There’s no mistaking that social media has become an integral part of marketing a brand, but these days, creating compelling social media content goes beyond simply drafting up a daily post. Great content must be well-researched and carefully tailored.
Whether it’s weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, a strategically planned editorial calendar should be considered the ultimate starting point for any social media development. If you’ve already implemented content calendars into your routine – bravo! If you have yet to jump on board, we offer five reasons why they are an absolute must:
Create well-rounded content. Planning social media content ahead of time gives you the opportunity – er, forces you – to do some research. Rather than re-purposing the first article you come across for the sake of a looming deadline, setting aside time to develop an editorial calendar leaves you more likely to incorporate content that is both well-rounded and relevant.
Never miss an important date. Are you guilty of relying on Facebook for those ever-so-important birthday reminders? (You’re not alone.) While a day-to-day approach to drafting social media content leaves you more likely to miss an important date, holiday or company-related milestone, a social media calendar is a surefire way to ensure all posts are planned accordingly.
Keep dialogue consistent. With social media platforms acting as a direct representation of brands, ensuring that dialogue remains cohesive among channels is crucial. Use editorial calendars as a tool to maintain consistency in tone, dialogue and overall theme when creating content for multiple platforms.
Avoid minor (but oh-so noticeable) mistakes. Simple, careless mistakes are undoubtedly one of the easiest ways to diminish a brand’s credibility. After all, if the quality of your own content is lacking, why should a client trust you with theirs? Creating a content calendar allows for ample proofreading of posts ahead of time – preferably from multiple sets of eyes. It’s a simple task, but often the key to avoiding these frowned-upon errors entirely.
Monitor trends. Social media calendars can prove to be just as useful three months down the line as they were prior to posting. If audience engagement seems to be low, refer back to past calendars to see what’s changed. Compare trends in content and determine what is different, what needs work, and what should always remain a go-to.
Don’t have the time and resources for editorial calendar development? We’d love to help! Drop us a line or give us a call, anytime.