Every day the same thing: “I should post something.” Then you spend 30 minutes figuring out what, take a mediocre photo, write a rushed caption, and post something forgettable. Sound familiar?
A content calendar fixes this. One planning session per week replaces daily scrambling.
The simple template
Create a Google Sheet with columns:
- Date — when it posts
- Platform — Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
- Content type — photo, carousel, reel, story, text post
- Topic/caption — what you’re posting about
- Image/video — link to the asset
- Status — planned, created, scheduled, posted
Content categories
Rotate through these to keep your feed varied:
- Educational — tips, how-tos, industry insights (builds authority)
- Behind-the-scenes — your workspace, team, process (builds connection)
- Product/service — what you sell, features, new arrivals (drives sales)
- Social proof — testimonials, reviews, client results (builds trust)
- Personal — your story, milestones, lessons learned (humanises the brand)
Mix them: Mon=educational, Wed=product, Fri=behind-the-scenes. This creates natural variety.
Batch creation
Instead of creating content daily:
- Block 2 hours on Sunday or Monday
- Plan the week’s content (topics and captions)
- Create all graphics in Canva
- Write all captions
- Schedule everything using Meta Business Suite (free) or Later
Your week’s content is done in one session. The rest of the week, you focus on running your business.
How often to post
- Instagram: 3–5 posts per week + daily stories
- Facebook: 3–4 posts per week
- LinkedIn: 2–3 posts per week
- Better to post 3 excellent posts than 7 mediocre ones
A content calendar takes the stress out of social media. Combined with a website that drives your conversion, you have a complete online marketing system.