A content plan is a schedule of content publication in table format. Content plans are most commonly used for creating social media posts, but can also be used on other platforms, such as a blog on a website or YouTube. A high-quality content plan should contain all the general information about future posts, including the place, time and date of publication, type of content, theme and post content. Typically, the document is created for a period of several weeks to a month.
The content plan organizes the work of the manager responsible for publishing posts. With the document in hand, the manager does not have to think every time about what to publish. They always know when and what post should appear, without missing the publication time. This approach allows for strategic planning for the development of a company's page:
- the manager responsible for social media can evenly distribute content, alternating between different types of posts;
- regular publications help to develop the page and keep it in the users' field of vision;
- different types of content can be used and their effectiveness can be compared;
- the company's page takes on a tidy appearance and the content becomes more uniform;
- the company will never face a situation where there is nothing to post.
When developing a content plan, it is essential to understand the interests of the target audience. Look at which publications have been successful in terms of likes, reposts, comments, or traffic. Then create a list of topics that would potentially be interesting to users. Based on these topics, briefly outline future publications. Content is generally divided into four categories:
- selling — content directly related to your products and services. Such posts usually tell about company promotions, discounts, new arrivals, and other special offers;
- informational — content that tells about the company's news and any other useful information related to you. For example, tips for using or choosing products;
- entertaining — content on abstract topics related to humor, for the audience's mood;
- engaging — contests, Q&A sessions, and other content that makes users leave comments, repost, and interact with the company.
Make sure that the content plan includes different categories of content. Then decide on the frequency of posts. Posts should be published regularly, but not too often, so as not to fill up the user's feed. You can also prepare images in advance for publication. Record your decisions in the content plan and work accordingly in the future.
