How to Plan a Month of Content in 30 Minutes
If it takes you two hours to plan content for one week, you’re doing it wrong, especially if you’re in the start-up phase.
You see, content planning shouldn’t be complicated. In fact, the more difficult it is, the less likely you’ll stick with it.
This post is for the business owner already juggling sales, client work, invoices, and somehow still trying to keep their Instagram from going dark.
You don’t need another expensive tool or a 12-tab spreadsheet. You need a simple system that gets you in and out quickly, along with a clear plan.
Let’s get to it.
Why Most Content Planning Fails
Most business owners fall into one of two traps:
Plan everything last minute
Try to plan everything perfectly and never finish
I’ve been guilty of both, and they lead to the same result: inconsistent, ineffective content that wastes time and doesn’t drive results.
Here’s the fix: A 30-minute process that maps your month, aligns your content, and gets it off your plate.
🕒 The 30-Minute Content Planning Breakdown
Minutes 1–5: Pick Your Weekly Themes
Start with your content pillars—those 3–5 topics your business should be known for.
If you don’t have these yet, pause here and download the guide—because they are the foundation for visibility in both search engines and AI tools.
Assign one pillar or focus to each week of the month. That gives you structure without rigidity.
Example:
Week 1: Common content mistakes
Week 2: Tactical how-to (like this post)
Week 3: Case study or client win
Week 4: Strategy myth or hot take
That’s four clear focus areas tied to what matters to your audience—and how AI tools might categorize your expertise.
Minutes 6–10: Define Your Weekly Message
What’s the main takeaway for each week?
Not a campaign. Not a complex theme. Just one clear idea.
Example:
“Posting every day isn’t a strategy.”
“Most business owners are marketing to the wrong audience.”
“Content that doesn’t connect to your sales process is a waste.”
Keep it simple. Keep it sharp. This message anchors everything else you’ll post that week.
Minutes 11–20: Pick Your Formats + Channels
Decide how you’ll deliver the message based on:
What your audience consumes (email, blog, LinkedIn, video)
What you can realistically produce
Stick with 1–2 formats and repurpose.
Example:
Blog post on Monday
LinkedIn carousel or quote post on Wednesday
Email to your list on Friday (repurposed from the blog)
This format helps you show up consistently—on the platforms your audience trusts—and makes it easier for AI search tools to recognize and organize your expertise.
Minutes 21–30: Fill Out a Simple Calendar
Now that you’ve got:
✔ Weekly theme
✔ Weekly message
✔ Format + channel
Drop it all into a Google Sheet, Notion doc, or simple calendar.
✅ Add CTAs where relevant (link to guide, book a call, etc.)
✅ Assign due dates or tasks if you’ve got help
Boom. You just planned your next month of content faster than your morning scroll on LinkedIn.
You can access a 30-Minute Content Planning template here.
Tips to Make It Even Faster
Reuse what worked: Check last month’s top-performing posts and remix them
Keep a running idea list: Capture ideas in real-time so you’re never starting from scratch
Use AI tools for brainstorming: Let ChatGPT or Gemini help spark angles or draft ideas
Batch & schedule: Stay in flow by doing it all in one session
The Bottom Line
Marketing shouldn’t eat up your week. And content planning definitely shouldn’t.
This 30-minute system works because it’s simple.
And once your content is mapped, you can focus on delivering value that’s structured, relevant—and visible to your audience (and to AI tools scanning for experts like you).
Ready to Make This Even Easier?
📥 Download the No-BS Guide to Content Strategy for SMBs
Includes this full framework + a calendar template you can start using today.
📊 Start your AI-Search Readiness Audit
We’ll make sure the content you plan is actually visible—to clients and to tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity.
Your content should work harder, so you don’t have to.