4 best CRMs for higher education in 2025

With college enrollment trending downward and experts anticipating a “demographic cliff” in 2025 — having a higher education CRM is absolutely vital to ensuring a thriving institution. A CRM is key to attracting and retaining students, ensuring enrollee success, and fostering relationships with alumni and donors.

The University of Wyoming boosted enrollment by using HubSpot Smart CRM, with 60% of one year's incoming class having come through a HubSpot landing page somewhere along their journey, proving just how powerful the right CRM can be.

Below, we'll explore four higher education CRMs, providing you with feature comparisons, pricing details, and implementation guidance. To quickly bring you this comprehensive guide, we used AI tools for research and drafting. All content has been thoroughly reviewed, fact-checked, and revised by a HubSpot staff writer to ensure accuracy and completeness.

Read on to discover which CRM can best improve your institution's enrollment and engagement strategies.

Table of Contents

• What is a higher education CRM?
• CRM Comparison Table
• Best CRM Software for Higher Education
• Benefits of CRM Software for Higher Education
• 5 Important Features for a Higher Education CRM
• How to Choose a CRM for Higher Education (Step-by-Step)
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Meet HubSpot, the Top CRM Choice for Higher Education

What is a higher education CRM?

A customer relationship management (CRM) system for higher education is a specialized platform that helps colleges and universities manage interactions with prospective students, current students, alumni, donors, and other stakeholders throughout their entire journey with the institution.

From tracking prospect interactions and automating personalized outreach to supporting student success initiatives and alumni engagement, these platforms serve as the central hub for all constituent data and communications. HubSpot's CRM can help enrollment teams work smarter by automating routine tasks while providing the insights needed to make data-driven decisions.

Best CRMs for Higher Education at a Glance

CRM	Best For	Key Features	Pricing	Free Trial Available
HubSpot	Institutions wanting an all-in-one platform that unifies recruitment, student success, and advancement with AI-powered automation	360-view of contacts, Breeze AI agents, marketing automation for enrollment growth	Free CRM; paid plans start at $15/seat/month	Yes (free tier available)
Salesforce Education Cloud	Large universities with resources for comprehensive digital transformation and enterprise-grade solutions	Education-specific data model, Agentforce AI capabilities, modular SIS capabilities	Starts at $81.25/user/month	Yes, 30-day free trial
Ellucian CRM	Institutions that want a higher ed software suite that has CRM products (Recruit, Advise, and Advance) and an SIS solutions in the same ecosystem	Student portal, application management, seamless Ellucian ecosystem integration	Contact for pricing.	No
Slate	Institutions seeking a purpose-built admissions and enrollment management platform	Unified admissions and enrollment platform, SIS integrations, AI-driven features	Starts at $30,000 per year	No

Best CRM Software for Higher Education

Selecting the right CRM can transform how your institution engages with students throughout their educational journey as well as optimize donations and sponsorships. Let‘s examine four leading solutions that can meet higher education’s unique needs.

1. HubSpot

Source

Best for: Institutions wanting an all-in-one platform that unifies recruitment, student success, and advancement with AI-powered automation

Key HubSpot Features

• 360-view of contacts: Create custom objects to tailor HubSpot to fit your higher ed needs and workflows. Break down data silos by connecting information from admissions, student services, advancement, and alumni relations in one centralized system. HubSpot's Smart CRM provides every department with the same comprehensive view of each constituent, enabling personalized experiences throughout the student lifecycle.
• Breeze AI agents: Deploy AI-powered agents that work 24/7 to support your teams. Use Breeze Content Agent to create compelling recruitment content and personalized communications. Leverage Breeze Customer Agent to answer prospective student questions instantly, transfer complex inquiries to a human support rep, or help students find the right content to answer their questions.
• Marketing automation for enrollment growth: Build sophisticated nurture campaigns that adapt based on student behaviors and interests. Track which programs generate the most interest, automate event invitations and follow-ups, and measure ROI on every campaign. The University of San Diego saw a 10x increase in event registrations after publishing content and implementing smarter email nurturing through HubSpot.

HubSpot Pricing

• HubSpot's CRM is always free and includes free tiers for all six core products (marketing, sales, service, content, operations, and commerce)
• Paid plans start at $15/seat/month for Starter plans.
• HubSpot pricing depends on your specific needs and add-ons. Use this HubSpot pricing calculator to see your custom price.

2. Salesforce Education Cloud

Source

Best for: Large universities with resources for comprehensive digital transformation and enterprise-grade solutions

Key Salesforce Education Cloud Features

• Education-specific data model: Built with native education objects for courses, grades, academic terms, and application decisions. It also contains purpose-built modules for recruitment, admissions, academic operations, and more.
• Agentforce AI capabilities: Deploy pre-built AI agents powered by your CRM data to support student recruitment, advising, and prospect research. This CRM product comes with pre-built skills and actions designed to handle routine tasks in education, such as retrieving donor milestone data.
• Student information system (SIS) capabilities: Salesforce continues to roll out modular SIS capabilities, including registration features so students can find and enroll in classes.

Salesforce Education Cloud Pricing

Please note that the following Salesforce Education Cloud pricing is for non-profit institutions and is billed annually. View the pricing for for-profit institutions. There is a 30-day free trial available.

• Education Cloud Enterprise Edition: $81.25/user/month
• Education Cloud Unlimited Edition: $138.75/user/month
• Education Cloud Agentforce 1 for Sales Edition: $375/user/month
• Education Cloud Agentforce 1 for Service Edition: $375/user/month

3. Ellucian CRM

Source

Best for: Institutions that want a higher ed software suite that has CRM products (Recruit, Advise, and Advance) and an SIS solutions in the same ecosystem

Key Ellucian CRM Recruit Features

• Student portal: Students can access an online portal to view their applications, see upcoming events, and stay connected to your school.
• Application management: Track applications as they move through the process, set up rules to auto-assign decisions, and allow prospects to manage their applications.
• Seamless Ellucian integration: Seamlessly integrate your CRM data with the ERP and SIS products available in the same ecosystem, providing a more unified approach.

Ellucian CRM Pricing

Ellucian has three CRM products: Recruit, Advise, and Advance, but it does not publicly list its pricing. Contact Ellucian for pricing. No free trial available.

4. Slate

Source

Best for: Institutions seeking a purpose-built admissions and enrollment management platform

Key Slate Features

• Unified admissions and enrollment platform: Access tools to streamline your admissions and enrollment processes, including reader review forms, reader workflows, electronic decision releases, enrollment checklists and enrollment forecasting.
• Integrations with major SIS platforms: Enjoy bidirectional integrations with Banner, PeopleSoft, PowerCampus, and more.
• AI-driven features: Use AI-powered predictive text to generate personalized text quickly. Natural language querying helps you search your database using conversational language.

Slate Pricing

Slate CRM pricing has different license tiers: Admissions, Student Success, and Advancement.

• The Admissions licensing is charged based on application volume, starting at $30,000 for less than 1,500 applications.
• There is no additional cost for Student Success within an existing Slate database on your campus. Otherwise, Student Success is $30,000 per year.
• Advancement rate tiers are based on active full-time undergraduate enrollment, starting at $50,000 for less than 2,500.
• No free trial.

Benefits of CRM Software for Higher Education

Increase enrollment through personalized recruitment.

Modern CRMs help institutions deliver personalized experiences at scale. By tracking prospect behaviors and interests, you can send targeted communications that resonate with each student's unique needs. The University of Wyoming leveraged HubSpot's Marketing Hub to increase lead volume by 26%.

Streamline admissions processes and reduce manual work.

Automate routine tasks like application status updates, document reminders, and event confirmations. CRMs unify data from multiple sources, freeing admissions staff to focus on helping students thrive. HubSpot can automate inquiry follow-ups and nurture leads, reducing manual workload.

