Scheduling time to post on social media every single day at the optimal time isn’t always the most efficient or practical way to work in real estate. Still, anyone can find an hour here or there to plan ahead and pre-schedule enough content to keep your online marketing efforts rolling. A content calendar comes in handy keeping the machine running. Once the template is set up, cut, paste, and schedule your social media posts. You’ll feel confident knowing content is there and still have the flexibility to adjust as needed.

How to set up a content calendar

Calendars are customizable, but the basics are the same. The content calendar must state the content’s scheduled post date and time, note the social platform to publish, and have space for the actual content. Beyond this basic information, adjust the formatting and color code to your heart’s desire.

There are different ways to set up a calendar depending on the number of networks you have and what software you use. Set-up additionally varies by the number of posts you plan to create. Less content to post? A monthly calendar may work better than a weekly calendar.

Google Sheets is an easy way to create a collaborative content calendar. Excel and Spreadsheets work fine, too. You may prefer using an actual Calendar program, like Google Calendar.

Here’s some suggestions on different ways to set up a content schedule for real estate.

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Single platform by the month

A pretty simple format. If you’re only posting on Facebook or Twitter once a day, this works wonderfully. Each tab represents a different month, with the most current tab first. Hide the months when you’re done.

Make columns for date, time, the actual post content and a link. Say you want to hit certain topics with your content, like “area promo,” “market update,” or “seller tips.” Add a column to track these topics.

Multi-Platform by the Week

If you plan to post to several platforms with varying frequency, a weekly format better tracks your content. Aid organization by color-coding by the social platforms. Earmark days of the week in row. Columns note the date, time, platform, topic, content, and link. This format helps prevent copying the same text onto every platform.

Alternatively, create a different tab for every social platform. You’ll still to set up the spreadsheet for days of week, posting time, topic, content, and link. This format risks copying the same content over between social networks.

Blogging-only content calendar

Planning on only using a blog for now? Keep it simple. A single spreadsheet for the entire year can track the date of publication and the topic. A separate tab is great for brainstorming topics and storing good ideas.

How far in advance should you schedule content?

This depends on what, when, and where you are posting. For a blogging-only scenario, planning three months ahead is about as far as needed. It provides plenty of room for flexibility. For multiple platforms, think 2-3 weeks in advance. This gives you time to use fresher content. Sometimes I plan 4-5 weeks in advance, but highlight open holes where I can fill in great content as I find it. The real estate market is always changing, so sometimes I move content around to keep the best content popping up first.

When using a content calendar, remember it’s about what works for you. One format make work for one individual but completely confuse another. Just keep it clear and concise. Adjust as necessary and set aside some time to review it at least once a month, if not more.