Managing social media can feel overwhelming, with endless posts, campaigns, and trends to juggle. Luckily, a social media content calendar can turn that chaos into clarity. It helps you plan, organize, and maintain consistency across platforms.
In this article, you’ll learn what a social media content calendar is, the key features to look for, and why having one can transform your strategy. We’ll also cover some of the best tools available for 2024 to keep your content flowing smoothly!
What’s a Social Media Content Calendar?
A social media content calendar lets you schedule and structure your posts in advance across multiple platforms.
It’s your go-to place to see what you’re sharing, when you’re sharing it, and where it’s going to be posted. It keeps everything in one spot, so you’re not constantly scrambling for content ideas or rushing to post at the last minute.
With a content calendar, staying consistent and on top of your social media game becomes way more manageable.
Key Features of Social Media Calendars
Managing social media can get overwhelmingly fast, but using the right content calendar can make everything feel a whole lot easier. The best tools come packed with features designed to simplify planning, posting, and even analyzing how well your content does.
Here’s what to look out for:
Scheduling and Automation
No one wants to be glued to their phone or computer every time a post needs to go live. That’s where scheduling and automation come in handy.
With this feature, you can plan social media posts weeks—or even months—ahead and let automation handle the rest. Your content goes live exactly when you want it to, freeing you up to focus on other tasks.
Content Library
Ever struggled to find that perfect image or caption you used a few months ago? A content library has your back.
This feature lets you store and organize all your photos, captions, hashtags, and other assets in one place. When you need to reuse something or get inspired for new content, it’s right there waiting for you—no digging required.
Analytics and Insights
Want to know how your posts are really doing? Analytics and insights make it simple to track engagement, clicks, shares, and more. You can see what’s getting attention and what’s falling flat.
With these numbers in front of you, it’s easy to adjust your social media strategy, focus on what works, and keep your audience interested.
Collaboration Tools
Collaboration tools keep everyone on the same page. You can share ideas, get feedback, and approve posts all in one spot—no more endless email threads or confusing back-and-forth messages. Everyone knows what’s happening, which makes teamwork a whole lot smoother.
Drag-and-Drop Interface
Plans change, and that’s okay. A drag-and-drop interface lets you rearrange your posts quickly and easily. If something comes up or you want to shift content around, you can do it in seconds.
The Benefits of Having a Social Media Calendar
A social media content calendar can be an invaluable tool for anyone trying to keep up with the fast pace of online content. Here’s why having one can make a big difference for your social media marketing:
Consistent Posting
Consistency is key when it comes to growing your audience and building engagement. It’s also a huge player in maintaining your social media presence.
A social media calendar helps you plan posts in advance so you’re not scrambling for content and sacrificing quality. When you have a steady stream of content going out, you stay on your audience’s radar and keep them interested.
Better Organization
Ever felt like you’re drowning in content ideas or trying to juggle too many things at once? A social media calendar brings order to the chaos.
It allows you to map out your content themes, set posting dates, and align everything with your goals. Everything is laid out in one place to make it easy to see what’s coming up and what needs to be done.
Improved Team Collaboration
If you work with a social media team, a content calendar is an absolute must. You can assign tasks, share ideas, and get feedback without a bunch of back-and-forth emails.
Everyone knows what’s happening when it’s happening and what they need to do. It keeps everyone, including social media managers, content creators, designers, and other team members, in sync and cuts down on confusion.
Strategic Posting
Basing social media planning around holidays, product launches, or important events can help maximize your reach and engagement.
A social media calendar helps you stay on top of these dates so your content is always timely and relevant. You’ll never miss a chance to connect with your audience when it matters most.
Saves Time
By planning content in batches, you save yourself from the daily grind of coming up with new posts. A calendar lets you schedule everything in one go, freeing up your time for other important social media efforts.
5 Best Social Media Calendar Tools of 2024
Staying on top of your social media content can feel like a full-time job, but the right tools make it so much easier.
Here’s a look at some of the best social media calendar tools available in 2024 to help you plan, schedule, and analyze your content without the headache:
1. DGTLsuite
DGTLsuite is a powerful, all-in-one platform designed to simplify and optimize your social media management. From creating and scheduling content to analyzing performance, it has everything you need to simplify your workflow.
Built specifically for social media managers, content creators, and marketing teams, DGTLsuite goes beyond simple scheduling to drive real business results by combining creative planning, seamless collaboration, and advanced analytics—all in one convenient spot.
This platform isn’t just about posting content. DGTLsuite focuses on making the entire creative process easier, from managing graphic design files and integrating existing workflows to smooth communication with design teams and social media managers.
