How to Create a Social Media Content Plan
One of our family’s favorite places to vacation is the Texas Coast. Now to be fair, we haven’t taken our kids to any other coast yet, so the beaches of Port Aransas are awesome to them. We’ve planned anything from quick day trips to several-days-long getaways to play in the sand and explore the tourist spots near Corpus. Before we head out, being the planner of the family, I’ll usually make a list of restaurants and museums nearest our hotel, being to sure to check which of them are open on Mondays (surprisingly few). So why should vacations start with a handy dandy list?
Because I want to be prepared without micromanaging our fun.
That’s how I approach social media for our small business as well.
Before having a content plan (as you’re about to find out) I was more of a post "when the inspiration hit" type of business owner. That was good when I was feeling inspired, but that was tough when sometimes, I’d look up and be surprised I hadn’t posted in weeks! What was I supposed to post about now? We’d been busy! And I was afraid of repeating myself too much. But here’s what I learned…
Having a general content plan, or at least an idea of what you need to, want to, or plan to post — helps so much!
Think of a content plan as a vacation plan. Just as you wouldn't go on vacation without an itinerary, you shouldn't approach social media without a plan. A social media content plan can be as detailed or as free-spirited as you like, depending on your planning style. Here's 8 easy steps to creating your content plan, regardless of your planning style.
First things first, start with a calendar. Determine the time period you want to cover, whether it be one month or one year, and lay out potential topics across that time frame. This is where you will want to start thinking of things in quarters or month chunks, as I do when creating blog content.
Next, select which social media channels you want to commit to. Consider where you see the most reaction or traffic, where you enjoy spending the most time, and where your ideal customer hangs out. You may want to slightly adjust your content for each of these channels.
Once you've selected your channels, think of your posts within a topical grid like: educate, inspire, inform, and entertain. You can also use another grid that consists of: blogging, questions, testimonial, self-promotion, personal, and sharing. An easy way to use this style would be Monday you share a blog post, Tuesday you ask a question, Wednesday you promote an upcoming sale or special ideas, Thursday you share something personal or behind-the-scenes, Friday you share your knowledge or expertise.
In step four, consider the fears, needs, wants, and aspirations of your ideal client. By understanding their needs, you'll be better equipped to create content that resonates with them.
I love helping my clients go through this grid in my one-on-one Social Media Boot Camp. For details, email me. Let’s get to work!
Step five is all about catching your ideas! You'd be surprised how many ideas for content you probably have that you just aren't capturing when they come. Start a rolling file where you keep your ideas for content so you don't have to remember it later, or stop what you're doing and post it on the spot. Whether it be a journal, Google Sheets, or a notes app, find a method that works for you and stick to it.
I've literally got a note on my phone titled, "Blog ideas," full of inspiration that I can pull from whenever I need ideas on what to post, stories to share, or interesting quotes and resources.
In step six, try a brain dump to tackle those longer social media posts. Take notes from step five and have a dedicated section for a brain dump. This is where you set a timer and just write. Avoid the temptation to edit as you go. The point of the exercise is just to get your thoughts out on paper (or computer). If you need writing prompts, check out this list on our blog.
In step seven, it's time to splice your content, preschedule it, and reschedule with new pictures. You'll see the exponential value of each long post when you splice it up and share sections of it again and again. You can re-post and re-share your best content without worrying about overdoing it, as only a small percentage of your following sees your posts on a given day. To do this, we use Smarterqueue. Want to try it? Consider using our Smarterqueue referral link.
Lastly, step eight is all about tracking your progress. Keep track of which posts are resonating with your audience and adjust your plan accordingly. You can repost your most engaging content!
P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways we can help you…
Need help with social media? Learn tips and tricks during our FREE social media for business workshop. Watch the workshop here.
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