Top 10 Free Content Calendar Templates

A content calendar is a way of organizing and planning your content creation process. It helps you visualize your content strategy, maintain consistency, and streamline collaboration among team members. A content calendar template can make this process more efficient, allowing you to focus on creating quality content rather than worrying about the structure.

Before you start building your own content calendar, check out these free Content Calendar templates available on Notion to help make it easier.

What Should Content Calendar Templates Include?

Choosing the right content calendar template in Notion can streamline your content planning and ensure you stay organized. Here are key components to look for in a good template:

Layout and Usability: The template should have a clean, intuitive layout that makes it easy to view your content schedule at a glance and update it as needed.
Integration Capabilities: A good template should seamlessly integrate with other tools or platforms you use, such as social media or blogging platforms, to enhance workflow efficiency.
Customization Options: It should offer customization options that allow you to tailor elements like tags, statuses, and categories to fit your specific content needs.
Tracking Features: Look for templates that include features for tracking progress, such as status indicators and deadline reminders, to keep your content projects on track.

Selecting a template with these features will help you maintain a clear overview of your content strategies and deadlines, making your content management process smoother and more effective.

What Should Content Calendar Templates Avoid?

When selecting a content calendar template in Notion, it's essential to be aware of certain features that might complicate your content planning process rather than streamline it. Here are three key components to steer clear of:

Overly Complex Layouts: Templates with too many sections, filters, or views can make it difficult to quickly understand what's due and when. Simplicity is key for effective planning.
Fixed Time Slots: Avoid templates that lock you into specific time slots. Flexibility in scheduling is important as plans often change, and you'll need a template that can adapt.
Non-Customizable Fields: A template that doesn't allow you to add or modify fields can be restrictive. Ensure the template can be tailored to fit your specific content needs and metrics.

Choosing the right template involves looking for one that enhances productivity and aligns with your workflow. Avoiding these pitfalls will help you maintain a clear and effective content strategy.

1Content calendar

Efficiently orchestrate your content strategy with this all-in-one editorial planner and marketing calendar. Craft and manage your publishing schedule, from blog schedules to video scripts, ensuring every piece aligns with your content roadmap. Use it as a post planner and content organizer to track deliverables across multiple marketing campaigns, with the ability to filter by status, owner, and priority. View everything from a high-level content plan on a calendar to a detailed posting calendar timeline, keeping every launch on track.

2Creator Content Planner

💡 It includes a content dashboard to track your ideas and drafts, and a content calendar to schedule your posts.

🗓️ You can customize the template to fit your unique needs and preferences, such as adding specific social media platforms or types of content.

⏰ With this template, you can save time and reduce stress by having everything you need in one place.

A template preview for Creator Content Planner

3Content Planner

Be it YouTube, Instagram, Blog or your own website, a smooth, easy-to-use and versatile content planner can make your life 10x easier. This planner makes working on multiple projects at once much more seamless.

4Blog Editorial Calendar

Use this template to plan and write all your marketing content with a database that lets you track each project’s status, audience, author, reviewer, publish date, and more.

A template preview for Blog Editorial Calendar

5Content Planner

The Notion content planner template allows users to have a centralized hub for managing their content. It provides a structured and organized system to keep track of ideas, topics, drafts, and published content in one place. A visual calendar view in the template enables users to get a comprehensive overview of their content schedule. They can see the content distribution across different dates, identify any gaps or overlaps, and adjust accordingly. It helps maintain a consistent content publishing schedule.

6ContentOS 2.0 (Red Version)

1. What's included in the ContentOS 2.0 🎥

Basic Platform manager

Content Calendar

life progress widget

Video ideas

Progress chart

A template preview for ContentOS 2.0 (Red Version)

7Editorial Calendar

The success of a content strategy often hinges on effective planning and organization. Our Editorial Calendar template serves as a dedicated space to write, strategize, and coordinate all your content pieces. It empowers you to methodically map out your content strategy, schedule publication dates, assign tasks to team members, and monitor the progress of each content piece in a single, unified location.

The interactive database tabs provide flexibility, enabling you to create and switch between different views for a tailor-made content planning experience. Take control of your content production process and keep your team aligned with this comprehensive Notion template.

A template preview for Editorial Calendar

8Basic Content Calendar

Use this content calendar to schedule and track all the content you're putting out — from blog posts to podcasts to tweets. Every item on the calendar is a project, where you can designate the author (or who's assigned), the type of content (article, event, etc.), and its status (scheduled, in progress, complete). Each one is also its own Notion page, where you can stash all related notes, research, multimedia, and do all your writing in one place.

A template preview for Basic Content Calendar

9Simple Content Planner & Calendar

If you create a lot of content, you know that orchestrating production and distribution across different channels can be a juggling act. I created this template to help eliminate juggling and overwhelm, and make content creation more fun.

It includes:

•A Content Pillars and Hashtags Page

•A Platforms Page where you can add in as many platforms as you need and track your KPIs

•A Planner Page to track your content from idea to completion

•A Brand Guide Page to house all your brand assets

•A Content Calendar (monthly and weekly)

A template preview for Simple Content Planner & Calendar

Closing Thoughts

Utilizing these templates streamlines your content planning process, ensuring you never miss a deadline. They provide a clear overview of your content pipeline, making it easier to manage and optimize.

Start by choosing a template that aligns with your goals and customize it to fit your needs. This proactive step will enhance your content strategy and save valuable time. Embrace the efficiency and watch your productivity soar.

What is a Content Cadence?

Content cadence refers to the rhythm and frequency at which content is published on various platforms within a content calendar.

What is an Editorial Brief?

An editorial brief is a document that outlines the key elements of a content piece, including its purpose, target audience, key messages, and desired outcomes, used to guide content creation.

What is a Publication Workflow?

A publication workflow describes the sequence of steps and approvals required to take content from conception to publication, ensuring consistency and quality control.