How to plan a month of social media content

A simple way for small businesses to plan a month of Facebook and Instagram posts in an afternoon, with room for whatever comes up.

Start with what is already in the diary

Before you think about content ideas, list what is actually happening next month: events, new products, seasonal moments, closures, deadlines that affect your customers. These are the fixed points, and they will usually give you more to work with than you expect.

Only include awareness days that genuinely connect to your business. A post for a national day that has nothing to do with you rarely adds anything.

Choose three or four content themes

Themes stop every post from being a sales message, and they save you from deciding what to say from scratch. Most small businesses could use a mix like this:

• Helpful: answer a question that customers often ask.
• Behind the scenes: show the people, the process or the premises.
• Proof: share a finished job or a customer story, with their permission.
• Promotion: say clearly what you are selling and how to buy it.

Sketch the month before you write anything

Put the fixed points on a calendar first. Then decide how many posts you can realistically maintain, and fill the gaps from your themes. A short working title for each one is enough at this stage, such as "Meet Dan" or "Boiler service reminder".

Leave some gaps deliberately. Something will happen that you want to share, and you will not want to shuffle the entire plan to make room for it.

Write in batches, and gather photos as you go

Writing posts one at a time is slow because you have to get into the right frame of mind each time. Writing several in one sitting is usually faster, and the voice stays more consistent. Keep a running album of usable photos, and ask your team to add to it.

If you use AI for first drafts, give it real detail and check the output. Dates, prices and claims need a human eye, every time.

Review the plan once a week

A quick look once a week is enough to move what needs moving and fill any gaps. At the end of the month, look at what got a response in your Facebook and Instagram insights, and use that to adjust the next plan.

Frequently asked questions