Social media content calendar

A content calendar is a simple plan for what you'll post, where and when. It turns "we should post more" into a few sessions a month, and it makes sure your posts tell a balanced story: the people you serve, your volunteers, your results and, now and then, an ask. Our guide to social media for small charities explains how to choose channels and what to post; this template is the planner that goes with it.

How to use it

• Plan a month at a time, in one sitting, then schedule the posts. Most platforms let you schedule in advance.
• Choose one theme a month, such as back to school, volunteer month or your year-end appeal, and a few fixed dates (events, holidays you mark, appeal launches).
• Use a weekly mix, for example: one story, one thank-you, one piece of news or a tip, and an ask no more than once a week. Adjust it to your channels and capacity.
• Check consent for every photo and story before it's scheduled. Our photo and story consent form records it.
• Write alt text for every image. The W3C's accessibility guidance says images must have text alternatives that describe the information or function they represent. Our guide to accessible documents has more.
• Keep one person responsible for replies during the week, even if several people write posts.

Rules to check before anything is posted

• No candidates. The IRS says 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from participating in any political campaign for or against a candidate. That includes posts, shares and comments from the charity's account.
• Partners who promote you. If a sponsor or partner gives a person something, such as free products or payment, for posting about them, the FTC's guidance for influencers says the relationship must be disclosed clearly in the post itself, not only in a bio. If you post on a sponsor's behalf, keep acknowledgments to name, logo and thanks; see our sponsorship package template.
• Privacy. Never post private details about the people you serve.