Author Archives: i4lead

If you’re trying to start or grow a community around your brand, these community management best practices might just do the trick.

Good community management requires a little bit of troubleshooting. But you can’t just turn it off and turn it back on (like I do with my almost-10-year old laptop when it freezes).

You took the time to build a strategy to draw people in. Now, let’s work together to get it off the ground — the right way.

Community Management Best Practices

Here are my top 12 best practices for community management, with insights from experts across the industry.

1. Communicate clear expectations from the start.

When you’re managing a community, one of the first things I recommend doing is setting firm rules for all members and contributors.

Without clear guidance, it’s hard to maintain a respectful environment where everyone feels comfortable engaging.

Here are the main elements you’ll want to cover. We’ll use TikTok’s Community Guidelines as an example:

• Purpose: Why was the community created? Example: “TikTok is a source of entertainment and enrichment where you can discover, create, and connect with others across the world.”
• Content: What types of content are (and are not) allowed? Example: “We do not allow misinformation that may cause significant harm to individuals or society, regardless of intent.”
• Participation: What principles guide how members interact? Example: “TikTok has eight guiding community principles: Prevent Harm, Enable Free Expression, Foster Civility, Champion Inclusivity, etc.”
• Enforcement: How will these guidelines be enforced? Example: “Content first goes through an automated review process. If content is identified as a potential violation, it will be automatically removed, or flagged for additional review by our moderators.”

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It’s all about creating a safe place for people to interact with each other and your brand. This is easier to accomplish when you outline what that looks like up front.

2. Get your members involved early (and often).

Max Pete, community engagement program manager at Square, says:

“Involve your members early on in the process, and don’t stop involving them as you evolve. Always have the ‘build with’ vs. ‘build for’ mentality.”

It’s a lot easier for people to invest in something they helped create. And that second part is so important because you want your community to grow with you (and stick around long term).

Collaborate, ask for input, and let your audience show you how they want to engage with your brand.

3. Encourage member-to-member interactions.

Audience interaction is so important, but a community thrives beyond just you and your brand.

As Joe McElligott, Strategy Director at MG Empower, explains:

“Community isn’t solely formed through brand-to-consumer interactions. The interactions among consumers themselves are truly significant elements of a strategy, with the brand serving as the platform or facilitator for these engagements.”

If you’re managing a brand community, give your members the opportunity to build relationships among themselves.

For inspo, Scrub Daddy is really good at this. They’ve created a community of promoters who enjoy posting relatable content to their own audiences about Scrub Daddy products.

And that content often gets a lot of traction — like this TikTok below with 374K likes and 1,550+ comments.

A successful community should be able to hold its own. And this will actually help take some of the pressure off of you, too.

If members are empowered to interact with each other, they’re not only relying on you to drive the conversation. Win-win.

4. Recognize, incentivize, and reward participation.

An important part of community management is showing appreciation for your followers. It shows you value their time and commitment to your brand.

There are many ways to recognize and reward participation. Here are a few steps you can take to show you care:

• Send a personal welcome and thank you note to each new member of your community with a token of appreciation for joining.
• Keep track of the most active members and then acknowledge their contributions via special mentions or gifts.
• Ask members what you can do to make their experience a great one, and reward them for their feedback.

A little effort goes a long way.

5. Personalize your engagements (and be human).

I hate receiving generic responses from brands. Especially when I know there’s a human behind the interaction just waiting to be heard.

Don’t get me wrong, canned responses are great and can be super helpful for teams with limited resources. But that doesn’t mean you can’t show a little personality.

Personally, I like to use a conversational tone in posts and replies to show my audience that they’re talking to a real person. I also address people by their names and try to remember details about every interaction.

But there are many other ways to humanize your brand.

Like this second example from Scrub Daddy when they owned up to making a typo in one of their videos (because, well, it happens).

See the first comment below: “Excuse the typo omg 💀”

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Find a strategy that works for you and be consistent.

6. Stay true to yourself and your brand.

In the spirit of being human, you should also try to be as honest, transparent, and authentic as possible.

Address any negative comments, feedback, or challenges openly and acknowledge mistakes when they happen.

Did you forget to follow up with someone about a product question or concern? Own it, and make things right. Has someone violated your content guidelines? Act swiftly, and acknowledge community concerns.

Being authentic builds trust and can help foster stronger connections with your audience.

7. Use AI and tech to your advantage.

Many community management platforms, including social media, offer features to streamline your workflow. And now that AI is literally everywhere, take advantage of the good things automation has to offer.

You can use social monitoring tools, like HubSpot’s social media management software, to track engagements and respond to comments and messages in real-time.

Or try out some GenAI prompts to help you come up with content ideas related to your audience’s interests.

Use the resources around you to deliver maximum value to your community.

8. Be attentive and respond promptly.

Timeliness is critical in community management.

Make it a priority to address comments, concerns, and questions from your audience as quickly as possible. This shows members you’re active and ready to address their needs.

According to Jan Crewe, a social media community manager at ICUC, responding to incoming comments fast is key for building relationships with your audience.

She says that “this increases the chance of subsequent responses, extending the interaction.” It also allows you to address any pressing issues before they start to snowball.

9. Celebrate milestones with your community.

Your milestones — and those of your community members — are cause for celebration.

For example:

• Did you gain a certain number of followers or members? Shout it from the rooftops.
• Is it the anniversary of your community launch? I’ll bring the cake, you bring the candles.
• One of your members accomplished something big? Let’s all raise a glass!

Sharing moments like these can strengthen the sense of community and deepen the connection people feel to your brand.

10. Maintain your brand voice at all times.

It’s important to keep a consistent brand voice when managing a community.

Your brand voice is what makes your business unique and identifiable to your audience. For example, if your brand is known for being easy-going, this personality should be reflected in all your interactions and content.

(I won’t share another Scrub Daddy example — I think you get the point.)

11. Evolve with the trends.

Community management is constantly evolving. Stay open to learning new ideas and incorporating them into your strategy. You can also expect the best practices on this list to shift as community management trends change.

As a marketer, I try to stay updated on what’s happening across the industry (I’m looking at you The Marketing Millennials) and how those factors affect audience preferences.

I also pay attention to any changes in social media algorithms which ultimately affects how your content is displayed to potential viewers.

This proactive approach allows me to adapt my strategies as needed. And I have a feeling it’ll help you keep your communities engaged and relevant, too.

12. Always be auditing.

Pete is back with one final nugget of advice: “always be auditing.”

He adds, “Community building isn’t a one and done type of thing. It takes constant work and is always a work in progress, but that is what makes it fun.”

Your community is like a puppy. You have to feed it, nurture it, pay close attention to it, and invest in it. And if something’s not working, don’t be afraid to take it to the vet … I mean, review your metrics and make improvements.

Do you hear that?

That’s the sound of hundreds … actually … thousands of community advocates engaging with your content and talking about your brand.

I would say good luck, but I already know you’ll handle it like a pro.

The concept of managing communities may seem straightforward.

But a community management strategy is what separates the ‘omg I love them!’ brands from all the rest.

If you really want to make an impact on your audience, it’s going to require a little bit of planning. Come with me to take your community management efforts to the next level.

Table of Contents

• What is a community management strategy?
• How to Create a Community Management Strategy

Think about some of your favorite brands and how they interact with their audiences.

Personally, I love Duolingo’s approach to community management. It’s authentic, consistent, and human. When you see the Duo owl in the comments section on TikTok, it’s to be expected. It’s almost like they belong there.

Plus, they get an A+ from me on content creation. Posts like these are a big part of why my Spanish-learning streak is still alive. (I’m on day 580, btw.)

While this strategy works for Duolingo, it won’t work for everyone. That’s because your community management strategy is unique to your brand. It all depends on who your audience is and what you want to accomplish.

Jenny Sowyrda, manager of community strategy and operations at HubSpot, says you’ll want to take “the needs of your community members, the key goals associated with your community, and the business goals of your community” into consideration when designing your strategy.

And sometimes, those needs and goals will change as you begin to scale.

But before we talk about growth, let’s start with six simple steps to help you get your community up and running.

1. Define your objectives.

The first step to develop a community management strategy (that actually works) is understanding what success looks like for your brand.

What do you want to achieve?

Your answer may include one or more of the following:

• Increase brand awareness
• Gather product feedback for product development
• Increase engagement
• Enhance customer support
• Build a network of brand advocates
• Increase traffic to a website
• Increase customer satisfaction and retention
• Boost sales and conversions

Defining objectives upfront helps you lay the groundwork for your entire strategy. Every decision you make from this point on — such as choosing platforms and content types — will tie back to this step.

2. Identify your audience.

After you define your primary objectives, the next thing to do is identify and understand your audience.

That means gathering data on your current and target customers, including:

• Demographics: Who are they (age, gender, profession, etc.)?
• Psychographics: What are their values, attitudes, and lifestyles?
• Behaviors: How do they interact with brands and content online? What social media platforms do they use?
• Needs and challenges: What are they seeking to gain from being part of a community? What challenges are they hoping to overcome?

To gather this intel, I recommend starting with market research, social media analytics, and customer surveys.

Taking time to understand the target audience will help you refine your communication strategy and tailor your activities to their needs and interests.

3. Choose the right channels.

Next, choose the platforms where your communities are most active. That could include social media, a forum like Reddit, Slack channels, or even offline meetups.

When choosing the best platform for your target community, consider these factors:

• Audience preferences: Ensure the platform(s) align with the way your audience prefers to communicate. For example, I might choose to focus my energy on TikTok if I have a young target audience or LinkedIn if I’m targeting a B2B crowd.
• Objectives and type of interaction: Remember those objectives we talked about earlier? They play a big role here, and so does the type of interactions you want from your audience. ​​For example, Instagram is great for real-time engagement.
• Level of control: Figure out how much oversight you want over the user experience. For example, you have more control over if you host a community on your own website versus a third-party platform.
• Platform tools and features. Consider the community management offerings for each option. For example, if you’re hoping to engage your audience via quizzes and polls, choose a channel that supports this.

A big part of a successful community management strategy is being in the right place at the right time.

4. Set your targets.

Your targets will naturally flow from your primary objectives.

For example: If the primary goal is to increase engagement, a sample target could be to increase the average comments per social media post by 15% in the next three months.

Or, if the goal is to gather feedback in order to improve a product, a potential target could be to collect and respond to at least 100 customer feedback submissions each month.

My top tip? Set realistic targets. Here’s how:

• Consider industry benchmarks: Look at similar communities from other brands in your industry and set a baseline based on their average past performance.
• Run your own experiments: Design a couple of quick-hit experiments to determine what your average metrics are (e.g., brand mentions, engagements), and use those numbers as your benchmarks.
• Start small: Cultivating a thriving community takes time and consistent effort. Begin with small goals and gradually escalate them as your community grows.

Max Pete, community engagement program manager at Square, also notes the importance of aligning your targets with your company resources.

“Realistically, you have to have bandwidth and capacity. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up to fail,” says Pete.

“Consider what needs to get done ASAP and what’s going to make the biggest impact — while also keeping in line with budget and realistic timelines for you and your team.”

For example, if you’re a solopreneur, try responding to comments within 48 hours instead of a more ambitious target like 12 hours.

It’s great to aim high, but it’s also important to understand what’s achievable with your current resources.

5. Post regularly and engage with your audience.

Consistent posting and active engagement are crucial to keeping your community vibrant. Make sure you have a steady stream of content flowing so you sustain interest.

Depending on your goals and the type of community, content could include:

• Blog posts or articles: To establish yourself as a thought leader.
• Polls and quizzes: To gather valuable insights.
• Discussion prompts: To spark conversation.
• Contests and giveaways: To encourage/reward member participation.

Regular posting helps maintain visibility in your members’ feeds and keeps your brand on top of their minds.

That said, life happens, and you can‘t be online every minute. Don’t let that silence your community.

Content calendars, as shown in the video below, are a great way to plan ahead.

And tools like HubSpot’s Marketing Hub let you schedule posts in advance.

Aside from posting, remember to interact with your people. Like their comments and respond to their questions or concerns.

Show them that you value their support. In turn, you’re likely to get even more insight into their needs, preferences, and challenges.

6. Measure your results.

Finally, it’s time to see if your hard work is paying off.

Take the time to evaluate your metrics. This will tell you whether what you’re doing is resonating with your audience. If not, you may need to change tactics.

Here are some tried-and-true methods for tracking your success:

• Social listening: Monitor your social accounts for any mentions, keywords, or discussions related to your brand (and your competitors). If the sentiment is positive, then you know you’re doing something right.
• Platform analytics: Use built-in tools, like X Analytics and Instagram Insights, to get direct insights into the engagement and reach of your posts and interactions.
• Third-party tools: For deeper analysis, consider using an external resource to gather data. My favorites are HubSpot’s Social Media Management tools, Google Analytics, and Sprout Social.

My advice? Don‘t get hung up too much on quantitative data. Numbers can’t always capture the magic of a thriving community. Plus, community building takes time. Be patient, and focus on the long game.

Create, Connect, Engage

You now have the ingredients to start a community that your customers, partners, and supporters want to be a part of. When you put them all together into a cohesive strategy, that’s when the magic really happens.

Matthew Stibbe, CEO of Articulate Marketing, told me, “Community is not the cult of celebrity. It’s a reciprocal thing. It is about building connections, true connections, and developing those connections into relationships.”

He’s exactly right: communities help you share your brand identity, engage with members to build and deepen relationships and help you share content with them so they have everything they need to succeed.

That being said, how can you reap the benefits of online communities? I’ll dive into that in this post and walk you through how to build an online community, with advice from experts who have successfully done it themselves.

1. Understand why you’re building a community.

I asked Jenny Sowyrda, Manager of Community Strategy and Operations at HubSpot, her tips for building an online community and understanding your motivations was her first piece of advice:

“Know why you’re building a community (from a business perspective) and who you’re building a community for. You should have a clear goal and mission statement and understand what perspective and expertise you bring to this persona that another community isn’t or couldn’t.”

This makes sense to me because knowing your motivation helps you throughout every step of the process.

My recommendation for uncovering the “why” is building a persona for each community.

It’ll help you throughout every other step of the process, from deciding the platforms you use to how you advertise your community — really any additional steps you go through along the way.

If you’re building multiple communities, I recommend this step for each one, and so does Sowyrda. She says the main factor that changes your community is the persona you’re building for vs. the platform you’re building on.

Her example breaks it down well: “Setting up an email inbox is generally the same for Gmail and Outlook. Setting up an email inbox for a bakery vs. a law firm, however, will look different. The same is true for community — the majority of your changes will be for your members.”

2. Identify the ideal audience for your community.

After defining your primary objectives, the next thing to do is identify and understand the audience.

Alyssa Martin, Community Manager at HeyOrca, says, “My top tip for building a community online is to make sure that you fully understand who your community is before starting.”

“Figure out what they’re passionate about and find out what their challenges are…Once you fully understand who they are, you can then move on to starting to strategize and set up the space you want to create.”

Taking time to understand the target audience will help you:

• Choose the most effective channels for community building.
• Determine the most appropriate style and tone of communication.
• Tailor content and activities to their needs and interests.
• Predict and manage any potential challenges that might arise within the community.

The best way to learn about your customers is by gathering data on your current customers or target demographic, including:

• Demographics. Who are they (age, gender, profession, etc.)?
• Psychographics. What are their values, attitudes, and lifestyles?
• Behaviors. How do they interact with brands and content online? What social media platforms do they use?
• Needs and challenges. What are they seeking to gain from being part of a community? What challenges are they hoping to overcome?

Qetsiyah Jacobson is a Social Media Community Manager at HeyOrca, and she agrees with Martin: You have to put in the effort to really know your community.

Her strategy is to put herself in her personas’ shoes: “Thinking like them, talking like them … I personally like to immerse myself within niche communities to really understand the audience I am trying to reach. Facebook groups and platforms like Reddit are a really good place to start.”

A few tools and resources I recommend to learn more about your audience are market research, social media analytics, and customer surveys.

3. Identify key internal stakeholders for the community.

After you know why you’re creating your community and the platform it’ll be on, you want to identify relevant internal stakeholders. I found that there are three categories to consider:

• Those who will be managing the community: For external-facing communities, this group of stakeholders may include the community manager, marketing department, and/or customer support. The stakeholders may vary greatly for internal communities.
• Those who will be impacted by the community: If your community is external facing, you’ll want to involve marketing teams because the answers you’re seeking will have the most impact on them. If you’re getting community feedback, I’d recommend involving product management stakeholders.
• Upper management: This stakeholder isn’t necessarily someone in the C-Suite or involved in the communities day-to-day; it’s someone who is inforanyand all processes to ensure things are going well, like an operations manager overseeing all digital experiences.

