If you post online more than once a week, your business might need a social media content calendar. It is a powerful tool that allows you to keep your thoughts and objectives front of mind. Wingman is of course biased, but an outsourced partner can also help manage your message and the delivery. Getting social media wrong can have negative impact on your business.
But if you are the DIY type, there are dozens of free social media content calendar tools to assist you.
Spending time on social media platforms has become second nature to marketing professionals and professional services firms. As the world has increasingly moved into the digital marketing space, the importance of engaging your network of business connections on social media has grown exponentially.
Importance of a Social Media Marketing Calendar
The importance of planning social media posts ahead is of significant importance to 3 of 4 fastest-growing professional services firms. According to recent research from Constant Contact, 78% of professional services firms are interested in getting the most out of their organic social media marketing efforts. And not unlike other marketing initiatives, to do so effectively involves using tools that help you stay organized.
The most powerful organizational tool Wingman recommends using is a social media content calendar. If the thought of building a social media calendar seems like a daunting task, don’t worry because it’s not complicated. Your social media content calendar should be a core tool utilized on a daily to weekly basis by your marketing team. Tracking when posts are published and who is responsible for posting them.
Five reasons why your business needs a social media content calendar:
1. Save time
Using a social media content calendar can help your firm ensure that it is allocating resources in the best and most efficient manner. In addition to tracking what you will post and when the social media content calendar can also double as an “assignment board”. This will inform individual team members when they are supposed to write content for social posts. It can also double as a source that triggers team members to engage with existing posts in a timely fashion.
Planning with a social media content calendar also allows you to save time on any future research needed for potential topics and posts. You’ll know well ahead of time what you need to prepare to stay on schedule, so there will be no last-minute scramble.
2. Stay organized
This is perhaps the biggest reason for keeping any kind of calendar, but especially a content calendar. Keeping your processes organized and easy to see helps you know what content you’ve published and when. Having a formal record of your posts allows you to see a snapshot of topics so you can maintain a fresh perspective and keep a balance between the distinct types of content you post. By mapping your calendar to specific social media platforms, you can stay organized across each of the channels you utilize. LinkedIn and Twitter are the most important social networks to have a strong presence on for professional services businesses.
3. Stay timely with your social media content calendar
A social media content calendar keeps you on track to publish content in conjunction with relevant campaigns and events. This ensures you don’t miss out on creating important content for specific occasions or launches. For example, what new blog posts or other content are you publishing that needs to be promoted on social media? What news is going on in your industry that your firm should be weighing in on? Or what upcoming events or conferences are you attending?
You can easily include prompts or reminders for time-sensitive content to make sure your social media activity remains timely with the goings-on of your firm.
4. Stay relevant with your social media content calendar
When you plan out your social media content in advance, you have the advantage of getting feedback from your team members. Your calendar can be easily shared for further input, so you can make sure you’re putting out the best and most relevant social media posts to achieve both your firm’s marketing and business development goals. Team members from different departments can use their unique knowledge set to inform the choices you make on each platform.
For instance, your sales team can add their insight on current trends and client pain points to make sure your posts are on par with what’s going on in the marketplace. Staying plugged into the market and up to date on what’s important to potential buyers will help you to remain relevant and increase your ability to close the sale.
5. Build credibility with your social media content calendar
Maintaining consistency on your social media accounts is one of the first ways you can build trust and credibility with early prospects discovering your firm. New followers will quickly learn that you’re sharing educational content and that your firm has the depth of expertise to help them.
Followers (and search engines) like to know when they can expect posts from you. By maintaining a consistent calendar, it enables you to set and meet their expectations. Your audience will soon be able to anticipate your posts, which can make them feel more connected with your firm. This can help with engagement as you build your following and establish your credibility on each platform.
Whether you’ve been holding off on creating a social media content calendar because you weren’t sure you needed one or didn’t think it would be worth the effort, it’s time to think again.
The advantages and benefits of creating a social media content calendar can help take your media strategy to a higher playing field. Your firm can post, tweet, share and comment more effectively and efficiently with just a little extra planning.
Final Thought
Social media relies on consistency—just like other proven marketing techniques—to make a difference. The benefits that come from using your social media content calendar to track your social media activity safeguard against half-implemented plans. It keeps your entire team accountable for your goals and allows you to make swift adjustments when plans need to change.
Book a Wingman today
Need help? A tool to assist your publishing of content is a very productive use of your time. But back up 2 steps…do you know what you’re writing and to whom? Book A wingman today to assist you in what our message needs to be.