Improve student retention and success.

Track student engagement across academic and social dimensions to identify at-risk students early. CRMs enable coordinated intervention strategies by connecting advisors, faculty, and support services around shared student data. For example, HubSpot's ticketing system can help manage student support requests.

Strengthen alumni relations and boost fundraising.

Build lifelong relationships with graduates through targeted engagement campaigns and personalized giving opportunities. CRMs help advancement teams track donor capacity, manage campaigns, and demonstrate ROI on fundraising initiatives. Howard University's School of Business used HubSpot to raise over $100,000 for its Center for Career Excellence.

5 Important Features for a Higher Education CRM

1. Integration with Student Information Systems

Your CRM must seamlessly connect with your SIS to maintain data consistency and eliminate duplicate entry. Look for pre-built integrations with popular systems like Banner, Colleague, PeopleSoft, and Jenzabar. HubSpot offers over 1,900 integrations through its App Marketplace, including Zapier middleware that you can use to connect to many SIS soluations, plus robust APIs that enable custom integrations for real-time data synchronization.

2. Multi-channel Communication Capabilities

Today's students expect to engage through their preferred channels, whether email, text, chat, or social media. A robust CRM should support omnichannel communications while maintaining a unified conversation history. HubSpot's shared inbox consolidates email, live chat, and Facebook Messenger communications in one place.

3. Event Management and Tracking

From open houses to admitted student days, events play a crucial role in recruitment. Your CRM should streamline event registration, automate confirmations and reminders, and track attendance to measure event ROI. Look for features like QR code check-in, capacity management, and post-event survey automation. HubSpot's forms and landing pages can handle event registrations, while marketing automation can send confirmation emails and reminders.

4. Predictive Analytics and AI Capabilities

Modern CRMs leverage AI to identify best-fit students, predict enrollment likelihood, and recommend optimal communication strategies. HubSpot's Breeze AI provides intelligent insights across the platform, from content creation suggestions to lead scoring that can help prioritize recruitment efforts.

How to Choose a CRM for Higher Education (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Assess your current technology ecosystem.

Create an inventory of all systems currently in use across admissions, student services, advancement, and other departments. Document pain points, data silos, and manual processes that a CRM could address. Consider which systems must integrate with your new CRM and which might be replaced.

Step 2: Define your goals and success metrics.

Establish clear objectives for your CRM implementation. Are you primarily focused on increasing applications, improving yield rates, boosting retention, or growing advancement revenue? Set specific, measurable goals like “increase completed applications by 15%” or “reduce time-to-decision by 3 days.”

Step 3: Evaluate feature requirements by department.

Gather input from all stakeholder groups who will use the CRM. Admissions may prioritize application management, while advancement focuses on donor tracking. Create a requirements matrix that weights must-have versus nice-to-have features for each department.

Step 4: Consider implementation and support needs.

Assess your team's technical capabilities and available resources for implementation. Some platforms like HubSpot offer intuitive interfaces and extensive free training through HubSpot Academy, while others may require significant IT involvement and external consultants. Factor in ongoing support and training needs.

Step 5: Request demos and pilot programs

Narrow your list to a few top contenders and request comprehensive demos tailored to higher education use cases. Ask to see real workflows like processing an application or running an email campaign. Many vendors offer trials where you can test the system with a small group before full implementation.

Step 6: Choose a platform that scales with your institution

HubSpot's platform scales from small colleges using free tools to large universities requiring enterprise features. The University of San Diego started with one school using HubSpot and expanded to five graduate schools as it discovered the platform's ease of use.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best CRM for higher education?

The best CRM depends on your institution‘s specific needs, size, and resources. HubSpot customers love its user-friendly interface, comprehensive free tier, and powerful automation capabilities that scale with growth. The platform’s flexibility allows institutions to start small and expand usage across departments.

What features should I look for in a CRM for colleges and universities?

Essential features include SIS integration, multi-channel communications, event management, application processing, and robust reporting. Look for platforms offering AI-powered insights, mobile accessibility, and strong security features. HubSpot excels in all these areas while maintaining an intuitive interface that encourages user adoption across departments.

Is HubSpot good for higher education institutions?

Yes, HubSpot provides an excellent solution for higher education institutions of all sizes. Its free CRM offers powerful features for smaller schools, while paid tiers provide advanced automation and AI capabilities for larger universities.

How much does a CRM for higher education cost?

CRM costs vary significantly based on features and user count. HubSpot's CRM is always free, with paid features starting at $15/seat/month. Enterprise solutions like Salesforce Education Cloud start at $81.25/user/month. Total costs should factor in implementation, training, and ongoing support. Annually, you might be looking at tens of thousands of dollars to license a higher education CRM.

Meet HubSpot, the Top CRM Choice for Higher Education

HubSpot stands apart as a fantastic CRM solution for higher education institutions seeking to boost their enrollment and engagement strategies. By combining powerful automation, intuitive design, and comprehensive features in one unified platform, HubSpot empowers institutions to build meaningful relationships throughout the student lifecycle.

• AI-powered efficiency: Breeze AI agents work alongside your team to automate routine tasks, create compelling content, and provide 24/7 support to prospective students. From answering admission queries to generating personalized email campaigns, Breeze multiplies your team's impact without adding headcount.

• Ease of use drives adoption across departments: Unlike complex CRM systems that require extensive training, HubSpot's intuitive interface empowers teams to start creating campaigns immediately. The University of San Diego saw adoption spread from one school to four others through word-of-mouth, with staff wanting HubSpot's user-friendly tools that allowed them to be more creative.

• Advanced marketing automations: Build email campaigns powered by CRM data to create content that resonates with different segments of your constituents. Athabasca University has seen a 75% overall lead growth since implementing HubSpot's Marketing Hub.

Ready to transform your institution's approach to student recruitment and engagement? Get started with HubSpot's free CRM today and discover why leading colleges and universities choose HubSpot to power their growth.

from Marketing https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/best-crm-for-higher-education

With college enrollment trending downward and experts anticipating a “demographic cliff” in 2025 — having a higher education CRM is absolutely vital to ensuring a thriving institution. A CRM is key to attracting and retaining students, ensuring enrollee success, and fostering relationships with alumni and donors.

The University of Wyoming boosted enrollment by using HubSpot Smart CRM, with 60% of one year's incoming class having come through a HubSpot landing page somewhere along their journey, proving just how powerful the right CRM can be.

Below, we'll explore four higher education CRMs, providing you with feature comparisons, pricing details, and implementation guidance. To quickly bring you this comprehensive guide, we used AI tools for research and drafting. All content has been thoroughly reviewed, fact-checked, and revised by a HubSpot staff writer to ensure accuracy and completeness.

Read on to discover which CRM can best improve your institution's enrollment and engagement strategies.

Table of Contents

• What is a higher education CRM?
• CRM Comparison Table
• Best CRM Software for Higher Education
• Benefits of CRM Software for Higher Education
• 5 Important Features for a Higher Education CRM
• How to Choose a CRM for Higher Education (Step-by-Step)
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Meet HubSpot, the Top CRM Choice for Higher Education

What is a higher education CRM?

A customer relationship management (CRM) system for higher education is a specialized platform that helps colleges and universities manage interactions with prospective students, current students, alumni, donors, and other stakeholders throughout their entire journey with the institution.

From tracking prospect interactions and automating personalized outreach to supporting student success initiatives and alumni engagement, these platforms serve as the central hub for all constituent data and communications. HubSpot's CRM can help enrollment teams work smarter by automating routine tasks while providing the insights needed to make data-driven decisions.