4. Determine your success metrics.

Success looks different for every online community, so it’s essential to decide the success metrics to track based on your goals.

For example, if your goal is brand awareness, tracking the number of followers and new followers will be critical metrics.

Sowyrda says, “We monitor a lot of metrics, from weekly and monthly active members, to number of posts, community growth, response time, and response rate.” She says the metrics you choose should align with business goals.

“The more you can align your success metrics with what the business cares about, the better off you’ll be,” she adds.

If multiple teams are involved in your process, success might look different for each team (which is why identifying your key stakeholders early on is important). Let’s go over some examples of KPIs for different teams.

Marketing KPIs could be:

• Market share
• Customer sentiment
• Mobilizing influencers and advocates
• NPS – Net Promoter Score

Operations KPIs could be:

• Operational efficiency
• Reducing support costs

Customer Service KPIs could be:

• CSAT – Customer Satisfaction Score
• NPS

Product Management KPIs could be:

• Product testing
• Market research
• Beta testing
• Customer feedback

5. Choose a platform for your community.

Christina Garnett, CCO of Founder and Fractional and Pocket, told me, “Don’t choose your community tech stack until you understand what behaviors you want community members to do and what metrics you want to track. This will help you narrow down the best community tools for your needs.”

This is an important step because there are also different community models: free, owned, and paid. I dive deeper into each one in this post, but the type you pick impacts the freedom you have within each community.

For example, if you want a forum structure, you can create a free Facebook Page to entice discussion. Since you don’t own the community (because it’s a social media platform), you’re limited to what Facebook allows.

If you create a forum within your website, it’s an owned community, and you have complete creative liberties and control over how you run your community and what people do once they become members.

A few key factors I recommend considering when making your decision are:

• Audience interest: Any info you’ve uncovered during your research into the platforms they already use and are interested in
• Community objectives: You want to pick a platform that helps you meet your goals. For example, if you want to share exclusive content, one that offers paid membership options is a good bet.
• Features: Consider what each platform offers and the features you need to use.
• Control: The level of ownership and control you want over the community. If it’s owned, you have more freedom.

If you’re having trouble deciding, Camille Trent, Director of Content and Community at Teal, shared a tip I like:

“You should almost always build a community in public channels first. For instance, as an AI resume builder and career tool for job seekers, it made sense for Teal to build publicly on LinkedIn, a social channel built for professionals, and cover career-related questions on the blog before expanding to other channels.”

Trent says the benefit of starting with public channels is that it “Helps you build credibility with a wider audience, increase awareness, and, as a bonus, do some light audience research to inform what type of private community to build later.”

6. Set up your community.

So, the setup process begins.

My first recommendation is to familiarize yourself with the software or platform you use to set up your community.

Play with a demo, go through hands-on onboarding with a sales rep, or spend time on the platform to understand what you can do.

As a basic example, if you’re setting up a forum, you want to know exactly how to create the discussion threads that will form your overall forum.

Below, I’ll go over some setup processes that are useful for all types of online communities:

• Defining the roles of your staff and members: Decide what roles your community will need, such as moderators or super members, and whether those will held internally, done by community members, or a combination of both. Consider who on your staff will be the community’s admin, moderators, or community manager.
• Assigning permissions for roles: You will need to assign and test permissions to the roles you create. For example, you may restrict new accounts from posting pictures or links.
• Implementing your theme: I strongly recommend tying your forum to your brand over impersonal and default settings. For example, use your brand color palette and add other recognizable, personal, and branded touches. If you’re creating a community on social media, your profile pictures and headings should be consistent with your existing branding.
• Review the sign-up process for members: Thoroughly test your sign-up process pre-launch to make sure it works. If you’re using owned platforms, I recommend setting up a single sign-on (SSO) if it’s offered. The easier the process, the faster you build your user base.
• Configuring spam controls: Take advantage of spam controls on any owned communities. You can set filters before launching, test them against a baseline of users, and adjust as needed. Non-owned platforms often have built-in spam filters and controls that automatically handle spam or harmful content.
• Crisis plan: It would be nice if they didn’t, but crises do happen. Thankfully, you can prevent them with social media crisis management planning. Consider all types of probable scenarios, create contingency plans, and prepare yourself beforehand.
• Keeping your community pre-launch private: You do not want outsiders having access to your community until you are ready, so make sure to enable your privacy settings.

Now, I’ll go over set-up tips unique to the communities you own and create yourself.

• Decide which features to enable: You have more creative control over owned communities, so you can choose to enable the features that are most relevant to your needs. Some software offer plug-ins, add-ons, and other features that automatically integrate with your community.
• Create your initial forum categories: If you’re creating a forum, decide on your initial categories that will start the conversation. Avoid creating too many categories at the start — keep it simple and let your categories evolve.
• Set up gamification: If it’s offered, gamification is a great way to build excitement. Think about the perks you want to reward members (like badges or other achievement recognitions), and set up gamification rules that inspire participation.
• Set up your outgoing email: Decide what email address you’ll use for community notifications, and review your welcome and registration emails to make sure they say what you want.

7. Create a promotion plan.

“I would recommend having a detailed promotion plan before you launch to ensure you understand how you’ll get folks into your community. If you build it, people won’t just show up, you need to find the right folks, introduce the value to them, and then really double down on building trust with them,” says Sowyrda.

This makes sense to me: you don’t want the work you’ve done to set up your community to go to waste. A targeted promotion plan lets your target audience know that the community exists and gets them interested and excited to join it.

The best way to do this is to take advantage of your existing online presence.

Promote your launch on your website, through email communications, and by having your sales team and customer service reps tell your existing and potential customers about it.

8. Optional step: Begin a soft launch.

This is an optional step, but you could soft launch your community to a smaller group and use this opportunity to fix any roadblocks initial users might encounter before a public launch.

I think a great example of a soft launch is from BigFish Games with the introduction of their new game: Dungeon Boss. While preparing for the launch, it placed its app in the Apple Canada store and drove users to the community forum in a closed and private environment.

It got a lot of customer feedback, some of which was incorporated into the Dungeon Boss game title. Consequently, when it launched worldwide, it became one of the most downloaded games.

Preparing for the Soft-Launch

Your community should be launch-ready.

Remove test content and fix known issues. Pre-populate your community with quality content (you can use your existing content) that will spark discussion.

Tone is important, so you want to set the right tone before moving on to the internal soft launch.

Internal Soft-Launch

The internal soft-launch will help you identify problems with trusted colleagues before going public.

People testing your community can give you valuable feedback to implement before you move on to a full launch. If you have internal moderators, this phase allows them to learn how to use the tools they’ll use in the forum.

Public Soft-Launch

Your public soft launch should be limited to a select audience that you encourage to give feedback on your new community forum.

To find people, you can request volunteers from trusted customers, create a banner on your website, or include mentions in your company newsletter.

9. Launch your community.

Launching your online community is one of the most essential steps to building it.

You’ll launch your community to your target audience post-soft launch or give it to the world for the first time. Either way, your community management strategy comes to life, and you can start attracting an audience and building connections.

Leverage the promotion plan you created, and watch it come to life. Here are some additional tips that will help you drive the first 100 members of your community:

• Invite your contacts: This doesn’t mean personal connections (unless it’s appropriate), but any professional contacts you have that align with what you’re offering with your community.
• Discuss with everyone and anyone: Get in the habit of talking to people everywhere you go, especially if your community is centered around a broad product or service that has value for many people.
• Enlist the help of new members through gamification: Ask your growing, early group to help you broaden the network by inviting friends, colleagues, and digital connections. You can encourage this through contests or reward systems integrated into your platform.
• Partner with influencers: Collaborating with a related and complementary company can be an effective way to promote your new community and welcome new members who like both products and services. (Pro Tip: Micro-influencers are your best bet here, and they come at a fraction of the cost of mega-influencers)

10. Remain adaptable.

My final tip, which holds for all business processes (but is still worth repeating), is being open to change and ready to pivot. As much as you test, roadblocks that require you to adapt can pop up.

Sowryda advises: “Be willing to pivot. Your community may change as you get to know your members and what they want/don’t want. Be open to adapting to meet those needs, as the end goal should always be your members’ success.”

Welcome to Creator Columns, where we bring expert HubSpot Creator voices to the Blogs that inspire and help you grow better.

Months before Beau was born, my sister — herself a mother of three — recommended we put a “NoseFrida” on our registry.

“It’s this rubber tube,” she said. “One end goes in the baby’s nose, the other goes in your mouth. Then you suck.” I laughed. Being childless at the time, this was a shocking concept. “It’s clean,” she said, “there’s a booger-catcher thing in the middle.” I laughed again. “Nothing goes in your mouth.”

I looked at my wife. “I’m not doing that.” She rolled her eyes and palmed her belly.

Months after Beau is born:

He’s still very small. I’m on the couch, horizontal, lying on my back, holding him above my head. My elbows are bending. I’m moving him up and down. We’re playing, laughing. My mouth is open.

Beau spits up.

My mouth is suddenly full. It’s breast milk — recently consumed and now regurgitated — but I’m not phased, believe it or not. My son is three months old, after all. Strange things happen. I look at my wife. She’s cackling at my misfortune. I get up and pass her the boy and go to the sink and spit.

“Kels—” I call out.

“Yeah?”

“Have you seen the nose thing?” I said. “He’s stuffy.”

The day Beau was born:

Kelsey woke me up early. It was still dark outside. Light from the bathroom poured into the bedroom. “My water broke,” she said.

We drove to the hospital. We went through triage. We met the nurse and the doctor and settled into the delivery room. “This is a process,” said the nurse. “Try to get comfortable.”

We tried. I closed the blinds and dimmed the lights and adjusted my wife’s hospital bed until she said, “That feels good.” The room was dark and quiet, calm. Kels fell asleep. Her back was to me. I was sitting in a recliner, reading something, listening to my son’s heartbeat come through the fetal monitor.

I closed my eyes. The door opened. My eyes opened. “Okay—” said the nurse, “we have a grumpy baby in there—” Kels sat up. I stood up. “I’m gonna have you roll over—” the nurse told my wife.

Then, suddenly, another nurse walked in. And another. And another. Then the obstetrician walked in. Then the anesthesiologist. Suddenly, a dozen people surrounded my wife, shifting her this way and that way, propping her up. “It’s gonna be fine, dear—” said the nurse, “just breathe, dear, breathe—”

I backed up until my heel hit the wall. I was in the corner now. My wife was on her knees and elbows now. I couldn’t see her face anymore. A doctor approached me. “Dad?” I looked at her. “The boy’s heart rate just dropped.”

“Dropped?”

“Yes,” she said. “One-ten to one-sixty is normal in utero—” I looked at the monitor. It was beeping and bouncing: fifty-four, fifty-seven, fifty-two. “It’s in the fifties now,” she said.

“Why?” I said. My palms were wet.

“Probably the umbilical cord—” the doctor kept talking, elaborating, but I could only see my wife and hear the monitor and feel my throat tightening.

Then, suddenly, the beeping stopped. “Heart rate stabilized,” someone said, and the room cleared out as quickly as it had filled up.

Then, suddenly, it was just me and my wife and the doctor, who said, “This can’t keep happening.”

“But what actually happened?” my wife asked.

The doctor repeated herself. “The umbilical cord,” she said, “it’s compromised.” Then she told us if the heart rate deceleration kept happening, an emergency cesarean would be necessary. Kelsey squeezed my hand. I squeezed back. An hour later, it happened again. And again after that.

“Okay,” said my wife, and signed the liability form.

“Okay,” said the doctor, and the nurses began rolling Kelsey’s bed toward the operating room. Before she turned the corner, we signed I Love You to each other.

Three fingers. Then, suddenly, it was just me. I was alone, sitting there, picking the skin off my thumb and tapping my foot. I looked down. My thumb was bleeding. I stopped picking and put it in my mouth.

I’m a secular person, but in that moment, I began to pray. “God—” I looked down. The blood was pooling in my cuticle. I let it go. “Please—” I didn’t know what I was doing. “Please—” I didn’t know how to talk to God. “Please, Lord—” I began bartering with Him. “I swear to you,” I said, “I’ll be the best dad.”

The moment Beau is born:

In the operating room, when the surgeon lifts him up over the blue curtain and I see him for the first time, I recognize him. So much so, in fact, it takes my breath away. I gasp. I know this person. I know his face.

It feels like when you run into an old friend, someone you left behind, and they’ve changed, of course — time has changed them — but you still see them as you once knew them. This is what it feels like the moment Beau is born. It feels like I already know him.

The surgeon passes the boy to a nurse. “Apgar at one and five—” he says.

“Yes, Doctor,” says the nurse.

“And I need suction on the left—” he says in the same breath.

“Yes, Doctor,” says another nurse.

“More—”

“Yes, Doctor.”

Beau is in a small room now, adjacent to the OR. He needs to be cleaned and measured and weighed. I look at Kelsey. “Go meet him,” she says.

A year after Beau was born, I did a writing experiment.

I asked one of the big AI engines a question:

“Can you describe meeting your firstborn child?”

The computer thought for a moment, then produced 88 words:

I read it, then wrote my own version, except I limited myself to exactly as many words as the AI’s passage. I often practice writing this way. Efficiency, after all, is my bread and butter as a copywriter. Word economy is baked into the discipline. Saying more in fewer words is never a bad thing:

When I shared it in my newsletter and on LinkedIn, the response was remarkable. The concept, clearly, struck a nerve. Hundreds of thousands of people saw the experiment, prompting over a thousand comments, DMs, and emails. All that feedback culminated in a consensus: my version is better.

Readers said that despite using only as many words as the AI, my passage created much richer, more vivid imagery: “I could actually see your version,” someone commented. “It felt like a movie was playing in my head.”

“Mind Movies” are a real phenomenon.

Harvard psychologist Stephen Kosslyn calls it “Mental Imagery,” or the “reproduction of visual images in the absence of the stimuli themselves.”

Mind Movies can be self-inflicted — an athlete, for example, might imagine herself making the game-winning shot — or, they can be done to us, prompted by writing.

But how? I’ll tell you exactly:

You can put “holes” in your writing.

In other words, leave things out — details, context — and this will give The Reader a chance to “fill in” that space, to use her imagination, to access her own experiences, or memories, good or bad, painful or pleasant.

Holes invite The Reader to participate in the narrative.

But how do you create holes? I’ll tell you exactly:

1. Anti-description

For example, I don’t need to tell you I’m in a hospital:

You fill in this hole for yourself because I mention “the nurse,” and “masks” and “gowns” and “gloves” and “hairnets.” These context clues are enough to conjure the colors, smells, and sterility of a hospital.

I’m not giving you a description as much as an anti-description — small details that force you to color in the story based on your own experiences in a hospital, creating an image that is invariably more real and believable.

This process of filling in the details for yourself — even if they’re not perfectly accurate — is not only engaging, but can also conjure profoundly vivid imagery, the fodder of a “Mind Movie.”

Another way this phenomenon expresses itself is via The Kuleshov Effect, discovered by film researcher Lev Kuleshov, who did an experiment. He put an actor in front of a camera and asked him to deliver an expressionless look. The actor, someone named Ivan Mosjoukine, did this:

Then, Kuleshov showed audiences a series of shots, followed by Mosjoukine’s expressionless face.

He showed them a bowl of soup:

He showed them a small girl in a coffin:

He showed them a woman on a fainting couch:

In his book, The Power of Film, film professor Howard Suber explains the significance of this experiment.

“Audiences raved at the range of this great actor,” says Suber, “How he expressed how famished he was in front of that bowl of soup. And how heartbroken he was at his child — nothing had identified any relationship between the child and the actor; the audience read that story into it,” says Suber. “And the woman on the couch … desire.”

“What Kuleshov proved is you don’t want theatrical acting in which the actor projects to the back of the house,” explains Suber. “The actor does not need to project. The audience is projecting onto the actor the emotions they think the actor is feeling, even though the actor isn’t expressing any emotion.”

Mosjoukine’s “expressionless look” in film is like “anti-description” in writing: by giving The Reader less, you’re actually giving them more to imagine, visualize, and experience.

2. Dialogue

For example, I don’t need to tell you I’m anxious in this scene:

You fill in this hole for yourself, based on what I’m saying, the observations I’m stating, and the questions I’m asking. This is also known as subtext. It’s the true meaning behind what characters say — and it’s one of our salient advantages as human writers.

For example, I’m not simply saying “Hello” to my son:

Ostensibly it’s a greeting, but it’s actually me becoming a new person. In this moment, the old person, the childless person — the one that wouldn’t even consider using a NoseFrida — is gone. In this moment, my priorities and worldview have changed, irreversibly so. I’ve transformed.

