How To Plan Social Media Content: 12 Easy Steps
You’ve probably heard the saying, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” And when it comes to social media, it couldn’t be more true. Flying by the seat of your pants might work for a while, but if you really want to crush it on social, you need a solid plan.
Wondering where to begin with your social media content plan? This post explains the key ingredients for whipping up content that grabs attention and inspires and converts like crazy.
1. Conduct a Social Media Audit
Before you create a social media plan, you must evaluate your current social media presence. It’s easy to get so caught up in the day-to-day posting grind that you forget to consider the larger context, but it’s crucial.
But conducting a social media audit is like giving your social media strategy a much-needed health check. It helps you identify what’s working, what’s not, and where you can improve.
Evaluate Your Current Social Media Presence
Start by listing all the social media channels your brand currently uses. This might include the usual suspects like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but don’t forget about any niche or industry-specific platforms you might be on.
Once you have your list, take a close look at each profile. Is your branding consistent across all channels? Are your bios and descriptions up-to-date and optimized with relevant keywords? These may seem like small details, but they can make a big difference in how your brand is perceived online.
Analyze Your Social Media Performance
Next, it’s time to dig into the data. Most social media platforms offer built-in analytics tools that can give you valuable insights into your performance. Look at metrics like follower growth, engagement rates, and website traffic driven from social media.
But don’t just look at the numbers. Try to identify patterns and trends. Which types of content tend to get the most engagement? What times of day or days of the week do your posts perform best? Use these insights to inform your future social media content strategy.
2. Set Social Media Goals and Objectives
Once you’ve conducted your social media audit, it’s time to start setting some goals. Don’t just set vanity metrics like follower counts or likes. Set real, measurable goals that align with your overall digital marketing goals and business objectives.
For instance, if increasing brand awareness is a primary business goal, then a corresponding social media goal could be to amplify your reach and make more impactful impressions on your target audience.
Or, if you’re focused on driving sales, your social media goals might include increasing website traffic or generating leads through social media.
Be Sure Your Goals Are SMART
Want to crush your social media goals? The SMART framework is your secret weapon. Get specific about what you want to achieve, measure your progress, keep your targets realistic, ensure they align with your brand’s mission, and set firm deadlines. With SMART goals, you’ll be unstoppable.
For example, instead of setting a vague goal like “increase engagement,” try something more specific like, “Increase the average engagement rate on Instagram posts by 25% by the end of Q2.”
3. Determine Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
After setting your objectives, it’s time to choose the KPIs that will help you track your progress and measure success.
Common social media KPIs include:
- Reach
- Impressions
- Engagement rate
- Click-through rate
- Conversion rate
Choose KPIs that directly relate to your goals and track them regularly to see how you’re progressing.
4. Identify Your Target Audience
Before diving back into social media posting, pause for a moment and reflect on your digital target audience. Who are the people you want to connect with? What makes them tick, what challenges do they face, and how do they spend their time online?
Knowing your target audience is absolutely essential to creating an effective social media plan. You could have the most brilliant content in the world, but it won’t make an impact if it’s not reaching the right people.
Figuring out your target audience doesn’t have to be a guessing game. Take a closer look at your current customers, the ones who keep returning for more. What similarities do they share?
Gain a competitive advantage by analyzing your rivals’ social media audiences. Identify their target demographics and observe the strategies they employ to foster engagement.
Once you have a general idea of your target audience, it’s time to get specific. Create detailed buyer personas that include demographics like age, location, income level, and job title, as well as psychographics like interests, pain points, and online behaviors.
The more you can narrow down your target audience, the more effective your social media efforts will be. You’ll be able to create content that speaks directly to their needs and interests, and you’ll have a better chance of turning followers into customers.
So don’t skimp on this step — take the time to really get to know your target audience. It will pay off in the long run.
5. Choose the Right Social Media Channels
Once you’ve chosen your platforms, it’s time to plan your social media content. But hold up, how do you know which social media channels are right for your brand?
Not all businesses will be successful on all platforms. For example, B2B brands tend to perform well on LinkedIn and Facebook, while e-commerce companies crush it on Instagram and TikTok.
