By now, you probably know the importance of social media. But have you ever sat there thinking, “What on earth am I supposed to post?!”
Or…”Why does no one ever like our stuff?!”
Yeah, we’ve been there too. It can be frustrating, no doubt. But whether you’re struggling with a lack of content or a lack of engagement (or both), we’ve found there’s one tool that typically prompts some activity: a social media content calendar.
First things first: A social media content calendar does NOT have to be anything fancy. We repeat: A social media content calendar does NOT have to be anything fancy. It can be as simple as adding personal notes and reminders on your Google or Outlook calendar. But the point is having a plan. While it can be hard to come up with relevant and engaging content on the spot, planning in advance for posts like that is much more doable. (And we say that from experience.)
When creating a social media content calendar for your company or organization, here are a few tips:
Start with your own meetings and events
What external events does your company or organization have planned for the next quarter? A fundraiser? A conference? A day of training? Place those on the calendar, and not only that, but photo ops for each. For example, at your fundraiser, you may want to get pictures of the items up for bid, your speakers, your attendees, any on-site entertainment you may have, etc. Having a specific plan in place makes the execution infinitely easier (especially given how busy you’ll likely be on the day of the actual event).
Don’t forget internal happenings/celebrations
People often disregard the little things that go on in the office – when two people show up in matching outfits, when a cake is brought in for someone’s birthday, when beautiful flowers are sent from a client, etc. But those are the things that really resonate with your followers, especially.
While some of that can’t be planned for in advance (you don’t know if flowers are going to be delivered), some of it can be (people’s birthdays, work anniversaries, etc.). Mark those on the calendar and try to come up with a photo op for each, like your coworker blowing out candles. And as far as the other more spontaneous happenings go, just be open and willing to carve out a little time to snap a quick pic and post it – even if you have to ask people to gather, and yes, of course, smile.
Plan for traditional holidays – and quirky ones!
Holidays are great for social media content planning. Valentine’s Day coming up? Get themed doughnuts or a cookie cake for the office! And then get a pic before people start diving in, of course. St. Patrick’s Day around the corner? Encourage your staff members to wear all green. These are things that are that easy, but just require a tad bit of planning. Then, there are our favorite holidays, the wacky ones: National Cookie Day, National Coffee Day, National Pizza Day. They sound silly, but trust us, they’re GREAT for social media engagement. Just search the hashtags if you don’t believe us!
We get it, getting started is the hardest part. So to help you get the ball rolling and the creative juices flowing, here are a few dates to be sure to add to your 2018/early 2019 social media content calendar:
Traditional holidays:
2018:
- Sept. 3 – Labor Day
- Oct. 8 – Columbus Day
- Oct. 31 – Halloween
- Nov. 12 – Veterans Day
- Nov. 22 – Thanksgiving
- Dec. 2 – 10 – Hanukkah
- Dec. 25 – Christmas
Early 2019:
- Jan. 1 – New Year’s Day
- Feb. 14 – Valentine’s Day
- March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day
- April 21 – Easter
- April 27 – Earth Day
- May 27 – Memorial Day
- July 4 – Independence Day
More obscure holidays:
2018:
- Sept. 29 – National Coffee Day
- Oct. 4 – National Taco Day
- Nov. 12 – National Pizza Day
Early 2019:
- March 14 – Pi Day
- May 4 – National Star Wars Day (Or #MayThe4thBeWithYou)
- June 7 – National Doughnut Day
- June 21 – National Selfie Day
Seasonal holidays:
2018:
- Sept. 22 – First day of fall
- Dec. 21 – First day of winter
Early 2019:
- March 20 – First day of spring
- June 21 – First day of summer
Keeping up with social media can sometimes seem like a hassle, but the engagement you can get from it makes it all worth it – we promise. It’s a way to engage with your followers–both customers and prospects–on a more personal level, and when it comes to marketing and business in general, that’s truly invaluable.
Want more tips for utilizing social media and boosting overall engagement? Check out the free Small-Staff Guide to Social Media from MemberClicks. It’s filled with best practices for using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and more!
Callie Walker is the Senior Inbound Marketing Specialist at MemberClicks, a membership management software company located in Atlanta, Ga. She can be reached at callie@memberclicks.com.
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