How to save time planning & creating social media content

Between searching the trending topic, finding the right picture, crafting a meaningful caption, and adding hashtags, the clock could start ticking faster. But with a bit of strategic planning, we could save some of that precious time leaving more room for growing your biz or simply indulging in some well-deserved relaxation spa time (you know, that “me time”).

Now, here’s the cool part—there are these clever shortcuts that help you create content like a pro without going crazy on the time front. Easy peasy! Let’s go

Impact content calendar

“I opened up my phone and glanced at my Google calendar agenda for the day…. 

‘Create Content 9-12’

Ugh. Another Monday morning. Can you tell I feel overwhelmed? 

Not only did the ‘Create Content’ agenda make me overwhelmed, but I was also so uninspired. Create content, post the content, see my numbers plummet. You know the drill… 

I was starting to feel like I was running out of ideas. In my annoyance, I opened up Instagram and started DOOM scrolling through my feed.

I came across a post from The Impact Media House. “Get weekly content ideas and use them as a guide to create trending posts w/ a strategic plan!”

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I’M NEEDING

I signed up right then. Opened up the document, and in 40 minutes, I had created a month’s worth of content.

It was so easy and worth more than $37!

I picked a topic from the calendar, filled in the template, and even used the inspiration ideas. Using this calendar was so much easier and more efficient than trying to come up with my own ideas. HALLELUJAH!

Now I can focus on other things, knowing my content is handled.”

**based on a true story of one of the Content Subscription customers**

This can be your story too. If you’re ready to take your content creation to the next level (and get excited for the 9 AM -12 PM Content Creation in your agenda), get your next week’s worth of STRATEGIC content here!

Use customized templates

If you find yourself creating graphics from scratch for each post, consider setting up templates for recurring content types. Spend some time upfront creating these templates, and you’ll thank yourself later Oh, and the unexpected bonus of using customized templates? Your brand’s voice shines through because everything looks consistent on your feed.

Now, onto my all-time favorite hack— Create a couple of last slides for your Instagram carousels with different calls-to-action (CTAs). Add them to the posts that match the required CTA. Can’t get more easier right??

Keep it all together

If your graphics are in camera roll, caption in the notes app and cover image in canva, It’s a bit of a mess, right? Let’s just admit it—keeping things together is the key to avoiding chaos and saving some serious time!

Guess what? I’ve got this go-to tool for organizing all my client’s social media content, and it’s called Airtable.

Picture this: I toss in the publish date, graphics, caption, and cover image of a single Instagram post in a single column. I even keep tabs on the post’s status—whether it’s edited, scheduled, or published. It’s been a game-changer for me, and I’m pretty sure it can to you too! Enough of me saying, it’s your turn to experience Airtable.

Schedule it all at once

Okay, so tonight at 6 PM ig reel was supposed to go live. I went to Airtable (that cool thing we talked about), grabbed my graphics, copied the caption, went on Insta, hit upload. But, oh no, it’s 6:15 PM, and I missed the boat. Not only did I mess up the timing, but I also wasted time juggling tasks.

People always ask me how I handle this stuff. My go-to? Later Scheduling. This tool lets me handle all my social networks in one go. Such a time saver. Check it out here!

Block calendar for content creation:

You’ve got Airtable for content storage and Later for scheduling on your socials—super smart moves. But, seriously, sitting down every day to create content for that day’s post? Nope, not the move!

Here’s the trick: Set aside dedicated chunks of time—whether it’s an hour, a morning, or a whole day—to dive deep into content creation. Cut out the distractions, allowing yourself into a state where ideas flow effortlessly. 

Pro tip: Maintain an idea list—I’m a fan of using my notes app for this. Whenever a content idea pops into my head, even if it’s a bit scattered, I jot it down. Then, when it’s time for my focused content creation, I get into the notes app. It’s like having a chat with past-me, and she’s full of genius ideas!

Did these tips help you save time with content creation for social media? Check out my Instagram page to create more impact online.