Level Up Your Content Marketing Efforts With These 11 Actionable Content Checklists

Keyword Research Checklist

• Create a keyword spreadsheet: Create a spreadsheet for effective organization of keyword data.
• Assess keyword difficulty: Analyze chosen keywords using Semrush or Moz to ensure achievable rankings.
• Understand search intent: Determine keyword intention (purchase, research, collecting information) aligning with audience needs.
• Identify LSI keywords and variations: Find related LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords and long-tail variations to enhance reach and relevance.
• Verify relevance to audience: Ensure chosen keyword is relevant to niche and readers for valuable rankings.
• Cross-reference data with multiple tools: Leverage multiple keyword research tools for comprehensive insights into your chosen keyword set.
• Check for existing targeting: Confirm non-overlapping targeting of selected keywords using SEO platforms or rank tracking tools.
• Conduct competitive research: Analyze competitors’ keyword strategies to uncover ranking opportunities and untapped keywords.

Content Marketing Project Management Checklist

• Define your objective: Set a clear goal that aligns with your overall business objectives for the content marketing project.
• Select channels, tactics, and strategies: Determine the specific channels, tactics, and strategies you’ll employ for your project before starting.
• Set deadlines: Establish deadlines for each step of the project to ensure timely completion and avoid scope creep.
• Set budgets: Determine project budget and negotiate for additional funds if needed.
• Delegate tasks: Assign appropriate team members to specific tasks.
• Outline project completion steps: Document each step required to complete the project, creating a project-specific checklist.
• Establish success metrics: Define measurable criteria to determine project success and gauge performance.
• Schedule check-in meetings: Set dates for regular check-in meetings to discuss project progress and maintain open communication to meet deadlines.

Social Media Campaign Planning Checklist

• Define your campaign’s purpose: Clearly establish your campaign’s aim, such as increasing followers, driving leads, or creating brand awareness.
• Prepare social content for the next two weeks: Efficiently manage your brand’s social media presence across multiple networks by scheduling core messaging in advance. This proactive approach will keep your calendar full and organized.
• Determine metrics and goals: Identify the metrics you’ll use to measure campaign success.
• Review and ensure message appropriateness: Thoroughly review all messages to avoid offensive or culturally insensitive content before scheduling your campaign.
• Cover the appropriate social networks: Ensure your campaign covers all relevant social networks where your brand is present.
• Incorporate strong images: Use visually appealing images to enhance content readership and increase engagement.
• Use hashtags strategically: Create a custom hashtag to unify your campaign posts or leverage timely and topical hashtags for increased exposure.
• Respond to social messages: Establish a routine for consistently responding to incoming social messages.

Blog Post Writing Checklist

• Select your topic: Choose the subject for your blog post, either before or after conducting keyword research.
• Define your angle: Determine the unique perspective you can bring to the topic.
• Complete keyword research: Conduct thorough keyword research to ensure visibility and discoverability of your blog post.
• Perform competitive analysis: Read existing blog posts on the topic. Take note of included information and identify opportunities where you can provide additional value.
• Research your topic: Collect necessary information and conduct research to avoid factual errors and establish authority.
• Write your outline: Create an outline highlighting the main points, subheadings, and sub-points, to organize your thoughts.
• Write a strong headline: Generate 20 to 25 headline options and use the Headline Analyzer Studio to pick the most compelling one.
• Include a hook in your intro: Ensure your introduction immediately grabs readers’ attention; rewrite if necessary.
• Write blog post body content: Craft the main body of your blog post, covering all key points and supporting information.
• Include image direction and copy notes: Provide clear instructions for image placement, including headline, copy, and design guidelines to assist your designer.
• Place images and videos: Verify all visuals are appropriately placed, sized correctly, and aren’t missing.
• Write corresponding social messages: Create social media content to promote your blog post.
• Proofread: Thoroughly review your writing, checking for errors and inconsistencies. Have a team member review the blog post for additional feedback.

Email Marketing Checklist

• Craft a compelling subject line: Create an engaging subject line that catches the recipient’s attention.
• Create actionable email copy: Write engaging email copy and include relevant images to improve readability.
• Ensure links are working: Test all the links in your email to ensure they’re working.
• Proofread: Review your email meticulously to identify and remove typos and errors.
• Communicate clear value: Ensure your subject line and email content have a clear value proposition.
• Add a strong CTA: Double-check that your email contains a prominent and persuasive CTA, especially for specific desired actions.
• Configure analytics: Verify your email platform’s analytics are accurately set up, and consider integrating Google Analytics for campaign tracking.
• Segment your email list: Ensure your emails are sent to the appropriate audience segments based on their interests, demographics, and preferences.
• Ensure legal compliance: Review your email opt-in process to comply with Anti-Spam Laws, ensuring unchecked opt-in boxes.
• Optimize landing pages: Double-check the linked pages are high-quality, relevant, and directly related to the email to improve conversion rates.
• Optimize for mobile: Confirm your email is mobile-friendly and displays well across devices, including mobile.
• Schedule for optimal delivery: Correctly time sending your email based on your target audience’s behavior and preferences.

