Can't Miss Steps to Creating a Social Media Calendar

In today's climate, having a social media presence is essential to stand out from the competition. With so many businesses vying for attention online, it can be challenging to make your brand heard. But social media can be a powerful tool for connecting with your audience and building a loyal customer base. To do that, you need to have a solid social media strategy in place, and you'll need to stay consistent.

Sure, social media may seem easy to stick with at first glance; but coming up with a post a few times a week can be increasingly difficult as time goes on. It's important to focus on the big picture and build a social media strategy that aligns with your overall marketing objectives. That's where a social media calendar comes in!

Our team of social media masters is here to help you set up a social media calendar for your brand, walking through each step you need to take! Let’s get started!

What is a Social Media Calendar?

A social media calendar is simply a plan that outlines your upcoming social media content. It includes details like what you're going to post, when you're going to post it, and where you're going to post it. There isn’t a super specific formula, this can be made as simple or as complex as you want it to be!

At its most basic level, it can be a spreadsheet or a handwritten list. At its most advanced level, it can be a detailed project plan with milestones and deadlines. The key is to find a format that works for you, and stick to it!

Why Do You Need a Social Media Calendar?

First and foremost, a calendar helps you stay organized. By pre-planning your content, you can ensure that you're posting regularly and that you're not missing any important dates or events.  

Second, it helps you maintain a consistent “brand voice”. You can ensure that your posts are on brand and that your messaging is consistent by having your posts laid out for you to review while all in one place.  

Lastly, it helps you save time since you can batch your work and avoid the stress of having to come up with something to post on the fly.  

6 Simple Steps to Creating a Social Media Calendar

Now that you know what a social media calendar is and why they are so important, let's cover the steps you need to take to make one.  

Step 1: Determine Your Goals

Before you start planning your content, you need to determine your goals. What do you want to achieve for your business? Do you want to increase your brand awareness? How about driving traffic to your website?  

Once you've identified your goals, you can continue to form your strategy around finding your form of success.

Drive More Traffic > How to Drive Clicks from Social Media Posts

Step 2: Identify Your Target Audience

Once you know your goals, you’ll need to identify your target audience. Social media gives you access to people all over the world, so you’ll need to create the type of content that resonates with that target demographic the best.

Who are you trying to reach on social media? What are their interests, personality types, and needs? Creating content that resonates with your audience will help the platforms know who to show your content to in the future.

Speaking of platforms, this brings us to step 3!

Step 3: Choose Your Platforms

There are so many social media platforms out there, but you don't need to be on all of them. Choose the platforms that make the most sense for your brand and your audience. For example, if you're targeting a younger demographic, you might want to focus on Instagram and TikTok. If you're targeting professionals, you might want to focus on LinkedIn and Facebook.

However, it’s much more nuanced than just your desired demographic. Many platforms now are sharing similar features, such as vertical video. Even though this style of video was made popular by TikTok, it is now offered on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube!

Once you choose what platforms you want to focus on, consider the benefit of posting the same content across all platforms that you can. Especially with scheduling services, which we will discuss later, there is hardly any effort required to increase the number of platforms being used!

Step 4: Brainstorm Content Ideas

Now it's time to brainstorm content ideas. What types of content will you make? Will you share industry news, customer testimonials, or behind-the-scenes glimpses? Think about what will resonate with your audience and help you achieve your goals.

Here are some examples of engaging content that any business can create:

• Share behind-the-scenes photos or videos
• Highlight customer success stories
• Host a Q&A session
• Conduct how-to videos or tutorials
• Run a social media contest
• Share industry news or insights

Creating content can easily be a full-time job, outsourcing your marketing will ensure the best quality posts while you stay focused on running your business.

‍

Be Yourself > Why It's Best to NOT be Perfect on Social Media  

Step 5: Create a Posting Schedule

Once you have your content ideas, it's time to put together a posting schedule. How often will you post? What days and times will you post? Make sure your plan is realistic and achievable. You don't want to overcommit and burn out.

‍

Find Out How > 7 Reasons You Should Be Outsourcing Your Marketing

Step 6: Schedule Out Posts in Advance with Online Services

Once you have your content ideas and posting plan, it's time to line up your posts. There are many social media scheduling tools out there, such as SocialPilot, Hootsuite, and Buffer. These tools allow you to schedule your posts in advance, so you don't have to worry about posting manually every day.  

Be sure to double-check your posts before they go live to make sure everything looks and sounds as intended.

Build A Better Brand Online With Charisma

Whether you are excited about it or not, social media has become an essential component of digital marketing. With an outlined social media strategy in place, you can develop a consistent brand voice that resonates with your audience and builds stronger relationships with your customers.

We understand that running a business is a full-time job, and you may not have the time or resources to manage your social media presence. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the idea of managing your social media presence, don't worry - you don't have to do it alone.  

Let Charisma Communications help you create a social media strategy that works for your business, so you can focus on doing what you do best: running your business. Schedule a consultation online and start communicating with Charisma!

‍