From Hobbyist to Paid Creator: A 30-Day Content Plan for Board Game Channels

From Hobbyist to Paid Creator: A 30-Day Content Plan for Board Game Channels

What you’ll get (and how to use this plan)

  • A 30-day calendar with daily prompts, deliverables, and affiliate calls-to-action tied to specific games.

  • Shot lists for A-roll and B-roll so you never run out of visuals.

  • Repeatable script frameworks (Speed-Teach, Head-to-Head, Buy or Borrow?).

  • Originality filter: to keep every idea fresh, add one: a house rule, a micro-strategy, a component close-up, a speed-teach twist, or “why it works with my group.”

Publishing rhythm (minimum viable cadence):

  • 1 long-form per week

  • 3 Shorts/Reels per week

  • 2 social posts (IG/X/Threads) per week

  • 1 community poll per week

Week 1 — Foundation & First Wins (Days 1–7)

Theme: clarity, quick value, and your first monetized uploads.
Suggested featured games: Cascadia, Azul, Ticket to Ride (broad appeal, easy wins).

Day 1 — Channel Positioning (brand your niche)

Prompt: Define your niche in one sentence (e.g., “Date-night duos,” “Party-host hero,” “Co-op strategists”).
Deliverables:

  • 100-word channel promise on your About page.

  • Upload schedule graphic (banner or community post).
    Shot list: talking-head A-roll; shelf backdrop; clean tabletop overhead; your hands in frame.
    Originality filter: share the kind of table talk you want your channel to inspire.

Day 2 — Speed-Teach #1 (Family/Filler)

Prompt: “Teach Cascadia in three rules + one pro tip.” (Swap in another family-weight title if you prefer.)
B-roll: setup time-lapse, goal tile close-up, satisfying tile placement.
CTA (affiliate):

  • Cascadia — Board Haven Games (affiliate): {{BHG_LINK_CASCADIA}}

  • “Try before you buy” rental link: {{BHG_RENTAL_CASCADIA}}

Day 3 — Shorts Trio (hook-first)

  1. “If you hate rulebooks, try this in 60s.”

  2. Satisfying shuffle/setup montage.

  3. “One mistake beginners make in Azul.”
    Shots: top-down, sleeve crinkle, macro tile draft, quick scoreboard pan.
    CTA: One pinned comment with Azul — {{BHG_LINK_AZUL}}

Day 4 — Long-Form #1 (10–12 min): “3 First-Night Hits for New Groups”

Structure: Cold open (pain) → Criteria (teach time, downtime, laughs/minute) → Picks (Cascadia, Azul, Ticket to Ride) → Who will love/hate them → Quick teach tips.
Shots: component glam, box 45°, lid-off reveal, your group’s laugh moments.
Affiliate block (sign up here):

Day 5 — Photo Set + IG Carousel

Prompt: “3 reasons Azul gets people talking.”
Shots: box at 45°, tiles fanned, end-game board, cozy table vibe.

Day 6 — Community Poll

Prompt: “What’s your perfect game-night length?” (30 / 60 / 90 mins).
Note: Screenshot results; you’ll use them next week.

Day 7 — Live/AMA (30 min)

Topic: “Ask me anything about starting a board game channel.”
Setup: paste one Affiliate Link (see section below) into the live description once; reference by game name on stream.

Week 2 — Depth, Discovery & Repeatable Formats (Days 8–14)

Theme: build "evergreen" series + original angles.
Suggested games: 7 Wonders Duel, Splendor Duel, Wingspan.

Day 8 — Series Pilot: “Teach & Test”

Prompt: 5-min teach of 7 Wonders Duel + 2-turn demo.
Shots: over-the-shoulder plays, card draft macro, progress board.

Day 9 — Shorts Trio (decision shortcuts)

  1. “You’ll love 7 Wonders Duel if…”

  2. “House rule we swear by” (e.g., timer for turns).

  3. “30-second setup.”
    CTA: One pinned comment: 7 Wonders Duel 

Day 10 — Long-Form #2: Comparison

Prompt: “7 Wonders Duel vs Splendor Duel: Which fits your duo?”
Angle: player interaction, take-that level, teach speed, tension curve.
Shots: split-screen components; hand swaps; score track increments.
Affiliate:

  • 7 Wonders Duel 

  • Splendor Duel 

Day 11 — Behind the Scenes (process content)

Prompt: “How I film a rules teach in 45 minutes.”
Shots: lighting diagram sketch, mic placement, overhead rig, file naming on screen.
Tip: Invite comments about their biggest filming headache (future Shorts fodder).

Day 12 — SEO Mini-Guide (blog post)

Prompt: “Best board games for busy parents (60-minute cap).”
Embed: your Day 4 video.
Affiliate list: 4–6 picks with 1-sentence “who it’s for,” each linked to Board Haven Games.

Day 13 — Community Challenge

Prompt: “Convince me to try your favorite 2-player staple.”
Action: Pin best reply; promise a test video (deliver on Day 23).

Day 14 — Livestream Mini-Play

Prompt: 20-minute highlight of Wingspan first round + what you misplayed (audience loves honesty).
Affiliate: Wingspan 

Week 3 — Monetization Moves (Days 15–21)

Theme: buyer’s moments that still feel original.
Suggested games: Pandemic, The Crew, Sky Team, So Clover!.

Day 15 — “Buy or Borrow?” Episode

Prompt: “Should you buy Sky Team or rent it first?”
Shots: table footprint (include a tape measure), teach time stopwatch, tension moments.
CTA:

  • Sky Team 

  • Try before you buy 

Day 16 — Shorts Trio (anti-buyer’s remorse)

  1. “Who won’t like Sky Team.”