Best CRMs for Higher Education at a Glance

CRM	Best For	Key Features	Pricing	Free Trial Available
HubSpot	Institutions wanting an all-in-one platform that unifies recruitment, student success, and advancement with AI-powered automation	360-view of contacts, Breeze AI agents, marketing automation for enrollment growth	Free CRM; paid plans start at $15/seat/month	Yes (free tier available)
Salesforce Education Cloud	Large universities with resources for comprehensive digital transformation and enterprise-grade solutions	Education-specific data model, Agentforce AI capabilities, modular SIS capabilities	Starts at $81.25/user/month	Yes, 30-day free trial
Ellucian CRM	Institutions that want a higher ed software suite that has CRM products (Recruit, Advise, and Advance) and an SIS solutions in the same ecosystem	Student portal, application management, seamless Ellucian ecosystem integration	Contact for pricing.	No
Slate	Institutions seeking a purpose-built admissions and enrollment management platform	Unified admissions and enrollment platform, SIS integrations, AI-driven features	Starts at $30,000 per year	No

Best CRM Software for Higher Education

Selecting the right CRM can transform how your institution engages with students throughout their educational journey as well as optimize donations and sponsorships. Let‘s examine four leading solutions that can meet higher education’s unique needs.

1. HubSpot

Source

Best for: Institutions wanting an all-in-one platform that unifies recruitment, student success, and advancement with AI-powered automation

Key HubSpot Features

• 360-view of contacts: Create custom objects to tailor HubSpot to fit your higher ed needs and workflows. Break down data silos by connecting information from admissions, student services, advancement, and alumni relations in one centralized system. HubSpot's Smart CRM provides every department with the same comprehensive view of each constituent, enabling personalized experiences throughout the student lifecycle.
• Breeze AI agents: Deploy AI-powered agents that work 24/7 to support your teams. Use Breeze Content Agent to create compelling recruitment content and personalized communications. Leverage Breeze Customer Agent to answer prospective student questions instantly, transfer complex inquiries to a human support rep, or help students find the right content to answer their questions.
• Marketing automation for enrollment growth: Build sophisticated nurture campaigns that adapt based on student behaviors and interests. Track which programs generate the most interest, automate event invitations and follow-ups, and measure ROI on every campaign. The University of San Diego saw a 10x increase in event registrations after publishing content and implementing smarter email nurturing through HubSpot.

HubSpot Pricing

• HubSpot's CRM is always free and includes free tiers for all six core products (marketing, sales, service, content, operations, and commerce)
• Paid plans start at $15/seat/month for Starter plans.
• HubSpot pricing depends on your specific needs and add-ons. Use this HubSpot pricing calculator to see your custom price.

2. Salesforce Education Cloud

Source

Best for: Large universities with resources for comprehensive digital transformation and enterprise-grade solutions

Key Salesforce Education Cloud Features

• Education-specific data model: Built with native education objects for courses, grades, academic terms, and application decisions. It also contains purpose-built modules for recruitment, admissions, academic operations, and more.
• Agentforce AI capabilities: Deploy pre-built AI agents powered by your CRM data to support student recruitment, advising, and prospect research. This CRM product comes with pre-built skills and actions designed to handle routine tasks in education, such as retrieving donor milestone data.
• Student information system (SIS) capabilities: Salesforce continues to roll out modular SIS capabilities, including registration features so students can find and enroll in classes.

Salesforce Education Cloud Pricing

Please note that the following Salesforce Education Cloud pricing is for non-profit institutions and is billed annually. View the pricing for for-profit institutions. There is a 30-day free trial available.

• Education Cloud Enterprise Edition: $81.25/user/month
• Education Cloud Unlimited Edition: $138.75/user/month
• Education Cloud Agentforce 1 for Sales Edition: $375/user/month
• Education Cloud Agentforce 1 for Service Edition: $375/user/month

3. Ellucian CRM

Source

Best for: Institutions that want a higher ed software suite that has CRM products (Recruit, Advise, and Advance) and an SIS solutions in the same ecosystem

Key Ellucian CRM Recruit Features

• Student portal: Students can access an online portal to view their applications, see upcoming events, and stay connected to your school.
• Application management: Track applications as they move through the process, set up rules to auto-assign decisions, and allow prospects to manage their applications.
• Seamless Ellucian integration: Seamlessly integrate your CRM data with the ERP and SIS products available in the same ecosystem, providing a more unified approach.

Ellucian CRM Pricing

Ellucian has three CRM products: Recruit, Advise, and Advance, but it does not publicly list its pricing. Contact Ellucian for pricing. No free trial available.

4. Slate

Source

Best for: Institutions seeking a purpose-built admissions and enrollment management platform

Key Slate Features

• Unified admissions and enrollment platform: Access tools to streamline your admissions and enrollment processes, including reader review forms, reader workflows, electronic decision releases, enrollment checklists and enrollment forecasting.
• Integrations with major SIS platforms: Enjoy bidirectional integrations with Banner, PeopleSoft, PowerCampus, and more.
• AI-driven features: Use AI-powered predictive text to generate personalized text quickly. Natural language querying helps you search your database using conversational language.

Slate Pricing

Slate CRM pricing has different license tiers: Admissions, Student Success, and Advancement.

• The Admissions licensing is charged based on application volume, starting at $30,000 for less than 1,500 applications.
• There is no additional cost for Student Success within an existing Slate database on your campus. Otherwise, Student Success is $30,000 per year.
• Advancement rate tiers are based on active full-time undergraduate enrollment, starting at $50,000 for less than 2,500.
• No free trial.

Benefits of CRM Software for Higher Education

Increase enrollment through personalized recruitment.

Modern CRMs help institutions deliver personalized experiences at scale. By tracking prospect behaviors and interests, you can send targeted communications that resonate with each student's unique needs. The University of Wyoming leveraged HubSpot's Marketing Hub to increase lead volume by 26%.

Streamline admissions processes and reduce manual work.

Automate routine tasks like application status updates, document reminders, and event confirmations. CRMs unify data from multiple sources, freeing admissions staff to focus on helping students thrive. HubSpot can automate inquiry follow-ups and nurture leads, reducing manual workload.

Improve student retention and success.

Track student engagement across academic and social dimensions to identify at-risk students early. CRMs enable coordinated intervention strategies by connecting advisors, faculty, and support services around shared student data. For example, HubSpot's ticketing system can help manage student support requests.

Strengthen alumni relations and boost fundraising.

Build lifelong relationships with graduates through targeted engagement campaigns and personalized giving opportunities. CRMs help advancement teams track donor capacity, manage campaigns, and demonstrate ROI on fundraising initiatives. Howard University's School of Business used HubSpot to raise over $100,000 for its Center for Career Excellence.

5 Important Features for a Higher Education CRM

1. Integration with Student Information Systems

Your CRM must seamlessly connect with your SIS to maintain data consistency and eliminate duplicate entry. Look for pre-built integrations with popular systems like Banner, Colleague, PeopleSoft, and Jenzabar. HubSpot offers over 1,900 integrations through its App Marketplace, including Zapier middleware that you can use to connect to many SIS soluations, plus robust APIs that enable custom integrations for real-time data synchronization.

2. Multi-channel Communication Capabilities

Today's students expect to engage through their preferred channels, whether email, text, chat, or social media. A robust CRM should support omnichannel communications while maintaining a unified conversation history. HubSpot's shared inbox consolidates email, live chat, and Facebook Messenger communications in one place.

3. Event Management and Tracking

From open houses to admitted student days, events play a crucial role in recruitment. Your CRM should streamline event registration, automate confirmations and reminders, and track attendance to measure event ROI. Look for features like QR code check-in, capacity management, and post-event survey automation. HubSpot's forms and landing pages can handle event registrations, while marketing automation can send confirmation emails and reminders.

