Now all your elements are ready to launch your social media plan! You just have to put your posts online. It's easy, but it still takes a little bit of organization if you want to do it optimally.
Get Approval
One or more people can be approval managers. It could be you or different stakeholders who will approve the content. Stakeholders could include the marketing or communications manager or the product or brand manager (for specific content).
You have two options to keep the posts on time:
Prepare them in advance so you have some time for approval: it's essential to plan a publication date and time beyond content approval. It avoids the classic situation of having to postpone a publication date indefinitely.
Be able to have ultra-reactive approval, using, for example, a "social room." It means having a fewer number of necessary approvals (often only one) and extended availability. As for the first option, there's a plan B. For example, if you don't get feedback within 10 minutes, the CM can publish.
In any case, you must have a straightforward approval process, including a backup plan, and share it with anyone who may:
Create content.
Approve content.
Of course, over time and with confidence, the backup plan may become the norm. Managers have access to a pre-publication schedule. If they don't revise the content or offer feedback, publish it.
They can sign off on a shared document or at more formal meetings where everyone is present. In the case of an emergency, they can approve a concept by phone, but this doesn't allow precise feedback on the editorial content.
Create a Content Calendar
The editorial calendar is also called the publication or content calendar. It gathers together all of the publications planned for a given period. Depending on the subjects and the brand's connection to current events, this may cover short periods (daily or weekly) or longer (monthly or quarterly).
Even if you have an established editorial calendar, it should be flexible. You have to adjust according to the news and other unexpected events.
Use the Right Tools
It can take the form of a shared spreadsheet, like Google Sheets, which can be accessed using a publishing tool (e.g., Hootsuite, Buffer, Sprinklr, or Agorapulse).
You can also use a collaborative tool like Trello. It allows you to assign tasks to your collaborators (tag your manager for approval, for example) and add deadlines.
But some networks offer native solutions: Twitter with TweetDeck, or rough drafts using its application; Facebook with its publication tool, or its Page Manager application.
In general, it's faster and more convenient to use each network directly, rather than third-party applications.
But if your organization requires multiple levels of approval, includes several brands, networks, and markets, it may be worth using tools. These generally offer a trial period: test them, and see which one you and your collaborators like the most.
Nothing can replace a good test! For example, open an unreferenced page on Facebook or private accounts on Twitter or Instagram. It will allow you to see how your content looks to a user. Is your image cropped correctly? Does your tweet line up in the right place? You will know for sure with this test account.
Let's Recap!
Organizing content is less fun and creative but is very important.
Be sure to have a straight-forward approval process like a social room.
Prepare 50-60% of your content in advance, leaving room for some spontaneity.
Try to use a shared spreadsheet or collaborative tools that all stakeholders have access to.
Publish your content on a test account to ensure all elements (like color, sound, and text) are in order.
Are your approval paths defined? Does your CM know what his/her degree of freedom will be? Do you know what tools to start working with? Perfect! We can move on to talking about goal tracking.