If you’re tired of switching between multiple tools and need a centralized way to keep everything organized, DGTLsuite offers the tools you need to plan, execute, and analyze with ease. Schedule a discovery call today!
Key Features
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Unified dashboard for managing multiple social media platforms: Manage all of your social profiles—Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, TikTok, and more—from one convenient dashboard.
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Advanced content scheduling and automated posting: Schedule posts in advance to save time. DGTLsuite’s planning tools make sure you never miss important content or deadlines.
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Social content planning and scheduling: Plan content easily with Create’s unique workflow. Start by submitting a design request through a simple intake form, even without a finalized graphic or caption. This makes building your social calendar a breeze.
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Hassle-free content collaboration: Collaborate with team members on every project stage. From ideation to task assignment, DGTLsuite makes sure deadlines are met, and no details are missed, thanks to assigned project visibility roles.
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Easily accessible media library: The Create Library simplifies asset management, letting teams store, organize, and collaborate on media files and attachments to build visually engaging content.
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Omnichannel customer support for effective engagement: Manage customer interactions across channels through one central inbox to improve response times and engagement.
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Smoother workflows with contextual collaboration: Strengthen teamwork and communication with features like @mentions, public notices, private comments, and customizable notifications. This puts an end to endless email chains and ensures everyone stays in sync.
Pros
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Combines multiple social media functions into one intuitive tool
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User-friendly interface suitable for both beginners and experienced professionals
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Scales easily for businesses of any size, from solo users to large teams
Pricing
DGTLsuite offers flexible pricing to meet various needs. Individual plans start at $9 per month, providing essential features for solo users.
For teams, the Pro plan is available at $179 per month and offers better functionality and collaboration tools.
Larger teams and agencies can opt for the Business plan at $299 per month, which includes support for managing multiple brands. Free trials are available, so you can explore the platform before committing. View the Pricing page to learn more!
2. Asana Social Media Calendar Template
Asana is primarily known as a project management tool, but it offers a social media calendar template that can help organize and streamline your content planning efforts.
Image source: G2
While it’s not built specifically as a social media calendar tool, this template makes it easy to manage posts, assign tasks, and track progress for your social campaigns within a broader project management structure.
Key Features
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Customizable templates for content planning and scheduling: Asana’s social media calendar template lets you map out your posting schedule, assign tasks, and track due dates in one place.
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Task assignments and due dates: Keep your team on track by assigning specific responsibilities and setting deadlines for each piece of content.
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Multiple viewing options: Switch between list, calendar, or board views to visualize your content strategy in a way that works best for you.
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Integration with popular tools: Asana integrates seamlessly with many apps to provide a more connected workflow.
Pros
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Easy-to-use interface that’s intuitive even for new users
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Great for teams looking to collaborate on content creation
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Flexible customization options to suit different workflows
Cons
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Not specifically built for social media content planning, so it may lack specialized features like analytics or direct posting
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Advanced features require a paid subscription
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Can be overwhelming for smaller teams not familiar with project management tools
Pricing
Asana offers a free plan with basic features that work well for small teams or individuals. For those needing more advanced capabilities, paid plans start at $10.99 per user per month, which unlocks features like timeline views, custom fields, and more in-depth reporting options.
3. Planable
Planable focuses on making social media content planning, collaboration, and approval smoother and faster for teams. It offers a user-friendly platform where you can create, preview, and schedule posts with ease across multiple channels.
Image source: G2
Key Features
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Visual content calendar: Planable’s visual calendar gives you a clear overview of all your scheduled posts, so it’s easy to organize and adjust your content plans as needed.
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Real-time collaboration: You can leave comments, share feedback, and even make edits in real time, simplifying the review process and keeping everyone on the same page.
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Multi-level approval workflows: Customize your approval process to make sure each post goes through the right eyes before going live. This helps make sure nothing gets published without the necessary thumbs-ups.
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Platform Integration: Planable connects with major social platforms, so you can schedule and publish content directly.
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Media library: Store and organize your media assets in one place, making it easy to find and reuse content whenever you need it.
Pros
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Easy to use, even for those who aren’t tech-savvy
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Suitable for team collaboration and fast-tracking the content approval process
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Works well with different content types, from images to videos
Cons
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Some of the more advanced features come with higher-priced plans
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Limited analytics compared to some other tools out there
Pricing
The Starter Plan costs $39 per month for one workspace, with up to 4 social media pages and 60 posts. The Pro Plan is priced at $59 per workspace per month, providing 10 social pages and 150 posts per workspace.
For larger teams or more advanced needs, the Enterprise Plan offers custom pricing with advanced features and dedicated customer support.
4. Google Calendar
Google Calendar might not be the first tool that comes to mind for social media management, but it can be adapted into a simple and effective content calendar solution.