You fill in this hole for yourself by letting the context — the circumstance, the setting — dictate the meaning.

This is in stark contrast to the AI’s approach.

The computer lacks consciousness. It’s not aware of itself, much less the human condition. It can’t comprehend the essence of a person, or the significance of a moment, much less this moment, the gravity and complexity of meeting your firstborn child.

So, instead, the AI spoon-feeds us a series of platitudes and cliches, an amalgamation of some ideal scenario, some version of perfection:

It falls flat, of course, because it’s just not that simple.

“The AI’s version may well be accurate (for some at least), but it lacks the warmth and reality of holding your child for the first time,” explains fellow writer and parent, Katie Murray, in a comment on my post.

“As a first-time parent, I was ecstatic and anxious in equal measure as I held my beautiful baby for the first time. You recognize the thrill and the responsibility of being a parent simultaneously, and nothing quite prepares you for either.”

The AI can’t understand this duality because it’s not alive. It didn’t live this moment, so it can’t relate.

It didn’t just watch the most important person in its life go through 36 hours of hard, complicated labor. It didn’t witness its unborn child struggling to breathe inside the womb of this person.

It wasn’t there during emergency surgery at 4 o’clock in the morning, sitting by its wife, holding her head, telling her everything is going to be okay when there was a very real possibility that it wouldn’t be … that something horrible and unthinkable might happen to its family, to their future together, to their love.

People are the most incredible animals because, every day, we go through life with the knowledge that everything we care about, everything we love, could be taken from us. And yet, we go on anyway. Every day, we persist.

And sometimes, we’re reminded of this reality, and it does something to us, and that’s why I wrote what I wrote. I wrote my truth. And because we all share the human experience, so many people understood that truth.

They related to my version, my experience — and they were equally underwhelmed by the version put forth by the AI.

This is why copywriting will always be a human profession.

Because writing is actually not our work.

“[Writing] a great ad,” said creative director Jeff Goodby,” is [putting] a mirror in front of your audience.”

Writing is important, of course, and hopefully, the dialogue, anti-description, and subtext I created illustrates the enormous chasm between a human’s turn of phrase and that of a machine. But even so, if that chasm were to close — years or decades into the future, if ever — I hope every copywriter reading this finds solace in the fact that writing is just our medium, the vessel through which we put a mirror in front of our audience, and reflect something patently human and imperfect and true.

Kieran and I conducted an experiment with ChatGPT to brainstorm an unconventional marketing plan.

Here are four intriguing approaches it suggested using community and audience — and why we think they’re valuable for marketers.

In the latest episode of Marketing Against the Grain, we experimented with ChatGPT to develop a differentiated marketing strategy for acquiring the first 1,000 customers for a hypothetical SaaS product.

We aimed to bypass common ‘best practices’ and instead iterate on ideas that deviated from the norm or offered us a fresh angle, while still enabling us to quickly scale.

While the real-time integration of AI was the entertaining (and unpredictable) highlight of the episode, ChatGPT provided several suggestions to improve our marketing approaches by tapping into our brand’s audience and community.

Here are four of our favorites, along with practical tips, examples, and resources.

Four Differentiated Marketing Tactics Using Community and Audience

1. Pitch the problem (not just the solution).

One suggestion from ChatGPT that we love is to shape your brand messaging by highlighting your audience’s specific challenges and pain points.

While most marketers focus on perfecting their message to highlight their product’s strengths, the counter-intuitive approach embraces vulnerabilities to build deeper emotional connections and uses creativity and boldness to break through the noise.

It’s about meeting your audience where they are and showing that you truly understand their struggles.

HubSpot did exactly this in its early days by directly addressing the core inefficiencies that sales, advertising, and marketing teams were facing with traditional outbound marketing.

At the time, advertising in the Yellow Pages was becoming ineffective as people were discarding phone books without even looking through them. TV ads were also losing their impact, as viewers fast-forwarded through commercials with their new DVRs.

HubSpot recognized these pain points, built a brand strategy around them, and then presented their inbound marketing solution as a superior alternative. The rest is history.

2. Flip the sales process.

Another effective tactic from our ChatGPT experiment is to reverse the traditional sales process.

For example, instead of the conventional approach of pushing your product, invite potential customers to engage in unique challenges or interactive events that indirectly demonstrate the limitations of their current solutions.

I love this method because it curates a personal and hands-on understanding of your product’s solution and value.

A great example of this strategy is the Excel Olympics, which turned a well-known legacy software tool into a competitive event.

Participants competed in Excel-related challenges, showcasing the capabilities and benefits of the software in a new and entertaining way, eventually going viral on TikTok and Twitter and capturing millions of views on YouTube. Not bad for a software that’s almost 40 years old.

3. Curate unexpected user experiences.

A third tactic suggested by ChatGPT is to create radical experiences that surprise and delight your audience.

While this might initially sound like an obvious suggestion, this approach goes well beyond simply having a standout product or feature.

Instead, it’s about curating a brand experience that’s so unique and engaging that it defies your audience’s expectations and compels them to talk about it, building buzz and word of mouth.

A real-world example of this is multi-billion dollar company Mailchimp, which differentiated its email marketing brand so unconventionally that people continuously chose them over the competition — even if the competition was more technically advanced and well-known.

Why? Kieran says it best during the podcast: “Different is much more memorable, much more sticky.“

4. Build your tribe.

A final idea from our ChatGPT experiment is to dedicate resources to fostering targeted, community-driven engagement.

For example, instead of focusing on broad market acquisition, concentrate on creating a loyal tribe of followers through mastermind groups, exclusive content, and member-only events.

These strategies develop a sense of belonging and advocacy, positioning your brand as a central hub for your audience.

One of Kipp’s favorite resources on this topic is Seth Godin’s book, Tribes.

Here, Godin talks about the importance of leading and connecting people who share a common interest, resulting in an audience that effectively builds buzz by sharing their knowledge and positive experiences.

Applying Differentiated Marketing Tactics to Build a Strong Community

Turning your audience into a dedicated community elevates a brand to an entirely new level — but this requires resources, organization, and purpose.

Here are five practical tips to transform your audience into a loyal and engaged community, using the differentiated marketing tactics we’ve discussed and our Community Management Templates.

1. Assess the current landscape.

Determine where your audience engages, whether owned or unowned, and if they already identify as a community. This helps you understand your starting point and necessary adjustments.

2. Understand your community’s needs.

Figure out why your community exists and who it serves. Understanding the core needs of your members, like how HubSpot identified the inefficiencies faced by outbound sales teams, creates a focused and engaged community,

3. Map the member journey.

Understand the experiences of new, passive, engaged, and advocate members. Tailor your tactics to nurture each type of member and foster a thriving community.

For example, creating unique challenges or interactive events can engage members at different stages and showcase your product’s corresponding strengths.

4. Address member needs.

Search and solve for the specific needs of your members. Providing real value — like masterminds or exclusive educational events — will delight your users and keep them engaged.

5. Develop and iterate member profiles.

Create and refine detailed buyer personas to represent different user types. These profiles help tailor your engagement strategies to meet the evolving needs of your diverse audience.

To watch our entire ChatGPT marketing experiment, check out the full episode of Marketing Against the Grain below:

This blog series is in partnership with Marketing Against the Grain, the video podcast. It digs deeper into ideas shared by marketing leaders Kipp Bodnar (HubSpot’s CMO) and Kieran Flanagan (SVP, Marketing at HubSpot) as they unpack growth strategies and learn from standout founders and peers.

It’s one thing to have good website copy — it’s something entirely different to ensure your site has great copy (and design) and also ranks well on Google.

As someone who writes website copy for a living, I work closely with search engine optimization (SEO) consultants to ensure that the copy speaks directly to the audience while remaining optimized for search engine rankings.

Because algorithms and search patterns are always changing, there’s no such thing as a perfectly optimized website.

But over the years, I’ve seen a variety of tactics — the good, the bad, and the ugly, if you will — to get websites to rank as high as possible, making them easier to find in search engines.

Though keyword stuffing — or shoving all the keywords into your site regardless of the effect on user experience — isn’t the way to optimize your website efficiently, high-ranking keywords can still increase your website’s visibility when done right.

The best way to ensure your site is optimized and using the best keywords for your audience is to use a rank tracker tool to measure the efficacy of your keywords.

Rank tracking is one very important part of your SEO strategy — and our Ultimate Guide to SEO covers the rest, outlining everything you need to get your website and blog ranking.

Here’s what I’ll cover below:

• What is a rank tracker tool?
• What makes a great rank tracker tool?
• 10 Best Rank Tracker Tools

These tools may be part of a larger SEO management package or a stand-alone product.

While each tool is different, I’ve generally found that it boils down to inputting your target keywords into the rank tracker tool so you can get tracking reports.

The platform will typically send you updates at a preset frequency or one that you define.

If the rank tracker tool is part of an SEO management package, it may come with other tools, including backlink tracking, keyword research, and even paid ad management.

SEO tools aren’t new or emerging technology, which means there are many options to choose from if you’re looking to track your keywords’ ranks and improve your visibility strategy.

How can you choose the right tool for your company? Below I’ll go over some of the features and benefits you’ll want to focus on when comparing and selecting a rank tracker tool.

What makes a great rank tracker tool?

No two companies are the same. So it follows that each organization has different needs, and there probably isn’t a universal best rank tracker tool.

That said, there are a few things you’ll want to keep an eye on to decide which tool is best for your company.

Ease of Use

Rank tracking and SEO, in general, can get pretty technical, so you’ll want to find a tool that’s easy to use and has an intuitive interface.

I’ve found that ease of use should include the platform itself as well as the reporting function — the less of a learning curve, the more likely I am to use it consistently and effectively.

Remember, your tools should make your task at hand easier to tackle, not make them more difficult.

Accuracy

Though no rank tracker tool will be 100% accurate, you should still aim to get as close as possible. You could potentially undo all your hard work if you use a tool that’s inaccurate and leads you in the wrong direction.

Competitor Analysis

Along with understanding where your company sites stand regarding keywords, it’s equally important to understand how you compare to your competitors.

Are you ranking higher than they are for certain keywords? Maybe there’s a gap that your competitor failed to fill that you could take over.

Integrations

Chances are that even with an all-in-one SEO solution, you’ll still use other tools in your marketing strategy. This means you’ll want a tool that can easily integrate with your other tools for a clear bird’s-eye view of your strategy’s results.

Good Pricing

When it comes to pricing, you should make sure the features and benefits you receive from the rank tracking tool can justify the price. Some companies may require an inexpensive tool, while others may need a high-end solution.

What matters is getting the most bang for your buck, and it’s possible multiple companies may offer very similar solutions at significantly different price points.

Something else to keep in mind is how accessible the pricing itself is. Does the company lay out the pricing on their site? Or, do you need to contact a representative and set up a demo first to get a pricing range?

Now that you know what to look for, let’s discuss which tools I think are the standouts this year.

Again, there’s no single best rank tracker out there — so much comes down to your business needs and personal preferences.

Use this roundup of the best rank trackers to narrow down your choices and then take a spin through the tools you like best.

1. HubSpot SEO Marketing Software

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To kick off the list is HubSpot’s SEO Marketing Software.

This is an intuitive SEO management platform that HubSpot includes in its robust Marketing Hub package.

You can use this software to plan your SEO strategy, monitor its progress, and determine ROI that you can share with key figures through reports.

Features

• HubSpot’s rank tracking data including Monthly Search Volume and Difficulty is sourced from SEMRush, a well-known platform in SEO.
• Integration with Google Search Console for more accurate metrics and reports. This also means you won’t have to tab back and forth between the two platforms.
• Integration with HubSpot’s native Content Management platform.

What I Like

The platform’s Recommendations tab lets you know what changes could be made to improve your website’s optimization.

But what I thought stood out was that you can see how high the SEO impact of the issue is, the difficulty of fixing, and which role can implement the change.

Pros

• Seamlessly integrate the platform with your existing HubSpot platforms.
• Like other HubSpot products, the SEO Marketing Software features an easy-to-use interface.

Cons

• The platform’s rank tracker tools are rather limited, and may not be enough for someone who is looking to really get into the weeds of their site’s SEO.
• You can’t buy the SEO Marketing Software on its own; you need to buy the entire HubSpot Marketing Hub to gain access to the software, which may not work for someone who already has an established Marketing tech stack.

Pricing

• Free tools via trial
• Marketing Hub Starter — $15/mo/seat
• Starter Customer Platform – $15/mo/seat
• Marketing Hub Professional – $800/mo (3 seats) additional seats $45/seat
• Marketing Hub Enterprise – $3,600/mo (5 seats) additional seats $75/mo

2. SEMRush

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SEMRush is one of the biggest names in SEO, and with good reason. The platform’s robust features, like its backlink checker, competitor analysis, and organic keyword research, make it a popular go-to platform for marketers.

In SEO, marketers are usually at the mercy of search engine algorithms and their constant changes and updates. Luckily, SEMRush’s rank tracker tool can keep you updated on any changes in Google’s algorithm, so you’ll never fall behind.

Features

• SEMRush’s rank tracking tool allows you to track organic keywords, and pay-per-click (PPC) keywords.
• The platform recently integrated ContentShakeAI, a generative AI browser extension.
• Compare domains to see which have the most organic visibility and traffic.

What I Like

The “intent” feature can tell you the intention users had when searching specific keywords, giving you a deeper insight into where in the customer journey they are.

Pros

• SEMRush features a user-friendly interface for easy navigation.
• The tool can integrate with Zapier to create fast and efficient workflows.
• SEMRush’s data updates on a daily basis for the most accurate information.

Cons

• If you are on SEMRush’s first tier, you have to choose either desktop or mobile tracking and multi-location tracking is not available.
• This can be pricy for smaller businesses that aren’t experts in SEO.

Pricing

• Pro – $129.95/mo
• Guru – $249.95/mo
• Business – Contact for pricing

3. Ahrefs

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Ahrefs is another big player in the SEO game, and it comes with a full suite of SEO tools to increase your website’s visibility.

The rank tracker tool is feature-rich and allows you to check search metrics across various search engines.

The platform comes equipped with keyword analysis, the ability to earn SERP features, and a backlink checker for a comprehensive SEO experience. It’s my personal favorite because of how easy they make it.

Features

• The rank tracker can measure metrics in over 190 countries, making it perfect for companies with international operations.
• Ahrefs features a competitor analysis tool.
• You can track rank for both desktop and mobile.
• The platform’s Share of Voice feature lets you see what percentage of clicks from organic search traffic take users to your website.

What I Like

I discovered that Ahrefs has a feature that allows you to schedule reports to be sent by email so you can stay up to date on your rank tracking without having to manually create the reports every time.

I find this to be useful for quickly checking your keywords’ status frequently in between generating full reports.

Pros

• Ahrefs has an extensive library of educational materials called Ahrefs Academy that can help beginner SEOs get started on their strategy or help longtime optimizers learn a new trick or two.
• The platform has built their own search engine, Yep (currently in Beta), which could give users a more accurate reading of keyword metrics.
• Because they’ve been operating for more than 10 years, Ahrefs is known for their keyword research.

Cons

• Ahrefs is packed with useful features, but it doesn’t have a very user-friendly interface, potentially making it overwhelming to navigate.
• Their enterprise package starts at $14,000, making it the highest price point on the list when broken down per month.

Pricing

There is a free webmaster tool for sites that you manage, and it includes some rank tracking. It’s a great place to start if you’re dipping your toes in the water.

I’ve found the free version is quite helpful, even though it’s not as robust as the paid plan.

For paid plans:

• Lite – $129/mo
• Standard – $249/mo
• Advanced – $449/mo
• Enterprise – $1499/yr (no monthly plan available)

4. Moz

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With over 20 years of experience in SEO, Moz definitely earned its spot on this list. Moz is an all-in-one SEO solution with a fantastic rank tracker tool. Similar to Ahrefs, they host an extensive library of learning resources and community.

Moz’s rank tracking tool makes it easy to determine which keywords are working for you and which are not. You can compare keyword rank between desktop to mobile to understand user behavior.

Features

• Moz’s platform gives you keyword and content optimization recommendations.
• You can also see which keyword fixes take priority so you can work accordingly.
• The rank tracking tool lets you compare your metrics to your competitors for a holistic view of your strategy.

What I Like

I love that Moz has the largest catalog of third-party integrations. No matter what programs you are currently using, it’s highly likely that you can integrate Moz, but if that’s not the case, you can also use their API to do it manually.

Pros

• With Moz’s competitor analysis, you can see which gaps in their strategy you can fill.
• You can create custom segments within Moz to get a thorough understanding of all your audience groups.
• Moz has SEO solutions for all business sizes; small businesses to large enterprises can benefit from Moz’s packages.