4. Predictive Analytics and AI Capabilities

Modern CRMs leverage AI to identify best-fit students, predict enrollment likelihood, and recommend optimal communication strategies. HubSpot's Breeze AI provides intelligent insights across the platform, from content creation suggestions to lead scoring that can help prioritize recruitment efforts.

How to Choose a CRM for Higher Education (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Assess your current technology ecosystem.

Create an inventory of all systems currently in use across admissions, student services, advancement, and other departments. Document pain points, data silos, and manual processes that a CRM could address. Consider which systems must integrate with your new CRM and which might be replaced.

Step 2: Define your goals and success metrics.

Establish clear objectives for your CRM implementation. Are you primarily focused on increasing applications, improving yield rates, boosting retention, or growing advancement revenue? Set specific, measurable goals like “increase completed applications by 15%” or “reduce time-to-decision by 3 days.”

Step 3: Evaluate feature requirements by department.

Gather input from all stakeholder groups who will use the CRM. Admissions may prioritize application management, while advancement focuses on donor tracking. Create a requirements matrix that weights must-have versus nice-to-have features for each department.

Step 4: Consider implementation and support needs.

Assess your team's technical capabilities and available resources for implementation. Some platforms like HubSpot offer intuitive interfaces and extensive free training through HubSpot Academy, while others may require significant IT involvement and external consultants. Factor in ongoing support and training needs.

Step 5: Request demos and pilot programs

Narrow your list to a few top contenders and request comprehensive demos tailored to higher education use cases. Ask to see real workflows like processing an application or running an email campaign. Many vendors offer trials where you can test the system with a small group before full implementation.

Step 6: Choose a platform that scales with your institution

HubSpot's platform scales from small colleges using free tools to large universities requiring enterprise features. The University of San Diego started with one school using HubSpot and expanded to five graduate schools as it discovered the platform's ease of use.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best CRM for higher education?

The best CRM depends on your institution‘s specific needs, size, and resources. HubSpot customers love its user-friendly interface, comprehensive free tier, and powerful automation capabilities that scale with growth. The platform’s flexibility allows institutions to start small and expand usage across departments.

What features should I look for in a CRM for colleges and universities?

Essential features include SIS integration, multi-channel communications, event management, application processing, and robust reporting. Look for platforms offering AI-powered insights, mobile accessibility, and strong security features. HubSpot excels in all these areas while maintaining an intuitive interface that encourages user adoption across departments.

Is HubSpot good for higher education institutions?

Yes, HubSpot provides an excellent solution for higher education institutions of all sizes. Its free CRM offers powerful features for smaller schools, while paid tiers provide advanced automation and AI capabilities for larger universities.

How much does a CRM for higher education cost?

CRM costs vary significantly based on features and user count. HubSpot's CRM is always free, with paid features starting at $15/seat/month. Enterprise solutions like Salesforce Education Cloud start at $81.25/user/month. Total costs should factor in implementation, training, and ongoing support. Annually, you might be looking at tens of thousands of dollars to license a higher education CRM.

Meet HubSpot, the Top CRM Choice for Higher Education

HubSpot stands apart as a fantastic CRM solution for higher education institutions seeking to boost their enrollment and engagement strategies. By combining powerful automation, intuitive design, and comprehensive features in one unified platform, HubSpot empowers institutions to build meaningful relationships throughout the student lifecycle.

• AI-powered efficiency: Breeze AI agents work alongside your team to automate routine tasks, create compelling content, and provide 24/7 support to prospective students. From answering admission queries to generating personalized email campaigns, Breeze multiplies your team's impact without adding headcount.

• Ease of use drives adoption across departments: Unlike complex CRM systems that require extensive training, HubSpot's intuitive interface empowers teams to start creating campaigns immediately. The University of San Diego saw adoption spread from one school to four others through word-of-mouth, with staff wanting HubSpot's user-friendly tools that allowed them to be more creative.

• Advanced marketing automations: Build email campaigns powered by CRM data to create content that resonates with different segments of your constituents. Athabasca University has seen a 75% overall lead growth since implementing HubSpot's Marketing Hub.

Ready to transform your institution's approach to student recruitment and engagement? Get started with HubSpot's free CRM today and discover why leading colleges and universities choose HubSpot to power their growth.

via Perfecte news Non connection

How to create an editorial calendar [+ free templates]

If you’re creating content without an editorial calendar you’re setting yourself up for stress, inconsistency, and missed opportunities. Been there, done that, got the “I meant to do more” t-shirt.

Whether you’re part of a major brand, a small team, or it’s just you wearing all of the hats, without a centralized plan, things get messy fast.

But if the words “editorial calendar” make you itch, hear me out. This doesn’t have to add a dozen levels of complication to your process.

Whether you use HubSpot’s built-in marketing calendar or an option like Google Calendar, spreadsheets, or project management software — you can create an editorial calendar that fits your goals, needs, and brain without making yourself crazy. And I’m going to show you how.

Table of Contents

• How to Create an Editorial Calendar in Google Calendar
• How to Use Excel or Google Spreadsheets for Editorial Calendars
• How to Use Online Calendars for Editorial Calendars
• How to Use a Project Management Platform for Editorial Calendars
• Why Using Google Calendar as an Editorial Calendar Works

Follow Along With These Free Editorial Calendar Templates

How to Create an Editorial Calendar

Before you whip out your paper calendar and start adding dates, let’s take a step back. Your editorial calendar is a schedule, but it represents so much more.

When I consult with businesses on how to develop a content strategy and what to include in an editorial calendar, dates are typically the last thing we consider. I like to start by reviewing upcoming goals and plans:

• What are our big picture goals or initiatives?
• What’s going on that we’ll need content for?
• What does our audience know already — and what do they need to know?
• Do we have existing content we can adapt?
• What do we need to create from scratch?
• How can we repurpose anything new?

If you’re reading this and thinking “I just need a structure that works for me,” or “None of that is relevant to me right now” — totally fine.

Most people don’t start with a full-fledged strategy-driven plan. But if you do have anything coming up or going on, the last thing you want is a last-minute scramble.

Once you’ve thought through the big picture, it’s time to start thinking about the content itself. Start by asking:

• What types of content is your audience interested in?
• Where do they hang out online?
• What types of content is your competition using, and how often?
• How often can you commit to creating something?

That last one is the clincher. If you only have bandwidth for one high-quality blog, podcast, or video — plan accordingly. If you put 4 on the calendar, you’re setting yourself up for failure — and if you’re like me, endless guilt.

Whatever your answers, they’ll give you a solid idea of what makes sense for your audience and your capacity.

Step 1: Choose your platforms.

If I ever got into the “Live. Love. Laugh” sign craze, I’d probably have one that says “You don’t have to be everywhere for everyone.”

You only need to show up where your audience hangs out and in a way that you enjoy. If you hate creating a specific type of content, you’re always going to put it off — or you’ll have to hire someone to do it for you. EIther way, it’s a big factor in how you plan content.

I recommend choosing a primary content type that fits with your natural strengths:

• Written (blog)
• Audio (podcast)
• Video (YouTube or Livestreams)

From there, you can repurpose as needed to different platforms. Since I’m most comfortable with the written word, that’s where I start, then adapt to email and LinkedIn.

If you show up best live, then start there and adapt to other content types. The only right way is the one that makes sense to you. Use that as the basis for your editorial calendar.

Step 2: Determine content guidelines and frequency.

This is where a lot of people get stuck — because they’re trying to match someone else’s pace.

Let me be extremely clear: most businesses do not need to publish three articles a week, two podcasts, and manage five social media platforms.

Larger ones with full-time content teams? Sure. But that’s not 90% of the companies out there. Not to mention that with AI making it easier to churn out mediocre content, quality matters more than ever.

