When to plan next month's social media

Key takeaways

When to plan next month's social media: in the third week of the current month. That leaves time to make the posts by about the 23rd, approve them by the 25th and schedule them before the 1st, with the first week of the new month finished as a buffer. Planning in the last few days of the month is the usual reason week one is rushed or missed.

• Plan in week 3 of the current month.
• Made by the 23rd, approved by the 25th, scheduled before the 1st.
• Seasonal peaks need 4 to 8 weeks of lead time, not one.
• Move the dates earlier in December and August.

Why plan in the third week?

The third week is late enough that next month's dates and offers are known, and early enough to leave about ten days for making, approval and scheduling. Plan in week one and the plan goes stale; plan in week four and there is no time to make anything properly before the 1st.

• How to build a monthly social media content calendar
• Plan social media monthly or weekly?

What are the monthly deadlines?

Use three deadlines and put them in everyone's diary as recurring events: posts made by the 23rd, the month approved by the 25th, and everything scheduled by the last working day. If the 25th falls on a weekend, approve on the Friday before. Fixed dates stop approval drifting into the new month.

• Approve a month of social posts in one sitting
• Keep a one-week buffer in your content calendar

Which content needs more lead time?

Seasonal peaks, launches and events need more lead time than a normal month. Posts that support a peak usually need to go out four to eight weeks before it, which means planning them two months ahead in the quarterly view. Anything needing a photo shoot, a client's permission or a compliance review also needs extra time.

• How early should seasonal content go out?
• A quarterly social media plan above the monthly calendar

When should the dates move?

Move them earlier when the end of the month is unusually busy or when people are away: plan December and August in the second week, because Christmas and summer holidays eat the usual time. Move them later only if next month's dates are not known yet, and then plan the evergreen slots first.

• Keeping social media going while you are on holiday

When does a lead time not matter?

It matters less for content filled weekly, such as a restaurant's specials or new stock, and for one-person businesses that plan and post the same day. Even then, the slots should be set before the month starts, so the weekly fill takes minutes.

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see: planning happens on the 30th, approval on the 4th, and the first week of every month is empty or improvised. Moving planning to the third week and approval to the 25th usually fills that gap, which over a year is about a quarter of the posts.

• See client work
• Social Media Marketing for UK businesses

Lead time checklist

• Book planning for week 3 every month.
• Set recurring deadlines: 23rd, 25th, last working day.
• Finish the first week of next month before this one ends.
• Plan seasonal peaks two months ahead.
• Bring December and August forward a week.

• Turn sales calls into next month's content
• UK key dates to mark on a social media calendar

Next step

Add the three recurring deadlines to your diary now, starting this month: made by the 23rd, approved by the 25th, scheduled by the last working day.