Blogging Tips: Scheduling and Keeping Track of Blog Posts with a Spreadsheet

 
 

As some of you may already know, I can be quite the organization fiend when I want to be one. And when it comes to my blog, I do want to be one. It makes everything so much simpler and less stressful when I don’t have to remember or keep track of things in my head, don’t have to search through the list of drafts I have in WordPress just to figure out what posts I have, etc.

And that is why spreadsheets have become my new best friend! I use them for lots of things, and I have a really simple but really helpful one that I use just for my blog that I’m going to share with all today. And if you think you might find it helpful too, you can even download my template to use!


Honestly this is really, really simple and self-explanatory, but I’ll explain it all just in case using this handy-dandy graphic. (If it’s too hard to see, you can click on it to see a larger image.)

Blogging Organization: Scheduling and Keeping Track of Blog Posts with a Spreadsheet | Blogging, Blogging Tips, Book Blogging, Books

 

Infographic Descriptions

1 – Date

This is… the date. If you download my template, this will already be filled in.

2 – Post Title

This is the title of the post (I told you, self-explanatory).

3 – Is the Post Ready to Go Up?

If it’s completely 100% ready, I make the box green. If it’s only partly ready, I make the box yellow. If it’s not even started, I just leave it blank. Obviously you can use another color to mark posts that haven’t been started, or you can use more color coding to stand for different things, but I like to keep it simple with just those two colors.

4 – Crossing Out Posts that have Already Gone Up

I like to cross out the posts that have already gone up so that I can easily keep track of where I am. All you have to do in Excel is highlight the cells you want to be crossed out, click the little arrow, then, when a pop-up opens, select the checkbox for “strikethrough” under the “font” tab.

5 – Adding the Color Coding

All you have to do to change the color of the cells is highlight the cells you want colored, then click the arrow next to the paint bucket, and that will bring up all the different color choices.

Extra Notes

I didn’t include it in the image, but in the column to the right of the color coding, I sometimes put notes if I have any, like if a post still needs editing or a graphic.

 

Extra Tips & Customization

Keeping a List of Unscheduled Posts

In addition to the spreadsheet, I also keep a list of posts that are finished or partly finished but not yet given a date to be posted. That way, when I have an opening coming up, I have a handy list to choose from. I find that easier than trying to plan too far ahead as I always end up rearranging things a million times when I do that.

 

Download My Post Schedule Template

I think that about covers it! If you want to use my template, you’re more than welcome to. If you just want to use it as a normal schedule or something non-blogging related, that’s cool too. Schedules are just super helpful in general. If you do use my template, let me know how it works for you in the comments! (The 2018 and 2019 ones were created with Open Office, and I haven’t tested how that file type works with other spreadsheet programs, but hopefully it will work right.)

Post Schedule 2017 Spreadsheet
Post Schedule 2018 Spreadsheet
Post Schedule 2019 Spreadsheet
Post Schedule 2022 Spreadsheet

 
 
 
 

Talk to me!

How do you schedule and keep track of blog posts?
Did you find anything in this post helpful?

 
 
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48 thoughts on “Blogging Tips: Scheduling and Keeping Track of Blog Posts with a Spreadsheet

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  1. verushka

    *stares at your wonderful spreadsheet* My life in general needs a schedule. Honestly, something is wrong with me — I have a diary, but i somehow fall out of the habit of using it. When I started I was pretty good. I do need some order in my life though — for posting and for writing. Time just gets away from me and I don’t even know how. I need to be so much better than this. SIGHS.

    1. Kristen Burns

      Haha my spreadsheet is flattered by your staring 😉 Yeah, I’m kind of a mess with most non-blogging things, so I totally understand. But hey, it’s a lot easier to get organized with something specific like blogging than with life in general, so you could still figure something out!

  2. Lola

    This looks very neat and handy to keep track of your blog posts. I personally use an online calendar, but besides that my system is pretty similar to yours. Ideas and posts I haven’t started yet are a different color than posts that are done and scheduled. Sometimes I still need to add something, but I just try to remember that or stumble upon it when I check my posts for the next week on Sunday evening.

