Ever since I started using Trello it has become the best tool in the kit! As a blogger I need to manage all of my requests, workload, contacts, ideas and of course the spam! Over the years I developed my Trello board to become a little Trello Blogger Board and it is absolutely perfect for day to day running of the blog and social media. Skip to the end to download the template for your own use.

There are a few different options with Trello: the free tools, Premium tools and then adding Premium power-ups to enhance your board further. This blog post assumes that you are using a free Trello account and is the starting point for building the ultimate Blogger Board.

Step 1: Create a New Board

  1. Log in to Trello or create an account if you don’t already have one.
  2. Click the + icon in the top-right corner and select “Create Board”.
  3. Name your board (e.g., “Blogging Workflow” or “Content Calendar”) and choose a background that inspires you.
  4. Click Create Board to start.

Step 2: Set Up Lists to Represent Stages of Your Workflow

Trello organises tasks into lists. For blogging, use lists to represent the key stages of your content workflow. Some examples are below:

  • Ideas: A brain dump for all your post ideas.
  • To-Do: Posts you’ve decided to work on.
  • Writing: Posts in progress.
  • Editing: Posts ready for review or proofreading.
  • Scheduled: Completed posts awaiting publication.
  • Published: Posts that are live!

You can add or adjust lists to suit your blogging style. I always have the an unsorted list to the very left, then different lists for different things moving across the right of the board, including a completed list.

Step 3: Add Cards for Each Post

In Trello, tasks are represented as cards. Create a card for every blog or social media post. Here’s how:

  1. Click “Add a card” under your one of your lists.
  2. Title the card with the blog post idea (e.g., “5 Tips for Autumn Lawn Care”).
  3. Click the card to open its details. Here, you can:
    • Add a description summarising your post idea.
    • Attach reference files, links, or images.
    • Add due dates to keep track of deadlines.

Step 4: Customise Cards with Checklists and Labels

  1. Checklists:
    Break tasks into smaller steps. For example, create a checklist for tasks like:
    • Research
    • Writing
    • Adding images
    • SEO optimisation
    • Social media promotion
  2. Labels:
    Use colour-coded labels to categorise posts by topic, status, or priority. These are the labels I use:
    • Yellow for “Social Media”
    • Pink for “Review”
    • Purple for “Competition”
    • Blue for “Email” (I will explain this later)
    • Orange for “Sponsored Post”
    • Black for “Unsorted” (I will explain this later)

You will notice that if you choose a label for a card, it shows clearly on the board:

Step 5: Invite Team Members (Optional)

If you collaborate with other writers, editors, or a virtual assistant, invite them to your Trello board:

  1. Click “Invite” in the top-right corner of your board.
  2. Enter their email address to send an invitation.
  3. Assign cards to team members by clicking on a card and selecting “Members”.

You can assign yourself to different cards if you work in a team of bloggers for example and each have your own lists. There are lots of different ways you can collaborate on a Trello board.

Step 6: Add Power-Ups

There are so many power-ups and you can use an unlimited amount on a free Trello board, think of these as little extra add on’s that you can use to enhance your board. From simple things like seeing your cards in a calendar view to really getting organised: using email and creating a workflow.

  1. Enable the Calendar View:
    • Go to the Power-Ups menu and search for Calendar.
    • Add it to your board to see all your due dates in a calendar format.
  2. Integrate with Other Tools:
    • Sync Trello with tools like Google Calendar, Slack, or Dropbox to streamline your workflow.

Step 7: Add Custom Fields

This is a great way of seeing different pieces of information at a glance, I use custom fields for showing me the contact email and name of who I am talking to and the status of the task. In the next stages of setting up this board we will use these settings to create automation, which really does start to get things more exciting with Trello.

  • Open a card and click on Custom Fields
  • Choose from the preset options or add your own

Step 8: Maintain Your Board

Your Trello board is a living tool, so update it regularly and it will soon become your personalised Blogger Board that will help you keep on top of your workload:

  • Move cards between lists as posts progress through the workflow.
  • Archive old cards from the Published list to keep the board tidy (if you get a lot of content requests).
  • Review the Ideas list periodically to prioritise the best content.

Download my Trello Blogger Board template

You can download my Trello Blogger Board template below, so you don’t have to start from scratch. You will need to create a Trello account first, then simply create your board from my template:

Download Blogger Board Template

Trello helps you stay on top of your schedule, manage multiple posts effortlessly, and ensures nothing falls through the cracks. Whether you’re a solo blogger or working with a team, Trello adapts to your needs. I will post more tips on how to set up the ultimate Trello Blogger Board in the coming weeks.

Categorized in:

Blogger Hacks,

Last Update: Saturday, 23rd November 2024

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