In 2025, it won’t be enough simply to catch users’ attention on social media — you’ll need to hold it, and do so within the first few seconds. Even the highest-quality, technically flawless content won’t succeed if it doesn’t connect with the audience or meet their expectations.
That’s why having a well-planned and flexible content strategy is essential for every social media specialist.
In this article, I’ll show you how to create a universal content plan template, adapt it specifically for social media, and tailor it to suit your business goals.
What is a content plan and how does it help businesses?
A content plan is more than just a schedule of posts — it’s a tool that helps bring your business strategy to life on social media. Once you’ve developed an SMM strategy, the next step is to create a content plan — a practical document that ensures consistency, continuity, and keeps your focus on business goals.
A content plan helps you to:
- maintain regularity in your posts;
- avoid chaotic, last-minute publishing;
- keep a consistent style and tone of voice (ToV);
- work towards specific objectives.
I use Notion as my main tool for planning and managing content — it’s great for organizing sections and topics, adding text and visuals, tracking status, and scheduling publication dates. This gives me a clear overview and helps me work systematically. For example, when promoting offers like Crusino Casino no deposit bonus codes, having a detailed content plan ensures timely and well-coordinated posts. However, simple tables work perfectly well too. The key is to easily track the structure, responsibilities, and progress of each piece of content at every stage.
Content plan structure
Every content plan should be unique and tailored to your specific business goals and audience needs. There’s no one-size-fits-all template, but some basic elements form the backbone of any content plan:
- content release date;
- section or topic;
- post topic;
- technical specifications for the copywriter, if the texts aren’t written by the SMM specialist;
- text for the post or release;
- photos or videos to be included in the post (I add links to the final materials);
- technical specifications for the designer, if the design isn’t done by the SMM specialist;
- placements (carousel, reels, static posts);
- content creation stage (idea, creation, approval, ready, published);
- person responsible (executor).
We also include a separate column for ERR (Engagement Rate by Reach) — the percentage of the audience that engaged with the post. This data helps us quickly identify which formats and topics perform best and which need to be reviewed.
Stages of creating a content plan
Let’s create a content plan for hair care products together. The first step is to go back to the strategy and research.
We begin by setting business goals. It’s essential to decide exactly what we want to achieve through social media promotion, how these goals fit within the overall business strategy, whether they’re realistic, and the timeframe for achieving them.
Next, we identify the target audience. Here, it’s important to focus on their interests, buying behaviour, common questions, barriers, and triggers. For social media, it’s especially vital to know which platforms your audience uses — whether that’s Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or even LinkedIn. After this stage, it becomes clear where and what exactly we can show to capture and keep the attention of potential customers.
The following step is competitor analysis. The aim isn’t to copy, but to learn from effective formats and trends while identifying a unique selling point. We look into which platforms competitors use, the values and messages they share, how they design their content, and how they engage with their audience.
After this research, we create a rubricator — a content structure that highlights our strengths and sets the brand apart from others in the market.
For a hair care product content plan, the main categories might be:
- Expert content: Tips, ingredient analyses, answers to common questions.
- Product content: Reviews, texture demonstrations, features.
- UGC (User-Generated Content): Customer photos, before-and-after shots, reviews.
- Behind the scenes: The creation process, the team, production.
- Seasonal and situational: Spring care, holiday promotions, trending seasonal topics.
- Brand values: Why we avoid SLS, what ‘clean ingredients’ mean, our philosophy.
I recommend setting the content ratio in your plan straight away. For example: 40% expert, 25% product, 15% trust (UGC), 10% brand values, 10% situational content.
To make this structure work smoothly, you need a comprehensive approach to your social media strategy. That means not only organizing content by topic but also developing a visual style that supports your brand positioning, alongside the tools to implement your plan. This will help keep your communication consistent and effectively showcase the brand’s advantages.
Once that’s done, you can move on to the fifth step — filling out the content plan:
- Decide on the ideal frequency of posts;
- Set dates and times for publication;
- Assign topics to specific days of the week;
- Develop topics and note key messages;
- Plan the visual format;
- Assign responsibilities;
- Monitor post performance.
Tracking the effectiveness of publications
Tracking publication effectiveness involves understanding which content categories get the most engagement, when your audience is most active, which formats best achieve your goals, and more.
Based on this data, you can then update your content plan for future periods.
What could be the structure of a content plan
Let’s return to the example of a skincare brand and develop it using real data and insights. I don’t have a one-size-fits-all formula, but I do have practical step-by-step tips that work.
Suppose our brand is new and not yet well known on the market. In this case, our first goal is to raise awareness, and the main KPI for measuring success will be reach.
After research, we discover that our audience is active on Instagram, especially watching videos on Reels and saving tip-filled carousels. Facebook, however, is barely used.
Therefore, it makes sense to focus on Instagram rather than spreading resources too thinly across multiple platforms.