Here’s what I ask clients (and myself) at this stage:

• What kind of content can you realistically create right now?
• What cadence feels sustainable for the next 90 days?
• What categories or themes matter most to your audience?
• What’s the goal behind each piece — awareness, engagement, sales?

For some people, one post a week is doable. For others, one per month or one per quarter feels best.

Whatever that is, we can work within the bounds of your bandwidth, but it’s so important to be honest with yourself here. Otherwise, you’ll just be overwhelmed.

Once you have a cadence in mind, think about the big-picture categories you can speak to, and your content goals. From there you can prioritize your ideas, focusing on the mission-critical stuff first, and the nice-to-have or lower priority content later.

Here are a few ways you could map out your content repurposing framework.

Blogging Weekly

• 1x week: Blog (Tuesdays).
• 2x week: Email (Tuesdays, Thursdays).
• 2x week: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube (Wednesdays, Fridays).

Blogging Monthly

• 1x month: Publish Blog (week 1)
• 1x week: Email
• 2x week: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube (Wednesdays, Fridays)

You can create and flesh out your editorial calendar using the above examples more easily. The less frequently you publish, just make sure every post is meaty enough tto support repurposing.

Step 3: Choose an editorial calendar platform.

Now that you’ve got a sense of what you’re creating, how often you’ll publish, and where it’s going — it’s time to decide where all of this planning will live.

The truth is, the “best” platform is the one you and your team will actually use. Fancy tools are great, but if they add friction or require too many clicks to see what’s going on, they won’t get used consistently. I’ve seen beautifully built project boards go completely stale because no one wanted to open or manage them.

The most popular options are spreadsheets, online calendars, or project management tools like Trello, Asana, or ClickUp. I’ve tried them all, and for most clients, a simple spreadsheet is the way to go.

Keep in mind: the more complex the organization and as quantity increases, a more complex tool may be needed.

No matter which format you choose, I recommend tracking the following basics:

• Publish date: When it goes live
• Due date: When the draft needs to be ready
• Title or topic: Working title is fine
• Assigned owner: Who’s responsible for delivery
• Call to action (CTA): What do you want the reader/viewer to do?
• Keywords (for SEO): So you knows what phrases to optimize for
• Status: Idea, drafting, editing, scheduled, live
• Links: To both the draft and final version for easy reference

You can always build from here. But keeping these core elements in your calendar makes it easier to track progress, spot bottlenecks, and repurpose content without digging through old folders.

How to Create an Editorial Calendar in Google Calendar

I’ve built editorial calendars in everything from fancy enterprise platforms to color-coded notebooks. But when it comes to simplicity, flexibility, and team visibility, Google Calendar still holds up nicely.

It’s free, it plays nicely with Gmail, and almost everyone already knows how to use it. Plus, you can layer it with other calendars (like launch schedules or social campaigns), share it with your team, and set reminders to stay on track — without adding a new tool to your stack.

Below, I’ll walk you through how to use Google Calendar to set up a content calendar that keeps you organized and focused — whether you’re a solo creator or working with a team.

We’ll be using a downloadable template to make the setup easier, but feel free to start from scratch if you’d rather build your own.

Step 1: Download HubSpot’s free editorial calendar templates.

Download Now

First, download the calendar templates above (they’re free.) By doing this, you’ll have three editorial calendar templates on your computer (or in your Google Drive).

• Blog Editorial Calendar
• Social Media Calendar
• Content Planning Template

Here I’ll go over how to use the Google spreadsheet with Google Calendar. There are ways to upload the Excel version into Google Calendar — it just requires a few more steps.

Step 2: Customize your template and prepare it for import into Google Calendar.

With your Google Sheets calendar open, it’s time to make it work for your process.

It already includes these columns:

• Publish date: When the content will go live
• Due date: When the draft or final version needs to be ready
• Author: Who’s responsible for creating or finalizing the content
• Topic/Title: A working title or quick summary of the piece
• Content/Details: Notes, links, outlines, or context for the post
• Keywords: SEO phrases to include or focus on
• Target persona(s): Who the content is for (audience segment, buyer type, etc.)
• Offer/CTA: What action you want the reader to take, or what offer this content supports

This gives you a solid mix of strategic clarity and practical execution. You’ll know what’s going out, why it matters, who it’s for, and how it ties back to your larger business goals.

Don’t be afraid to tweak or hide columns you’re not using right now — but I recommend keeping them in your template at least as a “default” tab, so they’re easy to bring back when your content plans get more complex.

Once you’ve filled in a few important dates, it’s time to connect it with Google Calendar.

Step 3: Create a Google Calendar for your content plan.

Before you connect your editorial calendar to Google Calendar, you need a Google Calendar to sync to.

No brainer here, but don’t skip this step. Just go to Google Calendar > Other Calendars > Create New Calendar.

Then find your Calendar ID.

Step 4: One-time upload into Google Calendar (Option A).

From here, you can load it into your Google calendar. There are a few catches:

1. It won’t update automatically and everything must be manual.

2. Google Calendar only supports CSVs with specific column headers, so you’ll need to rename and reorganize your column headers to the following and may not have the level of data you want:

Subject

Start Date

Start Time

End Date

End Time

Description

From here, you’ll need to export the sheet as a CSV then go back to Google Calendar. You’ll then click Settings > Import & Export, select your CSV and then choose the calendar you want to import into.

This is best only if you need quick visibility into your calendar. Otherwise I recommend option B — the auto-magical route :)

Step 5: Automatically create calendar events with Google Apps Script (Option B).

Now that your editorial calendar lives in a Google Sheet — and you’ve created a dedicated Google Calendar to map your content dates — it’s time to connect the two.

I’m obsessed with using Apps Scripts to automate things in Google Workspace. This process will help you automatically create a calendar event for each row in your sheet, based on the publish date and title. Keyword: automatically!

And my favorite way to do it is by using ChatGPT to help me create and troubleshoot the scripts.

Here’s the prompt I used:

“I want to connect a Google Sheet to my Google Calendar that automatically updates so I don’t have to manually update calendar with editorial plans. What is the App Script I need? Please walk me through it step by step.”

Then I followed these instructions;

1. Open the Apps Script editor: Extensions → Apps Script

2. Delete any placeholder code and paste this in:

function createCalendarEvents() {

const sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getActiveSheet();

const calendar = CalendarApp.getCalendarById('your-calendar-id@group.calendar.google.com'); // ← Replace this

const data = sheet.getDataRange().getValues();

for (let i = 1; i < data.length; i++) {

const publishDate = data[i][0]; // Column A

const title = data[i][3]; // Column D

const details = data[i][4]; // Column E

const keywords = data[i][5]; // Column F

const author = data[i][2]; // Column C

const cta = data[i][7]; // Column H

const posted = data[i][8]; // Column I (Posted to Calendar?)

if (title && publishDate instanceof Date && !posted) {

const description =

`Author: ${author}\n` +

`Keywords: ${keywords}\n\n` +

`Details:\n${details}\n\n` +

`CTA:\n${cta}`;

calendar.createEvent (title, new Date(publishDate), new Date(publishDate), {

description: description

});

// Mark the row as posted

sheet.getRange(i + 1, 9).setValue(“✓”);

}

}

}

3. Replace: your-calendar-id@group.calendar.google.com with the calendar ID you just found.

4. Save and run the script by clicking the floppy disk icon to save and clicking the run button. If it prompts you to authorize access, follow the steps.

5. Set it to run automatically using the clock icon “Triggers” by creating a new trigger:

Choose which function to run, select: syncEditorialCalendar

Event source: Time-driven

Type of time-based trigger: Hourly, daily, or custom

Click Save

Once it runs, you should see your content show up in the new calendar you made, complete with title, author, and details. And since mine is set up to run every 2 hours, I’ll see those changes at that frequency. You can make this more or less frequent, as needed.