Cons

• Moz’s user interface looks outdated and isn’t as user-friendly as it could be.

Pricing

• Standard – $99/mo
• Pro Medium – $179/mo

5. Google Search Console

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Google Search Console allows you to see your keyword ranks, clicks, and other data to improve your website’s visibility in SERPS. It features analysis tools that can monitor your internal links, backlinking domains, and top-linked pages.

Though the rank tracking on Google Search Console is not a thorough one, I wanted to include it on this list because it is 100% free, and if you’re already using Google Analytics and other marketing tools, it’s easy to get up and running.

All marketers start somewhere, and even small business owners may see themselves strapped for funds at the beginning, so whatever free tool they can get will help them immensely.

Features

• Google’s search analytics lets you see which searches are bringing users to your website.
• Google will send you email alerts if it detects your site has an issue that needs to be fixed.
• Ability to integrate with third-party rank tracker tools if that’s something you want to do.

What I Like

If you’re new to SEO and rank tracking, Google Search Console has a 29-video training series on using the Search Console.

Pros

• Google Search Console is free and doesn’t have any paid tiers.
• The platform is easy to use, especially if you’re already familiar with Google platforms.

Cons

• Google Search Console has limited keyword tracking capabilities.
• The platform only runs metrics on Google, leaving out other search engines like Yahoo! and Bing.

Pricing

Free.

6. SERPWatcher by Mangools

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Although Mangools originally began as a keyword research tool, their offerings expanded to include backlink research, SERP competitor analysis, webpage analysis, and keyword rank tracking.

Like other platforms, you can track your keyword metrics, make any necessary fixes, and create reports to share with your team.

Features

• Email alerts that inform you if your website optimization needs any fixing.
• Sends daily rank tracking updates so you stay on top of your site’s SEO.
• Currently has 52,000 supported locations including countries, districts, and even cities.

What I Like

SERPWatcher has a simple and clean user interface, making it a great choice for those who are just getting into SEO. And since SEO can be so intense, I love it as an entry-level ranking tool for people who want to get a great impact.

Pros

• The platform has an interactive report feature that allows you to share key metrics with your team using a single link and can send custom event-based reports, too.
• All you need to start tracking keyword rank is a valid domain, location, which platform you want to track, and your desired keywords.
• You can keep your tracking organized using tags that you can name and add custom colors to.

Cons

• You can track both desktop and mobile, but during the initial setup you’ll only be able to choose one, which means you’ll have to go back and add the other later.
• SERPWatcher’s rank tracker tool will only look through Google’s index, leaving out other search engines.

Pricing

• Entry – $29/mo
• Basic – $49/mo
• Premium – $69/mo
• Agency – $129/mo

7. SE Ranking

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SE Ranking is an SEO software platform with various tools to monitor your site’s visibility and keyword rankings. SE Ranking is ideal for agencies and in-house marketing/SEO teams.

The platform is comprehensive and allows you to track keywords on multiple search engines including Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and even YouTube.

Features

• SE Ranking’s Rank Tracker lets you and your team track keyword performance metrics.
• The AI-powered On-Page SEO Tracker lets you keep tabs on your site’s ranking and make any fixes that could improve its visibility.
• Crawl your website through the platform’s Website Audit and find out how your website is performing.

What I Like

I love that this platform makes it easier to prevent the cannibalization of keywords. In other words, it identifies which pages might be competing for the same keywords so the appropriate fix can be made.

Pros

• Create unlimited projects with the Pro and Business plans, which gives each tier extra value.
• You can grant your clients access to the platform to keep them informed.
• Track your competitors’ keywords to see how hard it would be to compete for the same keywords.

Cons

• The platform’s interface can become overwhelming and isn’t very user-friendly.
• The base tier only allows you to track five projects, while the next one up allows you 30.

Pricing

• Essential – $65/mo
• Pro – $119/mo
• Business – $259/mo

8. Nightwatch

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The next platform on my short list of the best rank tracking is Nightwatch, an SEO platform with a clean and colorful user interface.

Nightwatch is easy to navigate and looks different than other tools since its default background color is black, adding to the platform’s night theme.

Features

• Nightwatch can pinpoint keyword rank down to the ZIP code.
• You can audit your website and check for broken links, missing tags, and other issues that can hinder your ranking.
• You can create “segments” in Nightwatch and compare how your keywords perform in each one.
• Track keyword ranking across multiple search engines, even DuckDuckGo.

What I Like

I’m obsessed with finding new ways to incorporate AI to make analysis of SEO easier and more accessible to more businesses.

I’ve seen a lot of advancements around AI in the marketing field, so Nightwatch’s AI capabilities make it super interesting to me.

While the Nightwatch AI Tracker is currently in beta, once fully released it will allow the user to see if their tracked keywords appear in ChatGPT or other LLM results.

You’ll know exactly which phrases are being used and which questions are being asked.

Pros

• Nightwatch has a drag-and-drop feature to build out custom reports.
• The rank tracker can alert you of opportunities regarding potential global and local SERP placements you could take over.
• You can build out white-labeled reports for your clients.

Cons

• Regardless of which plan you choose, you can only track up to five competitors.

Pricing

• Tiers start at $39/mo for 250 keywords and increase based on the number of keywords.
• At $99 (1,000 keywords), you get API Access, Google Data Studio Connector, unlimited white label reports, and unlimited user seats.
• After this tier, the only difference in price is the number of keywords and site audit pages.

9. SEO Powersuite (Rank Tracker)

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SEO Powersuite is another all-in-one platform that features a rank tracker tool as part of its package.

What makes SEO Powersuite different from all the other tools on this list is that it doesn’t operate through a browser — it’s actually a desktop application. You’d have to download the software onto your computer to use it.

Despite this difference in operation, SEO Powersuite is still a great option to fulfill your website’s SEO and rank-tracking needs.

Features

• Rank tracker can search local rankings through almost 600 search engines.
• You can create fully-customizable rank tracking dashboards to suit your needs.
• Able to search desktop and mobile SERPs to get a comprehensive view of your keyword metrics.

What I Like

Hands down, my favorite thing about this platform is no matter which tier you choose, you get unlimited keyword tracking! It’s the only platform on this entire list that offers such a generous feature.

That means that even if you choose to stick with a free plan, you can still benefit from the unlimited tracking. This could make a world of difference for any company.

Pros

• You can choose to buy the entire SEO Powersuite or its features individually if you don’t need the entire suite.
• The desktop application is available for Windows, Mac, and even Linux so it’s widely accessible.
• Unlimited keywords!!!

Cons

• You can’t save projects if you’re on the free tier.
• Data exporting is only available for the Enterprise tier.
• If you’re not a fan of desktop tools, it’s probably not the best choice for you.

Pricing

SEO Powersuite (1-year plan; multi-year plans are available at a reduced price per year):

• Free Forever – Free
• Professional – $299/yr
• Enterprise – $499/yr

Rank Tracker (a la carte):

• Free Forever – Free
• Professional – $149/yr
• Enterprise – $349/yr

10. Keyword.com

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The last platform on my list is the aptly named Keyword.com. This platform is best for agencies, in-house teams, and companies that need enterprise solutions.

Keyword.com allows users to track keywords for any location and from any device, giving the user a lot of control over their tracking.

Compared to many of the platforms on this list, I didn’t feel like Keyword.com is as feature-rich, but it does make up for that by having a free tier.

As I’ve mentioned, not everyone who is using these platforms has years of experience or needs a highly technical solution.

Features

• Keyword.com can track keyword metrics down to a city and ZIP code level.
• The platform offers users on paid tiers unlimited seats.
• Branded reporting for all tiers, even Free Forever.

What I Like

We all know that metrics fluctuate on a daily basis, and sometimes even I can get caught up in these fluctuations and miss the overall trends.

Keyword.com has a way to break through that noise and deliver the metrics that you should be focusing on.

I particularly like their Share of Voice feature, which shows the percentage of clicks that land on your webpage to get a clear picture of your keyword performance.

Pros

• Keyword.com can track keyword metrics on Google Maps results.
• You can create one-click shareable dashboards.
• The keyword position tracker allows you to organize keywords by topic or intent.
• Paid tiers start at only $4/mo.

Cons

• The free tier is limiting and only includes 10 keywords (but getting more keywords is relatively inexpensive.)

Pricing

• Free Forever – free
• Business (50 keywords) – $4

The price then increases based on two things: number of keywords and desired ranking update frequency (daily, weekly, and monthly).

For enterprise pricing, you’ll need to contact a representative.

Build an SEO Strategy Backed by Rank Tracking Data

We’ve gone over everything you need to know about rank-tracking tools and some general SEO.

Now, I recommend taking some time to map out the kinds of features your company would want in a rank-tracker tool and what kind of budget you’re working with.

I always love setting up trial accounts to get a sense of what platforms I like. Once you’ve acquired the right platform for your company, try tracking your keyword ranks and other metrics to compare against your SEO strategy.

SEO and tracking metrics can be tricky, so if you feel like you still need some help demystifying them, I recommend you look into HubSpot’s Complete SEO Starter Pack.

It features some helpful guides and templates to take the guesswork out of SEO, but if you’re an over-achiever (something we have in common!), then you might want to take the HubSpot SEO Certification Course.

You’ll learn a lot about SEO and you’ll walk away with a certification that’s valid for one year. You can add this to your skills toolbox and wow your team.

The first time I was assigned to write a budget proposal, I stared anxiously at a blank spreadsheet, wondering where to begin. What was a budget proposal supposed to include? Was there a specific structure to follow? How could I ensure it met all the necessary criteria?

My early attempts at writing a proposal taught me the challenges of building a convincing plan that turns rough ideas into fundable projects. I had to learn to align proposal details with business objectives and articulate the potential benefits in a way that resonated with stakeholders.

It was an overwhelming task at times — but with a strategic approach and a bit of guidance, my ability to synthesize financial data and communicate value gradually became second nature.

In this article, I’ll guide you through how to write a simple budget proposal that delights your audience and secures funding. I’ll also provide practical tips, templates, and sample projects to streamline your planning process.

So, let’s get started.

Table of Contents

• What is a budget proposal, and why is it important?
• The Anatomy of a Budget Proposal
• How to Create a Simple Budget Proposal
• Building My Own Basic Budget Proposal
• 8 Budget Proposal Best Practices

What is a budget proposal, and why is it important?

A budget proposal outlines the financial plans for a project or initiative, detailing the expected costs and resources needed for successful completion.

Budget proposals also show potential funders or stakeholders how their money will be spent and the tangible benefits their investment will achieve.

While the content of your budget proposal will change depending on your project’s parameters and specific goals, a well-crafted plan leads to benefits like:

• Stakeholder buy-in. Providing a transparent breakdown of anticipated expenses instills confidence and trust, encouraging stakeholder support or investment.
• Efficient resource usage. Outlining a clear resource allocation plan ensures that funds are directed to the areas where they are needed most.
• Risk mitigation. Applying a risk management framework helps proactively identify potential costs and contingencies, ensuring that the project remains on track and within budget constraints.
• Project tracking. Identifying key project milestones and benchmarks promotes informed decision-making, maintaining efficient and agile progress.

The Anatomy of a Budget Proposal

Before you begin drafting your budget proposal, it’s helpful to first familiarize yourself with its key components and overarching structure.

Knowing which strategic points to emphasize — and the order in which to present them — improves your ability to create a logical and compelling argument, while also ensuring you effectively communicate your project’s feasibility.

So, let’s examine five critical sections found in every effective budget proposal, drawing on the structure used in Hubspot’s Free Budget Proposal Template.

Free Budget Proposal Template

About the Project

The first section of the proposal lays the foundation of your proposal, detailing the purpose, significance, and intended impact of your project.

It serves to introduce stakeholders to the scope and goals of your initiative, highlighting its value and necessity.

Timeline

A project timeline outlines your proposed schedule from start to finish, providing a clear roadmap of phases and milestones. It helps stakeholders understand the duration of the project and key deliverables at each stage.

Cost Information

This section itemizes the individual expenses associated with the project. It also breaks down costs into categories such as labor, materials, and equipment to provide a transparent view of how funds will be allocated.

Pro tip: If you’re unsure how to approach cost analysis, begin by analyzing past campaigns and other historical data to understand what worked — and what didn’t. This data-driven approach ensures your budget allocations are justified, even if it’s a new or experimental campaign.

Cost Summary

This part of the proposal consolidates all the detailed cost elements into a total funding request. It summarizes the financial needs of the project, presenting the total amount you are asking from stakeholders in a clear and concise manner.

Conclusion

The closing section serves as a final pitch to your funders. It reiterates the project’s benefits and the importance of the requested funding, urging stakeholders to take action and support the initiative.

How to Create a Simple Budget Proposal

Now that we have a big-picture overview of the five essential components of building a budget proposal, I’ll explore how I practically apply them to build out a proposal.

Step 1. Define your project goals.

When I make a budget, I start my proposal by defining the specific objectives and expected outcomes of your project.

This step is crucial for setting the tone for the entire proposal by immediately conveying to stakeholders the significance and feasibility of my project.

It also helps build a compelling case for why the project deserves funding, by aligning my goals with the tangible benefits for stakeholders.

How I define project goals:

• Identifying my target audience. I describe the direct improvements my project will bring to particular groups, clients, or customers.
• Outlining measurable outcomes. I specify clear, quantifiable goals that illustrate what the project aims to achieve.
• Clarifying the project’s purpose. I highlight its importance in the broader context of the business, detailing the strategic value and potential long-term benefits.

Step 2. Build your project timeline.

I try to establish a project timeline early on by identifying the sequence of events needed to reach completion. This step is crucial to align all team members and stakeholders on the planned progression of activities and schedules.

How to I build my project timeline:

• Defining key milestones. I identify major milestones that mark significant phases of the project, such as the completion of the design phase or the first prototype.
• Detailing critical deadlines. I set deadlines that must be met to keep the project on track, such as funding application deadlines or regulatory approval dates.
• Sharing necessary checkpoints. I define phases in the timeline where assessments or evaluations are required to proceed to the next phase.

Pro tip: Ensure your project timeline includes buffer periods between major milestones. This flexibility helps accommodate potential delays or adjustments without derailing the overall project schedule.

Download this project timeline template for free.

Step 3. Estimate your costs.

I detail the financial requirements of my project by categorizing and explaining each type of cost.

This breakdown gives stakeholders an overview of how funds will be allocated, sharpening the project’s financial viability and operational efficiency.

How I estimate my costs:

• Categorizing expenses. I break down costs into categories like labor, materials, equipment, and overhead, explaining each in relation to the project’s needs.
• Quantifying each category. I provide estimates for each cost category, detailing how these figures were derived from data or market research.
• Highlighting cost efficiency. I demonstrate how each expense contributes to the project efficiently, maximizing resource utilization and cost-effectiveness.

Pro tip: Streamline your cost analysis with Hubspot’s Free Budget Templates. With eight different templates to choose from, you can easily monitor your monthly, quarterly, and yearly campaign spending, keeping your team aligned — and within budget.

Step 4. Create a cost summary.

I summarize the financial aspects of my project, consolidating the detailed costs into a clear total.

This overview helps stakeholders quickly grasp the total financial scope and the rationale behind the funding request, improving the proposal’s credibility and clarity.

How I create a cost summary:

• Aggregating total costs. I combine all individual expenses and present them in a unified, total project budget.
• Justifying the investment. I detail how the total expenditure aligns with expected project returns or benefits, illustrating the financial feasibility.
• Detailing funding requirements. I specify the required funding amount and provide clear explanations for these financial needs to assure stakeholders of the necessity and strategic thought behind the request.

Step 5. Reiterate your argument.

I always conclude my proposal text by reinforcing the project’s value and motivating stakeholders to take action.

This ending serves to emphasize the project’s significance, alignment with stakeholder goals, and the strategic benefits it offers, providing a solid basis for funding approval.

How I reiterate my argument:

• Restating project benefits. I summarize the key benefits of the project, emphasizing how it aligns with the stakeholders’ interests.
• Highlighting impact and readiness. I showcase the project’s potential impact and readiness for implementation, stressing any competitive advantages.
• Making a call-to-action. I provide a clear next step for stakeholders to take, whether it’s setting up a meeting, reviewing further documentation, or approving funding.

Pro tip: Compelling budget proposals go hand-in-hand with strong business proposals. Use Hubspot’s Free Business Proposal Templates to seamlessly merge financial planning with strategic business objectives, ensuring a comprehensive and compelling pitch for your next project.

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Step 6. Review, edit, and submit.

