Social media content planning: topics, formats and scheduling

A social media content plan connects customer questions with your offer and available assets. Each entry needs a topic, purpose, format, deadline and owner. Dates alone will not keep a profile running without content and an approval process.

How do you choose topics?

Collect questions from customer conversations: what is included, how the work happens and what they need to provide. Mix answers with project examples, team introductions and updates. Each post should offer something specific rather than another general statement about quality.

How should the format follow the topic?

A short announcement may need one graphic, an explanation several slides, and a demonstration a video. Plan the photographs, copy and presenter in advance. A service business might combine a customer question, a project example and an explanation of its offer. Match frequency to the team’s capacity.

How do you keep the plan workable?

Record asset sources, copy status, the approver and destination link for each topic. Assess results against the purpose: saves for a guide, visits for an offer, enquiries for contact. Compare similar periods and distinguish paid promotion from organic distribution.

Before approving the plan

• Topic: the customer question this piece will answer.
• Assets: image sources, copy deadline and named approver.
• Purpose: the audience action and how it will be assessed.