To begin the planning process, review your team and budget to get a realistic sense of how much high-quality content you can produce. Focus on the social channels where your target audience is most active and engaged.
Studying your audience can help you decide what types of posts will perform best and on what platforms. Don’t forget to analyze how they interact on various social platforms, too. It may seem daunting at first, but this research will be invaluable moving forward.
6. Develop a Content Strategy
With your social media channels sorted, it’s time to focus on developing an epic content strategy. Get ready to roll up your sleeves and dive into the exciting world of crafting posts that’ll make your followers stop scrolling and pay attention.
Define Your Brand Voice and Tone
First things first, establish clear brand guidelines that outline your brand personality, voice, and tone on social media. This ensures your social content is consistent and aligns with your overall brand identity.
Think of your brand as a chameleon — adaptable, yet always true to its colors. Is your target audience drawn to a playful, lighthearted tone, or do they crave the reliability of a professional, informative voice? Perhaps a blend of the two is your secret sauce. Experiment, analyze, and refine until you’ve found the perfect balance that resonates with your audience and accurately reflects your brand.
Determine Content Themes and Pillars
To keep your content on-brand and valuable, brainstorm three to five core themes that resonate with your audience. These content pillars will be your north star, guiding you to create a well-rounded mix of posts that inform, entertain, and inspire.
Examples could include educational content, behind-the-scenes glimpses, user-generated content, and promotional posts. The key is to keep it varied and engaging.
Plan Content Mix
Determine the right mix of content types for each social channel, considering factors like platform strengths, audience preferences, and your team’s skills and resources.
A well-rounded content strategy includes a mix of visuals, text, and interactive elements. Incorporate images, videos, blog posts, and user-generated content to keep your audience engaged. Live videos and Stories add a personal touch, while polls encourage participation. Remember, a healthy balance of informative, entertaining, and promotional content is essential for success.
And don’t forget about curated content. Sharing relevant content from other sources can add value for your audience and save you time in the content creation process.
7. Create a Social Media Content Calendar
You’ve got your strategy in place, now it’s time to get organized with a social media content calendar. It will make your life so much easier.
Choose a Content Calendar Template
Want to simplify your planning process and keep everyone in sync? A content calendar template is the way to go. Choose one that clearly shows your content mix, posting frequency, and any upcoming special promotions or events.
Popular tools include Google Sheets, Trello, Airtable, and Asana. Find what works best for you and your team.
Schedule Content in Advance
Scheduling your social posts in advance using a tool like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, or Buffer can save time and ensure a consistent posting cadence. Aim to schedule at least a week or two ahead while leaving room for timely or trending content.
Be sure to optimize posting times based on when your audience is most active. Hootsuite’s Best Time to Publish feature is clutch for this.
Plan for Key Dates and Events
Stay on top of the game by marking your calendar with important dates, holidays, and events that matter to your brand and audience. Engaging content that ties into these timely moments can help you connect with your followers and join in on the buzz.
Create a social media holiday calendar to keep track of important dates. And don’t be afraid to jump on trending topics when they align with your brand — just make sure you do your research first.
With a solid social media content calendar in place, you’ll be cranking out killer content in no time. It takes a bit of effort upfront, but it’s worth it in the long run.
8. Plan Your Content Creation Workflow
You’ve got your content strategy locked and loaded. You know what you’re going to post and when. But have you thought about who’s actually going to create all this amazing content? And how it’s all going to come together without descending into chaos?
Trying to handle all aspects of content creation by yourself? It’s a one-way ticket to Burnout City, with a layover in Mediocre Content Town. Keeping your content planning process humming along smoothly is having a crystal-clear workflow and assigning specific roles to your team members.
Assign Roles and Responsibilities
First things first, you need to decide who’s doing what. Who will be the chief content creator, cranking out those blog posts and social media captions? Who’s got the design chops to whip up some eye-catching graphics? And who will be the eagle-eyed editor, making sure everything’s polished and on-brand before it goes live?
It’s best to play to people’s strengths. Got a team member who’s a wordsmith extraordinaire? Put them on writing duty. Someone with a keen eye for visuals? They’re your design go-to. The key is clearly defining roles and responsibilities so everyone knows what’s expected of them and there’s no confusion or overlap.