Finally, I review all sections of my proposal for accuracy and clarity before submitting it for approval or consideration. This step ensures that my document is free from errors and aligns with the funding objectives.

How I review and edit my proposals:

• Asking for feedback. I ask for input from colleagues to identify what is working in the proposal — and what may require revision.
• Proofreading. I thoroughly re-read the document to catch grammatical errors and ensure that the language is professional and precise. Sometimes, I even read the document out loud to make sure it sounds coherent.
• Following submission guidelines. I always make sure to adhere to the specific submission guidelines, such as format, deadline, and method of submission.

Building My Own Basic Budget Proposal

Using HubSpot’s Budget Template, I developed a basic marketing campaign proposal for how my company could leverage social media influencers to promote our product’s new language availability options.

I started by honing in on the project scope and identifying the target audience — French, German, and Spanish speakers — focusing on how we can enhance accessibility and expand our market reach.

I also paid special attention to describing the strategic value of influencers in gaining traction within these key audience groups, ensuring our approach was both effective and culturally authentic.

Then, in the Key Stakeholders section, I detailed the roles of everyone involved, like the social media manager and community managers, ensuring clarity on each person‘s responsibilities.

This was crucial for aligning our internal teams with the campaign’s objectives.

For the Timeline and Budget sections, I broke down the campaign into phases, specifying activities and dates to ensure a structured approach.

I then estimated costs, breaking them down into specific elements like influencer fees, content production, and paid advertising. This is critical for providing a clear picture of the financial resources needed to avoid over- or under-budgeting.

Finally, for the conclusion, I condensed our campaign’s goals and the strategic importance of the requested funding into a compelling call-to-action.

My goal was to craft a narrative that not only informed — but also motivated our stakeholders to support the initiative.

I then shared the proposal with two of my colleagues for feedback, applied their notes, and submitted it to my manager for review and approval.

8 Budget Proposal Best Practices

Crafting an effective budget proposal demands practice and precision. Here are eight best practices to get you started on the right foot.

1. Engage stakeholders early.

Get relevant stakeholders involved in the budgeting process as early as possible.

For example, I may loop in department heads, finance staff, and other key decision-makers. Soliciting their input and buy-in can lead to a more collaborative (and therefore successful) budget proposal.

I reached out to Kaitlin Milliken, a senior program manager at HubSpot, to get her take on building budgets at the company.

“My manager and I keep track of our annual budgeting cycle, so I can earmark the time to create any budgeting documents for the next fiscal year,” Milliken says. “By making sure I work with her and our accounting team early, I can resolve issues before deadlines loom.”

2. Understand the scale of operation.

The size of the company you’re working with significantly influences the scope and detail of your budget proposal.

If you’re at a smaller business, stakeholders may wish to see a proposal focused on agility, directing funds towards critical growth areas like product development and market entry strategies.

In contrast, larger businesses might be more interested in expanding existing successful initiatives — or more open to testing new ideas.

3. Know your audience.

Tailor your proposal to the audience who will review it. If it‘s for senior management, focus on high-level summaries and strategic goals. If it’s for a finance committee, offer additional financial analysis.

“Most of my budget asks go to our senior director or VP. I know they’re busy and want the perfect balance — enough context to understand the ask in a format that’s quick to read,” Milliken says. “Because I know my audience is tight on time, I make sure to include easy-to-skim charts and tables.”

4. Balance needs and wants.

Aim for a balanced approach that addresses both essential needs and aspirational wants, so that you’re prioritizing critical investments, while also considering opportunities for innovation.

Pro tip: Implement a structured prioritization framework, such as the MoSCoW method, to systematically distinguish between essential needs and discretionary wants, optimizing resource allocation for maximum impact.

5. Think about long-term implications.

Especially in the beginning stages of your proposal, think beyond the immediate fiscal year and consider the long-term implications of your budget decisions.

Anticipate how your proposed allocations may impact future budgets, operational sustainability, and organizational development.

For more context, I asked Kaitlin Milliken about how she thinks about the budget for her program.

“I make assignments to freelance writers. When I ask for budget, I always make sure that I’m realistic about how much we can spend,” she says. “If I ask for too much and can’t spend it, we may limit what we can ask for in years to come. That’s a huge long-term implication.”

6. Consider multiple scenarios.

Similarly, try presenting alternative scenarios or contingency plans to account for potential risks or changes in circumstances.

This shows flexibility and preparedness. Milliken notes that she spent time in startups prior to working at HubSpot. In the past, when making budget proposals, she’s created three scenarios:

• The first is the bare minimum amount of budget a project would require. This may put strain on the team, but anything under this number would be impressive.
• The ideal and realistic amount a project will cost. “This is the amount I will need to comfortably accomplish the project with a limited number of nice-to-haves,” she says.
• A stretch budget. “This budget would allow me to run experiments and test new tools when working on a project,” she notes.
• “With these three numbers in mind, I could pivot and refine my budget request based on what’s available to spend,” Milliken says.

7. Build a story.

Weave in a strong storytelling narrative that provides context, explains assumptions, and addresses any potential concerns or questions. This adds depth to your proposal and helps guide readers through the document.

Pro tip: Incorporate data visualization techniques, such as graphs or infographics, to complement your narrative and enhance the clarity and persuasiveness of your budget proposal.

8. Review, Review, Review

Before finalizing your budget proposal, carefully review it for consistency and completeness. Consider seeking feedback from colleagues or mentors to ensure it’s polished and persuasive.

Perfecting Your Budget Proposal

Crafting a clear and effective budget proposal is an indispensable skill that will dramatically increase your project’s likelihood of securing necessary funding.

By integrating the best practices and strategic steps outlined in this article, you’ll position yourself to clearly present your financial needs — and your overall project vision. Good luck!

What do cross-country road trips, wedding speeches, and social media marketing have in common? Planning. I definitely can’t help you with your road trip or wedding speech (sorry), but I can help you create a social media content calendar to organize your next marketing campaign.

As marketers, we recognize that social media is integral to an effective inbound marketing strategy. With so many social networks available to us, staying organized and planning for when and what we share is crucial, which is exactly where a social media calendar enters the picture.

Before we dive into our list of top tools to stay organized, here’s what you need to know about social media calendars and why they’re essential.

• What is a social media calendar?
• Benefits of Using a Social Media Content Calendar & Content Planner
• How to Create a Social Media Calendar
• Social Media Templates
• Social Media Calendar Examples
• Social Media Content Calendar Tools to Plan Your Messaging
• How To Create a Social Media Posting Schedule for Your Business
• How To Create a Content Calendar
• What is the best social media calendar?

What is a social media calendar?

A social media content calendar is a rundown of your upcoming posts organized by date and time. A social media calendar can be a spreadsheet (HubSpot offers a free one that you can download here), digital calendar, or interactive dashboard.

To get the most value out of your social media calendar, it may include the following:

• The date and time a post will go live
• The social media account or network each post will go live on
• Materials to include, such as copy, hashtags, links, and graphics

 

Benefits of Using a Social Media Content Calendar & Content Planner

We’re all busy, and inevitably, tasks can slip through the cracks. Social media content is no exception.

A successful social media strategy requires regular publishing and engaging with followers to see positive results — whether you’re looking for sales, brand recognition, lead generation, or all three.

So, if you’re not already using a social media content planner, here are a few advantages to pique your interest:

Easily pivot when plans change.

With a social media content calendar, you can plan out posts for entire weeks or months in advance, freeing up your working hours to strategize for the future.

The best part is that you can always leave space for breaking news or current events in your industry. Otherwise, you’ll spend valuable time searching the internet daily for content to share, a known productivity killer.

Curate content just for your audience.

I recommend that all social media marketers take time to craft custom messages for each network because each audience expects to see something different on each one.

For example, your Instagram followers want to see Reels and Videos, while your Twitter followers like quick sound bites and shareable quotes. Planning this content using a social media content planner will save you time throughout the week. It will also make drafting thoughtful and intentional content for each site easier.

A social media content planner can help you post consistently on each social channel. This consistency creates a routine for your followers and helps you build trust.

Improved collaboration.

A shared calendar can improve collaboration with internal teams and external stakeholders. It gives everyone access to what’s on the calendar and gives you a reason to reconnect.

Skip waiting or sending last-minute emails for links, project status, or partnerships. Your social content planner gives you a simple way to let everyone know what you’ll need well before you need it.

Simplified performance tracking.

Without a calendar, we’re all publishing content into the void, and we cannot track big-picture and past performance.

With a calendar, you analyze which content performed best to adjust your strategy accordingly. If a particular type of post received significant views, you can recreate it for a different topic and potentially see the same success.

Content planning with a calendar can also help you track impact and ROI for social media efforts.

Reach new audiences.

With the help of a content planner, you can plan for holidays, events, and observance days, such as National Cat Day or Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day. This makes it easy for you to tailor your content and engage with a broader audience.

How to Create a Social Media Calendar

To create an effective social media calendar, you should:

1. Conduct a social media audit.

A social media audit assesses your social media presence, accounts, and engagement. This lets you see what’s working, what’s not, and where to improve.

In my experience, an audit is about more than just analyzing your social media performance. It can also help you better understand your target audience’s interests, habits, and expectations and give you crucial clues about how they engage with your content.

Auditing your social media channels can also make it easier to see how competitors’ social media presence could affect your performance. It’s a great way to understand what social media trends, tools, and features you should be pay attention to.

As you complete your audit, be sure to:

Review and analyze your current social media content performance.

First, examine your current social media strategy’s performance across all your networks.

This helps you pinpoint areas where you excel, where there is room for improvement, and which social networks might be worth doubling down on. This process involves the following social media metrics:

• Engagement rates: They indicate how many people interact with your contact via likes, shares, comments, etc. High engagement rates mean that your content resonates with your audience.
• Conversion rates: They let you know how much of your audience performs a specific action after seeing your posts, like product purchases or event sign-ups. Good conversion rates indicate your content is persuasive and you offer something your target audience is genuinely interested in.  
• Click-through rates: They signify the percentage of users who click on a link within your social media content. High click-throughs are strong signs that your social posts are compelling enough to get viewers to learn more about you. When coupled with high conversion rates, you have a solid marketing funnel in place.
• Reach: It tells you how many unique viewers your social strategy attracts. Good reach equals strong brand awareness and indicates that you might attract new followers.
• Impressions: They indicate how often your content lands in your audience’s feeds, no matter if they view your post or not. High impressions mean you start gaining exposure.

You can use these metrics across all your social accounts to draw conclusions and adjust your social media calendar from there. If you post content both on TikTok and Instagram Reels, but your TikTok account experiences higher engagement rates across the board, it means that the bulk of your target audience is probably there, for instance.

It’s also important to do some post-level analysis. Take a closer look at your top-performing posts and find out what made them successful. Ask yourself — does your audience love educational content or do they want to be inspired or entertained?

Zoom in on the details here to uncover patterns and understand what made these posts perform better than the others. If most of your top-performing posts in terms of engagement rates were published during particular days of the week or times of day, you just discovered when most of your audience is active on social media — useful to adjust your social media calendar. 

Connect your social content strategy to business goals.

Don’t treat social media as an independent marketing strategy — it should be a piece of a larger puzzle. Find the KPIs that are important for your business, then make sure your social strategy supports those KPIs.

For example, if your company-level KPI is to increase sales by X% for a new product, writing a detailed press release on your website and sharing it on social media to get followers to read more about it is a good idea. In this case, focusing on social media click-throughs to drive traffic to that specific press release contributes to the main KPI.

That’s exactly what Canva does on X.

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Canva’s post doesn’t drive its followers straight to the pricing page. It instead nudges the audience to learn about the new pricing package’s top features via an in-detail blog post — that’s where Canva actually aims to push for conversions. 
Of course, to make this strategy work, you’ll have to keep a close eye on both social media and website metrics. This is where a unified marketing analytics solution comes in particularly handy.

You can use it to monitor your strategy’s performance across all your communication channels and see how each marketing asset contributes to your overall goal. 

Run a competitive analysis.

Review your competitors’ social media accounts with these competitive analysis templates and check:

• The types of content they’re sharing
• Posting frequency
• Audience engagement

Try to get into as much detail as possible — just like when examining your own strategy’s performance. This lets you know exactly where your competitors stand, how you stack yourself up against them, and how to capitalize on their shortcomings. 

Want more details? Click here to learn how to conduct a social media audit step-by-step.

2. Choose your social media channels and the content you’ll post.

Once you’ve completed your audit, it’s time to use what you learned. Your audit should give you a sense of what you’re doing right, where you should experiment, and which channels are best for your audience.

For example, say that Instagram has historically been your top social media channel for engagement, but you’ve seen a drop in the last six months. Your audit should show you what engagement on IG looks like for your competitors, plus what is and isn’t working for your business now.

Choose your social media channels.

Target audience demographics are need-to-know information for planning your content because you’re much more likely to achieve your marketing goals if you share content you know your audience enjoys.

You’ll want to do some market research, which can help you find the most popular social media platforms for your audience. For example, say my target audience is Gen Z. I’m sharing Instagram Reels and posting on X, but nothing is taking. I know from our Consumer Trends Report (which is market research) that Gen Z’s favorite social media channel is TikTok, so I would be better off pivoting my marketing strategy to that channel to drive results.

As you research, don’t forget to assess platform features and strengths.

Next, match your top content types and budget with the platform that best fits your needs.

For example, local coffee shop Café Grumpy focuses its social media presence on a single platform: Instagram. But, cosmetics brand Glossier has a powerful social media presence on many platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Reddit, and LinkedIn.

Health and beauty brand Golde strikes a balance with a presence on multiple platforms. But it focuses on content publishing and engagement with Instagram Reels.

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Remember that with each platform you add, you’re increasing the number of posts you’ll need to create and manage — thankfully, this makes a social media calendar even more useful

Plan what content you want to create for each channel.

Once you’ve chosen your platforms, it’s time to plan your social media content. To begin the planning process, review your team and budget to get a realistic sense of how much high-quality content you can produce.

You can often produce more high-quality content for less money if you create in batches, which makes careful content planning essential.

Then, use your brand guide and social audit analysis to create content that resonates with your audience. Continuing with my example from above, our research shows that Gen Z prefers funny content and relatable content, so I’m more likely to see the results I’m looking for if I focus on that.

Create a smart mix of social content.

It’s best to create a variety of content. Videos are popular, but images, text-based posts, infographics, testimonials, and live streams are potent too. Mix it up to keep your feeds fresh and appealing. It’s also a handy way to stay up on trends that make the most of each platform.

For example, Instagram is ideal for visual storytelling. With that in mind, Café Grumpy’s social posts feature drawings and art from customers, employee stories, and vendor highlights.

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Glossier uses a unique content strategy for each social audience. For example, its YouTube channel features a “Get Ready with Me” playlist of videos of influencers, actresses, and CEOs using its products.

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Over on LinkedIn, Glossier uses its social feed to highlight its take on culture and events. And on Reddit, the content engages the community with prompts for conversation and critique.

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These content creation templates can speed up the process if you create unique content for multiple platforms.

3. Decide what your calendar should include.

Regardless of how you plan your social content (like by season, strategy, campaign, etc.), I recommend deciding what content you want in your calendar for your desired results to keep things organized.

To start, your calendar should include the following:

• The platforms you’re using
• The day and the time your posts will be published
• Links, graphics, videos, and copy

Having platform image sizes, campaign hashtags, and quick tips on hand makes it easier to build your social media calendar. 

Color coding is also great for at-a-glance decision-making each month. This is how we color-coded content in our monthly social content planner:

As you become more adept with your calendar, you may want to expand it to include the following:

• Platform-specific materials include Reels, TikTok LIVE, polls, shoppable posts, etc.
• Geo-targeting
• The associated or vertical campaigns, such as product launches and contests

4. Get feedback.

Once your calendar is complete, share it with your team and stakeholders to get their feedback and make sure it meets everyone’s needs.

Your social media calendar should be an easy-to-understand plan that aligns with your social media strategy. If everything aligns, there shouldn’t be any big surprises or confusion when colleagues review your plan.

The monthly template in our social media calendar is helpful when sharing your plan with stakeholders who want a sense of the big picture but don’t need to get into granular details.

The other sections of this tool are useful for social media managers who are planning, creating, and posting to social media.

Once you’ve completed all these steps, the next move is to actually create your calendar with a template or tool. 

Social Media Templates

Before working at HubSpot, I handled social media for a small nonprofit. I built its social media presence from zero, so planning and creating a calendar for myself (and the nonprofit leaders) was important. 

I did my planning with a template I found online (which, coincidentally, was HubSpot’s template), and it helped me stay organized and on top of when I needed to share content. 

