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.
So, this post is for the business owner who’s 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
I’ve noticed business owners tend to do one of two things:
Plan everything last minute
Try to plan everything perfectly and never finish
Unfortunately, I’m guilty of both, and they lead to the same result: inconsistent, ineffective content that wastes time and fails to drive results.
So here’s the fix: a 30-minute process that gets your month mapped, aligned, and off your plate.
🕒 The 30-Minute Content Planning Breakdown
The key is: Don’t overthink it. If you’re someone who fits into #2 above (analytical and likes to plan everything), you’ll have to let your creative side take the wheel.
The good news is, you’re probably involved in your day-to-day business, so you’re hearing feedback from clients daily. Use this feedback when planning.
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.
Assign one pillar or focus area to each week of the month. That gives you structure without rigidity. Plug in your ideas from the feedback into the appropriate content pillar, and then create hyper-relevant content.
Here’s an example using feedback and questions I’m frequently asked:
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.
Minutes 6–10: Define Your Weekly Message
What’s the main takeaway for each week?
Not a whole campaign. Not a complex theme. Just one thing you want your audience to understand.
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.”
One point. One message. Everything that week should reinforce it.
Minutes 11–20: Pick Your Formats + Channels
Decide how you’ll deliver each message based on:
What your audience consumes (email, blog, LinkedIn, video)
What you can realistically produce
No need to reinvent every week. Choose one to two formats and stick with them.
Example:
Blog post on Monday
Carousel or LinkedIn post on Wednesday
Email to your list on Friday (repurposed from the blog)
Done.
Minutes 21–30: Fill Out a Simple Calendar
You now have:
Weekly theme
Weekly message
Format + channel
Drop that into a basic Google Sheet or content planner. If you want to get fancy, use color-coding for different content types (e.g., blog, video, email, social).
✅ Add CTAs where relevant (e.g., link to lead magnet, book a call)
✅ If you have a VA or team member, assign the task right there
Boom! You just planned your next month of content in less time than it takes to doom-scroll LinkedIn.
Tips to Make It Even Faster
Reuse what worked: Check last month’s top-performing posts and remix them for social or videos (or use any comments or feedback for this month’s content).
Keep a running idea list: When ideas strike, jot them down so you’re not starting from scratch.
Use AI tools to brainstorm angles or write first drafts.
Batch and schedule: Do everything in one sitting to stay in flow
The Bottom Line
Marketing shouldn’t eat up your whole week. Planning a month of content shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes.
But it only works if you stop chasing perfection and start trusting a system that works. Later, we’ll talk about the time content creation takes and how to add that into your week.
Need a plug-and-play calendar to start faster?
📥 [Download the No-BS Guide to Content Strategy for SMBs]
Or
📅 [Book a free strategy call] if you want us to handle the heavy lifting for you.
Your content should work harder, so you don’t have to.