Establish a Content Review Process
But creating the content is only half the battle. You also need a solid review and approval process to ensure everything meets your quality standards and brand guidelines. No one wants to see a typo-ridden post or an off-brand meme slipping through the cracks.
Building in enough lead time for revisions and approvals is crucial. Rush jobs rarely result in top-notch content. So, pad your content planning timeline to account for a round or two of edits and final sign-off before publishing.
Optimize Content for Each Platform
Not all social media platforms are created equal. What works on Instagram might fall flat on LinkedIn. So, while repurposing content across channels is smart, optimizing each piece for the specific platform is important.
That might mean tweaking the copy, adjusting the visuals, or using different hashtags and CTAs. The goal is to create content that looks and feels native to each platform, not like a one-size-fits-all blast. Your audience will appreciate the extra effort.
9. Incorporate Visuals and Multimedia
Let’s be real — attention spans are short these days. If you want your social media content to stop the scroll, you need to bring your visual A-game. Eye-catching graphics, compelling videos, interactive polls — these are the things that will make your posts captivating and worth engaging with.
But, not everyone is a graphic design whiz or video editing pro. The good news is, you don’t have to be. With tools like Canva and Adobe Spark, creating professional-looking visuals is easier than ever. And your smartphone is all you need to start experimenting with video content.
Create Eye-Catching Graphics
When it comes to graphics, less is often more. Clean, simple designs with bold colors and easy-to-read text tend to perform best. Think about what will stand out in a crowded social media feed.
Create templates for different types of posts — like quotes, tips, or product features — so you can quickly swap out the text and images without starting from scratch every time. Consistency is key for building a recognizable brand aesthetic.
Leverage Video Content
Whether you’re jumping on the Instagram Reels bandwagon or creating step-by-step YouTube tutorials, video allows you to engage your audience in a way that text and images simply can’t. So, go ahead, hit record, and let your brand’s unique voice and style come to life.
But you don’t need a Hollywood production budget to create great video content. Start small with behind-the-scenes glimpses, product demos, or quick tips. The key is to keep it short, snappy, and authentic.
Experiment With New Formats
Social media platforms are in a perpetual state of evolution, rolling out new features and formats at a dizzying pace. Whether you’re diving into Instagram Guides to showcase your expertise or going live on LinkedIn to connect with your audience, there’s always an exciting new way to level up your social media game.
Don’t be afraid to experiment and see what resonates with your audience. Some of the best-performing content has come from testing a new format or putting a fresh spin on an old favorite. The key is to stay flexible and open to trying new things.
10. Engage With Your Audience
Social media isn’t a one-way street. If you want to build a loyal following, you need to engage with your audience, not just broadcast to them. That means responding to comments, answering questions, and fostering a sense of community around your brand.
But who has time to be glued to their social media feeds 24/7? The good news is, you don’t have to be. With a little planning and some smart strategies, you can create an engaging presence without burning yourself out.
Respond to Comments and Messages
Hey, let’s talk about engaging with your audience. The first step is to be present. Carve out a little time each day to read through comments and messages. Don’t be afraid to jump in and respond, even if it’s just a quick, “Thanks for sharing your thoughts.” Your followers will appreciate knowing that you value their input and are listening to what they have to say.
For more complex inquiries or issues, take the conversation to a private message or email to avoid clogging up your comment section. But don’t leave people hanging. Make sure to follow up in a timely manner.
Encourage User-Generated Content
Looking for a surefire way to get your audience excited about your brand? Try user-generated content (UGC). Urge your followers to snap photos or videos of themselves using your products, then share them on social media with a special branded hashtag. When you feature their posts, they’ll feel like a true part of your community — and that sense of belonging is priceless.
UGC provides you with a steady stream of content to share (with permission, of course) and acts as powerful social proof. Seeing real people using and loving your brand is way more impactful than any polished marketing campaign.
Host Social Media Contests and Giveaways
Picture this: your social media feeds filled with excited followers, all buzzing about your latest contest or giveaway. That’s the power of hosting a competition. It’s a dynamic way to interact with your audience, generate positive brand awareness, and even collect user-generated content that you can showcase later on. Oh, and did we mention it’s also a great way to grow your following?
