AI-Ready CMO

AI Content Calendar Template with Workflow

A structured, modular content calendar that applies the Lego brick method to build reusable content assets and workflows. This template helps marketing leaders plan quarterly content, map distribution channels, and automate repurposing—eliminating hero dependencies and reducing manual rework by 60-70%. Use this to present a scalable content operating system to your leadership team.

How to Use This Template

  1. 1.## Step 1: Define Your Content Pillars & Hero Assets
  2. 2.**Start by identifying 3-5 core topics** that align with your business goals and audience needs. These become your "Lego bricks"—the foundational pieces you'll build everything else from. For each pillar, assign one hero asset per quarter (a blog post, whitepaper, video, or research report). The hero asset should be substantial enough to generate 8-12 derivative pieces without additional research. **Action:** List your pillars in the table at the top of the template, assign owners, and set publication dates 2-3 weeks out to allow production time.
  3. 3.## Step 2: Map the Repurposing Workflow
  4. 4.**For each hero asset, create a detailed repurposing map** that specifies which channels, formats, and dates you'll use to distribute it. The key insight is that each derivative piece should require minimal new work—it's simply reframing the same core message for a different audience or format. LinkedIn posts, email sequences, Twitter threads, webinar invites, and partner newsletters all come from the same hero asset. **Action:** Use the "Content Workflow & Repurposing Map" section to list every derivative piece, assign owners, and set staggered publish dates (e.g., hero asset on Monday, LinkedIn post Wednesday, email Thursday, Twitter the following week). This spacing maximizes reach and prevents audience fatigue.
  5. 5.## Step 3: Build Reusable Templates & Checklists
  6. 6.**Create standardized templates for each derivative format** so that every LinkedIn post, email, or social thread follows the same structure and brand voice. This eliminates the need for custom work each time and removes the "hero dependency" problem—anyone can fill in the template, not just the one person who knows how to write your LinkedIn posts. **Action:** Document the exact format, word count, tone, and CTA for each derivative piece type. Include examples. Store these in a shared folder (Google Drive, Notion, etc.) so your team can access them without asking questions. Use the "Repurposing Template & Checklist" section to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
  7. 7.## Step 4: Assign Clear Ownership & Deadlines
  8. 8.**One person should own each hero asset and all its derivatives**—this prevents confusion, ensures consistency, and makes accountability clear. Set deadlines that work backward from your publish date: if the hero asset publishes Monday, it should be finalized by Friday of the previous week. Derivatives should be drafted within 2-3 days of the hero asset approval, giving you time to review and schedule. **Action:** Fill in the "Monthly Content Calendar" with specific names, dates, and status checkboxes. Share this calendar with your team weekly and review progress in standups. If someone is blocked, unblock them immediately—delays cascade across all downstream content.
  9. 9.## Step 5: Set Up Tracking & Automation
  10. 10.**Use your content management, email, and social tools to automate as much as possible.** Schedule social posts in Buffer or Hootsuite weeks in advance. Set up email sequences in HubSpot or Marketo so emails send automatically on the dates you specify. Use Google Analytics or your marketing platform to track which derivative pieces drive the most engagement, traffic, or conversions. **Action:** Configure your tools to match the dates in your calendar. Set up a weekly dashboard that shows engagement metrics for each piece (opens, clicks, shares, comments, traffic). Review this every Friday to identify what's working and what needs adjustment. Archive high-performing templates for reuse in future campaigns.
  11. 11.## Step 6: Review, Optimize & Document Learnings
  12. 12.**After each hero asset cycle (4 weeks), hold a brief retrospective** to discuss what worked, what didn't, and why. Did the LinkedIn carousel outperform the Twitter thread? Did one email subject line get 2x the open rate? Document these insights and update your templates accordingly. This continuous improvement loop is what transforms a content calendar into a true operating system. **Action:** Schedule a 30-minute monthly review meeting with your content team. Use the "Key Metrics & Success Criteria" table to compare actual performance against targets. Identify 1-2 quick wins to implement next month (e.g., "LinkedIn posts with video get 3x engagement, so let's add video to every LinkedIn post"). Update your templates and checklists based on these learnings.

