It’s Monday, which means that it’s time for another blog. How do I know that? Well, maybe it’s because I’ve published such on this site every Monday since late September 2014. BUT, I am reminded because on my social media calendar every Monday it just says ‘Blog.’
Perhaps you initially read the headline for this week’s blog and thought, ‘Well, I know what’s on my calendar for today, but I don’t know about social media calendar,’ and that concerns me.
I believe it was on the recent podcast interview with Diamond Dixie when in talking to the girls I made a reference to someone panicking because “Oh my gosh, it’s four o’clock and I have no idea what I’m posting on social media today.” (If you haven’t heard that episode of “Now Hear This Entertainment” yet I strongly suggest you listen ASAP. There was a LOT of helpful information on there about social media – Instagram in particular.)
I’m quite certain that even then I was making references to the social media calendar.
Look, if you’re a performer, you’ve already got some easy entries you can make. Here’s how I want you to do this.
I use a (free) downloadable template for Microsoft Word that is a month-by-month, landscape layout, 12-page (obviously) document. At the top it refers to WinCalendar.com and at the bottom it says “Created with WinCalendar Calendar Creator.” That should be enough for you to find it quickly and easily via Google.
I always like to have a full month made up so that I always know what I’m posting when, rather than panicking at the last minute when my thoughts won’t be clear as I try to scramble for something to put online. And let me clarify, when I say ‘online’ I’m talking about the Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts for Now Hear This as well as my own LinkedIn account. (The Instagram account for “Now Hear This Entertainment” I keep separately as it relates to the post planning, since those are solely related to that show, whereas the others are about all things that come under the company umbrella.)
As a performer, the first entries you can make automatically are the dates you’ll be performing live somewhere. Anywhere. Remember, you’re trying fill up a calendar so that you always are posting and showing people how active you are in your music career.
Going to the studio one day? That’s a post. Having rehearsal? That’s a post. Just got a new piece of gear? That’s a post. Just booked your travel for an event you’ll be playing at? That’s a post. Got interviewed? That’s a post. Changing the strings on your guitar? That’s a post. Is it, say, the one-year anniversary of the release of your single or EP? That’s a post. Do you have a Patreon or a crowdfunding campaign going? That obviously is a post. Find out when National XX Day is, where the XX is something music-related. (There are entire websites out there devoted to National Days.)
And here’s another tip to make your posts look nice. If you don’t have an image to go with it (since those draw eyes more than just straight text), either use a royalty-free site like Pixabay or just go to Canva.com (both are free to use) and create a nice looking post yourself.
Fill up your calendar and take comfort knowing that you’ll have a document that tells you every day what you’re posting and when.
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