Top 10 Content Planners to Help You Stay Consistent in 2024

Consistent and engaging content is the cornerstone of a successful brand strategy. But for many businesses, juggling content creation with daily operations can feel like a constant uphill battle. Missed deadlines, inconsistent brand messaging, and a lack of strategic direction can quickly derail your content efforts.

Here's the good news: this blog unveils the top 10 content planners that can help your business conquer these challenges and achieve content creation mastery. These experts can empower your team to stay organized, collaborate seamlessly, and deliver high-quality content that resonates with your target audience, ultimately strengthening your brand identity and driving business growth.

Our top picks of the best content planners to hire

1. Matt M. - Best overall

2. Nicolas D. - Best for planning eCommerce content

3. Mark S. - Best for planning PPC content

4. Nicolas G. - Best for planning website content

5. Sherisse W. - Best for social media content

6. Katia G. - Best for B2B & SaaS content planning

7. Kathryn L. - Best for developing political & NPO content plans

8. Pawel K. - Best for technical content

9. Akihiro N. - Best for SEO content planning

10. Chris W. - Best for analytical content planning

What is a content planner?

A content planner plays a vital role in ensuring consistent and engaging brand communication. They are responsible for developing and maintaining a content strategy, which outlines what content will be created, when it will be published, and on which platforms.

Content planners work closely with the marketing team to understand the brand's goals and target audience. They then use this information to research and brainstorm content ideas, schedule content for publication, and analyze the performance of existing content. This helps ensure that the brand's message is delivered consistently across all platforms and that content resonates with the target audience.

Difference between content strategists and content planners

Although content strategists often act as content planners (and vice versa), the roles are different. Where a content planner is more of an operations manager, a content strategist is focused on the overall strategy.

Content planner

A content planner focuses on implementing and delivering the tactical elements of a larger content marketing strategy. They create calendars, fill in briefs according to branding guidelines, assign them, ensure the content is done on time, and orchestrate the moving parts of publishing content regularly.

Content strategist

A content strategist works with all stakeholders to develop a cohesive message and brand story. This means they outline the strategy behind creating content and how it should be used to reach a particular audience or goal. In comparison, a content planner focuses on creating an effective system for delivering that message as efficiently and effectively as possible.

In short, while they often work together, content strategists and content planners meet different functions of a content team.

Why hire a content planning expert?

A content planning expert can transform your content marketing efforts from "we post when we can" to "we post strategically and are ready for whatever the future throws our way." Here's how content planners do this:

• They have the knowledge and experience to create an effective content marketing strategy tailored to your goals.
• They understand what types of content will resonate with your target audience and how to use that content to accomplish business objectives.
• They can help you stay on track, meet deliverable deadlines, and create a consistent and varied content schedule.
• They can also analyze data, determine what content elements are working (and which aren't), make strategic suggestions for improvements, and adjust processes as needed.

How much does it cost to hire a content planner?

Generally, the cost of hiring a content planner depends on whether you want them to work full-time or on a freelance/contractual basis. The cost may also vary based on their experience, whether or not they can build and adapt processes to your specific needs, and their knowledge of content marketing best practices.

On average, you can expect to pay between $1,850 and a few thousand dollars per month for a good content planner with a bird's eye view of what content your company creates and publishes.

How to hire a content planner

Not sure how to hire a content creator successfully? Here's a quick process you can use.

Write an effective content planner job post

Start by assessing your needs. Do you need a content planner with a lot of experience handling people management or someone to help with day-to-day content creation and distribution?

Once you know what kind of content planner you need, it's time to create a job post that accurately reflects your requirements. Use language that communicates your expectations and sets realistic expectations for the role.

Decide on the platform

There are multiple job platforms you can choose from:

• Freelance websites: Sites like Freelancer.com, Guru, and Fiverr are good options when looking for a freelancer for a quick project. However, remember that sifting through the candidates can get super frustrating, as many tend to lack the required experience.
• Social media: Posting your job opening on social media is a relatively easy way to tap into your network and maybe even hire someone who comes from a recommendation from your peers. But like freelance sites, social media recruitment can turn a nice idea into a chaotic process—and your inbox into a disaster.
• Job boards: This one's a classic: job boards are your best bet if you want to take the traditional route and go through a lengthier hiring process. But if you don't have 3-6 months, here's a much better way of doing it.

Hire on Mayple

Mayple only works with vetted experts with a proven track record of success. If you want to start working with a professional content planner in a few days, contact us and let's chat about your needs. We'll find the perfect person for your job opening!

Questions to ask your content planning pro when interviewing them

Not sure what to ask your content planner candidates when hiring them? Here are some example questions you can ask: 

Experience and skills

• What is your experience working with content writers? 
• Do you prefer working with in-house content writers or freelancers? 
• What is the key to making sure content writers deliver their assignments on time? 
• What is your experience planning blog posts for our industry? 
• What type of content do you have the most experience in? 
• How many pieces of content did you manage at your previous job? 
• What are some of your favorite content marketers on social media these days? 
• Do you have experience planning and publishing video content? 

Strategy and planning

• Have you ever created a content strategy or social media strategy, or contributed to one? 
• What are some of the most common challenges in creating a content calendar? 
• How do you ensure that your planned social media posts are relevant to the external context (e.g., holidays, audience, etc.)? 
• How do you ensure your content calendar meets business goals? 
• How do you adjust your editorial calendar to unforeseen circumstances? 

Communication and management

• How do you ensure a piece of content adheres to the brief? 
• How do you incentivize a freelance writer to deliver high-quality work? 
• How do you ensure consistent and accurate communication between you, writers, and the content managers? 
• What is your favorite social platform to create content on? 

Additional information

• What is your personal, favorite type of content to plan and manage? 
• Have you ever planned content for social media platforms? 
• Have you ever worked with business owners directly? 
• What is your "secret" to publishing consistent content? 
• Where would you go first if you were to hire a professional content writer? 
• What are some of your favorite social media tools? 
• Do you have experience planning for social media advertising campaigns? 
• What type of writer would you hire for our blog? 

Let the Right Content Planner Supercharge Your Brand

By leveraging the expertise of a content planning professional, you can gain valuable time, resources, and strategic direction to achieve consistency and amplify your brand voice.

Remember, the best content planner isn't just about the tools they use, but their understanding of your unique brand, target audience, and business objectives. As you explore the options outlined in this blog, prioritize candidates who demonstrate exceptional collaboration skills, a deep understanding of your industry, and a genuine passion for crafting compelling content that resonates with your audience.