Key takeaways
- Choose two platforms you can sustain over six, and a rhythm you can actually keep.
- Plan around four or five content pillars so you never face a blank page.
- Batch the work weekly and review the numbers monthly, then adjust.
Step 1: Choose two platforms
Pick the platforms where your customers already spend time. LinkedIn suits B2B and professional services. Instagram suits food, retail, education, real estate and anything visual. Facebook still reaches local audiences well. Two done properly beat five done badly.
Step 2: Define four or five content pillars
Pillars are the themes you return to. Each one gives you a long list of ideas. For an agency like ours they might be explainers on search, local visibility, paid media, websites and social media, plus a pillar for the team and clients. For your business they might be:
- Expert tips that solve a common problem
- Answers to the questions customers ask most
- Behind the scenes and your team
- Customer stories and results, shared with permission
- Offers and news
Step 3: Set a rhythm you can keep
Consistency matters more than volume. Decide how many posts you can create each week without cutting corners, and hold to it. Three to five posts a week across two platforms is a sensible range for a small team.
Step 4: Build the calendar
A calendar needs only a few columns. Here is a sample week you can copy:
| Day | Platform | Pillar | Format | Idea |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Expert tip | Carousel | Five checks before you hire an agency | |
| Tuesday | Behind the scenes | Reel | A day in the office | |
| Wednesday | Customer question | Text post | “How long does SEO take?” answered honestly | |
| Thursday | Expert tip | Carousel | Three mistakes on a Google Business Profile | |
| Friday | Offer or news | Image | New service or a seasonal reminder |
Add a column for the status of each post, such as idea, drafted, approved and scheduled, so you can see at a glance what needs attention.
Step 5: Batch the work
- Pick one time a week to write captions and design visuals for all the posts.
- Gather photos and short clips as they happen during the week.
- Schedule everything for the week in one sitting, using the platform’s own scheduler or Meta Business Suite.
- Spend ten minutes each day replying to comments and messages.
Step 6: Review monthly and adjust
Once a month, look at reach, engagement, profile visits, website clicks and enquiries. Keep the two pillars and formats that did best and replace the weakest. Do not judge by followers alone. They are the easiest number to see and the least connected to sales.
Common mistakes
- Planning more than you can produce, then stopping.
- Only posting offers, so the feed reads as an advert.
- Ignoring comments and messages, which are your best sales leads.
- Copying the same post to every platform without adjusting it.
- Giving up before three months of steady posting.
Our social media marketing service handles planning, design, posting and replies if you would rather focus on running the business.