Do you find yourself struggling to create social media posts consistently? Do your social media followers struggle to remember your brand after viewing your posts? Are you feeling uninspired when creating new posts? So, how can you remedy this situation and avoid falling into the trap of redundancy when sharing content online? Instead of hitting a wall with your social media presence, why not take control by implementing a social media post planner that will serve as your personal guide for creating shareable content on a regular basis. With the right tools and a little prep work, you’ll be able to produce amazing content on-demand that resonates with followers and keeps them coming back for more. Let’s review what goes into an effective post planner strategy so you can begin implementing one today.
The Importance of a Social Media Content Planner
For marketers, the key to success is consistency. Consistency in the quality of your product or service, consistency in your branding, and most importantly, consistency when it comes to your messaging. The last point is where many businesses fall short. Sharing the same content over and over again just isn’t sustainable. When customers see the same post over and over again, they become desensitized to it. When this happens, you risk losing your audience. You see, people expect brands to be consistent, but not to the point where their messaging becomes monotonous and boring. Instead of boring your followers, you can engage them by creating a post planner that includes variety in timing and tone. A social media post planner will help you avoid falling into the trap of monotony.
Step 1: Define your brand values
As a brand, you have certain values that you stand behind. These are the beliefs and ideals that you go out of your way to promote and support, and they represent what makes your brand unique. When creating your social media content planner, you first need to decide which values your brand will be standing by throughout the year. This will help you narrow down your overall strategy and create a content calendar that speaks directly to your target audience.
Step 2: Find the right tools for the job
Next, you’ll want to find the right tools for the job. Whether you prefer a spreadsheet, a content calendar, or a dedicated social media management app, there are plenty of options available. Your social media calendar should include the type of content you’re creating, the publishing date, the posting time, and the platform you’ll share it on. This will allow you to plan out your content in advance and keep track of what worked (and what didn’t) in order to make adjustments moving forward.
Step 3: List your current assets
Now that you’ve defined your brand values and found the right tools for the job, it’s time to list your current assets. What do you currently have in your marketing arsenal that can be repurposed for your social media posts? What types of content have resonated with your audience in the past? Are there any trends that you’d like to try out? Perhaps you want to experiment with different visuals, formats, or types of content altogether. What types of posts are currently missing from your social media calendar? Do you have enough posts scheduled for certain times of the year? Would your followers benefit from more visual content?
Step 4: Research your audience
Now that you’ve listed your current assets and are ready to move forward with your social media post planner strategy, you need to research your audience. This will allow you to create posts that resonate with your followers and keep them coming back for more. – What are your followers interested in? What topics do they want to see covered? – Where do your followers consume content? Are they primarily on Facebook or Instagram? – What type of content is currently missing from your social media calendar? By answering these questions, you’ll be able to create a post calendar that speaks directly to your target audience and helps you achieve your business goals.
Step 5: Determine key dates and events
Finally, you need to determine key dates and events that your brand will want to cover. When are your followers most likely to be engaged with your content? What types of events and topics should you cover during the year? Are there any holidays that you should acknowledge? What’s going on in your industry right now? Are there any conferences or events that are taking place? These are the types of questions that you’ll want to keep in mind when creating your social media post planner. Doing so will ensure that you’re including everything important and aren’t missing out on any potential opportunities for engagement.
Step 6: Create your editorial calendar
Finally, you’re ready to create your editorial calendar. You’ve researched your audience and identified key dates and events, you’ve listed your current assets and determined what types of posts you want to create, and you’ve created a social media post planner that will help you achieve your goals. Now, you just need to put all of these elements together to create a social media calendar that works for your brand. Whether you prefer to use a spreadsheet, a social media calendar, or a dedicated social media management app, there are plenty of tools available. By following these steps, you’ll be able to create a social media calendar that empowers you to be consistent, create engaging content, and achieve your business goals. There’s no better time to get started than right now.
Bottom line
The key to an engaging social media marketing strategy is consistency. If you want to build a loyal following, you need to be posting regularly. Additionally, you want to be posting engaging and thoughtful content that your followers look forward to seeing. By following the steps outlined above, you can create a social media calendar that empowers you to be consistent and create engaging content. There’s no better time to get started than right now.