Rachel Terlep

12:30 p.m.–1:15 p.m. PT — Thursday, December 11, 2025

Creating a Content Roadmap: Building a Schedule That Can Take a Detour

You can plan a pretty picnic, but you can’t predict the jackknifed semi. The Washington State Department of Transportation social media accounts have built a national reputation for their personal tone and Microsoft Paint doodles, but they are also known locally for their timely and consistent updates during emergencies. To do both successfully means striking a balance between structure and adaptability. It’s working closely with internal teams to plan for what's coming: major construction milestones, seasonal safety campaigns, and community outreach initiatives. But the key is flexibility. Crashes, wildfires, winter storms in mountain passes, or a rogue cow in a roundabout can suddenly take center stage. Our calendar must bend without breaking (or braking).

Join us to learn how we structure our schedule like a Tetris board: anchored by key pieces but with space intentionally left open just in case one of those vertical pieces comes along. You’ll hear how we prioritize clarity over quantity, how we pivot in the face of emergencies, and build trust with our audience by doing both consistently.

Takeaways:

• Build a calendar framework where flexibility is a feature, not a flaw.
• Establish a “content triage” mindset (what runs now, what gets held, what gets modified).
• How to build a stash of “rainy day” content that’s ready to go during that rare quiet week.
• How to leverage analytics to inform future planning and prioritization.