Overall, a social media calendar template will help you plan and organize the content you’ll share across your social media channels. Most templates include sections for each platform you use, links to media you’ll include in your posts, and posting schedules. 

Below I’ll dive into two of HubSpot’s free social media calendar templates for you to download and their best features.

1. HubSpot’s Social Media Calendar Template

If you’re new to setting up social media calendars, HubSpot offers a free, pre-made downloadable template that you can use to schedule out full weeks of posts.

With the download, you’ll get access to multiple sheets that are helpful for your planning process, including: 

• Platform-specific tabs to plan and organize posts for each platform you use. 

  The download comes with tabs for the most popular platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and you can simply duplicate a sheet and change the name for any other channels you use. This was the best part of the template for my social media work. I created separate plans for the platforms I used, then added the scheduled posts to the monthly calendar for a four-week overview. 

• A monthly planning calendar, where you get a high-level overview of your planned social posts for the month, color-coded for easy reading. 

  This part of the template was extremely helpful for sharing with stakeholders who wanted to know what to expect to see on our channels but didn’t need access to the platform-to-platform breakdown. 

Download this template now

2.HubSpot’s Social Media Content Calendar Template for Startups

HubSpot’s Social Media Content Calendar Template for Startups is similar to the one I mentioned above, but it also includes a content repository tab and helpful tips for posting on social media networks.

Download this free template

I like this template for startups because, as you scale, you can be pressed for time and looking for ways to stay productive. This template makes it easier to organize your campaigns, grow your reach, and stay on task. Here are some of the features I find most helpful for startups: 

• A content repository where you can list your existing content ready to share or write out ideas for the future. You can populate your content repository with ideas using our Blog Ideas Generator. If you’re the sole person in charge of social media (which is common at smaller startups), having this repository makes it easy to find what you’re looking for when planning and posting on social media. 
• If you’re a HubSpot for StartUps user, you can easily bulk upload your planned content in the template to HubSpot Social Inbox with a .CSV file and HubSpot’s bulk uploader. Simply follow the step-by-step instructions in the template. 

Now that we’ve gone over a few template options, let’s look at some high-quality examples of social media content calendars that you can use as inspiration.

Social Media Calendar Examples

1. Jotform Social Media Calendar

Jotform’s social media calendar isn’t just visually appealing and functional. The tabs at the top reveal your social plan for every channel you execute your strategy on, including in-person or virtual events.

If you’re modeling your social calendar after this one, I recommend including a tab for content details and who on your team will be responsible for creating the content. You might also have a separate tab for each month to keep things organized.

2. Firefly Marketing Social Media Content Calendar

Going a more traditional route with your social media calendar? Try a Google Sheets template like the one created by Firefly Marketing. Each tab is dedicated to a different month, while the worksheet includes every channel you might need across the top.

The rows are separated by week, so you can quickly identify the date and time a post is scheduled for publishing. My favorite part of this template is the pre-populated social media holiday column with fun dates that your audience will love.

Social Media Content Calendar Tools to Plan Your Messaging

As I mentioned above, I handled social media for a nonprofit before working at HubSpot. I was mostly a novice, and the nonprofit was small, so I felt that a template was all I needed. 

But, at the same time, a social media content calendar tool would’ve cut my planning time in half and given me more time to focus on creating content to share. A tool is helpful for anyone, regardless of experience level or business size. 

I tested some of the leading social media calendar tools to give you a sense of how to make them work for your needs, and I compiled my main takeaways below. As you read through the options and make your decisions, consider the following factors (based on your needs):

• Functionality – Some tools are simple, and you’d use them to plan content before posting it yourself, and others are more advanced, automated tools that go a step further and post content for you. 

• Features – The tool should offer the specific features you need, like managing multiple social media accounts or giving multiple team members access to the dashboard. 
• Customizations – The tool should let you customize the calendar layout, categories, tags, or other factors relevant to your needs. 
• Ease of use – A user-friendly and intuitive tool makes your job easier and helps you get started faster without a significant learning curve. 
• Cost – You want a tool that is within budget and includes all the necessary features. 

Let’s take a look at my tests. 

Note: I know some of the screenshots of calendars I’ve included look bleak and plain. Yours will undoubtedly look much more complete and valuable than mine. I’m just a helpful guinea pig.

1. HubSpot’s Downloadable Template for Excel

Content Calendar

• Price: Free

Download This Template

If I were to guess, you probably already use Excel to create reports and conduct data analysis. This multifaceted tool is also perfect for social media content calendar organization. You can customize Excel according to the priorities and metrics your team is focused on, making it a great option for planning.

You can easily use our social media content calendar template on Microsoft Excel. Marketers can easily use this template to plan individual social media posts— monthly or annually — while keeping an eye on more significant picture events, holidays, publications, and partnerships.

Why I like this social media calendar tool:

This intuitive template is great for marketers with small teams and heavy workloads. You can add as many line items of scheduled posts as you like and color code every addition to organize your calendar based on your needs.

You can use the monthly planning calendar tab (pictured above) to get a bird’s-eye view of what’s coming down the pipeline in a given month and easily distinguish between posts by color-coding each platform. Or, you can get more granular with platform-specific calendars. Here’s the one for Facebook:

In the content repository tab, you can add the content you’ll be publishing to keep track of what you’ve already published and recall older content you can re-promote. You can also draft and plan social media posts in the social network update tabs. For more on how to use the templates, check out this in-depth guide from my colleague Basha Coleman, HubSpot Blog Writer and Media Amplification expert.

It’s important to note that this template and its included tabs are for organizational purposes. After you’ve planned out your social media posts, you’ll need to manually upload the content from the posts to a social media publisher. If you’re a HubSpot customer, you can organize your content in the spreadsheet and upload it directly into Social Inbox (check out instructions for this here).

HubSpot also offers social media software to create a custom publishing schedule to publish directly to LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Your social interactions all link back to the HubSpot CRM for easy-to-measure ROI.

2. HubSpot Social Media Management Software

• Price: Free tools available; paid plans begin at $20/mo/seat with Starter plan. 

HubSpot’s Social Media Management Software is a great tool for creating a social media content calendar, as you can plan your content and run campaigns in one central dashboard. You can also monitor your social inbox for engagement opportunities and track the ROI of your efforts. 

Why I like this social media calendar tool:

This tool makes it simple to draft your social posts account-by-account. You can quickly draft posts, upload media (like images), and any important campaign information for tracking. 

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I also like that you can easily add desired publish dates within the same draft window to ensure all your content goes live at the right time. Note: you can update any scheduled posts until they go live. 

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The social calendar also gives you a high-level view of your drafted and scheduled posts so you can make sure you have a consistent posting schedule to maximize engagement opportunities. 

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An additional feature I want to call out is the AI assistant, which you can use to draft social media content and save even more time. 

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3. Google Drive

Content Calendar and Asset Organization

• Price: Free for personal use. Google Workspace plans for businesses start at $6 per month.

Google Drive has several helpful features that make it easy for social media marketers to build an effective content calendar.

Why I like this social media calendar tool:

If you’re already familiar with Google Drive, I’m a big proponent of using it as your social media calendar tool. There’s no learning curve because you’re already familiar with all the features; you’re just adapting them for different uses.

Here’s a simple example of how I’d use Google Calendar to track my editorial and social media calendars to make sure posts align with new blog content. I can also easily share these calendars to avoid scheduling conflicts and align campaigns.

You can also use Google Sheets to schedule posts on social media, track the status of different pieces of content, and assign tasks to team members without switching platforms.

Google Docs is also great because you can keep comments in one place and collaborate on different projects instead of emailing back and forth or scheduling a meeting. I find this especially useful when editing your social media content, which may need to be drafted and approved quickly.

It’s also convenient because you can use multiple Google products to create quick and seamless workflows. For example, say I’m in charge of scheduling and publishing content, and my coworker is responsible for making creative assets. I can fill out the shared social media calendar with dates, copy, and scheduling status, and my colleague can easily upload the assets they create to Google Drive and add the link to the calendar so I have quick access when it’s time to publish.

A bonus is that HubSpot customers can easily link their Google Drive accounts to the HubSpot portal to upload files from Drive into the HubSpot software.

4. Loomly

Content Planning, Creation, Publishing, and Calendar

• Price: Base plan is $32/mo for two users and 10 accounts when you choose the annual agreement.
• Free Trial: 15-day free trial, no credit card required

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As I mentioned, some social media content calendars are all-in-one tools offering content planning and publishing. Loomly is one of those tools with content creation, management, and scheduling features.

Why I like this social media calendar tool:

I signed up for Loomly’s free trial quickly because I didn’t have to add credit card info, which I know can be a deterrent if you’re just looking to test a tool. It was extremely easy for me to get started, and the step-by-step walkthrough led me through linking my social accounts and drafting my first post.

I really appreciated that I could preview how posts look on each platform as I created them. This makes for easy editing and updates instead of deleting a post to make edits after it’s live.

I scheduled a few test posts in less than five minutes to get a view of the calendar, and it’s a simple, no-frills look. Each post you schedule uses the platform icon so you can easily tell what’s going where. The image below is an example calendar:

And, since it’s an all-in-one tool, linking your accounts means it will also schedule your posts for you.

Overall, Loomly is a high-quality tool for anyone looking to plan their social media content at a fair price point.

5. Later

Social Media Management Platform & Link in Bio Tool

• Price: Starter plan is $25/mo or $16.67 billed yearly
• Free Trial: Basic 14-day free trial, credit card required for feature-rich trial

Later is a user-friendly social media calendar and publishing tool that simplifies the process of scheduling and automating posts across various platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.

 

It’s meant for organic social media content, so you’ll need to use a different tool for your paid campaigns.

I tested the tool for free, but the more feature-rich 14-day trial requires a credit card.

Why I like this social media calendar tool:

I’m impressed by Later’s social media calendar. It took me less than two minutes to link my Instagram account to the calendar, and having it linked means I easily scheduled hypothetical posts for publishing on the exact day and time I designated.

It’s also an extremely interactive tool, as you can upload your multimedia assets and drag and drop them onto your calendar, which really makes it feel like you’re “building” a calendar…fun, right?

The post builder includes all of the elements you’d need to include in your post based on the specific platform you’re scheduling for.

Your calendar will undoubtedly look better and fuller than mine, but here’s the monthly calendar view with two sample Instagram posts I created:

You can also view your scheduled posts in list view to get a detailed breakdown of each upcoming week.

What sets Later apart is its specialized visual planning for Instagram. It offers powerful Instagram scheduling features, including the ability to plan and preview your Instagram grid, schedule carousel posts, and even automatically publish Instagram Stories. I find the focus on the unique visual aesthetic requirements that Instagram demands to be a stand-out feature, making it a go-to tool for businesses or creators heavily invested in the platform.

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6. Sprout Social

Social Publishing and Content Calendar

• Price: Standard plan starts at $249/mo for five social profiles, billed annually.
• Free Trial: 30-day free trial, no credit card required

Sprout Social’s social media calendar and publishing tool make it easy for teams or individuals to plan and schedule their social posts. You can schedule content to automatically post to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and more.

Why I like this social media calendar tool:

I tested SproutSocial with its free trial. I found the publishing tool extremely easy to use with little learning curve, making it a great tool if you’re under a time crunch to choose a tool and get started.

I quickly linked my X (formerly Twitter) profile, and creating a post took me about five minutes. I especially liked that there’s a live preview option to view your creations come to life in real time.

When your content is scheduled, you can toggle monthly, weekly, or list view for a deeper look or filter the calendar by platform. Here’s what the monthly calendar view looks like with three scheduled X posts:

A bonus feature worth calling out: Sprout Social’s social listening tool lets you uncover niche conversations your audience is interested in so you can join in on the conversation.

I did find that this tool isn’t ideal if you focus on Instagram and TikTok because posting content requires an extra step. You have to download the Sprout Mobile App and designate a mobile publisher who manually publishes posts within the app. The publisher is notified when it’s time to post, but this can take away from the draw of an automatic schedule-and-go tool.

Sprout Social is also the most expensive tool, making it better for teams or individuals with a larger budget.

7. Hootsuite

Social Publishing and Content Calendar

• Price: Professional plan starts at $99/mo, billed annually
• Free Trial: 30-day free trial, requires credit card

Hootsuite’s social media calendar and planner make it easy to create, schedule, and publish content so you can execute your social media marketing goals.

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Why I like this social media calendar tool:

Hootsuite is a robust and high-powered publishing tool to consider. Its primary features for social publishing are exactly what you look for in a publisher: easy content scheduling in advance to share posts with your networks. It also has rich features for collaboration and post approvals.

To create your calendar, you can drag and drop the content to the exact date and time you want content to go live to ensure everything aligns with your marketing goals. Hootsuite stands out on this list because you can see paid and organic social content calendars side-by-side (other tools only allow for organic content).

Since it’s also a publisher, you can relax after you’ve scheduled your content because it will push it live for you.

You also get access to helpful features like uploading Canva templates for your posts and recommended times to post to get the most engagement.

8. Agorapulse

Social Publishing and Content Calendar

• Price: Free individual account for one user and three social profiles; paid plans start at $49/mo per user, billed annually
• Free Trial: 15-day free trial, no credit card required

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Agorapulse offers social publishing tools and a content calendar to easily manage your social media account queuing, scheduling, and bulk uploading posts (incredibly helpful for teams who use quarterly or monthly content plans).

Why I like this social media calendar tool:

I really like how straightforward Agorapulse’s interface is and how the welcome post immediately got me started with linking my social profiles.

The drag-and-drop builder made it easy for me to add posts to my calendar, and you get a preview of what your posts will look like on each platform with the live editor.

You can view your calendar in list, week, or month view, making it easy to get an overview or go more in-depth. As expected, your complete calendar will look nicer than mine, but here’s a basic one I created:

What makes Agorapulse different is its social inbox, which allows you to manage all the interactions from various platforms in a single place. After all, content isn’t just a one-and-done activity; it’s about building awareness and engagement with your readers.

9. StoryChief

Content Planning and Distribution

• Price: Individual pricing starts at $210, billed quarterly
• Free Trial: 7-day free trial, no credit card required

With StoryChief’s smart calendar, you can better strategize and plan your content strategy across channels. StoryChief is described as a “content distribution platform” that unifies analytics and publishing across multiple channels for a more simplified approach to content creation. Best of all, it syncs with HubSpot and your favorite calendar apps.

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Why I like this social media calendar tool:

After signing up for the free trial, I was immediately brought to an extremely interactive and helpful walkthrough of the basics of the tool.

I felt confident enough after the walkthrough to jump right into the tool, and I easily linked my X account and scheduled a few sample posts with the easy post builder.

I forgot to cancel the posts I scheduled and they were posted to my account so, rest assured, the tool works as advertised and your posts will go live as scheduled. Here’s what the monthly calendar view looks like with my scheduled posts:

You can customize how you see your calendar and filter views by channel, campaign level, or content type.

 

How To Create a Social Media Posting Schedule for Your Business

Scheduling your business’s social posts can keep you organized and help you consistently deliver content to your followers without worrying about looming deadlines. Content posting strategies can differ depending on the social media platform, and you should consider not only what you’re posting but also when and how often.

By creating a social posting schedule and adjusting the schedule to fit each platform, you can increase the chances that your posts will reach your audience.

Facebook

Facebook’s Meta Business Suite makes scheduling posts and stories for your business easy.

Scheduling a Facebook Post on Desktop

Step 1: To schedule a post using the Meta Business Suite on your desktop, start by selecting your business’s Facebook Page from the dropdown menu in the top left of your sidebar.

Step 2: Next, click Posts & Stories or Calendar, then click Create Post.

Step 3: Click Facebook News Feed to schedule the post to your news feed.

Step 4: Enter the details of your post, including text, media, and a link or location. If you add a photo to your post, you won’t be able to add a link preview. Click Call to Action or Feeling/Activity to add an optional call to action or feeling/activity to your post. You can’t add both a call to action and a feeling/activity.

Step 5: A preview will appear on the right as you build your post. You can change the preview to see how your post will look on both desktop and mobile by using the dropdown menu at the top of the window.

Step 6: After building your post, click the arrow next to Publish and click Schedule Post. Select the date and time you want your post to be published, and click Schedule to schedule your post.

Scheduling a Facebook Post on Mobile

Step 1: You can also schedule Facebook posts on mobile with the Meta Business Suite mobile app. Start by tapping Post to create a new post.

Step 2: Enter the details of your post, including text, media, links, a background color, and a feeling/activity. Then choose your business’s Facebook page to publish to Facebook.

Step 3: Tap Schedule for later and select the date and time you want your post to be published. Then tap Schedule to schedule your post.

Instagram

Like Facebook, Instagram also uses the Meta Business Suite to schedule posts.