Just make sure to clearly communicate the rules and prize details, and follow through on your promises. Nothing kills trust faster than a bait-and-switch or a prize that never materializes.
11. Monitor and Analyze Your Performance
Congratulations on developing a fantastic social media plan and sticking to a schedule of sharing engaging content. Now, you might be asking yourself, “Is this really working?” That’s exactly why monitoring and analyzing your performance is so critical.
Blindly posting content and crossing your fingers isn’t going to cut it on social media. To crush your social media game, you’ve got to keep a close eye on your metrics and let the data guide you.
Track Key Metrics
Remember those social media goals and KPIs you set at the beginning of this process? You did that for a reason. Those are indicators of the success of your social media efforts. Return to them regularly (weekly? monthly?) to see how you’re doing.
Analyze Audience Insights
Your social media analytics can tell you a lot more than just how many likes and shares you’re getting. Dive deeper into your audience insights to better understand who your followers are, what content they engage with most, and when they’re most active on each platform.
Investigate your top posts to discover what makes them tick. Is it how you present information, the subjects you cover, the images you use, or the moments you share? Apply these learnings to your content strategy and optimize your posting schedule to keep your audience engaged and coming back for more.
Adjust Your Strategy Based on Results
Social media is always changing, and your approach should be just as flexible. Dive into your data and analytics to see what’s hitting the mark and what’s missing the target. If a particular type of content isn’t resonating with your audience, don’t be afraid to switch things up and experiment with fresh ideas.
On the flip side, if you see that a particular type of post or campaign is resonating with your audience, double down on that. Allocate more resources and budget to the tactics that are delivering results.
Remember, social media management is not a set-it-and-forget-it endeavor. It requires ongoing monitoring, analysis, and optimization to achieve your goals and stay ahead of the curve.
12. Continuously Optimize Your Social Media Plan
Congrats, you’ve made it to the final step in creating a winning social media plan. But don’t get too comfortable. The work is never really done. Social media is always changing; what worked yesterday may not work tomorrow.
To remain a top performer, you must regularly adjust your approach based on the latest trends, platform enhancements, and insights from your performance data. While this may not be simple, the benefits are immense.
Stay Up-to-Date With Platform Updates
Social media platforms constantly release new features, algorithms, and best practices. Staying on top of these changes is crucial to ensuring your content is optimized for maximum reach and engagement.
Want to be a social media rockstar? Start by following the official blogs and newsletters from the big four:
But don’t stop there. Attend webinars and conferences to soak up knowledge from industry experts and rub elbows with other social media enthusiasts.
When a new feature or trend emerges, don’t be afraid to experiment with it in your own content. Early adopters often see the biggest gains in reach and engagement.
Experiment With New Tactics
Even if you’ve found a content formula that works, it’s important to keep things fresh and avoid falling into a rut. Continuously test and experiment with new tactics to see what resonates with your audience.
Spice up your social media presence by exploring new content formats like Instagram Reels or Twitter Spaces. Collaborations with influencers or other brands can help you tap into new audiences, while a well-planned social media contest can skyrocket engagement. Embrace the journey with curiosity and an eagerness to learn from both wins and losses.
Discover the secret sauce for your social media success by running A/B tests on every aspect of your posts. Tinker with headlines, visuals, and calls-to-action one at a time to uncover the perfect recipe that’ll make your unique audience crave more.
Regularly Review and Refine Your Plan
Your social media plan should be a living, breathing document that evolves with your business and the social media landscape. Schedule regular check-ins to assess your progress, identify areas for improvement, and make necessary adjustments to your strategy.
Review your plan at least quarterly, if not monthly. Look at your performance data, audience feedback, and industry trends to inform your decisions. Don’t be afraid to pivot or change course if something isn’t working. That’s the beauty of social media.
Perfection isn’t the goal when it comes to social media. It’s all about making steady progress. Stay flexible and ready to adapt, and you’ll be well on your way to tackling your business objectives with social media.
Let MYMA Help
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