These days, creating a social media calendar for your company includes more than just scheduling and organizing posts. In the digital age we now live in, content consumption has changed drastically. It's all about keeping up with the latest trends to create that viral hashtag everyone's talking about. We're constantly searching for new and interesting material, whether it be lengthy YouTube videos or attention-grabbing 15-second clips. Not to mention the influencers' strength on social media!
It's amazing how trends spread like wildfire across different platforms. That's why it's crucial to stay in the loop and know what's hot right now. If you want to create content that really connects with your audience, you need to stay on top of the trends and understand the kind of content they're craving.
The way millennials and Gen Z consume content has completely changed with the rise of social media platforms. It's a whole new world out there, and if you want your business to succeed, you need to adapt and give your audience what they want.
Why is Social Media Calendar Key to Successful Social Media Marketing
Social media serves as a blueprint for your overall social media strategy, giving you a comprehensive overview of all of your upcoming social media activities. By doing so, you can be more adaptable and strategic with your content while maintaining consistency and frequently engaging your target audience.
A social media calendar can be customized to meet your unique requirements, whether you prefer a straightforward or detailed plan. Choosing the days you will post on and adding more high-level content can help you make the most of each post.
In order to help you get more from each post, many effective social media content calendars will include information such as:
- Type of Platform: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn.
- Post-Type: User-generated, testimonial, product, etc.
- Date: Scheduled Date
- Time: Scheduled Time
- Title: The title of the post
- Topic: What the post is about
- Visuals: A description of any graphics you want to use
Create a Customized Social Media Content Calendar in 5 Steps
1. Review and Refine Your Goals Social Media Goals
You must review and enhance your objectives for succeeding on social platforms. Whether your goal is to boost sales, increase engagement, or increase website traffic, you must start with a clear idea of what you want to achieve.
Take a step back and review your current goals. Are they specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART)? For example, instead of setting a general goal like "increase followers," try setting a more specific goal like "increase Instagram followers by 20% in the next six months."
2. Conduct an In-Depth Audit of Your Current Accounts
Now that you have a good idea of what success looks like for your social media, it's time to figure out how you're doing so far. Take a look at your engagement rates. Are they high or low? If they're low, it might be time to adjust your content strategy or try new types of posts. Or, look at your follower growth. It might be time to reassess your target audience or adjust your messaging.
Once you know where you're at, you can start making changes and testing new strategies to improve. You can add a sheet for your KPIs to your social media content calendar to keep track of everything and make sure you're constantly working to improve your processes.
3. Navigate Different Social Media Channels
If we go back ten years, selecting the best social media platforms for your business was much simpler because there weren't as many well-known players. But things have changed significantly since then. Choosing which social media sites to concentrate on can be difficult because there are so many of them, and they all serve different audiences.
First things first, you need to decide which channels are right for your brand. For example, if you are in a fashion or food-based business, Instagram and Pinterest are the best options. But if you're in the B2B space, LinkedIn and Twitter are the better choices.
Remember, it's all about trial and error. Don't be afraid to test out different types of content and see what resonates with your audience.
4. Decide What Type of Content to Post on Your Social Media Platforms
It's time to choose what kind of content to post on each social media now that you know which ones to prioritize. This is essential because each platform has a special aesthetic and structure that appeals to its target audience.
When producing content for Instagram, you may want to concentrate on visual elements like exceptional photos, videos, and categories that are brief, engaging, and shareable. However, if you're creating content for LinkedIn, you might want to focus more on text-based, professional, and thought-provoking content.
Follow the 80-20 Rule
This means 80% of the content you post should be interesting, informative, and educational for your followers. You know, the kind of stuff that grabs their attention and makes them want to stick around for more. Then, the other 20% of your posts can be used for directly promoting your business, like sharing your latest product launch or a special offer.
5. Track and Report on Your Running Posts
After posting the content on social media, your work is not yet finished. You will have to monitor its performance. This will help you to identify what's working, what isn't, and what you can do to make it better.
Fortunately, there are many resources available that can assist you in doing this. You can monitor your social media metrics, such as engagement rates, reach, and clicks, using tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, or Google Analytics. This will help you understand what your audience is responding to and how you can improve the performance of your content.
Craft a Dynamic Social Media Calendar in 5 Easy Steps
With these 5 effortless steps, you'll be well on your way to concocting a social media calendar that's bound to pack a punch and connect with your intended audience.
Don't let the idea of developing a social media calendar scare you off; it's all about being imaginative, methodical, and enjoying the journey of creating valuable content. So what are you waiting for? Dive right in, and put these steps into practice!
