Help Manage Your Social Media with a Content Calendar

Social media is being used more than ever as a way to research products, gather information about companies, and engage with others. Platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter provide key opportunities to connect directly with existing or potential customers and tell them exactly what you’d like them to know about your company. With so much information circulating through so many news feeds, it is critical that your messaging and branding are consistent, purposeful, and impactful. This doesn’t have to be overwhelming! A content calendar can help you organize both your content ideas and posting schedule — proving to be a great tool for keeping your messaging on track, and on time.

To kick start the process toward a consistent and valuable social media presence, download the content calendar template attached below. Your content calendar should be broken down into 5 parts to ensure your posts are locked and loaded, from start to finish, when it comes time to upload: Date, Point of the Post, Link to, Keywords, and Type of Post. These categories allow you to plan out when your content will be shared, what will be included in it, and what type of post it will be. This template will help you take the guesswork out of running your social media pages and guarantee your audience is consuming regular content from your company, all while saving you time for other important tasks.

There are many options for building a content calendar, from utilizing project management software, to applications like Excel or Google Sheets. Find a program or method that makes sense to you (and your team) which allows for effective collaboration while you plan out your content and posting schedule. Be sure to agree on a frequency for posting that is realistic, then brainstorm content relevant to your business or industry. This content could include details on trade shows, promotional sales, or other major happenings within your company. Content that establishes your company as a subject matter expert is a valuable opportunity for customers and prospects to see how you solve problems, understand emerging industry trends, and fosters an authentic business relationship with you. Planning ahead for these “can’t miss” topics ensures your customers have the information they need at the appropriate time.

Providing accurate, relevant, interesting information through company social media pages is a proven strategy for building trust, increasing brand awareness, and gaining new leads. Set your business up for social media success with an organizational tool that streamlines content development and posting.