Image source: Software Advice
With Google Calendar, you can create events for each of your social posts, set reminders, and collaborate with your team to stay on top of your posting schedule. It’s a straightforward and accessible option for those looking for a lightweight approach to planning content.
Key Features
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Event creation for content posts: Create events on the calendar to represent each social post. Include details such as the date, time, and platform for easy reference.
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Reminders and notifications: Set reminders to keep your social media schedule on track and avoid missing any important posts.
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Team collaboration: Share your content calendar with team members so everyone stays on the same page and can collaborate easily.
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Cross-device accessibility: Google Calendar syncs across devices, giving you access to your content schedule anytime, anywhere.
Pros
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Completely free to use with a Google account
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Easy to set up and use, even for beginners
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Integrates well with other Google Workspace tools
Cons
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Not specifically designed for social media planning, so it lacks specialized features like analytics or direct publishing
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Requires manual updates and management, which can become cumbersome for complex schedules
Pricing
Google Calendar is completely free to use with a Google account, making it an accessible option for individuals and small teams.
For those using Google Workspace, it’s part of the broader suite of tools available through various subscription plans, offering additional features like integration with other apps and improved security.
5. Trello
Trello might be known for project management, but it’s also a suitable option for creating a social media content calendar.
Image source: G2
With its boards, lists, and cards, Trello lets you visually organize and plan posts, which makes it simple to keep track of your social media campaigns.
Key Features
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Boards, lists, and cards for task organization: Trello lets you create boards for different campaigns, lists to categorize content, and cards for individual posts. You can easily move cards around as plans change or evolve for a clear view of your strategy.
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Drag-and-drop interface: Need to change a posting date or shift content around? Just drag and drop cards—no complicated menus or steps.
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Customizable workflow: Trello adapts to how you work. Whether you need a simple calendar for a small project or a detailed system for a multi-platform campaign, you can set up your boards to match your needs perfectly.
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Collaboration features: Invite team members to your boards, leave comments, attach files, and track progress together.
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Power-ups for added functionality: Trello’s Power-Ups give you access to calendar views, automation tools, integrations, and more, so you can improve your workflow with just a few clicks.
Pros
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Customizable and easy to tailor to any social media workflow
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Intuitive, visual interface that’s simple to navigate
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Offers a free version with essential tools
Cons
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Advanced features and additional Power-Ups are only available on paid plans
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No built-in analytics or direct social media publishing options
Pricing
Trello makes it easy to get started with a free plan that’s perfect for individuals and small teams, offering basic boards, cards, and lists.
If you need more features, paid plans start at $5 per user per month, which gives you access to unlimited boards, custom fields, and a variety of Power-Ups. Larger teams and businesses can opt for Business Class, or Enterprise plans to unlock advanced features and support.
Easy Social Media Content Organization With DGTLsuite
Keeping up with social media content can feel like a nonstop hustle.
The constant need to plan, create, and post across multiple platforms can be overwhelming.
But with the right content calendar tool, you can turn that chaos into a smooth, manageable workflow. From organizing posts to collaborating easily with your team, having a reliable tool keeps your strategy consistent, your audience engaged, and your mind at ease.
While tools like Trello, Asana, Planable, and even Google Calendar can help optimize social media planning to some extent, you might still find yourself toggling between different features or craving more specialized capabilities. That’s where DGTLsuite comes in to save the day.
DGTLsuite takes all the complexity out of social media management. With a unified dashboard, easy-to-use social media scheduling tools, smooth collaboration features, and a library that puts all your content assets at your fingertips, it’s designed to make your life easier.
No more bouncing between platforms or chasing down team members for approvals. Everything you need is in one place, ready to set you up for social media success.
Try DGTLsuite today and experience just how simple and effective social media management can be. Book a discovery call now!
FAQs About Social Media Content Calendars
Why should I use a social media content calendar?
A social media content calendar helps you stay organized, plan posts in advance, and maintain a consistent posting schedule. This not only saves time but also makes sure that your content aligns with your marketing goals and engages your audience effectively, making it an essential tool for any social media manager.
How do I create a social media content calendar?
Start by identifying your content goals and target audience. Next, map out key dates, campaigns, and events you want to focus on. Use a tool or template to organize your posts, including details like captions, hashtags, and platforms. Don’t forget to leave room for flexibility and make adjustments based on performance and feedback.
Can I use a content calendar for multiple social media platforms?
Yes! Many content calendar tools allow you to manage and schedule posts for multiple social media channels from one central location. This makes it easy to create cohesive campaigns, tailor content for each platform, and maintain a consistent brand voice across all channels.
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