Day 19: Good cop, bad cop. Net or no net. Jekyll or Hyde. Well, you get the point. The content marketing calendar, like the circus, is filled with peril and thrills. My simple advice is every business needs an editorial or content marketing calendar. But not everyone.

Like me. Take the 30 Day Blog for instance. I’m not working from a content marketing calendar, like the Flying Wallendas, I’m working without a net. In cases like these, I find the calendar inhibiting, limiting, time-consuming, and as much work as it takes to actually write a blog. I know others who feel the same. I also know that had I drafted a calendar for 30 straight days of blogging about website design and development, complete with topics, supporting research, syndication processes and KPIs, which should be part of your editorial calendar, I would have found the task daunting. I like the thrill of being unencumbered. I like the peril that comes with complete flexibility.

But it’s not for everyone and it certainly shouldn’t be for a business. If you’re responsible for content in your office, you’ll need a monthly calendar. Let’s be honest, which essentially means that some people have been dishonest, random acts of content marketing just don’t work. They won’t hurt you, but they’re not going to help that much, either. In addition to your topic, supporting documentation, review date, publishing date, writer and results, make certain you detail the syndication or publishing process. We all know, just because you write it doesn’t mean they’ll see it – or read it for that matter.

But don’t let the calendar hang you up. Important events, seasonal opportunities, the weather, a chance meeting, something you overheard that’s timely, these trump the calendar. There'll be plenty of time to get to your important subjects, but there’s not always time to be timely.