  2. “If you adore X, pick Y.”

  3. “Under 5 minutes to teach? This one.”
    CTA: Single pinned link to Sky Team.

Day 17 — Long-Form #3: Top 5 with Criteria

Prompt: “Top 5 Co-op Games for Non-Gamers (no quarterbacking).”
Candidates: So Clover!, The Crew, Pandemic, Chronicles of Crime, Forbidden Island (or swap similar weight).
Structure: criteria card on screen → 60 sec per pick → “play it like this” tip.
Affiliate: link each pick

Day 18 — Thumbnail Lab (3 variants)

  • Variant A: reaction face + board foreground.

  • Variant B: extreme component crop.

  • Variant C: clean number tile + bold promise.
    Deliverable: publish the winner; save the other two for A/B next month.

Day 19 — Blog + Email

Prompt: “Board game content ideas for parents’ night.”
Include: 10 rapid-fire hooks; embed 2–3 Shorts; one affiliate link above the fold.

Day 20 — Poll + Giveaway Hook

Prompt: “Pick next week’s head-to-head: The Crew vs Sky Team.”
Optional: small sleeves/organizer giveaway for comments (disclose rules).
Affiliate: both games in the poll description.

Day 21 — Live Q&A: “Ask me before you buy”

Prep: mini-FAQ doc; link slab once; answer by use-case (“2-player weeknight? Try ___”).

Week 4 — Scale, Collabs & Systems (Days 22–30)

Theme: collaborate, systemize, and lock a sustainable pipeline.
Suggested games: The Crew, Sky Team, plus one audience pick.

Day 22 — Collab Short (stitch)

Prompt: “1 tip for teaching The Crew without quarterbacking.”
Note: both creators include both affiliate links.

Day 23 — Long-Form #4: Head-to-Head

Prompt: “The Crew vs Sky Team — which stays on my shelf?”
Originality: show your shelf logic and trade-offs (who you play with, time windows).
Affiliate:

  • The Crew 

  • Sky Team }

Day 24 — Shorts Trio (Shelf Logic)

  1. “Shelf-space test: what earns a permanent spot.”

  2. “Who I play this with.”

  3. “30-second teach map (beats to hit).”

Day 25 — BTS Workflow

Prompt: “My Notion board + file naming for board game videos.”
Shots: calendar overlay, checklist, batch filming bins.

Day 26 — Blog: “Board Game Content Ideas (2025 Edition)”

Structure: categorized list (teach, comparisons, house rules, speed plays, genre spotlights).
Internal link: point back to this 30-day plan.

Day 27 — Audience Feature

Prompt: Showcase a subscriber’s house rule for Pandemic (or audience pick).
Angle: why it works with your group; one limitation.
Affiliate: base game + any mentioned expansion.

Day 28 — Livestream: Learn & Play

Format: first-play with rules pop-ups; collect timestamped questions for Shorts.
CTA: “Chapters in the description—links under each chapter.”

Day 29 — Analytics & Iteration

Deliverable: 1 slide or community post with CTR, AVD, top hook, and best-performing link placement.
Decision: double down on 2 formats; pause 1.

Day 30 — Monetization Recap (transparent)

Prompt: “What actually earned in 30 days + what I’d change.”
Outline: affiliate clicks → conversions → RPM per long-form; Shorts lift; next month’s bet.

Shot Library (build once, reuse forever)

  • A-roll: eye-level talking head, side profile emphasis, standing “teacher” shot.

  • Top-down rig: full table, 50% crop on key turns, macro pass of components.

  • Hero angles: 45° box, lid-off reveal, insert tray pull, sleeves shuffle, score track final move.

  • Ambient cutaways: hands reaching, laugh beats, dice slo-mo, “box thud,” card riffle (capture audio clean).

  • Lighting basics: key light at 45°, bounce fill, practical lamp in background for depth.

Repeatable Script Frameworks (plug-and-play)

Speed-Teach (90–180s)
Hook → Objective → 3 rules → 1 common mistake → Who it’s for → Link in description.

Head-to-Head (8–12 min)
Hook → Criteria card → Round 1 (teach time) → Round 2 (interaction) → Round 3 (replay loop) → Tiebreaker (shelf logic) → Verdict by use-case → Links.

Buy or Borrow? (5–7 min)
Context (who/when) → Table footprint → Teach time → Group fit → Value vs rental → Link(s).

Thumbnail & Title Prompts (rotate weekly)

Titles:

  • “3 Games That Win Over Non-Gamers”

  • “This Replaced My Party Staple”

  • “Best Co-ops with Zero Quarterbacking”

  • “Buy or Borrow? Sky Team”

  • “7 Wonders Duel vs Splendor Duel — Which Duo Wins?”

Thumbnails: big number tile, one face + one component crop, vs badge, clean background, short promise (“No QB,” “10-min Teach,” etc.).

KPIs & Review Checklist

  • Weekly targets: 1 long-form, 3 Shorts, CTR 5–7%, AVD 35–45%, affiliate CVR 1–3% on warm traffic.

  • Review loop (every Sunday):

    • Hooks that held attention in first 30 seconds

    • Retention dips (note timestamps → turn into Shorts)

    • Link clickthrough by timestamp (put links near your strongest beat)

    • Comment prompts that sparked replies (double down)

FAQ (quick answers)

How do I keep content original?
Add your group profile, a house rule you actually use, and transparent shelf logic. Film honest first-plays and admit misplays—audiences trust that.

What’s the minimum gear?
Phone, overhead arm/tripod, clip-on lav, two lamps. Good audio beats fancy cameras.

Where do affiliate disclosures go?
In the first 2–3 lines of your description, again near your link slab, and once verbally if the video is primarily about purchasing.

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