    I also have a wordpress plugin which shows a calendar of your scheduled posts, which can be very handy too as it gives a better overview than just the list of posts in posts tab.

    I also like being organized, having schedules and planning ahead. So I think having a schedule for your blog in some form can really be a big help. And indeed if you have to switch things up a bit or move posts around, you can also easily see how you can do that. Great post and thanks for sharing how you keep track of your blog posts!

    1. Kristen Burns

      An online calendar sounds good too. And I guess we are once again in sync since we have such similar methods lol.

      I’ve thought about getting a WP calendar plugin, but eh. I’m just sticking to the list for now, it works well enough for me.

      Yes, I do like being organized, it makes me feel less stressed, and there’s less to remember when you have it all written out instead of in your head. And it would get super confusing for me with how much I constantly move things around in my blog schedule lol. Thanks!

  3. Victoria Grace Howell

    I usually keep track of my posts in Stickies. I make a list of all of the posts that need to be done then put a star next to ones that are and delete them on the list when they’re up. I also make a list of when to write posts so I can schedule my week when I need more time for longer posts and less time for shorter posts. And I usually plan my blogging schedule 1-2 months in advance. 🙂

    1. Kristen Burns

      I’ve never heard of Stickies, but that sounds like a good method too 🙂 I also have a lot of posts written in advance, so it definitely helps just to have some form of organization period or it would get so confusing trying to remember everything!

  4. Sophia @ Bookwyrming Thoughts

    This is extremely cool! I personally use a spreadsheet as well, but it’s shared with my cobloggers through Google Drive and color-coded in all its glory. Plus I’m too lazy to categorize it all by week, so there’s just one default template that I copy and paste and stare at a calendar for the actual day of the week later on, haha. Of course, it’s a constant work in progress… but I’m a procrastinator through and through despite all the planning I do. Sigh.

  5. Greg

    You are so much more organized than me lol. But if I ever wanted to get w/ the program this looks like a great way to go. This just reinforces for me how fly by night my operation is ha ha. I suck at spreadsheets though so there’s that. Nice system. 🙂

    1. Kristen Burns

      Lol I could never survive as a blogger without this spreadsheet. I was like so confused all the time before I started using it. Spreadsheets like this are super simple though since there’s no need to use math or anything like that.

  6. Melissa

    Spreadsheets for the win. I love excel! I used to do this for review books to track pub dates and reading and reviewing progress…but I got lazy. Not I just use a combo of goodreads shelving (I have lots of custom shelves) and the WP calendar.

    1. Kristen Burns

      Spreadsheets are like my new best friend! I have a separate spreadsheet for review copies with release dates and whether I’ve reviewed it and all that lol. But GR shelving and calendars also work!

  7. Kei @ The Lovely Pages Reviews

    I feel like maintaining the spreadsheet up-to-date would stress me out. I’ve been using bullet journal for two years now and I love it, it’s something I can carry around with me and check for stuff when I’m away from the laptop, plus, I use it for RL stuff too. Kudos to you for keeping it up though, I could never do it.

    1. Kristen Burns

      Lol it’s really not any work for me to maintain the spreadsheet. I’d be so stressed without it because I’d never remember what posts I have or anything. A bullet journal would stress me out because I wouldn’t be able to delete and rearrange things, haha.

  8. Jordon @ Simply Adrift

    What a cool idea! I wish I was this organised! I love spreadsheets too, I love to tinker around with them and play with formulas etc.

    I use Evernote to write my posts, so I categorise them as: Idea (A semi-formed idea or skeleton post), Draft (A full finished draft), Published (On my blog scheduled to be published). I like to keep it simple because it’s easier for me to organise the posts that way.

    But I have no way of tracking dates, when things were posted, when they’re going to be posted and things!

