How do I get my business noticed online? How can I create an engaged social media audience? How do I convert website visitors and social media followers into customers? What hashtags should I be using? Are Google ads a good investment?
I'm Sydney Chakalos, a marketing nerd and small business owner with a passion for helping other small business owners grow their business using effective online marketing strategies on any budget.
Learn how to create and implement a marketing strategy that strengthens relationships with your audience and increases your bottom line. We'll cover topics around social media, email, Google ads, branding, and websites. Building your brand is a marathon and I'm here to help you win the race.
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Marketing Your Local Business Online Podcast
Social Media
Branding
Entrepreneurship
Ep. 35: How to Create Your Content Calendar for 2026
Do you struggle with being consistent on social media? Or have you dropped the ball marketing something in the last year? That’s a sign to start building a professional level content calendar in 2026! This episode walks you through exactly how to create a marketing content calendar. Give it a listen so you can stay consistent, support your business goals, and get your team on the same page.
Sydney breaks down why planning matters and how a simple, structured calendar can keep your marketing aligned with your businesses’ goals. Whether you’re a team of one or managing multiple roles in your business, this episode will help you build a plan you can actually stick to.
Inside This Episode, You’ll Learn:
- Why having a marketing content calendar is essential for hitting your revenue and growth goals
- What actually needs to go on your calendar (social posts, newsletters, promotions, loyalty offers, and more)
- How to build consistency while still allowing flexibility for last-minute changes (snow days, anyone?)
- The tools Sydney recommends for planning and how they work together
- A behind-the-scenes look at how Sydney plans her own marketing and how she guides clients through the same process
- How to brainstorm content based on what’s happening in your business, your community, and your customers’ world
- How AI can (and can’t) support your creativity
To make getting started even easier, Sydney is sharing a free marketing calendar template using one of her favorite tools, Airtable. Get Consistent Without the Overwhelm: Your 2026 Marketing Calendar Template is available now, so grab it white you can, customize it to your business, and start mapping out your 2026 marketing with confidence.
Looking for a more in depth crash course into small business marketing? Join Sydney for one of her upcoming live one-hour workshops where you’ll learn a simple Facebook and Instagram ad strategy to grow your business in 2026 and get hands-on support as you set up your first brand awareness campaign. The next Drive More Foot Traffic Workshop is on Tuesday, January 6th at 11 a.m. EST.
Register now at www.marathonmarketingbranding.com/workshop and save your seat!
meet sydney
Strategist. coach. educator.
get to know me
Hi friends! My name is Sydney, founder of Marathon Marketing & Branding, and I’m so happy you’re here! As you might have guessed, I am an avid runner, which allows me to have more of that pinot and pasta in life. Running long-distance is all about training, endurance, and consistency. I realized that these same traits are directly applicable to social media marketing as well.
