The Top 3 Reasons Why You Should Absolutely Be Using a Social Media Content Calendar

Have you ever felt like you’re running around with your hair on fire trying to figure out what to post on social media?

You’re not alone. In fact, content production is the biggest challenge for 44 percent of marketers (Neil Patel). 

Let’s be real: Writer’s block is a very tangible phenomenon, and if you’re like our social media team here at OpticTour, you likely have lots of other projects to worry about as well.

But employing the use of a social media content calendar is a fantastic way to help take some of the stress off your shoulders so you can create effective content without having to lift a finger (well, you’ll have to lift some fingers up front, but you won’t have to worry about doing it every day you need to post).

Social Media Content Calendars: What Are They?

A social media content calendar is essentially just a tool for mapping and scheduling out all your social media posts.

Sixty-three percent of businesses actually don’t have a documented strategy, which means they resort to creating content on the fly without much of a plan (Social Pilot).

But when businesses do have a documented content marketing plan, their content marketing endeavors become incredibly effective — just ask the 53 percent of marketers who say so (Content Marketing Institute).

Still not convinced? Here’s three more reasons to help you see the light.

Reason No. 1: Saves You Time

Instead of wasting time every day worrying about what to post, you can spend a couple hours up front creating content that lasts a lifetime. Well, probably no more than a month or so, but the time you save yourself down the line is more than worth the mention.

You can use that extra time to focus on other important endeavors, like tracking your data, taking note of what dates and times your content does best and the type of content your followers interact with most, and also making the necessary efforts to send that interaction back the other way.

In addition, everyone on your team will be able to view your content calendar so they always know what’s going on. No more repeating yourself ten times to make sure everyone gets the message — just get them a copy of the calendar, and spend your time doing something more productive.

And with all this extra time, you can turn your focus to large-scale social media tactics, like running ad campaigns, hosting a contest or a giveaway, or looking for influencers to help grow your brand even more. 

Since all your organic content is taken care of, who knows what alternative routes you’ll be able to take now that you’ve got the time and space to take them!

Reason No. 2: Helps You Stay Organized

Your content calendar can be as simple or complex as you need it to be. You can clearly visualize your short- and long-term goals all in one place, and you’ll also be able to ensure a consistent posting rate.

When it comes to social media, consistency is key. And when you use a content calendar, you’ll never forget to post because you’ve already mapped everything out.

In addition, you’ll be able to spend more time proofreading and tweaking your content so it’s as effective as possible, and you can also tailor your posts to each specific platform for maximum effect.

Reason No. 3: Allows You to Incorporate Posts on Essential Dates

There are lots of different essential dates you’ll likely want to create a post for. Whether it’s Halloween, Thanksgiving, or a social media holiday, you’ll always ensure you have a post going out when you use a social media content calendar.

Content Calendar Options

Now that you understand just how much a social media content calendar can help you out, here’s a couple different places you can turn to if you’re ready to get started.

• Qebot (We here at OpticTour use Qebot, and we absolutely love it!)
• Sprout Social 
• Hootsuite
• Edit Flow (This one’s free!)

Thanks for Reading!

Of course, another great way to take the stress off your shoulders when it comes to posting on social media is to outsource it to a digital marketing agency like our team here at OpticTour.

We have years of experience guiding various types of businesses’ social media efforts to fruition, and we’d love to do the same for you!

Whenever you’re ready, you can schedule a time to get in touch with us by heading to our contact form.