    1. Kristen Burns

      Thank you! The formulas and things confuse me lol, but on certain spreadsheets the filters and ways to organize are super helpful.

      Someone else mentioned using Evernote too, it must be good 🙂 But it’s the dates that drive me crazy, so I like to be able to keep track of those!

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  10. suzanna

    This is really useful. I have yet to get a system going where I can keep track of things I need to do but I’m definitely going to try your spreadsheet. Why did I not think of colour coding stuff before? And the strikethrough – genius.
    Off to get organised.
    Thanks for sharing.

  11. Becky @ A Fool's Ingenuity

    I need something like this but I almost never manage to keep track of things. I struggle to stay organised with digital things I need stuff written down and it gets ingrained in my memory that way. I like the concept and I may have to employ my own little handwritten version.

    1. Kristen Burns

      I can’t use hand written stuff because I’m CONSTANTLY rearranging things, and my schedule would be a scratched-out mess lol. But hey, I may be a little biased, but I do think my method would be great as a handwritten version too 😛

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  13. Bookworm Brandee

    I think you know I’m not near as organized as you are! 😉 But I just might implement this in 2017. I currently just write down on my calendar what I post for what date. Not very high-tech but… My problem is that despite the fact that I spend a lot of time on the computer, I’m not very savvy using certain programs. I try to keep track of things, like Netgalley reads, in a spreadsheet but I have issues remembering to update it. LOL Thanks for sharing your organization tool and tips, Kristen. I’d really like to be more organized going into 2017. 😀

  14. Lori

    This is awesome!! I love being organized and I adore spreadsheets. My life feels very very disorganized these days so I need this! Thank you!

    Thanks for linking up on Saturday Situation too!

  15. Zeee @ I Heart Romance & YA

    I love spreadsheets and I use it to keep track of the books I’m reading and ARCs, too. I have also set it so I have them color coded automatically when I select certain options i.e. reviewed or previously reviewed (esp for rereads).

    The only way I track my blog posts, though is through my calendar app on my blog. I usually start drafting a post a week or so in advance or more if I have more time and when it’s ready to go, I schedule them. Basically if it’s in draft mode, it’s not 100% done. I’m not sure if I will go the spreadsheet route for my blog posts, though. I don’t want to keep track of a ton of stuff.. uhh not that I am not already keeping track of A LOT… LOL and the calendar works for now. ?

    1. Kristen Burns

      SPREADSHEETS ARE EVERYTHING. Lol. I couldn’t blog without them. I use them for blog schedule, books I’ve read, and ARCs. And color coding just makes things even better XD

      See, I couldn’t use a calendar app because I just have too many drafts and whatnot and would get confused. But if the calendar works for you, then stick with it!

  16. Ryan Biddulph

    Super stuff Kristen. Being organized helps add order to your mind, meaning no rushing or hurrying or fear-based actions which cut the legs off of your blogging campaign. I have a few posts in my holster to prevent rushing and to stay on schedule. No other way to do it, to enjoy the blogging ride.

    Ryan

  17. Maxine

    I love this idea. I’m absolutely terrible at blogging consistently and keeping on top of arcs. Also I tend to get really organised for a month and then I lose all inspo and get nothing done.
    I’ve never thought of using a spreadsheet, but i’ll be checking this one out.

  18. Roberta R.

    Ah, you’re a fellow scheduler! I started doing it roughly a year and a half ago, and now I couldn’t survive without. My method is a bit more detailed (obsessive?) – as in, I schedule days for drafting my posts, and even the number of pages I mean to read each day – but still. And I DO plan far ahead, but rearranging things doesn’t trouble me. I only do it for memes and special occasions though (like Halloween).

    1. Kristen Burns

      Yeah I can’t schedule to that extent, but it’s great if you’ve found what works for you! I also rearrange things a lot, which is why I need my spreadsheet to be able to keep track of everything LOL.

  19. Bo Bestvina

    Thank you! I am a musician and blogger and post songs and writing, and now podcasts, so this helps!