Chapter 9: Social Content Creation
Content Calendars
One tool for blending different types of social media content and focusing on content strategy is a content calendar. A content or editorial calendar provides a broad view of intentional content over time. The calendar might include content for a single channel like Instagram, or content for multiple channels to ensure that an overall digital strategy is in play. It could detail content for a short-term goal or event, or for long-term content creation and tracking.
You can use something as simple as an Excel document or Google sheet to organize upcoming content by date and time. Many organizations pay for access to social media management tools like Hootsuite, Sprinkr or Sprout Social with built-in calendar options that allow a review process and easy scheduling and posting.
Benefits of a Content Calendar
- You can apply strategic timing and guard against “dead spots” in activity level.
- You can optimize the type of content and consider how you’re representing the different content “buckets.”
- You can create consistency in voice and content, especially when multiple people post to one brand account.
- It allows for oversight such as an intern drafting content for a calendar that is edited and approved by a supervisor or an agency drafting content for review by a client.
- You can more clearly measure what works and what doesn’t and see what aspect of the strategy or content is resonating or falling flat.
Sprout Social offers A Complete Guide to Creating a Social Media Calendar with more logistical details on content calendars.
