With the fierce competition for people’s attention on social media, a lack of a solid plan spells disaster. You can’t just post content and hope your audience will love it.
What you need is a detailed strategic playbook—a social media plan that covers every aspect, including target audience, content strategy, workflows, data analysis, and more.
If you’re unsure how to create a social media plan, we’ve got you covered. We’ve prepared templates and examples you can use to get your plan ready in no time.
What is a Social Media Plan?
A social media plan lays out all the essential information needed to successfully build and market your brand on social networks.
It’s your playbook or blueprint that specifies the strategies, processes, and steps to achieve your social media goals. It also sets the guidelines or metrics to measure and assess the success of your social media strategies.
A social media plan typically covers the following information:
- Social media channels to be used (e.g., LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram)
- Goals and motivations (e.g., gain new followers, improve community engagement, increase website traffic)
- Social media marketing tactics
- Target audience profile
- Content strategy and calendar
- Delegation of duties and responsibilities
- Social media policies and guidelines
- Key performance indicators
- Social performance audit
To prepare your plan, you might need multiple documents in which you write the information specified above. The documents don’t need to be fancy—what matters is that the information is detailed and well thought out.
12 Social Media Plan Templates for All Businesses
There’s no strict guideline on how a social media plan should be made. You decide what information to include and how to present it.
However, the plan must be well-structured to reflect your ideas and visions properly. If you want to share it with your teammates, they should easily understand your plan.
To give you an idea of what a strong social media plan looks like, refer to our social media plan templates below, which are perfect for any brand.
1. Business Visions and Tactics Social Media Plan Template
This plan bridges your business objectives to your social media goals. It includes your business visions for a particular period and then outlines how they translate into social media goals. Moreover, the plan details how to achieve and measure the success of these goals.
Business Visions |
Social Media Goals |
Metrics and Indicators |
Tactics |
Brand Growth |
Enhance Brand Social Presence |
- Followers' count
- Post likes, comments, and shares
- Increased post reach
|
-Consistent content posting
-Leverage personalities and influencers
-Consider UGC
|
Boost leads and sales |
Increase social media conversions |
- Website traffic outbound from social media
- Website/email sign-ups
|
- Improve CTAs
- Incorporate landing page links organically to posts.
|
In this example, the business aspires to grow. This can be achieved by enhancing the brand’s social presence (i.e., people’s awareness of the brand’s social media persona). Metrics such as followers’ count and post likes can be used to measure the brand's social presence. To achieve this goal, tactics include consistent content posting and influencer marketing.
2. Comprehensive Social Media Campaign Plan Template
This plan details a specific social media campaign, including significant dates, links to essential resources, and the brand’s call to action.
Campaign Objective |
Improve brand followers by 25% over the next 3 months |
Social Media Platform(s) |
Twitter and LinkedIn |
Start Date |
09-01-2024 |
End Date |
12-31-2024 |
Call-To-Action |
"Let your audience hear your voice; visit our website and try our services." |
Link to Campaign Content Calendar |
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1234567890abcdefgh/edit?usp=sharing |
Link to Campaign Digital Assets |
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1234567890abcdefgh?usp=sharing |
Pre-Campaign Promotion Dates |
Tease campaign on social media: 2023-08-15 to 2024-08-28 |
Metrics |
Follower count |
3. Social Media Customer Persona Plan Template
This plan requires in-depth research of your potential customers. Your goal here is to define your “ideal customers” on social media according to several attributes.
Here’s a sample customer persona profile for a handmade jewelry brand:
Age: |
18 to 40 years old |
Location: |
Urban areas in the United States and Canada |
Job role / Occupation |
Students and young professionals |
Primary social media platform(s) |
Facebook, Instagram |
Device used |
Mobile phone, laptop, desktop |
Engagement patterns |
Likes, comments, and shares |
Your next marketing move must be tailored to your defined customer persona.
4. Social Media Content Plan Template
This is a comprehensive schedule of your future social media content posts. It’s usually a calendar that includes information about your upcoming content.
Think of it as a planner with a chronological timeline of your planned post. It contains all the pertinent information needed to successfully publish your content in the future.
