We’re all guilty of wanting to do this sometimes: throw some words together, slap on a few hashtags, and hit “post” without much more thought—just to stay active on social media. But your audience is savvy. They’ll notice if your content seems like an afterthought.
Make sure your content has everything it needs to be successful and most of all, valuable to your audience. Here’s a checklist that you can refer to every time you create new content. Don’t publish your post before going through this list!
Your Social Media Post Checklist
- Always proofread! Using a basic spell check function is not enough, since it can miss other errors like grammar, sentence structure, wrong word choice, etc. Tools like Grammarly are great, but you should always read your content over yourself.
- Edit your content for tone and voice. How do you want to come across to your readers? Encouraging and positive? Personal and sensitive? Make sure the content makes sense, especially if you edited and added text here and there.
- Fact check. If you’re quoting any stats or claims, make sure they’re accurate.
- Give credit. If you’re referencing someone else’s quote or work, make sure you’re crediting the correct source. Even famous quotes are often attributed to the wrong person!
- Obtain permission. If you’re using images, lyrics, or other work from someone else, it’s best to ask permission if you’re not sure whether you can use them on your site or social media (especially if it’s not for personal or educational use).
- Make sure all the links work. Check each link by clicking on it to verify you don’t have any broken or old links. Also consider whether the link leads to a sales page or something else that may turn off your readers.
- Check for potentially offensive content. Even if you mean something as a joke, think twice before posting it. Topics on race, ethnicity, religion, and gender are sensitive areas. If you’re unsure, do some research on the topic first or ask a more knowledgeable source on the topic. If in doubt, don’t post it.
- Check keywords and hashtags. Make sure you’re using the appropriate keywords and hashtags, and don’t overstuff your post with them.
- Consider when you’re posting. This is especially true if your post is time-sensitive. If you’re posting about a trending topic after the buzz has died down, you’ll look like you’re late to the party. There may also be times where it’s inappropriate to post something (such as when people stopped posting on Blackout Tuesday to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement). Make sure you’re aware of these trends.
- Know if your post is the right length. Having the right post length can increase your engagement significantly. Here’s a guide on the best post lengths for each social media platform.
- Be aware of how often you’re posting. If you’ve already posted several times in the same day, don’t spam your readers’ feed. Better yet, use scheduling apps to schedule your post at exactly the right time. Check out this post to see how often you should be posting.
- Optimize visual content. Images and videos are what attract people’s attention. Make sure images and videos are high-resolution (not blurry)! Use design apps like Canva to make your life easier. Don’t forget to also test the audio on your video to make sure it’s working.
- Don’t forget a call to action. Make sure it’s clear what you want the reader to do after reading your post, whether it’s clicking a link or subscribing to an email list.
- Re-read your post! Give your post one last look before hitting that publish button. After you publish, check out your post to make sure it looks how you want it to.
Need More Content?
Of course, it’s tough to come up with all new content on a regular basis. Sometimes, you just want quality content to share without spending a ton of time curating it. Community Sharer’s got your back. Our app automatically searches for new content from your favorite sites, which you can add to individual “communities” you create. We’ll also add the content to your desired social media platforms. It’s all designed so your feed can run on auto-pilot!