Social Media Posting SOP for Retail & E-commerce

# Social Media Posting SOP - Retail & E-commerce

## Purpose
Use to maintain consistent social media output and brand voice even when multiple team members manage your accounts.

## When to Use
A social media procedure covering content calendar management, approval workflows, posting schedules, engagement responses, and brand voice guidelines.

## Instructions
1. Review the template below and familiarise yourself with the structure
2. Replace all [bracketed placeholders] with your retail & e-commerce business details
3. Customise the tone and formatting to match your brand
4. Save in your preferred tool (HubSpot or Notion)

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## Social Media Posting Standard Operating Procedure

### 1. Purpose and Scope
This SOP defines how our business creates, approves, publishes, and manages social media content across all platforms. It ensures brand consistency, timely posting, and appropriate engagement with our audience. This procedure applies to all team members who create or publish content on company social media accounts.

### 2. Roles and Responsibilities
- **Marketing Lead:** Owns the content calendar, sets strategy, approves all content, and reviews performance.
- **Content Creator:** Drafts posts, creates visuals, and schedules approved content.
- **Any Team Member:** May suggest content ideas via the #content-ideas Slack channel.

### 3. Prerequisites
- Access to social media scheduling tool (HubSpot or equivalent)
- Access to the content calendar in Notion
- Brand guidelines document reviewed and understood
- Login credentials stored in the approved password manager (never shared via email or chat)

### 4. Active Platforms and Posting Schedule

| Platform | Frequency | Best Times (AEST) | Content Focus |
|----------|-----------|-------------------|---------------|
| LinkedIn | 3-4 posts per week | Tue-Thu 8:00-9:00 AM | Thought leadership, case studies, industry insights |
| Instagram | 3-4 posts per week | Mon-Fri 12:00-1:00 PM | Visual content, behind the scenes, client wins |
| Facebook | 2-3 posts per week | Wed-Fri 10:00-11:00 AM | Community content, events, tips |

### 5. Procedure

**Step 1: Plan Content Monthly**
At the start of each month, the Marketing Lead populates the content calendar in Notion for the coming 4 weeks. Include: post date, platform, topic, content type (educational, promotional, engagement), and any tie-ins to campaigns, events, or observances.

**Step 2: Create Content in Batches**
The Content Creator drafts posts in weekly batches (typically every Monday). For each post, write the caption, select or create the visual, and add relevant hashtags. Save drafts in the content calendar with status "Draft."

**Step 3: Submit for Approval**
Notify the Marketing Lead via Slack that the week's content is ready for review. The Marketing Lead reviews each post for: brand voice consistency, factual accuracy, spelling and grammar (Australian English), visual quality, and strategic alignment. Provide feedback directly in Notion.

**Step 4: Revise if Needed**
Address any feedback within 1 business day. Common issues to check: tone too formal or too casual, missing call to action, images not meeting brand guidelines, or claims that need a source reference.

**Step 5: Schedule Posts**
Once approved, schedule posts in HubSpot at the designated times. Double-check: correct platform selected, links working, images displaying correctly, and hashtags are appropriate. Update the Notion calendar status to "Scheduled."

**Step 6: Monitor and Engage Daily**
Check all platforms twice daily (morning and afternoon) for comments, messages, and mentions. Respond to comments within 4 business hours. Use the approved response guidelines:
- Positive comments: Thank and engage genuinely
- Questions: Answer helpfully or direct to the appropriate resource
- Negative comments: Acknowledge, apologise where appropriate, offer to resolve via direct message
- Spam or offensive: Hide and report

**Step 7: Track Performance Weekly**
Every Friday, log the week's performance metrics in Notion: reach, engagement rate, link clicks, and follower growth. Note any posts that performed significantly above or below average and identify what worked or what to adjust.

### 6. Brand Voice Quick Reference
- **Tone:** Professional but approachable, confident but not arrogant
- **Language:** Australian English (organise, optimise, colour)
- **Avoid:** Jargon, overly salesy language, unverified claims, competitor mentions
- **Always include:** A clear purpose for each post and, where relevant, a call to action

### 7. Revision History
| Version | Date | Author | Changes |
|---------|------|--------|---------|
| 1.0 | [Date] | [Author] | Initial release |

### 8. Related Documents
- Brand Guidelines
- Content Calendar (Notion)
- Visual Asset Library
- Hashtag Strategy Document

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**Complexity:** simple | **Setup time:** 15 minutes | **Tools:** HubSpot, Notion, Slack

Note: This template has been tailored for retail & e-commerce businesses in Australia. Adjust terminology and compliance references to match your specific context.