Template

# AI Content Calendar with Workflow ## Q[QUARTER] [YEAR] — Content Operating System **Prepared by:** [YOUR NAME] **Date:** [DATE] **Review Cycle:** [WEEKLY/BIWEEKLY] --- ## Executive Summary This content calendar applies modular asset creation to reduce production time and eliminate single-person dependencies. By building "Lego brick" content pieces—one hero asset repurposed across [NUMBER] channels—we will: - **Reduce content creation time** by [X]% through systematic repurposing - **Eliminate hero dependencies** by documenting workflows and templates - **Increase output** from [CURRENT NUMBER] pieces/month to [TARGET NUMBER] pieces/month - **Improve consistency** across [LIST CHANNELS: LinkedIn, email, webinar, blog, etc.] **Expected ROI:** [METRIC: engagement lift, lead volume, time savings, etc.] --- ## Content Pillars & Hero Assets Each quarter, we will produce [NUMBER] hero assets. Each hero asset is the "Lego brick" that generates [NUMBER] derivative pieces. | Hero Asset | Format | Owner | Publish Date | Derivative Pieces | Channels | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | [TITLE: e.g., "AI ROI in Marketing Ops"] | [Blog post / Whitepaper / Video] | [NAME] | [DATE] | LinkedIn post, Twitter thread, email sequence (3), webinar invite, partner newsletter | LinkedIn, Twitter, Email, Webinar, Partner | | [TITLE] | [FORMAT] | [NAME] | [DATE] | [LIST] | [CHANNELS] | | [TITLE] | [FORMAT] | [NAME] | [DATE] | [LIST] | [CHANNELS] | | [TITLE] | [FORMAT] | [NAME] | [DATE] | [LIST] | [CHANNELS] | --- ## Content Workflow & Repurposing Map ### Hero Asset → Derivative Content **Hero Asset:** [TITLE] **Format:** [Blog post / Whitepaper / Video] **Word Count / Length:** [SPECIFY] **Owner:** [NAME] **Deadline:** [DATE] #### Repurposing Workflow | Derivative Piece | Format | Length | Owner | Publish Date | Notes | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | LinkedIn Post (Main) | Social | 150-200 words | [NAME] | [DATE] | Hook: [SPECIFY ANGLE] | | LinkedIn Post (Carousel) | Social | 5 slides | [NAME] | [DATE + 3 DAYS] | Breaks down [KEY SECTION] | | Twitter Thread | Social | 8-10 tweets | [NAME] | [DATE + 5 DAYS] | Tactical tips format | | Email Sequence (Part 1) | Email | 200 words | [NAME] | [DATE + 1 DAY] | Teaser + CTA to blog | | Email Sequence (Part 2) | Email | 200 words | [NAME] | [DATE + 4 DAYS] | Deep dive on [SECTION] | | Email Sequence (Part 3) | Email | 200 words | [NAME] | [DATE + 8 DAYS] | Case study / proof | | Webinar Invite | Email + Landing Page | 300 words | [NAME] | [DATE + 10 DAYS] | Positions hero asset as webinar topic | | Partner Newsletter Blurb | Email | 100 words | [NAME] | [DATE + 7 DAYS] | Co-branded, links to hero asset | | Podcast Talking Points | Document | 1 page | [NAME] | [DATE - 5 DAYS] | 5 key soundbites | | Slide Deck (Internal) | Presentation | 15 slides | [NAME] | [DATE + 14 DAYS] | For sales enablement | --- ## Monthly Content Calendar | Week | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Owner | Status | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | **Week 1** | Hero Asset [TITLE] published | LinkedIn post live | Twitter thread scheduled | Email 1 sent | Review analytics | [NAME] | [ ] | | **Week 2** | Carousel post live | Email 2 sent | Partner newsletter | Webinar invite sent | Weekly standup | [NAME] | [ ] | | **Week 3** | Email 3 sent | Podcast recording | Slide deck finalized | Internal comms | Review