Successful organizations often piece together a social media calendar to keep track of what they’ll post throughout a specific period of time. Doing so helps them to visualize their content in one place to stay on top of their game.
A social media content calendar can be a great tool to help you decide where and when to share what content. Additionally, it allows you to have goals tied to each piece you post.
Creating a social media calendar may seem daunting, but we promise it’s not as complicated as it seems. Follow these simple steps and you’ll be on your way to social media success in no time.
Choose which platforms you’ll use
The first step in creating your social media calendar is deciding which platforms you’ll use. There are a ton of different social media sites out there, and it can be tempting to try and be active on all of them.
But the truth is, that’s just not realistic—nor is it necessary. You should choose the 2 or 3 that make the most sense for your business and focus your efforts there.
For example, if you’re a B2B company, LinkedIn might be a better choice for you than TikTok.
Conversely, if you’re a B2C company selling physical products, visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest might be a better fit than LinkedIn.
Determine your posting frequency
Once you’ve chosen your platforms, it’s time to determine how often you’ll post on each one. There’s no magic number here; it really depends on your industry, audience, and goals. A good rule of thumb is to start with 2-3 times per week on each platform and adjust from there based on what works best for you.
Set some goals
It can be helpful to set some goals for your social media activity—that way, you can measure your success (or lack thereof). When setting goals, make sure they’re SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
For example, a relevant goal for most businesses would be something like “Generate x leads from social media in Q1.”
Brainstorm content ideas
Now comes the fun part: brainstorming content ideas! To get the creative juices flowing, consider using a mix of images, videos, infographics, blog posts, quotes, stats—you name it!
The sky’s the limit here; just make sure everything aligns with your brand voice and serves a purpose (i.e., fits into one of your goals). Once you have a solid list of ideas, start plugging them into your calendar template.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to leave room for impromptu posts! Things happen—a new product launch or exciting event—and you don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to share about it because everything is already planned out!
Fill in the gaps
If you find yourself with any empty slots in your calendar after following steps 1-4, don’t panic! There are plenty of ways to fill those gaps.
A few ideas include:
– Asking customers/clients for reviews or testimonials
– Reposting relevant industry news
– Sharing user-generated content (photos/videos featuring your product)
– Hosting a giveaway or contest
– Producing educational/informative videos or blog posts
Final Thoughts
Creating a social media calendar may seem daunting at first glance, but if you break it down into manageable steps it’s really not that bad.
By taking the time upfront to plan out your content strategy, you’ll save yourself time (and headaches) down the road. Plus, having everything laid out in one place makes it easy to see where improvements can be made or opportunities missed.
Successful organizations often piece together a social media calendar to keep track of what they’ll post throughout a specific period of time. Doing so helps them to visualize their content in one place to stay on top of their game.
A social media content calendar can be a great tool to help you decide where and when to share what content. Additionally, it allows you to have goals tied to each piece you post.
Creating a social media calendar may seem daunting, but we promise it’s not as complicated as it seems. Follow these simple steps and you’ll be on your way to social media success in no time.
Choose which platforms you’ll use
The first step in creating your social media calendar is deciding which platforms you’ll use. There are a ton of different social media sites out there, and it can be tempting to try and be active on all of them.
But the truth is, that’s just not realistic—nor is it necessary. You should choose the 2 or 3 that make the most sense for your business and focus your efforts there.
For example, if you’re a B2B company, LinkedIn might be a better choice for you than TikTok.
Conversely, if you’re a B2C company selling physical products, visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest might be a better fit than LinkedIn.
Determine your posting frequency
Once you’ve chosen your platforms, it’s time to determine how often you’ll post on each one. There’s no magic number here; it really depends on your industry, audience, and goals. A good rule of thumb is to start with 2-3 times per week on each platform and adjust from there based on what works best for you.
Set some goals
It can be helpful to set some goals for your social media activity—that way, you can measure your success (or lack thereof). When setting goals, make sure they’re SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
For example, a relevant goal for most businesses would be something like “Generate x leads from social media in Q1.”
Brainstorm content ideas
Now comes the fun part: brainstorming content ideas! To get the creative juices flowing, consider using a mix of images, videos, infographics, blog posts, quotes, stats—you name it!
The sky’s the limit here; just make sure everything aligns with your brand voice and serves a purpose (i.e., fits into one of your goals). Once you have a solid list of ideas, start plugging them into your calendar template.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to leave room for impromptu posts! Things happen—a new product launch or exciting event—and you don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to share about it because everything is already planned out!
Fill in the gaps
If you find yourself with any empty slots in your calendar after following steps 1-4, don’t panic! There are plenty of ways to fill those gaps.
A few ideas include:
– Asking customers/clients for reviews or testimonials
– Reposting relevant industry news
– Sharing user-generated content (photos/videos featuring your product)
– Hosting a giveaway or contest
– Producing educational/informative videos or blog posts
Final Thoughts
Creating a social media calendar may seem daunting at first glance, but if you break it down into manageable steps it’s really not that bad.
By taking the time upfront to plan out your content strategy, you’ll save yourself time (and headaches) down the road. Plus, having everything laid out in one place makes it easy to see where improvements can be made or opportunities missed.
Published on December 19, 2022
About the Author: Tatyana Mournier
