Content Planning (内容策划)

Overview

Content planning is systematically identifying and organizing content topics, ideas, and formats that align with your account positioning and resonate with your target audience, ensuring consistent value delivery.

When to Use

Use when:

Struggling with what to post
Creating content calendar
Wanting systematic content approach
Planning themed content series
Building content pipeline

Do NOT use when:

Just need catchy title (use title-writing)
Scheduling posts (use content-calendar)

Core Pattern

Before (random posting):

❌ "What should I post today?"
❌ Inconsistent topics and themes
❌ Reactive content creation
❌ No strategic direction

After (planned content):

✅ Content calendar ready for weeks
✅ Themed series and pillars
✅ Proactive content creation
✅ Aligned with positioning

5 Content Planning Methods:

Content Pillars - 3-5 core themes
Pain Point Analysis - Audience problems
Trend Surfing - Hot topics
Competitor Research - What works
Content Audit - Past performance

Quick Reference

Method	Use For	Output
Content Pillars	Long-term strategy	3-5 core themes
Pain Points	Problem-solving content	20+ pain topics
Trend Surfing	Timely content	Weekly hot topics
Competitor Analysis	Proven topics	Top performers list
Content Audit	Optimization	What works/doesn't

Implementation

Step 1: Define Content Pillars

Choose 3-5 core themes aligned with positioning:

Example positioning: "Student budget fashion"

Pillar 1: Budget finds (50%)
Pillar 2: Styling tips (30%)
Pillar 3: Trend alerts (20%)

Principles:

Specific enough to be focused
Broad enough to sustain content
Aligned with positioning
Interesting to your audience

Step 2: Brainstorm Content Topics

For each pillar, generate 10+ topics:

Use these prompts:

What questions does my audience ask?
What problems do they face?
What mistakes do they make?
What secrets do I know?
What tools do I use?

Output: 30-50 content topics across all pillars

Step 3: Categorize by Format

Match topics to optimal formats:

Format-Topic Fit:

Tutorials → Video or image carousel
Quick tips → Single image
Reviews → 3-5 image carousel
Stories → Multi-image series
Lists → 5-7 image carousel

Step 4: Research Trending Topics

Weekly trend research:

Check Xiaohongshu "Explore" page
Review competitor top posts
Note rising hashtags
Identify seasonal opportunities

Add 20% trend-based content to keep content fresh.

Step 5: Build Content Calendar

Plan 4-8 weeks out:

Template:

Week 1:
- Mon: Pillar 1 (topic)
- Wed: Pillar 2 (topic)
- Fri: Pillar 3 (topic)

Week 2:
- [continue pattern]

Balance: 70% planned, 30% flexible for timely content.

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Fix
Too many pillars	Stick to 3-5 core themes
All trending content	70% pillars, 30% trends
Not reviewing performance	Audit monthly, double down on what works
Planning too far ahead	Plan 4-8 weeks, stay flexible

Real-World Impact

Planned accounts: 3-5x more consistent, 2x growth rate Random posting: Burnout, inconsistent quality, stagnant growth

Related Skills:

REQUIRED: account-positioning (align content with positioning)
REQUIRED: content-calendar (schedule planned content)
viral-strategy (plan for viral content)
data-analytics (review what works)

content-planning