engagement | [NAME] | [ ] | | **Week 4** | Plan next hero asset | Gather feedback | Repurposing template review | Team retrospective | Monthly report | [NAME] | [ ] | --- ## Repurposing Template & Checklist Use this template for every hero asset to ensure consistency and reduce rework. ### Pre-Production - [ ] **Hero asset brief finalized** — Topic, angle, key messages, target audience - [ ] **Repurposing map created** — Which channels, which formats, which dates - [ ] **Owner assigned** — Single person accountable for hero asset + all derivatives - [ ] **Deadline set** — Hero asset due [DATE], all derivatives due [DATE] ### Production - [ ] **Hero asset drafted** — [OWNER] completes by [DATE] - [ ] **Hero asset reviewed** — [REVIEWER] approves by [DATE] - [ ] **Derivatives drafted** — All pieces created from hero asset by [DATE] - [ ] **Derivatives reviewed** — [REVIEWER] approves all by [DATE] ### Publishing - [ ] **Hero asset published** — [DATE] at [TIME] - [ ] **Social posts scheduled** — LinkedIn, Twitter, [OTHER] queued - [ ] **Email sequence queued** — Drip campaign set to [DATES] - [ ] **Partner/external comms sent** — Newsletter, webinar invite, etc. ### Post-Publishing - [ ] **Monitor engagement** — Track opens, clicks, shares, comments - [ ] **Optimize underperformers** — Repost, adjust messaging, retry - [ ] **Document learnings** — What worked, what didn't, why - [ ] **Archive for reuse** — Store templates, copy, design for future campaigns --- ## Key Metrics & Success Criteria | Metric | Target | Baseline | Owner | Cadence | |---|---|---|---|---| | Hero assets produced/month | [NUMBER] | [CURRENT] | [NAME] | Monthly | | Derivative pieces per hero asset | [NUMBER] | [CURRENT] | [NAME] | Monthly | | Time to produce 1 hero + derivatives | [HOURS] | [CURRENT HOURS] | [NAME] | Monthly | | LinkedIn engagement rate | [%] | [CURRENT %] | [NAME] | Weekly | | Email open rate | [%] | [CURRENT %] | [NAME] | Weekly | | Blog traffic from calendar content | [SESSIONS] | [CURRENT] | [NAME] | Monthly | | Webinar registrations from calendar | [NUMBER] | [CURRENT] | [NAME] | Per campaign | | Team capacity freed up | [HOURS/WEEK] | [BASELINE] | [NAME] | Monthly | --- ## Tools & Systems | Function | Tool | Owner | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | Content calendar management | [Asana / Monday / Notion / etc.] | [NAME] | Single source of truth | | Hero asset creation | [Google Docs / Figma / etc.] | [NAME] | Shared templates | | Social scheduling | [Buffer / Hootsuite / Later / etc.] | [NAME] | Pre-approved content | | Email marketing | [HubSpot / Marketo / Klaviyo / etc.] | [NAME] | Automated sequences | | Analytics & reporting | [Google Analytics / HubSpot / etc.] | [NAME] | Weekly dashboard | | Collaboration & approvals | [Slack / Email] | [NAME] | Clear approval workflow | --- ## Approval & Sign-Off | Role | Name | Signature | Date | |---|---|---|---| | Content Owner | [NAME] | _____ | _____ | | Marketing Manager | [NAME] | _____ | _____ | | CMO / VP Marketing | [NAME] | _____ | _____ | --- ## Notes & Assumptions - All hero assets assume [RESEARCH TIME, WRITING TIME, REVIEW TIME] - Derivative content is created from hero asset; no additional research required - Publishing dates assume [APPROVAL TIMELINE] for review - Metrics will be reviewed [CADENCE] and adjusted quarterly - [ADDITIONAL ASSUMPTIONS OR CONSTRAINTS]

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