How to create a launch content calendar for social media

Creating a social media content calendar for your launch can make all the difference. It doesn’t only keep your posts organized – it also keeps your messaging consistent, your audience excited, and you can track what works to make necessary adjustments. A well-planned calendar can save you time, reduce stress, and give you a clear roadmap to follow as you prepare for your launch. In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to build an effective social media content calendar that aligns with your launch goals and sets you up for success.

Pre-launch preparation

Determine your launch timeline

Before creating content, you need to map out the timeline for your launch. Determine the key dates: pre-launch, launch week (opening and closing day), and post-launch. This will serve as the backbone of your content calendar, making sure every post aligns with the different phases of your launch.

• Pre-launch phase: Depending on how well you’ve nurtured your audience, this can be a few weeks just to build awareness and excitement, or much longer to educate & grow your audience. You can build awareness and excitement with:
  • Teaser posts about the upcoming launch
  • Behind-the-scenes clips or photos
  • Engaging stories or reels
  • Countdown posts
  • Educative posts related to your product
• Launch: This can be a few days, a week, or sometimes even longer (but I recommend no longer than 2 weeks). This is all about driving conversions with:
  • Announcements of your product/course launch
  • Success stories and testimonials
  • Special offers or limited-time discounts
  • Live Q&A sessions
  • Clear call-to-action posts
• Post-launch phase: Focuses on nurturing and engaging your new customers and followers while keeping the momentum going with:
  • Posts encouraging signing up for the waitlist for next time
  • Updates/next steps for those who did and those who didn’t sign up
  • Early wins, success stories, and testimonials

Use these 25 launch post ideas for digital products as inspiration for your posts in each phase.

Identify your social media platforms

Next, choose the social media platforms that best align with your audience and goals.

Are your ideal clients more active on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or LinkedIn?

Each platform has its strengths, and knowing where your audience spends their time will help you customize your content effectively. Focusing your efforts on the right platforms ensures you’re hitting where it matters most, rather than spreading yourself too thin across too many channels.

Gather your resources

Preparation makes for a smooth launch. Gather all the resources you’ll need ahead of time. This includes images, videos, captions, hashtags, and any other media that will support your content. Having everything ready makes it easier to fill in your calendar and avoid last-minute scrambles. Organize these assets in a central location, like a dedicated folder or project management tool, to streamline the content creation process.

Planning your content

Timing your posts

To make the most impact, you need to know when and how often to post on each platform. Different social media platforms have peak times when your audience is most likely to be active and engaged. The best timing depends on your specific audience, so if you have been posting already, use your Audience Insights to find the best times for you. During your launch:

• Pre-launch phase: Post 3-4 times a week to build up awareness and excitement.
• Launch week: Post at least once a day to gain momentum and drive conversions.
• Post-launch phase: Get back to posting 3-4 times a week, focusing on nurturing your new followers and maintaining engagement.

Types of content to include

No matter the phase, mix up your content types to keep things interesting for your audience. Here are some types to consider for your social media content calendar:

• Promotional posts: Announcements, special offers, and product highlights.
• Educational posts: Tips, how-tos, FAQs, and industry insights.
• Behind-the-scenes: Sneak peeks, production processes, and team stories.
• Engagement posts: Polls, questions, contests, and user-generated content.
• Visual content: High-quality images, infographics, and videos.
• Live content: Live Q&A sessions, webinars, and real-time updates.

Check out 25 launch post ideas for digital products for specific content ideas for each phase.

By strategically planning your content buckets and types, you’ll ensure a steady stream of engaging posts that resonate with your audience and support your launch goals.

Tools to build your calendar

Creating your social media content calendar will be easier with the right tools. Here are my favorite tools that can help you stay organized and efficient:

• ClickUp: A project management tool that lets you create tasks, set deadlines, and collaborate with your team. But even if you’re solo, it’s great for managing your content workflow and mapping out your content calendar visually.
• Airtable: Another great tool for building your content calendar. Airtable is a database tool that allows you to create a customized calendar view and keep track of all your content pieces in an organized manner.
• PlannThat: This tool helps you schedule posts in advance, so you don’t have to worry about posting manually every day. Plus, it’s super easy to use and has everything you need to streamline your scheduling.

How to automate your posts

Automating your social media posts can save you a lot of time and help you post consistently. Here’s how to get started:

Choose a social media scheduler: Select a tool that fits your needs and budget. I love PlannThat for scheduling my social posts. It can schedule Instagram posts, carousels, reels, and stories, as well as schedule to Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Connect your social accounts: Link your social media accounts to the scheduler to streamline the posting process.

In PlannThat, simply click the social platform you want to connect and follow the steps.

Schedule your posts: Use the scheduler to plan and schedule your posts in advance. Choose the date and time for each post and whether you want it to auto-publish or not.

Monitor performance: Even with automation, it’s important to keep an eye on how your posts are performing. Make adjustments based on what’s working and what isn’t. Regularly track engagement, analyze metrics, and identify patterns in your data to refine your content strategy and improve future posts.

Monitoring and adjusting

Once your content is scheduled, it’s important to monitor your social media performance and make necessary adjustments. Here are some steps to follow:

• Track engagement: Keep an eye on likes, comments, shares, and other engagement metrics to see how your audience is responding.
• Analyze metrics: Use analytics tools provided by social media platforms or third-party tools to get insights into your post performance.
• Make adjustments: If certain types of content or posting times are performing better, adjust your future posts accordingly.
• Stay flexible: While a content calendar is a guide, it’s important to remain flexible and make changes as needed based on real-time feedback and performance.

By using the right tools and techniques, you can streamline your social media management, keep your strategy consistent, and make informed adjustments to maximize your launch success.

Best practices

Create consistent branding

Consistency in your branding helps create a cohesive and professional look across all your social media platforms. Use your brand’s colors and fonts in your post graphics. This doesn’t mean every post has to look identical, but they should all feel like they’re part of the same story. Consistent branding makes your content instantly recognizable and strengthens your brand identity.

Engage with your audience

It’s important to respond to comments, messages, and mentions. Show genuine interest in your audience’s questions and feedback. This builds trust AND increases the visibility of your posts. Remember, social media is a two-way street, so take the time to connect with your followers.

Plan for user-generated content

Encourage your audience to create and share content related to your launch. User-generated content provides social proof and generates authentic engagement.

For example, you can create an IG Story graphic that your audience can use on their accounts to share that they joined, why they joined, and what their goals are.

This not only promotes your course but also builds community and engagement.

Schedule regular reviews

It’s important to regularly review your social media strategy and content calendar to keep everything on track. Review your data to see what’s working and what isn’t. Make necessary adjustments to your calendar, brainstorm new content ideas, and stay aligned with your overall launch goals.

Maintain flexibility

While having a content calendar provides structure, it’s important to stay flexible. Be prepared to adjust your content as needed. If you notice a certain type of post performing well, consider creating more of that content. Flexibility allows you to be responsive to your audience.

Get the Social Media Launch Toolkit

Creating a social media content calendar for your launch can make all the difference. It helps keep your posts organized, your messaging consistent, and your audience engaged—all while allowing you to make necessary adjustments based on real-time data. By planning your timeline, choosing the right platforms, gathering your resources, and using tools to schedule and automate your posts, you’ll have everything you need for a successful launch.

If you’re looking to streamline the process even further, take a look at the Social Media Launch Toolkit. It has 50 caption templates for every phase of your launch, 200+ Canva templates, a guide on how to adjust caption templates to different platforms, and suggested posting schedules so you know what to post when.