If you get any error messages, just feed them into ChatGPT and keep updating the script. Sometimes it takes a few tries, but the payoff down the road is awesome!

Step 6: Share your editorial calendar with your team.

Once your editorial calendar is set up — whether you’re using the Google Sheet alone or syncing it with Google Calendar — make sure the right people can see it.

If you’re collaborating with a team, this step is what keeps things moving without endless follow-up messages or missed deadlines.

You’ve probably shared a million Google Sheets and Docs using the blue share button in the top right. However, if you’ve never shared a calendar with someone before, you have a few options. All can be accessed in Calendar, by choosing “Access permissions for events”.

Option 1: Event View Availability

You can control whether the calendar is publicly available, available only to those on your domain, or share the link with anyone you choose. You also control the level of event details. Though, for an ed cal, I’d recommend all event details.

Option 2: Share Calendar with Specific People

This one’s pretty straightforward — just choose a person and share the calendar with their Google address.

And there, you have your editorial calendar on Google Calendar!

How to Use Excel or Google Spreadsheets for Editorial Calendars

If you’re a spreadsheet superfan, oh hi— me too! I’ve built entire editorial calendar content systems in Sheets and Excel. They're flexible, easy to share, and perfect for tracking all the moving parts of an editorial calendar, especially if you have a small volume.

The best choice is whether your organization uses Google Workspace or Microsoft Teams.

The editorial calendar template bundle you downloaded includes links to Google Sheets editorial calendar files and an Excel blog editorial calendar template you can adapt to your company.

Google Sheets

To use the Google Sheets option, open the link in the included pdf and select “Make a Copy.”

This will automatically save to your Drive. From there, you can adapt to your schedule/needs and share with team members for easy collaboration.

Excel

Save the Excel file to your Teams folder and share it with the appropriate team members.

Pro tip: Regardless of which spreadsheet you use, only provide “edit” access to people who need it.

How to Use Online Calendars for Editorial Calendars

Whether you’re using Google Calendar, Outlook, or iCal to manage your personal and work schedules, you can easily use your online calendar as an editorial calendar . It’s simple, visual, and a great way to stay on top of content without adding another tool to your tech stack.

Here’s how to make it work:

Step 1: Create a new calendar.

Start by creating a separate calendar just for content planning. This keeps your editorial schedule from getting lost among meetings and personal reminders.

• Google Calendar: Go to the left-hand sidebar, click the + next to “Other calendars,” and select Create new calendar. I shared the steps for that above.
• Outlook: Select Add calendar → Create blank calendar
  

• iCal (Apple Calendar): Click File → New Calendar, and choose iCloud if you want it to sync across devices

Step 2: Rename your calendar.

Regardless of which app, you can name your calendar “Editorial Calendar” and add events.

Step 3: Set up your calendar.

Choose a date and time on the calendar, name the event “Blog Title,” “Email,” “Instagram Post,” etc., and choose how often you want it to recur.

Then you can go into each instance and fill out details like Title, Content Outline, and any other information.

You can then also share that calendar with other people on your team so they can plan accordingly.

How to Use a Project Management Platform for Editorial Calendars

My background in project management is coming out here because I LOVE a good workflow. Apps like Asana, Monday, or ClickUp make great editorial calendars because you can view the content in multiple ways and can get all the visibility you want..

Each content item becomes a “card” or task that can hold everything you need:

• Deadlines and assignees
• Content goals and assets
• Draft links and status updates
• Notes, checklists, subtasks, and even review stages

I’ve found that most allow you to toggle between List, Board, or Calendar views. You can also assign a variety of tasks and subtasks with different deadlines.

And because they’re usually drag and drop, updating your editorial calendar as things change is easy.

Of all the tools out there, I personally love ClickUp and Monday the most because of how much I can customize.

I’m sure others can do similar things, but these work best with my brain and can flex around my process instead of forcing me into something rigid.

And if you’re not sure what’s possible? ChatGPT is your best friend. I’ve used it more times than I can count to build workflows, clean up data fields, and write automations that save me hours.

My point isn’t to use the fanciest tool out there or over-engineer your process. In fact, I’d consider all the potential touchpoints and combine as many as you can to keep things simple.

That said, my biggest goal here is to share some of the best options and then turn you loose to choose one that actually makes your life easier and helps you avoid a million Slack messages asking, “Hey, what’s the status on this?”

Regardless of which option you choose, it’s a good idea to ensure your team understands your content calendar and how to use it to keep your process moving smoothly.

Why Using Google Calendar as an Editorial Calendar Works

There are a lot of ways to manage an editorial calendar. If it works for you, it’s perfect.

If your team already lives in Gmail, it’s one less tool to adopt—or pay for. Plus, it’s easy to loop people in or move things around as your plans evolve. Because they will evolve.

I always tell clients — we’ll lay out the ideal plan, but know that even factoring in a conservative estimate of your bandwidth, what actually happens is always different.

That’s why I love that you can stack multiple calendars — so your content plans can live alongside launch schedules, product pushes, or anything else your team is juggling. Everyone sees what’s happening, what’s coming, and where the gaps are.

Better yet, when you outgrow it, you can connect your Google Calendar to more advanced tools and workflows, making only minor tweaks to the solid editorial system you’ve built.

Create your editorial calendar today.

Over the years, I’ve used everything to manage editorial calendars — from sticky notes plastered all over my screen to Monday.com builds with six layers of automation.

And I firmly believe that there’s a place for everything. (Except maybe for that stack of sticky notes that no longer stick to anything.)

What matters most is that you have a system to keep you and your content on track and focused on moving your business forward..

My advice is threefold:

• Start where you are now
• Use these templates to test what works
• Make the process your own

Your next launch, campaign, or killer piece of content deserves a home on your calendar — not lost in a torrent of Slack messages or buried in a notebook.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in January 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

from Marketing https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/create-robust-editorial-calendar-ht

If you’re creating content without an editorial calendar you’re setting yourself up for stress, inconsistency, and missed opportunities. Been there, done that, got the “I meant to do more” t-shirt.

Whether you’re part of a major brand, a small team, or it’s just you wearing all of the hats, without a centralized plan, things get messy fast.

But if the words “editorial calendar” make you itch, hear me out. This doesn’t have to add a dozen levels of complication to your process.

Whether you use HubSpot’s built-in marketing calendar or an option like Google Calendar, spreadsheets, or project management software — you can create an editorial calendar that fits your goals, needs, and brain without making yourself crazy. And I’m going to show you how.

Table of Contents

• How to Create an Editorial Calendar in Google Calendar
• How to Use Excel or Google Spreadsheets for Editorial Calendars
• How to Use Online Calendars for Editorial Calendars
• How to Use a Project Management Platform for Editorial Calendars
• Why Using Google Calendar as an Editorial Calendar Works

Follow Along With These Free Editorial Calendar Templates

How to Create an Editorial Calendar

Before you whip out your paper calendar and start adding dates, let’s take a step back. Your editorial calendar is a schedule, but it represents so much more.

When I consult with businesses on how to develop a content strategy and what to include in an editorial calendar, dates are typically the last thing we consider. I like to start by reviewing upcoming goals and plans:

• What are our big picture goals or initiatives?
• What’s going on that we’ll need content for?
• What does our audience know already — and what do they need to know?
• Do we have existing content we can adapt?
• What do we need to create from scratch?
• How can we repurpose anything new?

If you’re reading this and thinking “I just need a structure that works for me,” or “None of that is relevant to me right now” — totally fine.

