without tripling your effort.
Weekly Idea Mining
Answer these 5 prompts every week to generate content ideas from your real experiences.
Weekly Review Questions
Content Ideas This Week
Monthly Performance Review
Review each pillar's performance at the end of every month. Decide what to keep, change, or drop.
| Pillar / Topic | Avg Engagement Rate | Best Performing Post | Worst Performing Post | Keep / Change / Drop | Next Month Adjustment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Sustainability Test
If you dread creating content for a pillar, that is a signal to change it. Sustainable content systems are built on topics you genuinely enjoy discussing. Forced content reads as inauthentic and eventually leads to burnout. It is better to post consistently about 3 topics you love than sporadically about 5 topics you feel obligated to cover.