Image Design Checklist

• Check image copy: Ensure the accompanying text within the image is properly written and approved before designing an image.
• Proofread image copy: Review image text thoroughly to avoid typos or errors before publishing.
• Outline image direction: Align the writer’s and designer’s vision by providing design direction for each graphic in blog posts or social media campaigns.
• Design graphics: Create the visual elements according to the outlined direction and specifications.
• Meet brand standards: Ensure the image adheres to your brand or company’s visual branding guidelines.
• Maintain visual consistency: Keep the visual style consistent across multiple images for campaigns or blog posts, unless intentional variation is intended.
• Check image file size: Optimize image file sizes to prevent slow webpage loading times.
• Ensure readability: Confirm all text within the designs is clear and easily legible.
• Use correct resolution: Use 72 dpi for web images and 300 dpi for print materials.
• Confirm dimensions: Resize images to the appropriate dimensions for their placement, avoiding CMS resizing for web images.

Video Marketing Checklist

• Gather equipment: Get all the necessary cameras, microphones, props, and other required items for the shoot.
• Define video purpose: Determine the goal of your video, whether it’s instructional, promotional, or entertaining.
• Write a strong video script: Create an engaging script and give it a friendly read-through to ensure it’s clear and fits within the desired length.
• Identify on-screen personalities: Arrange actors or speakers in advance, including co-workers, guests, or professional actors.
• Choose filming location: Choose a shooting location that’s easily accessible for everyone involved.
• Check lighting: Check the lighting conditions to ensure your video looks its best with optimal visual quality.
• Shoot video: Capture the footage for your video.
• Finalize an attention-grabbing video title: Craft a descriptive title with relevant keywords for YouTube and SEO.
• Write compelling video description: Create an engaging description for platforms like YouTube or other upload sites.
• Upload video: Choose the appropriate platform for uploading the video, such as YouTube, Facebook, or Vimeo.
• Add YouTube annotation links: Include valuable annotation links within your YouTube video to drive traffic to your website or blog.
• Consider a relevant playlist: If uploading on YouTube, consider adding your video to a relevant playlist to enhance visibility for users searching for similar content.

Podcasting Checklist

• Check microphone functionality: Ensure the microphones work properly before recording, especially with guests on board.
• Line up guests and participants: Determine who will be part of your podcast, including yourself, co-workers, or guest speakers.
• Choose a topic or theme: Select a subject or theme to ensure focused and directed podcast episodes.
• Create a loose outline: Prepare a bullet-point outline or interview questions to guide the discussion.
• Create intro music: Compose or purchase recognizable intro music to enhance listener recall.
• Get the podcast episode ready: Record and edit the episode so it’s ready to publish.
• Publish the episode: Submit the podcast to iTunes and other directories for increased discoverability.
• Promote the episode: Generate buzz through blog posts, social media, and email newsletters.
• Establish a regular posting schedule: Determine a consistent release schedule using an editorial calendar.

Landing Page Checklist

• Develop a clear outline: Create a logical flow for your landing page before writing content.
• Generate strong headlines: Create 20-25 options and choose the most compelling one.
• Write benefits-focused copy: Emphasize how your product or service solves problems or meets needs.
• Write benefits-focused copy: Emphasize how your product or service solves problems or meets needs.
• Design appealing graphics: Enhance your landing page’s visual appeal and effectiveness.
• Create a landing page: Use tools to design your landing page easily.
• Ensure consistent branding and style: Align colors, fonts, and word choices with your brand’s standards.
• Proofread landing page copy: Remove any errors and typos for a professional presentation.
• Clarify your key selling point: Ensure the headline and design elements clearly convey your landing page’s purpose.
• Create a comprehensive promotion plan: Include PPC, social media, email campaigns, and other relevant channels.
• Ensure consistent branding: Maintain consistent messaging across promotional content.
• Test form usability: Ensure your lead generation form is easy to complete to improve conversion rates.
• Establish success metrics: Define your landing page KPIs. E.g., conversion rate, number of conversions, and page visits.
• Do A/B testing: Compare headline, layout, and copy variations to optimize your landing page.

Proofreading & Copyediting Checklist

• Eliminate spelling and grammatical errors: Use tools like Grammarly or Hemingway to ensure error-free and readable copy.
• Ensure superior content: Compare your post to existing content on the topic to ensure it’s more comprehensive than or differentiated from your competitors.
• Introduce new information: Add unique perspectives or insights to provide readers with genuine value and improve SEO.
• Enhance readability: Make sentences clear and easy to read, even if they are grammatically correct.
• Confirm key information: Cross-reference your post with others to ensure no important details are amiss.
• Ensure correct formatting: Maintain consistent formatting and check images, lists, and paragraphs for accuracy.
• Check graphics for errors: Check image copy for spelling errors to prevent issues after publication.
• Maintain consistency: Align copy with your style standards, whether following AP style or a customized brand guide.
• Ensure factual accuracy: Verify any uncertain information to protect your brand reputation and avoid legal complications.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Checklist

• Optimize primary keyword usage: Ensure the primary keyword appears naturally in the URL, headline, H1 tag, title tag, meta description, and a few times in the body content.
• Include internal links: Incorporate relevant internal links to improve navigation for readers and help search engines understand the website’s structure.
• Craft a compelling title tag: Create a well-written title tag within 70 characters or less, including the primary keyword, to attract readers and provide search engines with context.
• Write a strong meta description: Write a meta description summarizing the presented content, encouraging more clicks from readers.
• Check page loading speed: Use PageSpeed Insights Tool to ensure fast-loading pages.
• Check for broken links: Double-check content links to remove any broken links that may harm user experience and SEO.
• Ensure high-quality content: Ensure your content meets the minimum length of 300 words, includes captivating graphics, and offers valuable information that outperforms your competitors.
• Optimize image alt-tags and file names: Assign descriptive file names to images and include optimized alt-tags (up to 15 words of unique descriptive text) for better accessibility and improved SEO.