Social Media Posting SOP Template

1.Purpose

To publish social media content consistently and on-brand, with a clear approval step and a plan for monitoring engagement and handling problems after a post goes live.

2.Scope

Applies to planned and scheduled posts on the company's social media accounts. Paid social advertising campaigns and one-off crisis responses are covered by separate SOPs.

Definitions

Content calendar

The shared schedule showing what will be posted, on which channel, and when.

Engagement monitoring

Checking a published post for comments, messages, or mentions that need a response.

3.Responsibilities

Social Media Coordinator

Drafts posts, schedules approved content, and monitors engagement after publishing.

Marketing Manager

Approves posts before scheduling and decides how to handle a flagged comment or mention.

Graphic Designer

Creates on-brand images or video assets requested for a post.

RACI matrix

R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed

4.Materials and PPE

Materials, tools and systems

• →Content calendar
• →Social media scheduling tool
• →Brand and style guide
• →Image or video asset library
• →Approved response templates for common questions

5.Procedure

1. 5.1

   Plan posts on the content calendar

   Social Media Coordinator

   Add planned posts to the content calendar with the channel, date, and general topic at least a week ahead of publishing.

2. 5.2

   Draft the post copy

   Social Media Coordinator

   Write the post copy for the specific channel's format and audience, following the brand and style guide for tone and terminology.

3. 5.3

   Request or select the visual asset

   Graphic Designer

   Request a new graphic or video from the designer, or select an approved asset from the library that fits the post's message.

4. 5.4

   Check facts and links in the draft

   Social Media Coordinator

   Verify any statistic, quote, or claim in the post copy and test every link before submitting the post for approval.

   Checkpoint: Every link and factual claim in the draft is checked and working before it's submitted for approval.

5. 5.5

   Submit the post for approval

   Social Media Coordinator

   Submit the finished copy and asset together for approval, rather than approving text and image separately.

6. 5.6

   Review and approve the post

   Marketing Manager

   Review the post for brand fit, tone, accuracy, and appropriateness for the channel before approving it to be scheduled.

   Checkpoint: Every scheduled post has a documented approval from the marketing manager before it goes live.

7. 5.7

   Schedule the approved post

   Social Media Coordinator

   Schedule the approved post at the planned date and time using the scheduling tool, double-checking the correct account is selected.

8. 5.8

   Confirm the post published correctly

   Social Media Coordinator

   Check the live post shortly after it publishes to confirm the image, links, and formatting appear correctly on the actual channel.

9. 5.9

   Monitor engagement after posting

   Social Media Coordinator

   Check comments, messages, and mentions related to the post at set intervals during the day it publishes, and note anything needing a response.

10. 5.10

    Respond using approved guidance

    Social Media Coordinator

    Respond to routine comments and questions using the approved response templates and tone guidance, keeping replies timely and on-brand.

11. 5.11

    Escalate a sensitive comment or complaint

    Marketing Manager

    Escalate a comment involving a complaint, legal concern, or reputational risk to the marketing manager rather than replying without guidance.

6.Quality checks

• →Every scheduled post has a documented marketing manager approval.
• →Links and factual claims in posts are verified before submission.
• →Published posts are checked for correct formatting shortly after going live.
• →Sensitive comments are escalated rather than answered without guidance.

7.Records

• →Content calendar with post status
• →Approval history in the scheduling or review tool
• →Engagement monitoring notes for flagged comments

8.KPIs

• →Percentage of posts published on the scheduled date and time
• →Average response time to comments and messages
• →Engagement rate per post

9.Common mistakes

• →Scheduling a post before it has documented approval.
• →Posting a broken or outdated link.
• →Ignoring comments after a post goes live instead of monitoring engagement.
• →Replying to a sensitive complaint without checking with a manager first.

10.Revision history