Scheduling an Instagram Post on Desktop

Step 1: To schedule a post to Instagram using the Meta Business Suite on your desktop, start by connecting your Instagram account to the Meta Business Suite.

Step 2: Once your Instagram account is connected, click the dropdown menu in the top left of your sidebar and select your Instagram account.

Step 3: Click Posts & Stories or Calendar, then click Create Post. Click Instagram Feed to schedule the post to your Instagram feed.

Step 4: Enter the details of your post, including text, media, and an optional link or location. If you choose to add a link to your Instagram post, it will not show a photo preview.

Step 5: A preview will appear on the right as you build your post. You can change the preview to see how your post will look on both desktop and mobile by using the dropdown menu at the top of the window.

Step 6: After building your post, click the arrow next to Publish and click Schedule Post. Select the date and time you want your post to be published, and click Schedule to schedule your post.

Scheduling an Instagram Post on Mobile

Step 1: Like Facebook, you can schedule Instagram posts on mobile using the Meta Business Suite mobile app. Start by tapping Post to create a new post.

Step 2: Enter the details of your post, including text, media, and links. Then choose your business’s Instagram page to publish to Instagram.

Step 3: Tap Schedule for later and select the date and time you want your post to be published. Then tap Schedule to schedule your post.

LinkedIn

Only a super or content admin can schedule posts on LinkedIn. Still, by using third-party software such as Hubspot’s social media management tools that are included with HubSpot’s Marketing Hub Professional accounts, you can easily create and schedule LinkedIn posts.

Step 1: To schedule LinkedIn posts using HubSpot’s social media management tools, start by logging into your Marketing Hub Professional account.

Step 2: Next, navigate to Marketing > Social and click Create Social Post.

Step 3: In the right panel, click LinkedIn. Create your post in the text box, including emojis, hashtags, mentions, tags, and a content link. When using HubSpot’s social media management tools, you can only mention or tag LinkedIn company pages, not LinkedIn users.

A post preview will appear if you add a content link to your post. You can add up to four images to your post by clicking the image icon or add a video to your post by clicking the video icon.

Step 4: Click Review, then Preview to see how your post will appear on LinkedIn.

Step 5: Then click Schedule post to schedule or publish your post.

Twitter

Step 1: You can schedule Tweets for your business by logging into your Twitter Ads account and navigating to the Creatives > Tweets tab. To access the Creatives tab in your Twitter Ads account, your account must have a credit card on file.

Step 2: Click on New Tweet in the top right corner and create your Tweet. If you would like your Tweet to only be seen by users you have targeted in a Promoted Ads campaign, click the Promoted Only checkbox. Leave this unchecked if you would like the tweet to be seen organically by your followers.

Step 3: Once you’ve written your tweet, click the down arrow next to Tweet, click Schedule, and select the date and time you would like the tweet to be posted.

Pinterest

Scheduling a Pinterest Post on Desktop

Pinterest allows you to schedule up to 100 Pins. You can schedule one Pin at a time, up to two weeks in advance on desktop.

Step 1: To schedule Pins for your business, log into your Pinterest Business account. Next, click Create at the left corner of your screen, then click Create Pin.

Step 2: Choose an image or video, and add a title, description, and link.

Step 3: Click Publish later and choose the day and time you’d like to publish your Pin.

Step 4: Choose a board from the drop-down menu, or create a new board by clicking Create board.

Step 5: Click Publish.

Scheduling a Pinterest Post on iOS

You can also schedule Pins using the Pinterest app on iOS.

Step 1: To start, log in to your Pinterest Business account.

Step 2: Tap the plus icon, then tap Pin.

Step 3: Take a photo for your Pin, select an image or video from your device, and tap Next.

Step 4: Add a title, description, and the destination website to your Pin.

Step 5: Below Schedule Date, tap the edit icon and select the date and time you would like to publish your Pin.

Step 6: Tap Done.

Step 7: Tap Next.

Step 8: Choose an existing board to save your Pin to or tap Create board to create a new board.

Step 1: Download HubSpot’s content calendar template.

Download Now

Consistently posting content is key to making the most of your business’s social media accounts. HubSpot’s content calendar template makes setting up a monthly posting schedule for your business’s social media accounts easy. You can open the template in Excel or upload it to Google sheets to easily plan content with your team. 

HubSpot’s content calendar template includes a monthly planning calendar, a content repository, and posting schedules for Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest. With HubSpot’s content calendar template, your team can view and manage your business’s social media posting schedules and deadlines at a glance.

Step 2: Choose your content goals.

Americans spend an average of 151 minutes (over two hours) on social media every day, making it a great way to connect with your business’s current and potential customers. It’s not enough to know what you want to post; you must also understand why your business posts content.

Posting content to social media can help your business achieve many goals, including raising brand awareness, driving traffic to your website, introducing new products and services to your customers, and even launching rebranding campaigns, to name a few.

When choosing your business’s content goals, consider what your brand most needs to accomplish. Are you looking to connect with a new demographic and generate leads? Do you want to increase your customers’ engagement with your business? Knowing your content goals can help to confirm that your business’s content reaches the right audience with the right message.

Step 3: Determine what types of content you want to publish.

Once you know your business’s goals, decide what types of content your business will post. Each type of social media content has advantages and disadvantages. For example, blog posts and articles can help your business build credibility, but they can be time-consuming to create.

Meanwhile, X posts can help your business gain consumer insight and hone its brand voice, but the 280-character limit for standard X users (premium subscribers get 25K+ characters) means your business may have to use long threads to get your message across. Carefully choosing the types of content your business will post can help ensure that your content offers value to your audience.

Step 4: Determine what platforms you will post on.

Once you know your business’s content goals and the types of content you will publish, it’s time to choose where your business will post.

Your business’s social media presence should be informed by its content, goals, and target audience demographics. For example, while posting on Instagram may help your business reach a young audience and market goods, the photo and video sharing platform may be a poor choice if you want to increase blog traffic among professionals in your industry. Likewise, a LinkedIn post may help drive traffic to your business’s blog but may not help you drive traffic to your online store.

Considering each social media platform’s strengths and weaknesses can help you accomplish your business’s content goals without wasting time and money marketing to users who outside of your target audience.

Step 5: Determine the most efficient posting schedule for your content.

After deciding on your business’s goals, the types of content you will publish, and where you will post the content, you need to create the posting schedule that your business will use. Each social media platform has peak engagement times — certain days and times of day when users are most likely to view and engage with posts.

So, knowing the best times to post on each social media platform will help you maximize the reach of your business’s posts. For instance, user engagement on Facebook peaks between 12 – 3 PM on Saturdays and Fridays. Engagement is lowest on Thursday and Sunday between 6 and 9 AM each day.

When creating your business’s content calendar, account for the engagement patterns for each of your accounts to demystify the scheduling process, save time, and get your posts in front of your audience when they are most likely to see them.

What is the best social media calendar?

Now that I’ve reviewed a few helpful tools to kick your social media strategy into high gear, it’s time for you to experiment with them. The best social media calendar saves you time, streamlines processes, and helps you work smarter, not harder.

Several of the platforms I’ve suggested are free to use or offer a free trial. Have one person on your team test one out and report their findings. You might find the tool that helps you reach your next social media KPI. Remember, every social media team is different. Combining these tools could help you execute your strategy efficiently to drive ROI.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in 2017 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Gaining more followers on Instagram is key to successfully scaling your marketing efforts on the platform. But how do you increase followers on Instagram, especially if you have fewer than a thousand?

It’s no secret that opportunities are continuing to grow on Instagram for Business. Approximately 90% of Instagram’s 1 billion active monthly users follow a business account on the platform, and there are more than 200 million business accounts.

But here‘s the deal: Unless you’re famous, it’s tough to amass a huge following on Instagram without some hard work. It’s especially difficult if you’re a small business using Instagram marketing to gain more clients. How do you even get started?

Luckily, you can do a few things right away to collect at least 1,000 quality followers for your personal or professional Instagram account. It‘s all about knowing where to invest your time and effort. In this post, we’ll discuss a few strategies to help you gain those followers, from creating a follow-worthy Instagram profile to using contests and staying true to your brand.

Types of Instagram Followers

Before we talk about how to attract IG followers, let’s talk about who you want to attract. There are three main types of Instagram followers, and the first two are the kind of followers you want to avoid.

Fake Followers

Fake IG followers are usually bots or fake accounts that inflate your follower count. Fake followers don‘t engage, and engagement is a factor in how IG’s algorithm pushes new users to your feed.

Ghost Followers

Most of these “ghosts” are inactive users. They‘re not engaging with your content, so these followers can skew your engagement metrics. This means it may be a good idea to clean ghost followers from your list if you’re looking for growth.

Organic Followers

Organic IG followers are your active audience — the people who find your profile and engage. Within your authentic followers, there are a few sub-groups you’ll also want to pay attention to.

Customers

These followers have made a purchase and often follow your IG for product updates, sales, and discounts. To engage more customers, highlight your products on Instagram and offer exclusive offers on this platform.

Competitors

Some organic followers are also following your competitors. They might be comparing brands before making a purchase or doing some research. To engage these followers, take cues from competitor content when you’re coming up with Instagram content. You may also want to use specific hashtags or location tags to improve your visibility with this group.

Influencers

Micro and nano influencers are Instagram accounts with 10-75K followers. These niche influencers can lead to useful partnerships and increased sales for your business. To attract influencers, produce consistent, high-quality content for a specific audience.

Now that we‘ve covered who you want to follow your brand, it’s time to talk about how to get their attention.

To get more followers on Instagram, you’ll need to post consistently over time while using best practices. If you’re new to Instagram marketing, this can be challenging.

Before you start optimizing your Instagram profile, you’ll want to create the Instagram Strategy you need to hit the ground running.

Next, we’ll cover Setting up Your Instagram Account to help you level up. Then we’ll go into actionable tips for Engaging IG Followers, Instagram Content Creation, and Promoting Your Instagram Account.

Even if you’ve never tried your hand at Instagram marketing, and even if you don’t have a team of content creators, you can grow your Instagram account with the right tools. With that said, let’s jump right in.

Instagram Strategy

1. Use a social media content calendar to plan your Instagram posts ahead of time.

Download a Free Content Calendar to Grow Your Instagram Followers

Most of the work of increasing your Instagram followers happens before you open the app. For one, you must plan to publish new Instagram posts consistently, and even though it’s tempting to post when inspiration strikes, it’s essential to find a rhythm that helps you capitalize on trends. Not to mention it will also help you nurture a community that will expect specific posts from you at a specific time.

Consistently planning, writing, and publishing Instagram posts requires an exceptional level of organization. For that reason, we recommend using a social media content calendar to plan your posting schedule ahead of time.

Here are some resources you can use to jumpstart your Instagram content creation process:

• What to Post on Instagram: Photo & Video Ideas to Spark Inspiration
• Best Instagram Captions: Good, Cool, Funny, & Cute
• How to Plan Your Instagram Posts [+ Free Instagram Planning Templates]

2. Use a  social media management tool to schedule your posts in advance.

Get Started with HubSpot’s Social Media Tool

A social media management tool will help you post consistently without the extra work of logging into Instagram each time. If you’re serious about increasing your Instagram following while minimizing work, then you want to schedule your posts using a tool and then let the software do the rest.

Instagram has a wide variety of post types, from the traditional square photos to Stories to the more recent Reels. This wide variety gives you a lot of choices for growing your followers, but can be daunting or overwhelming without a tool to help. You can always post manually, but scheduling your posts in advance can help you use these content formats more effectively.

Here are more articles to help you choose the right tool and learn how to schedule Instagram posts:

• Best Social Media Management Tools
• Scheduling Instagram Posts: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
• When Is the Best Time to Post on Instagram?

3. Adhere to a regular posting schedule.

Set a schedule for posting to build trust with your audience. Optimizing your schedule for your specific audience might take time and experimentation.

Experiment with these times and days to see what works for your audience. You may find that your target users are most active and engaged at different times. Once you find the best times to post to Instagram, stick with a consistent schedule to set expectations for your audience.

Keep your target persona in mind as you plan out your posting schedule, as that can drastically impact your posting timing and frequency — especially if you’re targeting an audience in a different time zone. (Download this free template for creating buyer personas if you don’t have a few already.)

Setting up Your Instagram Account

4. Download an Instagram for Business kit with templates and how-tos.

Download a Free Kit to Help You Grow Your Instagram Profile

A series of templates and how-to guides are an essential addition to your Instagram growth toolbox. HubSpot’s kit will allow you to expedite content creation and stay on top of Instagram’s latest trends, including its recent shift from static photos to short videos.

Having this on hand is helpful especially if you’re new to Instagram content creation, or don’t know how and where to start. At this point, you should also arm yourself with tips and tricks for Instagram. Here are a few articles to help you out:

• Instagram Features, Hacks, & Tips Everyone Should Know About
• Free Instagram Post Templates for Your Brand

5. Make your account into a business profile.

While you could technically grow using just a personal profile, we recommend turning your account into an Instagram business profile, or starting one anew. This will give you access to Instagram Insights, which will allow you to understand how quickly your following is growing and how well your strategy is working.

Even if you only plan to become an independent content creator, you should still consider operating your account as if it were a business.

To switch from a personal to a business account, take the following steps:

• On the Instagram app, go to your profile.
• Tap the Menu hamburger button on the upper right-hand corner.
• Tap Settings on the pop-up.
• Scroll down and tap Account type and tools.
• Tap Switch to professional account.

You’ll then have the option to switch entirely to a business account or to stay as a professional account.

6. Customize your Instagram for Business profile.

Next, customize your Instagram profile to make it look good. Tell your potential followers who you are, and give them a reason to follow you.

How? Start by making sure your username is recognizable and easily searchable — like your business name. In the example below, The Journal Shop uses the username @thejournalshop.

If your business name is already taken, try keeping your business name as the first part of your username so that people searching for your business are more likely to come across you. For example, the Australian activewear line Lorna Jane uses the username @lornajaneactive.

Below are more Instagram profile optimization tips.

Step 1. Choose a profile picture that’s on-brand with your other social networks, like your company logo.

Step 2. Fill your bio with delightful, actionable information about your brand. Information like this lets people know what you’re about and gives them a reason to follow you. Include who you are and what you do, and be sure to add a hint of personality.

Here are a few examples for inspiration:

• @cheekbonebeauty: “🧡 Indigenous Roots. 🌱 Sustainable By Nature. 💚 @bcorporation Certified 🌎”
• @oreo: “Playful moments from your favorite cookie.”
• @mrsbrittanyhennessy: “wife, boy mom x2, sagittarius. professional opinion giver✍🏾🎤🎬. creators, parenting, the interwebz.”
• @CalifiaFarms: “⁣Because life’s too short for one type of milk. 🌱”
• @coragedolls: “Instilling cultural pride with products & stories that finally reflect her. #blackowned”

Step 3. Add a link tree to your bio to make it easy for people to go straight from Instagram to your other platforms if they want to. The space allotted for URLs is precious real estate.

There are just a few places on Instagram where you can place clickable links, so use it wisely (ever heard the line “link in bio“?). We recommend using a shortened, customized Bitly link to make it more clickable. When you receive 10,000 followers, you can add links to your Instagram Stories.

Step 4. Enable notifications so you can see when people share or comment on your photos. This’ll let you engage with them more quickly — just like a lot of companies do on Twitter. To enable notifications, go to “Settings and privacy” and then “Notifications.” Select “From everyone” for every category.

Note: We don’t recommend you link your Instagram account to Twitter or other social media platforms for automatic posts. Why? Because each platform caters to a different audience and needs different types of posts.

Instagram Content Creation

7. Designate an experienced content creator.

Just like there should be one (maybe two) people managing your other social media accounts, there should only be one or two people managing your Instagram account.

If possible, choose someone with experience on the platform who will “get” it — and be sure they stay updated on all new features Instagram has to offer from Reels to Instagram Shopping.

That said, you can also learn how to become a content creator for Instagram by learning how to become a digital creator, downloading content creation templates, and pursuing an Instagram Marketing certification.

Learn How to Increase Followers with HubSpot’s Free Instagram Marketing Course

Alternatively, you can hire freelance content creators from marketplaces such as:

• Upwork
• Fiverr
• People Per Hour

As to what gets specifically posted: You’ll have a lot of freedom if you’re an entrepreneur or solo professional. If you work for a large organization, you might find that a lot of people want a say in what‘s posted. That’s when an organized social media request form or guidelines document comes in handy.

This document should inform people how to request a post on your Instagram account, when to post it, what the value of the post is, and why your company should post it.