April 2024 - Social Media Content Plan |
Platform |
Date |
Time |
Post Copy |
Link to Visual Attachments |
Twitter |
04/01/2024 |
11:00 AM |
It's April Fool's, but our offers are no joke! |
https://tinyurl.com/abc123xy |
LinkedIn |
04/02/2024 |
11:00 AM |
#TuesdayTips To Keep You Winning |
https://tinyurl.com/yz987wxy |
LinkedIn |
04/03/2024 |
2:00 PM |
Check out our latest promos today |
https://tinyurl.com/bcd012bb |
Twitter |
04/04/2024 |
2:30 PM |
Join us in today's #ThrowbackThursday |
https://tinyurl.com/abc156zq |
Twitter |
04/05/2024 |
4:30 PM |
Yay! Tomorrow's a Weekend |
https://tinyurl.com/qbc456zz |
Use HighPerformr’s social media calendar to stay on top of your posting schedule.
5. Product Launch Social Media Plan Template
Get your audience hyped for your next product launch. This plan provides a comprehensive guide to introducing your latest product to your target audience with a detailed timeline and analysis approach.
Objective |
- Launch the company's latest cloud-based CRM tool
- Encourage product pre-orders and sign-ups
|
Key Platforms |
- Facebook
- Instagram
- TikTok
- Twitter
- YouTube
|
Milestone Dates |
- Pre-launch marketing: 07/25/2024-08/08/2024
- Launch Date: 08/09/2024
- Post-launch marketing: 08/10/2024 - 08/31/2024
|
Posting Cadence |
- 3 to 4 image/short video posts per week
- 1 long-form video per 2 weeks
|
Content Strategy |
- Highlight product details, features, and benefits in a series of posts and videos.
- Use influencer marketing for pre-launch
- Host a product launch livestream
- Limited pre-order discounts
|
Main KPIs |
- Conversion Rate
- Post engagements (likes, comments, shares)
|
6. Social Media Budget Plan Template
It’s crucial to check your budget to ensure the smooth execution of your social media plan. This plan lets you estimate the overall budget necessary for your social media marketing.
|
Estimated Monthly Budget Allocation |
Share To Monthly Total Budget |
Content Creation |
Copywriter |
$100 |
8% |
Graphic Designer |
$100 |
8% |
Video Editor |
$250 |
21% |
Paid Advertising |
Facebook Ads |
$100 |
8% |
Instagram Ads |
$150 |
13% |
Influencer/Content Creator Partnerships |
$500 |
42% |
TOTAL |
$1200 |
~100% |
7. Social Media Performance Audit Template
This one requires some self-awareness. Evaluate your current performance (based on several metrics) and consider how you can improve your current strategies. Review each social network you use and assess whether they perform well in terms of your objectives.
Platform: Instagram Handle: @skylinemarketer |
|
Current Performance |
Benchmark |
Total Followers |
35,000 |
40,000 |
Average Monthly Follower Growth Rate |
8.5% |
12% |
Average Reaction Per Post (Average Total Likes, Shares per Post) |
4200 |
5000 |
Average Comment Per Post |
121 |
500 |
Top Performing Content |
Short-form videos, infographics, memes |
Top Content Approach |
1 to 2 posts per week |
Remark |
Follower growth and engagements are on an upward trajectory but can be further improved. Produce content that encourages conversations to boost comments. Continue posting top-performing content types. |
8. Social Media Multiple Channel Management Template
Managing multiple social networks is no easy task. To keep everything under control, you can use this centralized plan to track content schedules and task delegation across platforms.
Platform |
Topic |
Content Type |
Call-to-Action |
Assigned To |
Status |
LinkedIn |
10 Tips for Effective Startup Marketing |
Blog |
Connect with us today to plan your next marketing strategy |
Social media team |
Done |
Twitter |
Client Testimonial |
Post Thread |
Sign up now and work on your marketing strategy with us. |
Social media team |
In progress |
Use HighPerformr’s multiple automation features to seamlessly post across multiple networks.
9. Social Media Content Planner and Tracker Template
This plan gives you a bird’s-eye view of the progress of your planned content. It lets you track the status of your content from conceptualization to live publication.
