Does it seem like every other blog we write somehow links back to social media? If you’re nodding your head in agreement, we’re guilty—but, only for good reason! Utilizing social media for business purposes offers a wide variety of unmatched benefits. From increased brand awareness to more inbound traffic, social media marketing is a no-brainer.

While we’ve covered a wide variety of topics pertaining to social media marketing—building a Facebook Business Page, exploring the 80/20 rule, and utilizing Instagram as an agent—we’ve never touched on the idea of creating a calendar for content purposes.

So, why is a content calendar important?

Whether it’s curated or original, social media marketing is all about content creation. Posting high-quality content is what’s going to take your channel to the next level and help you garner real results.

Sure, aiming to post on each platform daily is a great goal, but juggling multiple platforms can oftentimes get confusing and derail your success. This is where a content calendar comes into play. A content calendar is exactly what it sounds like: a way to plan and schedule upcoming content. Utilizing one can not only help you stay organized, but also determine which type of content resonates and performs the best with your audience.

How to create a content calendar

Fortunately, creating a calendar is a lot easier than one would assume. Follow these quick steps that we’ve outlined below.

1. Utilize a spreadsheet program like Excel or Numbers.
2. Create separate tabs for each platform that you utilize.
3. Create separate columns with different fields that include the following: date, post topic, media, caption, hashtag, link, and analytical tracking code.

Is technology not your thing? Not to worry. We’ve created a free template that you can utilize as your own content calendar. Simply download, plug in your information, and post away!