Most people don’t start with a full-fledged strategy-driven plan. But if you do have anything coming up or going on, the last thing you want is a last-minute scramble.

Once you’ve thought through the big picture, it’s time to start thinking about the content itself. Start by asking:

• What types of content is your audience interested in?
• Where do they hang out online?
• What types of content is your competition using, and how often?
• How often can you commit to creating something?

That last one is the clincher. If you only have bandwidth for one high-quality blog, podcast, or video — plan accordingly. If you put 4 on the calendar, you’re setting yourself up for failure — and if you’re like me, endless guilt.

Whatever your answers, they’ll give you a solid idea of what makes sense for your audience and your capacity.

Step 1: Choose your platforms.

If I ever got into the “Live. Love. Laugh” sign craze, I’d probably have one that says “You don’t have to be everywhere for everyone.”

You only need to show up where your audience hangs out and in a way that you enjoy. If you hate creating a specific type of content, you’re always going to put it off — or you’ll have to hire someone to do it for you. EIther way, it’s a big factor in how you plan content.

I recommend choosing a primary content type that fits with your natural strengths:

• Written (blog)
• Audio (podcast)
• Video (YouTube or Livestreams)

From there, you can repurpose as needed to different platforms. Since I’m most comfortable with the written word, that’s where I start, then adapt to email and LinkedIn.

If you show up best live, then start there and adapt to other content types. The only right way is the one that makes sense to you. Use that as the basis for your editorial calendar.

Step 2: Determine content guidelines and frequency.

This is where a lot of people get stuck — because they’re trying to match someone else’s pace.

Let me be extremely clear: most businesses do not need to publish three articles a week, two podcasts, and manage five social media platforms.

Larger ones with full-time content teams? Sure. But that’s not 90% of the companies out there. Not to mention that with AI making it easier to churn out mediocre content, quality matters more than ever.

Here’s what I ask clients (and myself) at this stage:

• What kind of content can you realistically create right now?
• What cadence feels sustainable for the next 90 days?
• What categories or themes matter most to your audience?
• What’s the goal behind each piece — awareness, engagement, sales?

For some people, one post a week is doable. For others, one per month or one per quarter feels best.

Whatever that is, we can work within the bounds of your bandwidth, but it’s so important to be honest with yourself here. Otherwise, you’ll just be overwhelmed.

Once you have a cadence in mind, think about the big-picture categories you can speak to, and your content goals. From there you can prioritize your ideas, focusing on the mission-critical stuff first, and the nice-to-have or lower priority content later.

Here are a few ways you could map out your content repurposing framework.

Blogging Weekly

• 1x week: Blog (Tuesdays).
• 2x week: Email (Tuesdays, Thursdays).
• 2x week: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube (Wednesdays, Fridays).

Blogging Monthly

• 1x month: Publish Blog (week 1)
• 1x week: Email
• 2x week: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube (Wednesdays, Fridays)

You can create and flesh out your editorial calendar using the above examples more easily. The less frequently you publish, just make sure every post is meaty enough tto support repurposing.

Step 3: Choose an editorial calendar platform.

Now that you’ve got a sense of what you’re creating, how often you’ll publish, and where it’s going — it’s time to decide where all of this planning will live.

The truth is, the “best” platform is the one you and your team will actually use. Fancy tools are great, but if they add friction or require too many clicks to see what’s going on, they won’t get used consistently. I’ve seen beautifully built project boards go completely stale because no one wanted to open or manage them.

The most popular options are spreadsheets, online calendars, or project management tools like Trello, Asana, or ClickUp. I’ve tried them all, and for most clients, a simple spreadsheet is the way to go.

Keep in mind: the more complex the organization and as quantity increases, a more complex tool may be needed.

No matter which format you choose, I recommend tracking the following basics:

• Publish date: When it goes live
• Due date: When the draft needs to be ready
• Title or topic: Working title is fine
• Assigned owner: Who’s responsible for delivery
• Call to action (CTA): What do you want the reader/viewer to do?
• Keywords (for SEO): So you knows what phrases to optimize for
• Status: Idea, drafting, editing, scheduled, live
• Links: To both the draft and final version for easy reference

You can always build from here. But keeping these core elements in your calendar makes it easier to track progress, spot bottlenecks, and repurpose content without digging through old folders.

How to Create an Editorial Calendar in Google Calendar

I’ve built editorial calendars in everything from fancy enterprise platforms to color-coded notebooks. But when it comes to simplicity, flexibility, and team visibility, Google Calendar still holds up nicely.

It’s free, it plays nicely with Gmail, and almost everyone already knows how to use it. Plus, you can layer it with other calendars (like launch schedules or social campaigns), share it with your team, and set reminders to stay on track — without adding a new tool to your stack.

Below, I’ll walk you through how to use Google Calendar to set up a content calendar that keeps you organized and focused — whether you’re a solo creator or working with a team.

We’ll be using a downloadable template to make the setup easier, but feel free to start from scratch if you’d rather build your own.

Step 1: Download HubSpot’s free editorial calendar templates.

Download Now

First, download the calendar templates above (they’re free.) By doing this, you’ll have three editorial calendar templates on your computer (or in your Google Drive).

• Blog Editorial Calendar
• Social Media Calendar
• Content Planning Template

Here I’ll go over how to use the Google spreadsheet with Google Calendar. There are ways to upload the Excel version into Google Calendar — it just requires a few more steps.

Step 2: Customize your template and prepare it for import into Google Calendar.

With your Google Sheets calendar open, it’s time to make it work for your process.

It already includes these columns:

• Publish date: When the content will go live
• Due date: When the draft or final version needs to be ready
• Author: Who’s responsible for creating or finalizing the content
• Topic/Title: A working title or quick summary of the piece
• Content/Details: Notes, links, outlines, or context for the post
• Keywords: SEO phrases to include or focus on
• Target persona(s): Who the content is for (audience segment, buyer type, etc.)
• Offer/CTA: What action you want the reader to take, or what offer this content supports

This gives you a solid mix of strategic clarity and practical execution. You’ll know what’s going out, why it matters, who it’s for, and how it ties back to your larger business goals.

Don’t be afraid to tweak or hide columns you’re not using right now — but I recommend keeping them in your template at least as a “default” tab, so they’re easy to bring back when your content plans get more complex.

Once you’ve filled in a few important dates, it’s time to connect it with Google Calendar.

Step 3: Create a Google Calendar for your content plan.

Before you connect your editorial calendar to Google Calendar, you need a Google Calendar to sync to.

No brainer here, but don’t skip this step. Just go to Google Calendar > Other Calendars > Create New Calendar.

Then find your Calendar ID.

Step 4: One-time upload into Google Calendar (Option A).

From here, you can load it into your Google calendar. There are a few catches:

1. It won’t update automatically and everything must be manual.

2. Google Calendar only supports CSVs with specific column headers, so you’ll need to rename and reorganize your column headers to the following and may not have the level of data you want:

Subject

Start Date

Start Time

End Date

End Time

Description

From here, you’ll need to export the sheet as a CSV then go back to Google Calendar. You’ll then click Settings > Import & Export, select your CSV and then choose the calendar you want to import into.

This is best only if you need quick visibility into your calendar. Otherwise I recommend option B — the auto-magical route :)

Step 5: Automatically create calendar events with Google Apps Script (Option B).

Now that your editorial calendar lives in a Google Sheet — and you’ve created a dedicated Google Calendar to map your content dates — it’s time to connect the two.

I’m obsessed with using Apps Scripts to automate things in Google Workspace. This process will help you automatically create a calendar event for each row in your sheet, based on the publish date and title. Keyword: automatically!

And my favorite way to do it is by using ChatGPT to help me create and troubleshoot the scripts.

