You need to create a social media content calendar. What's the best way to get started?

1 Audit your current content

Before you create a new calendar, you need to evaluate your existing content and see what works and what doesn't. You can use analytics tools to track metrics like reach, engagement, clicks, conversions, and sentiment. You can also ask for feedback from your followers and customers. This will help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis) and set realistic and specific goals for your future content.

3 Create a content mix and theme

You don't want to bore your audience with the same type of content every day. You need to create a content mix that balances different purposes, such as educating, entertaining, inspiring, and selling. A good rule of thumb is to follow the 80/20 principle: 80% of your content should add value to your audience, and 20% should promote your brand or products. You also need to create a content theme that reflects your brand identity, voice, and values. You can use colors, fonts, filters, hashtags, emojis, and tone to create a consistent and recognizable theme.

4 Plan your frequency and timing

How often and when you post on social media can affect your reach and engagement. You need to plan your frequency and timing based on your audience's behavior, preferences, and expectations. You can use tools like Buffer or Hootsuite to find the optimal times and days to post on each platform. You also need to consider the shelf life of your content, which is how long it stays relevant and visible to your audience. For example, a tweet may have a shorter shelf life than a blog post.

5 Use a social media management tool

A social media management tool can make your life easier when it comes to creating and scheduling your content. You can use a tool like CoSchedule or Sprout Social to create a visual calendar that shows all your planned posts across different platforms. You can also use these tools to draft, edit, preview, and publish your content in advance. Some tools also allow you to monitor, respond, and interact with your audience, as well as analyze and optimize your performance.

6 Review and adjust your calendar

Creating a social media content calendar is not a one-time task. You need to review and adjust your calendar regularly to keep up with the changing trends, preferences, and needs of your audience and market. You can use tools like BuzzSumo or Google Trends to find new and relevant topics, keywords, and hashtags to incorporate into your content. You can also use tools like Google Analytics or Facebook Insights to measure your results and see what content generates the most traffic, leads, sales, and loyalty.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?