Four weeks pre-filled with dates and a platform mix, dropdowns for status and content pillars, a hook column separate from the caption, UTM and results columns. Download as Excel or CSV, or import into Google Sheets. No signup, no email.
Google Sheets: open Sheets → File → Import → Upload the .xlsx. Dropdowns and the three tabs carry over. 13 KB, no macros.
Calendar tab. 96 rows covering four weeks: four posts per weekday (Instagram, TikTok, X, Threads) and two per weekend day, each pre-assigned a content pillar so the mix stays balanced. Columns: Date, Day, Time, Platform, Format, Pillar, Hook / first line, Caption, Media file, Link (UTM), Status, Owner, Notes, Result (24h). Status, Platform and Pillar are dropdowns.
Pillars & slots tab. The five pillars with a target share (Educate 40%, Behind the scenes 20%, Proof 15%, Offer 15%, Community 10%) and a starting posting slot per platform, taken from the 2026 timing studies we compared for Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and Facebook. Edit them to your own analytics after two weeks.
How to use tab. Six steps, including the one most templates skip: fill the Result column for a month, then sort by it. That table becomes your own best-time chart.
Plan in one sitting. Sunday or Monday, fill the Hook column for the week first, the captions second. Ten hooks take fifteen minutes; the three best become posts.
Separate planning from scheduling. The spreadsheet is where you decide; a scheduler is where posts fire. Copying a finished row into Smart Post Studio takes a minute per post, or let your AI do it over MCP: paste the week's rows and ask it to draft and schedule them into your queue for approval.
Tag every link. The Link column expects a UTM-tagged URL (free builder) so your analytics can tell Instagram clicks from LinkedIn clicks.
Keep the Offer pillar under 20%. The pre-fill does this for you; when you delete rows, delete evenly.
How do I use this content calendar template in Google Sheets? Download the .xlsx, open Google Sheets, File → Import → Upload, and choose "Replace spreadsheet" or "Insert new sheet". The dropdowns for Status, Platform and Pillar carry over. The CSV is the plain version if you only want the grid.
What should a social media content calendar include? Date and time, platform, format, content pillar, the hook, the caption, the media file, a UTM-tagged link, a status, an owner, and a results column. The last one is what turns a calendar into a learning loop.
How far ahead should I plan? Two to four weeks. Far enough to batch, close enough to react to news. The template covers four.
Is it free to use commercially? Yes, CC BY 4.0: copy, adapt, use it for clients. A link back is appreciated, not required.
More free tools: smartpoststudio.com/tools · the post-time planner for audiences across time zones.
When the calendar is full, Smart Post Studio schedules it: all 8 platforms from one composer, a visual calendar that mirrors this sheet, and a free plan with no expiry. Workspaces keep each client's calendar separate.
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