How to plan a month of social media content
Here is how to plan a month of social media content in one sitting: decide what the month is for, turn that into a few recurring themes, map them onto a calendar, then write and approve the posts in batches. It works on paper, in a spreadsheet or in a scheduler.
Step 1: Decide what the month is for
Start from the business calendar rather than the social one: launches, events, seasonal peaks, offers that end. Pick one or two outcomes for the month, such as bookings for a new menu or sign-ups for an event.
Write them at the top of the plan. Every post should help one of them, or keep the brand present between them.
- Objective
- Launch the spring trail range
- Audiences
- Weekend hikers, Trail runners
- When
- 1 to 30 September
- Spring trail range launchScheduled
- Trail runner kit, head to toeApproved
- Why we test every jacket in the rainPending Team Approval
- Packing a 20 litre daypackDraft
Drafts and posts still in review do not count. Only approved posts can be scheduled.
Step 2: Choose three to five content pillars
Content pillars are the themes you return to: behind the scenes, product, customer stories, tips, community. Three to five is enough to vary the feed without diluting it.
Give each pillar a rough share of the month, weighted towards the goal. A launch month might be half product; a quiet month can lean on tips and community.
Step 3: Set a cadence each network can sustain
Decide how often you post on each network before you write anything. Choose a number you can keep up for the whole month, not one you hit for a week.
Fix the posting days and times now. A recurring slot, such as Tuesday and Thursday at 9:00, turns planning into filling gaps.
Step 4: Map the posts onto a calendar
Lay out the four or five weeks and put the fixed dates in first: launches, events, holidays. Then fill the recurring slots by pillar, so the mix stays even from week to week.
Leave one or two open slots a week for news and reactive posts. A month planned to the last slot breaks the first time something happens.
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Step 5: Write and design in batches
Write all the captions in one session and make all the images and videos in another. Batching is faster than switching tasks for every post, and it keeps the voice consistent.
Write one main caption per post, then adapt it for each network: shorter for some, more hashtags for others, a title where the network needs one.
136 of 2,200
First comment
#brunswickflorist #melbourneflowers #ranunculus
Posted the moment the post goes live.
Step 6: Get the month approved, then schedule it
Send the whole month for approval at once, with a deadline at least a week before the first post. Reviewers who see the month together spot gaps and repetition that single posts hide.
Once it comes back approved, schedule everything and look over the calendar one last time for clashes.
- Spring trail range launchWaiting for your approval
- Trail runner kit, head to toeApproved
- Resealing a waterproof jacketScheduled for Thursday
Morgan sees only what the team has already approved and sent up. Drafts and team-only comments never appear.
Step 7: Review the month and adjust the next
At the end of the month, compare each pillar on reach, saves, comments and clicks. Keep what worked and cut what did not before you plan the next one.
Note what the open slots were used for. If they always went to the same kind of post, make it a pillar.
A sample month at three posts a week
A sample plan for a café launching a winter menu, posting three times a week to Instagram and Facebook. Swap in your own goal, pillars and days.
- Week 1: the launch
- Monday, the announcement with the hero photo. Wednesday, a behind the scenes Reel from the kitchen. Friday, a carousel of the new dishes.
- Week 2: the people
- Monday, meet the barista who designed the drinks. Wednesday, a customer’s first taste. Friday, an open slot for whatever happened that week.
- Week 3: the details
- Monday, where the ingredients come from. Wednesday, a how it is made Reel. Friday, a weekend brunch reminder.
- Week 4: the community
- Monday, a local partner shout out. Wednesday, the most popular dish so far. Friday, an open slot for news or a repeat of the best performer.
Questions and answers
- How many posts should I plan for a month?
- As many as you can keep up for the whole month on each network, not just the first week. Start lower than you think, hold it for a month, and add more once the routine holds and the results say it is worth it.
- What are content pillars?
- A content pillar is a theme you come back to every month, such as behind the scenes, product, customer stories, tips or community. Three to five pillars give the feed variety without losing focus.
- How far ahead should I schedule social media posts?
- Plan the month ahead and schedule at least two weeks ahead, so a slow approval or a sick day never leaves a gap. Keep one or two slots a week open for news and reactive posts.
- Should I post the same content on every network?
- Post the same idea, not the same post. Adapt the copy, length and format to each network: a carousel on Instagram can be a document or a short post on LinkedIn and a thread on Bluesky or Threads.
Plan next month in Posty
Connect your accounts, set your posting times and fill next month’s calendar. Paid plans start with a 7 day trial that needs a card and bills the plan you chose automatically unless you cancel.