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One of the most important things to do when thinking about your social media marketing strategy is to take the time to plan out your social content calendar, especially when managing multiple social media accounts. A content calendar allows you to schedule and plan your creative ahead of time so that you don’t end up scrambling to find content to share when it comes time to post.

Here are a few ways to create the perfect social media content calendar for your busy team.

1. Think About the Content You Want to Produce

Ask yourself these questions: What are your current campaigns? What are your specific goals? Who is your audience? The answer to these questions will help you create your social content calendar. 

Next, look at the content you already have – whether it’s blog posts, campaign photoshoots, or product shots – and think about what’s missing. This will help you figure out what types of content you need to create for the month. Then, you can set a specific day before your content calendar is due to get your photos taken or posts written.

2. Organize the Content

You can keep a social media content calendar on paper, in an app, or in a Microsoft Excel worksheet, but we personally recommend starting off with an Excel worksheet, so you have a clear vision of the month laid out in front of you. This will make it easy to track any necessary changes on the Excel worksheet before your content gets scheduled.

Then, if you have access to software or an app for advanced scheduling, transfer the content to there. We personally recommend using Sprout, as it allows you to manage multiple clients at once and will automatically post your content without your having to do it manually. We also appreciate the reporting features that allow you to see how your content is performing.

Here are the columns you should include in your Excel-based social content calendar:

• Date: When will this content be published?
• Caption: What’s the caption for the photo, blog post, or video?
• Link: Provide a link to the photo, blog post, or video you want to use.
• Notes: Include things here that someone looking over your calendar might want to know about the post.
• Hashtags: What hashtags, if any, will you need to add?

3. Determine When to Publish Your Content

While your scheduling heavily depends on your content and audience, here are some common industry practices to follow when it comes to posting to the top social channels:

• Facebook: Wednesday at noon and 2 p.m. and Thursday at 1 and 2 p.m.
• Instagram: Wednesday at 3 p.m., Thursday at 5 a.m., 11 a.m., and 3 to 4 p.m., and Friday at 5 a.m.
• Twitter: Friday 9 to 10 a.m.
• LinkedIn: Wednesday 3 to 5 p.m.

While this is a great starting point, we recommend posting your content (at least three times per week on each social channel) and see what times work best.

A social media content calendar is a great way to keep you and your team on track when it comes to content creation and your posting schedule. Try out these tips, and we’re sure you’ll notice the difference when it comes to organization and improved engagement on your social platforms.