Here’s the prompt I used:

“I want to connect a Google Sheet to my Google Calendar that automatically updates so I don’t have to manually update calendar with editorial plans. What is the App Script I need? Please walk me through it step by step.”

Then I followed these instructions;

1. Open the Apps Script editor: Extensions → Apps Script

2. Delete any placeholder code and paste this in:

function createCalendarEvents() {

const sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getActiveSheet();

const calendar = CalendarApp.getCalendarById('your-calendar-id@group.calendar.google.com'); // ← Replace this

const data = sheet.getDataRange().getValues();

for (let i = 1; i < data.length; i++) {

const publishDate = data[i][0]; // Column A

const title = data[i][3]; // Column D

const details = data[i][4]; // Column E

const keywords = data[i][5]; // Column F

const author = data[i][2]; // Column C

const cta = data[i][7]; // Column H

const posted = data[i][8]; // Column I (Posted to Calendar?)

if (title && publishDate instanceof Date && !posted) {

const description =

`Author: ${author}\n` +

`Keywords: ${keywords}\n\n` +

`Details:\n${details}\n\n` +

`CTA:\n${cta}`;

calendar.createEvent (title, new Date(publishDate), new Date(publishDate), {

description: description

});

// Mark the row as posted

sheet.getRange(i + 1, 9).setValue(“✓”);

}

}

}

3. Replace: your-calendar-id@group.calendar.google.com with the calendar ID you just found.

4. Save and run the script by clicking the floppy disk icon to save and clicking the run button. If it prompts you to authorize access, follow the steps.

5. Set it to run automatically using the clock icon “Triggers” by creating a new trigger:

Choose which function to run, select: syncEditorialCalendar

Event source: Time-driven

Type of time-based trigger: Hourly, daily, or custom

Click Save

Once it runs, you should see your content show up in the new calendar you made, complete with title, author, and details. And since mine is set up to run every 2 hours, I’ll see those changes at that frequency. You can make this more or less frequent, as needed.

If you get any error messages, just feed them into ChatGPT and keep updating the script. Sometimes it takes a few tries, but the payoff down the road is awesome!

Step 6: Share your editorial calendar with your team.

Once your editorial calendar is set up — whether you’re using the Google Sheet alone or syncing it with Google Calendar — make sure the right people can see it.

If you’re collaborating with a team, this step is what keeps things moving without endless follow-up messages or missed deadlines.

You’ve probably shared a million Google Sheets and Docs using the blue share button in the top right. However, if you’ve never shared a calendar with someone before, you have a few options. All can be accessed in Calendar, by choosing “Access permissions for events”.

Option 1: Event View Availability

You can control whether the calendar is publicly available, available only to those on your domain, or share the link with anyone you choose. You also control the level of event details. Though, for an ed cal, I’d recommend all event details.

Option 2: Share Calendar with Specific People

This one’s pretty straightforward — just choose a person and share the calendar with their Google address.

And there, you have your editorial calendar on Google Calendar!

How to Use Excel or Google Spreadsheets for Editorial Calendars

If you’re a spreadsheet superfan, oh hi— me too! I’ve built entire editorial calendar content systems in Sheets and Excel. They're flexible, easy to share, and perfect for tracking all the moving parts of an editorial calendar, especially if you have a small volume.

The best choice is whether your organization uses Google Workspace or Microsoft Teams.

The editorial calendar template bundle you downloaded includes links to Google Sheets editorial calendar files and an Excel blog editorial calendar template you can adapt to your company.

Google Sheets

To use the Google Sheets option, open the link in the included pdf and select “Make a Copy.”

This will automatically save to your Drive. From there, you can adapt to your schedule/needs and share with team members for easy collaboration.

Excel

Save the Excel file to your Teams folder and share it with the appropriate team members.

Pro tip: Regardless of which spreadsheet you use, only provide “edit” access to people who need it.

How to Use Online Calendars for Editorial Calendars

Whether you’re using Google Calendar, Outlook, or iCal to manage your personal and work schedules, you can easily use your online calendar as an editorial calendar . It’s simple, visual, and a great way to stay on top of content without adding another tool to your tech stack.

Here’s how to make it work:

Step 1: Create a new calendar.

Start by creating a separate calendar just for content planning. This keeps your editorial schedule from getting lost among meetings and personal reminders.

• Google Calendar: Go to the left-hand sidebar, click the + next to “Other calendars,” and select Create new calendar. I shared the steps for that above.
• Outlook: Select Add calendar → Create blank calendar
  

• iCal (Apple Calendar): Click File → New Calendar, and choose iCloud if you want it to sync across devices

Step 2: Rename your calendar.

Regardless of which app, you can name your calendar “Editorial Calendar” and add events.

Step 3: Set up your calendar.

Choose a date and time on the calendar, name the event “Blog Title,” “Email,” “Instagram Post,” etc., and choose how often you want it to recur.

Then you can go into each instance and fill out details like Title, Content Outline, and any other information.

You can then also share that calendar with other people on your team so they can plan accordingly.

How to Use a Project Management Platform for Editorial Calendars

My background in project management is coming out here because I LOVE a good workflow. Apps like Asana, Monday, or ClickUp make great editorial calendars because you can view the content in multiple ways and can get all the visibility you want..

Each content item becomes a “card” or task that can hold everything you need:

• Deadlines and assignees
• Content goals and assets
• Draft links and status updates
• Notes, checklists, subtasks, and even review stages

I’ve found that most allow you to toggle between List, Board, or Calendar views. You can also assign a variety of tasks and subtasks with different deadlines.

And because they’re usually drag and drop, updating your editorial calendar as things change is easy.

Of all the tools out there, I personally love ClickUp and Monday the most because of how much I can customize.

I’m sure others can do similar things, but these work best with my brain and can flex around my process instead of forcing me into something rigid.

And if you’re not sure what’s possible? ChatGPT is your best friend. I’ve used it more times than I can count to build workflows, clean up data fields, and write automations that save me hours.

My point isn’t to use the fanciest tool out there or over-engineer your process. In fact, I’d consider all the potential touchpoints and combine as many as you can to keep things simple.

That said, my biggest goal here is to share some of the best options and then turn you loose to choose one that actually makes your life easier and helps you avoid a million Slack messages asking, “Hey, what’s the status on this?”

Regardless of which option you choose, it’s a good idea to ensure your team understands your content calendar and how to use it to keep your process moving smoothly.

Why Using Google Calendar as an Editorial Calendar Works

There are a lot of ways to manage an editorial calendar. If it works for you, it’s perfect.

If your team already lives in Gmail, it’s one less tool to adopt—or pay for. Plus, it’s easy to loop people in or move things around as your plans evolve. Because they will evolve.

I always tell clients — we’ll lay out the ideal plan, but know that even factoring in a conservative estimate of your bandwidth, what actually happens is always different.

That’s why I love that you can stack multiple calendars — so your content plans can live alongside launch schedules, product pushes, or anything else your team is juggling. Everyone sees what’s happening, what’s coming, and where the gaps are.

Better yet, when you outgrow it, you can connect your Google Calendar to more advanced tools and workflows, making only minor tweaks to the solid editorial system you’ve built.

Create your editorial calendar today.

Over the years, I’ve used everything to manage editorial calendars — from sticky notes plastered all over my screen to Monday.com builds with six layers of automation.

And I firmly believe that there’s a place for everything. (Except maybe for that stack of sticky notes that no longer stick to anything.)

What matters most is that you have a system to keep you and your content on track and focused on moving your business forward..

My advice is threefold:

• Start where you are now
• Use these templates to test what works
• Make the process your own

Your next launch, campaign, or killer piece of content deserves a home on your calendar — not lost in a torrent of Slack messages or buried in a notebook.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in January 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

via Perfecte news Non connection