Here are a few key things to consider at this stage:
- Visual format (for Instagram — vertical Reels, informative carousels);
- Text style (how we speak to our audience, our tone of voice and how it adapts across platforms);
- Emotional hook — since users’ attention lasts only a few seconds.
During research, you might also uncover common questions from your audience, such as ‘Does it weigh down hair?’ or ‘Is it suitable for colored hair?’ These aren’t just content ideas, but crucial clues for positioning the product correctly.
From competitor analysis, we see that most brands communicate in a formal ‘expert’ style. If you choose to focus on sincerity, lightness, and ‘real-life stories,’ that will become your strategic advantage. This approach should be clearly visible in your content.
Next, you create a rubric based on your brand goals and the target audience’s characteristics. Here are some rubrics I would recommend for a skincare brand:
Expert
- Purpose: Build trust and explain benefits.
- Formats: Carousels, Reels, story series.
- Example topics:
- Why shampoo is only the first step in hair care
- How to combine a mask and conditioner properly
- Five reasons why hair becomes brittle and what to do about it
Product
- Purpose: Showcase the product range and its benefits.
- Formats: Short posts, video reviews, guides.
- Example topics:
- What makes our lightening serum special
- Keratin cream that doesn’t weigh hair down: myth or fact?
- How to choose products for porous hair
Trust and UGC
- Purpose: Provide social proof and address objections.
- Formats: Before and after photos, screenshots of reviews, customer videos.
- Example topics:
- 14 days of using the serum — before and after results
- How we chose our post-color care routine
- What customers think about the scent of our products
Seasonal and Situational
- Purpose: Stay relevant and connect to real life.
- Formats: Reels, guides, stories.
- Example topics:
- Spring detox for hair after winter
- Three products you should definitely take on holiday
- Hair care during vitamin deficiency: which formulas to add
Behind the Scenes
- Purpose: Show the human side of the brand, its values and uniqueness.
- Formats: Photo dumps, interviews, videos from production.
- Example topics:
- How we choose ingredients: an honest story from our technologist
- Why we don’t use SLS or SLES
- Three facts you didn’t know about our brand
Photo dump — a series of photos, often varied, posted together as a carousel or gallery on social media (usually Instagram). These photos aren’t perfect but ‘live’ — emotional or atmospheric shots without heavy editing or retouching, capturing backstage moments, the team, the office, production, and work processes.
Interactive and Community
- Purpose: Engage your audience, build closeness, and encourage two-way communication.
- Formats: Surveys, ‘guess the product’ games, truth or myth quizzes.
- Example topics:
- How often do you wash your hair?
- Keratin is only for damaged hair — truth or myth?
- Guess the product from the description (win a sample!)
Since the brand is new, the main goal is to introduce the audience to its story, product range, and values. At this stage in the funnel, users aren’t yet familiar with the brand, so it’s crucial to gradually build trust and explain why this product deserves their attention.
Weekly Content Plan
Important tips for planning:
- Consider seasonality and timely events — include professional holidays, trends, and key dates.
- Plan in blocks — group posts into thematic series for a deeper dive into topics.
- Leave space for spontaneity — reserve 10–15% of your content to respond to current events.
- Think about the stage of the sales funnel — create content for attracting, converting, and retaining customers.
- Align content with other activities — coordinate with advertising campaigns, events, and promotions.
Adapting content to different platforms
The same content doesn’t perform equally well across all social networks. To get the best results, it’s crucial to adapt how you present your message — even if the core content stays the same. Here are a few simple tips to help you do this without overcomplicating things.
First and foremost, make sure your message is conveyed clearly, taking into account the unique style and audience of each platform.
Choose formats that work best in each environment:
- Instagram: Short, lively texts without complicated phrases or jargon.
- TikTok: Emotional, authentic videos featuring popular sounds and trends.
- LinkedIn: Professional stories with clear conclusions, real-life case studies, company news or updates, plus expert analysis or business insights.
- Facebook: Meaningful, detailed posts paired with straightforward content formats.
It’s useful to break down your content plan by platform — either using separate tabs or templates tailored to each social network’s requirements.
Don’t reinvent the wheel every time. Take one core message and adjust it for the platform while keeping your tone of voice consistent. This is far easier than trying to come up with a brand-new idea each day.
Summary
- A content plan helps you put your brand strategy into action and work steadily towards your business goals.
- It’s built around your objectives, understanding of the audience, and competitor analysis.
- The plan’s structure includes sections, topics, formats, placements, people responsible, and performance metrics.
- It should be flexible, reflecting the unique demands of platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
- Regularly analyzing performance lets you refine your content and improve your approach.
- A content plan works best when integrated with your wider marketing activities and updated as your audience and goals evolve.
- A content plan is not just a box to tick — it’s the core tool for any social media specialist.
- It keeps you organized, helps you work methodically, and makes it possible to measure success.
- Create one adaptable template and tailor it to any brand, product, or social channel.