Platform |
Idea/Concept |
In progress |
Editing |
Published |
All platforms |
How to increase your leads? (August 12, 2024) |
Using SEO for digital marketing (August 9, 2024) |
Social media marketing for startups (August 15, 2024) |
8 best social media platforms for lead generation (July 28, 2024) |
LinkedIn, Twitter |
8 best AI copywriting tools (August 14, 2024) |
What is social media prospecting? (August 11, 2024) |
Top 5 tools for digital marketers (August 18, 2024) |
Why does digital marketing matter today? (August 3, 2024) |
LinkedIn |
5 CRM tools for any business (August 15, 2024) |
5 game-changing email add-ons (August 13, 2024) |
How to stay productive in the virtual world? (August 21, 2024) |
Product launch live stream (August 5, 2024) |
10. Social Media Strategy Plan Template
This template breaks down every step of your overall strategy and outlines the expected time frame. This plan keeps you on track to achieve crucial milestones in social media marketing.
|
Task |
Time Frame |
Done? |
Stage 1: Research |
Determine Target Audience |
July 15, 2024 - July 21, 2024 |
✔ |
Perform competitive analysis |
July 21, 2024 - July 26, 20 |
✔ |
Perform social listening |
July 28, 2024 - August 5, 2024 |
✔ |
Review existing accounts |
August 6, 2024 - August 8, 2024 |
✔ |
Stage 2: Plan and Strategize |
Set objectives |
August 10, 2024 - August 12, 2024 |
✔ |
Determine KPIs and metrics |
August 13, 2024 - August 15, 2024 |
✔ |
Prepare content calendar |
August 18, 2024 - August 22, 2024 |
In progress |
11. Comprehensive Social Media Approach Plan Template
This template consolidates all important aspects of a social media strategy—audience, content, metrics, goals, etc. It is an amalgamation of the previous templates.
|
Audience |
The "entrepreneur" persona |
Targets and Objectives |
Goals |
Lead Generation Brand Awareness |
Platform |
LinkedIn |
Content Strategy |
Content Types |
How-To Guides Educational Articles Pre-Made Templates Tips and Tricks for Beginners |
Content Velocity |
2-3x/day Ideally, every M, W, F |
Engagement Style |
Straightforward, friendly, professional Use CTA on every post |
Measurement |
KPIs |
Follower growth Post engagements |
Resources |
Data Source |
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1234567890abcdefghij/edit?usp=sharing |
Images and Videos |
https://drive.google.com/file/d/2234557890abcdefghij/view?usp=sharing |
12. 30-day Social Media Plan Template
Reaching social media success in a mere 30 days might seem impossible. However, you may witness significant growth in your online presence and marketing by accomplishing one goal per day.
Of course, your daily tasks must be attainable, realistic, and measurable to make this plan effective.
Day 1 Define business objectives |
Day 2 Translate objectives to social media goals |
Day 3 Identify KPIs and metrics |
Day 4 Perform SWOT analysis |
Day 5 Perform competitive analysis |
Day 6 Run social audit |
Day 7 Review audit results |
Day 8 Define your brand voice and persona |
Day 9 Build a strong online profile |
Day 10 Determine your target audience |
Day 11 Perform social listening |
Day 12 Research popular keywords |
Day 13 Identify current trends, topics, and conversations |
Day 14 Conceptualize content ideas |
Day 15 Solicit content ideas from other teams |
Day 16 Consolidate content ideas |
Day 17 Prepare a content calendar |
Day 18 Delegate content creation tasks and responsibilities |
Day 19 Prepare resources for content creation |
Day 20 Start content creation |
Day 21 Improve and polish content created |
Day 22 Publish content |
Day 23 Optimize content visibility |
Day 24 Engage with audience |
Day 25 Monitor content performance |
Day 26 Assess performance based on benchmark |
Day 27 Determine opportunities for improvement |
Day 28 Prepare a social media report |
Day 29 Review the current strategy for revision |
Day 30 Prepare for the next 30-day cycle |
Get Your Social Media Plan Into Action With HighPerformr
Turn your actionable plan into reality with HighPerformr’s innovative features for an impactful social media presence:
- Social AI: Use AI to produce high-quality posts based on your ideas and keywords and let it track trends to understand your audience better.
- Post Templates: Post high-quality content consistently with our ready-made template for different purposes.
- Analytics: Measure success and social media ROI with our high-caliber analytics tools.
Achieve social media excellence. Try HighPerformr’s free features today.