July is closer than you think.
I know.
You’re still in the middle of Q2. There’s a lot going on.
You’re probably on your second cup of coffee just trying to get through this week. Q3 feels far away.
It’s not.
If you want to truly enjoy Summer instead of scrambling through it wondering what to post every single week, now is the time to map out your Q3 content themes.
Not a 47-page content strategy.
And not a color-coded spreadsheet that takes three hours to build. (Although I do love a good color-coded spreadsheet!).
Just a plan. A simple one.
I Used to Do This the Hard Way
My content planning used to be chaotic.
No themes. And no campaigns.
Just whatever felt urgent that week.
I’d sit down at my desk on Monday morning with my coffee, stare at a blank screen, and try to come up with something smart to say.
Sometimes it worked. Mostly it was exhausting.
Now I plan the whole year upfront.
Not perfectly. The plan evolves.
But I have a map. And that map makes every quarter so much easier to navigate.
Here’s exactly how I approach Q3 planning.
Step 1: Look at What You Already Have
If you have any kind of content plan, even a rough list of topics, start there.
Pull out your Q3 ideas.
Look at what you wrote down back when you were feeling inspired and organized.
Some of those topics are going to be great. And some might feel stale.
A few might make you go, “Wait, why did I plan that?” Or like me…”WHAT was I thinking?”
That’s fine. You’re not committing to anything yet.
You’re just taking inventory.
No plan yet? No problem.
Start with your core content pillars and brainstorm from there.
What do your people need most in July, August, and September?
Step 2: Ask If It’s Still Relevant
Things change. The content that felt urgent in January might be old news by July.
For each topic, ask yourself one question: Is this still relevant to my audience right now?
Look at what people are actually asking you.
Check your DMs. Read your comments.
Pay attention to the questions that keep coming up in conversations.
Those questions? That’s your content research.
If the same thing keeps popping up, it belongs on your Q3 calendar.
Step 3: Check for Anything More Pressing
Sometimes something comes up that wasn’t in your original plan at all.
Maybe your audience is suddenly buzzing about a specific topic.
Or maybe you have a launch coming up that needs content support.
Maybe a question is showing up in your DMs so often you can’t ignore it.
That stuff matters. And it’s worth bumping a planned topic to make room for something more timely.
Planning ahead doesn’t mean ignoring what your audience needs right now.
It means you have enough structure to make that call intentionally instead of reactively.
Want to build a bigger content strategy around your themes and campaigns? Grab the Content Creation Made Easy Guide. It’s free and it walks you through building a system that works for your actual schedule!
Step 4: Give Yourself Permission to Change Your Mind
Okay. This is my favorite part.
Sometimes I sit down to review my Q3 topics and I look at something on the list and think: I just don’t want to write about that. I want to write about THIS instead.
So I swap it out.
I’ll be honest. I occasionally lecture myself about sticking to the plan.
And then I remember: it’s MY plan.
I made it. I can change it.
One thing to keep in mind though: when you swap something out, make sure what you’re replacing it with is still relevant to your audience.
- What do THEY need right now?
- What are they asking for?
Pivoting to something just because YOU feel like it, with no connection to what your audience actually needs, is where plans go sideways.
Your instincts are usually good. Trust them.
Just run the quick gut-check: is this still serving my people?
How to Map Out Your Q3 Content Themes and Campaigns
Okay, this one takes about 30 minutes and one good cup of coffee.
Here’s how to actually sit down and get this done. Brew a fresh cup first. You’re going to want it.
- Block 30 minutes on your calendar. Put it there now…I’ll wait…
- Write out your three Q3 months: July, August, September.
- Assign one content theme per month. Just one. What do you want your audience thinking about in July? In August? September?
- Note any campaigns or launches that need content support.
- Leave about 20% flexible. Something unexpected always comes up. That’s fine. Plan for it.
That’s it. That’s your Q3 content plan.
Not perfect. Not rigid. Just a compass to keep you moving in the right direction.
Your Plan Is Allowed to Change
A content plan is not a contract.
It’s a starting point. A direction.
Something to come back to when things get noisy and you can’t remember what you were supposed to be talking about this month.
The people who struggle most with content are the ones who have no plan at all, or the ones who treat their plan like it’s written in stone.
Both approaches make everything harder.
Make the plan. Work the plan.
And when something better comes along, give yourself permission to go with it.
That’s not being disorganized. That’s being smart.
Ready to Build Out Your Q3 Content?
Pull up a blank document (or whatever you use to plan) and map out July, August, and September.
One theme per month.
Any campaigns you know are coming.
Done.
Grab your coffee…you’ve got this!
