Planning a social media campaign doesn’t need to take hours. Whether you’re launching a new product, running a sale, or promoting an event, you can create a solid campaign plan in just 30 minutes.

Here’s how to do it.

Before you start (2 minutes)

Grab a notebook or open a blank document. You’ll need:

  • The dates of your campaign
  • Your main goal (sales, signups, awareness?)
  • Any assets you already have (photos, videos, copy)

Step 1: Define your campaign arc (5 minutes)

Every campaign has three phases:

Teaser phase (before)

Build anticipation. Hint at what’s coming without revealing everything.

Launch phase (during)

The main event. Your most important posts go here.

Follow-up phase (after)

Keep momentum going. Share results, testimonials, last-chance reminders.

Write down: How many days for each phase? Mark the key dates.

Step 2: Decide your content mix (5 minutes)

For each phase, think about what types of posts you need:

  • Teaser: Behind-the-scenes, countdowns, “coming soon” hints
  • Launch: Announcement, product details, how to buy/sign up
  • Follow-up: Social proof, FAQs, deadline reminders

Write down: 2-3 post ideas for each phase.

Step 3: Create your post schedule (10 minutes)

Now map your ideas to specific dates:

DatePhasePost ideaPlatform
Mon 1stTeaserBehind-the-scenes photoInstagram, Facebook
Wed 3rdTeaser”Something big coming” text postAll
Fri 5thLaunchMain announcementAll
Sat 6thLaunchProduct details carouselInstagram
Mon 8thFollow-upCustomer quoteAll
Wed 10thFollow-upLast chance reminderAll

Write down: Your schedule for the campaign.

Step 4: Gather your assets (5 minutes)

List what you need to create:

  • Photos to take or find
  • Graphics to design
  • Copy to write
  • Links to include

Mark anything you can reuse from previous content.

Step 5: Set reminders (3 minutes)

The plan is useless if you forget to execute. Set reminders to:

  • Create content (a few days before each post)
  • Schedule posts (if using a scheduler)
  • Go live (if posting manually)

Your 30-minute campaign plan is done

You now have:

  • A clear campaign arc
  • Content ideas for each phase
  • A posting schedule
  • A list of what you need to create

The key is not to overcomplicate it. A simple, executed plan beats a perfect plan that never happens.

Want to make campaign planning even easier? SocialPostxr helps you create, schedule, and publish campaigns from one calendar. Start free.