Social media content calendar template
A social media content calendar is a schedule of what you will post, on which platform and when. Pick a month, your posting days and platforms below, and download a ready-to-fill CSV for Excel, Google Sheets or a bulk import.
Local wall-clock time for every slot. Adjust individual rows in your spreadsheet.
Optional. Written into the Account column of every row.
Separate with commas. The pillars rotate across your posting days so consecutive posts cover different themes.
Your calendar preview
Choose a month to build your calendar.
The file also has empty Caption, Media URL, First comment and Hashtags columns, plus a Status column starting at “Idea”, ready to fill in.
How to use this content calendar template
- Pick the month you are planning and tick the weekdays you will post on.
- Set a posting time and tick every platform you publish to.
- Add your content pillars — the three to five themes you keep coming back to.
- Check the preview, then download the CSV.
- Open it in Excel or Google Sheets and write a caption and add media for each row.
What each column in the calendar is for
- Date
- The calendar day of the post, as YYYY-MM-DD.
- Time
- The local posting time, 24-hour.
- Platform
- Where the post goes. One row per platform, so a post on three platforms is three rows.
- Account
- The profile or client the post belongs to. Useful when you plan for several.
- Content pillar
- The recurring theme (or format) of the post. Pillars rotate across posting days.
- Caption
- The post text. Left empty for you to write.
- Media URL
- A link to the image or video. Left empty.
- First comment
- Optional text to post as the first comment, such as extra hashtags.
- Hashtags
- Hashtags for the post. Left empty.
- Status
- Where the post is in your workflow. Starts at “Idea”; change it as the work moves on.
An Instagram content calendar and Reels planner
Instagram plans well in a spreadsheet because each post has a format as well as a date. Tick Instagram above, then treat the Content pillar column as a two-part label: the theme and the format, for example “Educational — Reel” or “Social proof — carousel”. Mix formats across the month so your feed does not become a run of identical posts.
This is a planning spreadsheet, not a visual grid preview: it tells you what to post and when, and you keep your feed layout in your design tool. For platform specifics, see the Instagram scheduling page.
From spreadsheet to scheduled posts
Once the Caption and Media URL columns are filled in, the file is ready to schedule. SkedCast’s bulk import accepts a CSV or Google Sheet, lets you map your columns to post fields and validates every row before anything is scheduled, so a typo shows up as a flagged row rather than a failed post.
Content calendar template FAQ
- What is a social media content calendar?
- A social media content calendar is a schedule that lists every post you plan to publish — the date, time, platform, account, theme and caption — in one place, so you can plan ahead, spot gaps and stay consistent.
- How do I make a social media content calendar?
- Choose a month, decide which weekdays and what time you will post, list your platforms and content pillars (the recurring themes you post about), then fill in a caption and media for each slot. This tool generates the slots and a spreadsheet; you write the content.
- How often should I post?
- There is no single right number. Pick a cadence you can keep up for a whole month, then adjust it from your own analytics. The best-time-to-post cheat sheet shows general timing benchmarks, but your audience’s results matter more.
- Can I use this as an Instagram content calendar or Reels planner?
- Yes. Tick Instagram, then use the Content pillar column to mark each slot’s format — for example Reel, carousel or Story. It is a spreadsheet planner, not a visual grid preview, so it suits planning what to post and when.
- What is a social media editorial calendar?
- An editorial calendar plans themes and campaigns over weeks or months, while a content calendar lists the individual posts. This template covers both: the content pillars hold the themes and each row is one post.
- Can I import this calendar into SkedCast?
- Yes. SkedCast’s bulk import takes a CSV or Google Sheet, lets you map your columns, and validates every row before anything is scheduled. Fill in the Caption and Media URL columns, then import the file.
- Is the content calendar template free, and does it store my data?
- It is free with no sign-up, and it runs entirely in your browser: nothing you enter is uploaded or stored.
Ready to broadcast everywhere?
Sign up free — no credit card. You land on the Free plan, and you can start a one-time 7-day Studio trial from your workspace whenever you are ready. Connect your first accounts, import a batch, and watch one post fan out across every platform.