8. Follow photography and editing best practices.

On Instagram, post quality matters. A lot. Your Twitter followers might forgive a few bad tweets, but a bad photo on Instagram is a big no-no.

Fortunately, you don’t have to take a photography course to be a good Instagram poster — nor do you have to practice for weeks before you start. But you should get familiar with basic photography tips and photo editing apps.

Photography Best Practices

Since Instagram is a mobile app, chances are, some content you post to Instagram will be taken on your mobile device. That’s expected.

If your budget allows, consider investing in professional photography for your Instagram photos, as that will elevate your profile. Otherwise, a smartphone and a few editing apps will do. Then, follow these photo tips:

• Focus on one subject at a time.
• Embrace negative space.
• Find interesting perspectives.
• Look for symmetry.
• Capture small details.
• Make your followers laugh.

Edit Photos Before You Post

Instagram has some basic editing capabilities, but oftentimes, they aren’t adequate to make visuals really great.

Most of your photos should go through at least one or two photo editing apps on your mobile phone before you open them on Instagram. Some options include:

• Canva
• Photoshop Express
• VSCO Cam

Create an Instagram Theme

Additionally, consider creating a cohesive Instagram theme across your feed, so anyone visiting your account for the first time can get a sense of your brand. The below example from the @the.plottery uses similar typography and purple colors throughout.

You can also use Instagram templates to create a consistent look and feel for your images.

9. Write engaging, shareable captions.

Captions are an essential part of your post — the icing on the cake if you will. Consistently great captions can do wonders for humanizing your brand, winning over followers, and making your content more shareable — thereby giving you more exposure.

Here are a few things you might see in a winning Instagram caption:

• Clever or witty comments
• Calls to action
• Relevant emojis
• Hashtags

Clever or Witty Comments

Some brands and influencers have used clever or witty captions, or even audience-appropriate jokes to further humanize themselves on Instagram.

Kelly Hendrickson, HubSpot’s former Head of Brand Social, says that she loves Netflix’s account and sub-accounts, particularly because of the post captions.

“They have such a clear brand voice, and you laugh along with them. They’re in on the joke, just like one of your friends,” she says.

Netflix’s voice is casual, trendy, and humorous while still staying on brand.

In the post above, the caption is funny, authentic, and relatable.

Calls to Action

Another way to increase the shareability of your caption and engage your followers is to ask questions or have some sort of call-to-action in the captions of your photos.

For example, you might write, “Double-tap if you find this funny,” or “Share your story in the comments.”

In the example below, we asked followers of the HubSpot Instagram account to drop a tip on measuring social media ROI:

Relevant Emojis

Adding just a few relevant emojis can add even more personality to your posts. It could also make them even more noticeable on an Instagram feed. Many content creators and brands include witty text with relevant emojis to make the post pop. For instance, @ugarteaurelia uses taco emojis to highlight the topic of her post (tacos, of course).

Along with the three items listed above, you’ll also want to include hashtags.

10. Use a consistent, platform-specific brand voice.

Photos and videos might be the most important part of your Instagram posts, but captions, comments, and other text should never be an afterthought. If you’re building a brand on Instagram or have more than one Instagram manager, consider developing a consistent voice that humanizes your brand.

This shows potential followers that you are credible and relatable, rather than formal or intimidating.

When developing a voice, you should keep the platform and your audience in mind.

For example, many influencers and prominent accounts on Instagram have a super casual voice and style but stay professional and on-brand. Once you’ve got your voice down, make sure it stays consistent and natural in your captions, comments, messages, and your bio, like this example from Barbie the movie:

Image Source

Once you‘ve created and optimized your profile, have someone managing it, and have your creative assets ready, it’s time to start posting. We’ve already shared some resources to get started, but it’s worth going over again because posting consistently will have the largest impact on your follower count:

• Free Instagram Business Templates
• What to Post on Instagram: Photo & Video Ideas to Spark Inspiration
• How to Plan Your Instagram Posts [+ Free Instagram Planning Templates]

11. Post content your followers want to see.

To gain your first 1,000 followers on Instagram, it‘s important to know who your audience is. Once you’ve created your Instagram account, you should take note of which posts perform best.

Is it interactive content, behind-the-scenes stories, funny and relatable posts, or something else? When you have a general idea of what performs best, continue to create that type of content.

Additionally, Instagram has many tools and features you can use: IG Reels, Instagram Stories, Instagram Live, Highlights, and more. Begin by posting several types of content formats and see which one does best. Then, come up with a strategy and become an expert at that one tool. Doing so will help you create content your followers want to see and gain new followers.

12. Post user-generated content.

Brands can publish user-generated content to show appreciation for existing customers and generate social proof at the same time.

If I see a regular person endorsing a product on Instagram, I’m more likely to believe they really like the product.

The same is true for most consumers. That’s why sites like Yelp are so popular.

Ultimately, user-generated content can be an excellent strategy when trying to increase brand awareness and trust in your products or services.

For instance, Bevel reposted a video from athlete Peyton Wood using and recommending their products to their 115K followers.

Posting Wood using Bevel is a smart move.

Firstly, the product is designed with black men in mind. Having Wood, who is part of the brand’s target demographic, recommend the product serves as the social proof the brand wants.

Furthermore, part of Wood‘s audience will likely fall within Bevel’s target audience. Simply put, the two brands have similar audiences and brands that align well, which is why it‘s a good opportunity for Bevel to promote Wood’s content.

13. Share educational content with Instagram carousels.

You can also create educational content in the form of Instagram carousel posts. Instagram carousels have become a popular way to educate audiences on an idea or topic.

Think about what you can educate your audience on and then create a simple Instagram carousel post with an engaging title that entices users to click on the post.

With this type of content, you can share the post on your Stories, and then hopefully other users will be compelled by the content to share on their Stories as well.

Engaging IG Followers

It‘s a good idea to have a solid number of great posts up — maybe 15 or so — before you start engaging people and working down this section of the list. That way, when people visit your profile, they’ll see a full screen of photos and will know you’ll post great content regularly.

If you haven’t already, download this social media content calendar template and plan out your posts. It‘s best to build a backlog of content that’s ready to post a few days or weeks ahead of the publishing date.

This will ensure you always have content during holidays, vacations, and even creative blocks.

14. Allow outside contributors to curate your content.

Although it‘s best to have only one or two people manning your account, one or two people can’t be everywhere at once taking photos. What about that fun sushi night the engineers had last night? Or the event your head of sales spoke at earlier this week?

There‘s a whole breadth of content you’ll want to post to Instagram, and more often than not, one person won’t be able to keep track of it all.

One solution? Create a system where you can curate photos and content from members of your team.

There are a few ways to do this. The first option is to create a specific email address for employees to send their photos, short videos, memes, hyperlapses, and so on.

Encourage people to add a descriptive subject line so you can easily sort through the content they‘re sending. While this doesn’t seem like the smoothest way to curate photos, it‘s actually the easiest for the people sending you photos — and the easier you can make it for them to send content, the more content you’ll get.

If your team shares a Box or Dropbox account, you could also create a shared folder where people can automatically drop their photos and videos.

15. Explore Instagram Stories’ interactive features.

Instagram has always given brands the platform to share beautiful, curated photos to represent their companies.

But with ephemeral Instagram Stories, brands can also share on-the-fly, behind-the-scenes looks for 24 hours that may not be as polished as a published photo, but give your brand more personality on the platform.

Along with sharing video clips and static images through Instagram Stories, users can also use polls, event reminders, and the “Ask a Question,” tool to gain more engagement and learn more about their audiences.

Once a user is verified or has over 10,000 followers, they can even include a link to a webpage within a story.

How Brands Can Use Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories disappear after 24 hours unless they are marked as a “Story Highlight.”

Highlighted stories will show up at the top of your profile between the photo feed and your bio.

Image Source

Here are a few other brands we recommend following to see what they’re sharing:

Dana Shultz (@minimalistbaker) publishes easy vegan and gluten-free recipes on her blog. Her Stories feature neat how-to videos of her making breakfast and testing out new recipes in her kitchen. The behind-the-scenes aspect of her Stories provides a lot of human context for her blog’s brand, and everybody loves a good how-to video.

Casper publishes quirky Instagram content to advertise their mattresses — without overtly doing so. The main theme of their content? Staying in is better than going out (because you can stay in and lay on a comfy Casper mattress, naturally).

They‘ve even created a gallery for followers to use as backdrops for their Snapchat and Instagram stories to make it look like they’re out at a party when in reality, they’re laying in bed.

Here are our tips for using Instagram Stories for your brand:

• Whether it’s funny, sad, or unique, be authentic. Your photo gallery is where content can be perfect and polished. Instagram Stories are for the raw, unscripted, and unretouched. Use Stories to share the other side of your brand that followers might not be able to see elsewhere. Do you have a dog-friendly office? Is your team trying out the latest challenge? Start filming to showcase the more human side of your brand.
• Go behind the scenes. These are by far our favorite types of content for ephemeral video sharing. Show followers what goes into the planning of an event or the launching of a product, and make it fun. Your followers want to feel included and in the know. You could also use Stories to cultivate a brand loyalty program that only rewards people who check out your content.

16. Use the Instagram Live feature.

Instagram also lets users record and share Live videos, another content format that‘s proven to be hugely popular on other social networks. What’s unique about Live videos on Instagram? They disappear when users stop filming.

This authentic, bi-directional experience lets brands share unscripted, raw moments with their audience to incorporate human elements into a social media platform that’s highly edited and polished in its traditional use.

Since the Live feature launched, Instagram has added even more features to inspire engagement, such as:

• Request feature to go live with the live account
• Pinned comment
• Q&A box
• Up to four accounts on Live at a time
• Filters

Live video is a growing trend across a variety of social media platforms, so if something interesting is happening, start rolling. Whether it‘s an event, a team birthday party, or behind-the-scenes footage, your devoted followers want to see what you’re up to.

And if you want to make it even more interesting, you could collaborate with an influencer or another brand to host a Live. With people that your audience is interested in, you can promote this Live event, and then host it on your profile.

Promoting this type of event will help you tap into someone else’s audience while interacting and engaging with your followers by answering their questions and talking to them during the Live.

17. Diversify your audience to resonate with different types of users.

As your followers grow, it can be tricky to identify what content types will resonate with them. With this in mind, divide your audience into sub-groups and target your content to various demographics.

For instance, if you have 200K followers, those followers probably come from different regions of the world, have different interests and hobbies, and likely have different careers. Rather than post all-encompassing content that will satisfy all your followers at once, conduct some analytics research to separate them into smaller sub-groups.

Take Starbucks as a good example of this. Starbucks has millions of followers. There‘s no way the global coffee brand can post content to satisfy millions of people at once — and it doesn’t try to.

Instead, Starbucks regularly posts more exclusive content geared toward particular groups, such as this post they published showing a typical workday at a Starbucks location:

This post won‘t appeal to Starbucks followers who don’t work from home, but that’s OK.

You don‘t always need to post content to please everyone. Instead, show your company’s ability to connect and engage with sub-groups and post what aligns with your own brand’s values.

Creating a work-friendly atmosphere is something that matters to Starbucks, so by posting about coffee shop work days, they‘re doing more to demonstrate their values than they are appealing to everyone. Which is kind of the point, isn’t it?

18. Tag relevant users.

Another way to gain more followers on Instagram is to tag relevant users in your posts. Your posts will then show up in that person’s tagged posts, and anyone who looks through there will find your page (and hopefully, follow). This is also a great way to highlight creators or vendors your business collaborates with, like in the example from Therapy Stores below:

But it’s important that you only tag people who are in the photo or relevant to the photo. For example, many times, influencers tag the clothing or makeup brands they wore in a photo.

19. Host an Instagram account takeover.

When you’re collaborating with influencers and other brands, think about hosting an Instagram account takeover. You can have an influencer take over your Stories for the day, and promote this on their own Stories.

Then, you’ll get their followers to follow along with the Stories and hopefully follow your account.

Additionally, you can ask an influencer or brand if you can take over their Stories, and interact with their audience as a way to promote your own account.

20. Get on the Instagram Explore page.

Getting on the Instagram Explore page is easier said than done. We get that. However, creating posts that are aimed at getting on the Explore page means you’ll be creating easily shareable and trendy content.

Think about viral trends and create a video that your audience might engage with. Additionally, use hashtags and tag other users and brands in those posts.

Instagram’s Explore Page algorithm also seems to grab content that has more engagement, especially if said engagement happens in the first few hours of posting. In Instagram’s case, quality is better than quantity, and getting interaction from influential users is one of the best ways to do it.

Promoting Your Instagram Account

21. Optimize posts with relevant hashtags.

On Instagram, a hashtag ties conversations from different users who wouldn’t already be connected into a single stream. If you use relevant Instagram hashtags, your posts will gain exposure to a wider audience and help you become discoverable to potential customers.

The key to using hashtags effectively is to be selective and use them sparingly. Try to limit the number of hashtags per caption to around three. Similarly, don’t use “like for like” hashtags, like #like4like or #like4likes.

This is a shortcut tactic that’ll only leave you with low-quality followers.

To find the hashtags your audience might be using, do a little research on relevant hashtags in your niche or industry. The easiest way to do this research is in the Instagram app itself, in the Explore tab (also known as the magnifying glass icon).

When you search for one hashtag, it’ll show you a list of related hashtags at the top of your screen.

For example, when I search for #digitalmarketingstrategy on Instagram, it shows me relevant hashtags like #digitalmarketingexpert, #digitalmarketing, and so on.

To help relate to your followers on a personal level, you might consider hopping on hashtag trends like #tbt (“Throwback Thursday”), #MotivationMonday, #TransformationTuesday, or other trending hashtags.

Once you build up a following, you can try creating your own hashtags — like your company name or a slogan that applies to your content. This is a great way to build up your brand on the platform and build a more cohesive presence.

22. Try Instagram promotions and ads.

Additionally, to promote your Instagram, it’s important to get started with Instagram promotions and ads. This will help you reach a wider audience. I know it might seem like ads are only effective for selling certain products, but I’ve followed several business accounts because of a sponsored post I saw.

Here are a few articles to get you started:

• The Ultimate Guide to Instagram Stories Ads
• A Step-by-Step Guide to Advertising on Instagram
• The Guide to Instagram Ad Costs
• Instagram Ad Specs & Sizes: an Updated Guide

23. Share your profile link on your website and social media channels.

Have a website? Newsletter? YouTube channel? Make sure you include a link to your Instagram on every single platform. Embed posts in your blogs, post on your other social media platforms, and share social links in your email newsletters. A great way to gain followers on one platform is to ask current followers on other platforms if they want to follow you somewhere else as well.

The first place you’ll want to make sure to add an Instagram badge is your website, specifically your footer and “About Us” page.

Here’s what the badge could look like:

If your brand has brick-and-mortar locations, put out a good ol’ print call-to-action letting people know you have an Instagram account and encouraging them to follow you. You can also place them on your business cards. You might even offer a discount code for doing so.

Also, be sure to promote your Instagram account on your other digital platforms. Chances are, the folks who already follow you on Facebook and Twitter will also follow you on Instagram without much prodding.

Let those followers know you’re on Instagram and encourage them to follow you there.

In this example, wine company The McBride Sisters encouraged their email subscribers to follow them on Instagram with a simple CTA: “Join the community.”

24. Cross-promote with influencers and brands with similar audiences.

Once you build rapport with the folks behind accounts with similar audiences to your own, consider collaborating with them.

Partnering with Instagram influencers and brands helps with discoverability, reach, and social proof.

For instance, influencer @lavishlyjackie posted a sponsored video with Olive Ateliers. The vintage shopping brand then used the video in its collateral.

With this partnership, both accounts can expand their reach and gain new followers. It’s a win-win. However, be sure to create content that seems natural and makes sense for your brands and collective audience.

25. Apply for a verification badge.

When an account on Instagram is verified, it has a blue dot, called a badge, next to the username. When another user comes across this profile or finds the verified username in search, the blue dot confirms to them that the account is the business, individual, or brand that it’s claiming to be. Author @angiethomas has one such badge.

While Instagram has a list of eligibility requirements for the badge, the platform does allow users to apply for one. You can learn more about that process on Instagram’s Help Center.

26. Create your own filters and badges.

When it’s time to promote a new product or feature, creating your own filters, stickers, or badges can help you reach a new audience. You can learn how to create your own filter to jazz up your Instagram Stories.

The best way to do this is to use these on highly shareable posts that followers will want to add to their own Stories. This way, you’ll reach their audiences and your users will promote your page for you.

How to Get More Out of Your Existing Instagram Followers

Once you have a solid foundation of followers, use them to your advantage. Here are some ways you can keep your followers coming back for more.

1. Engage with users through follows, likes, and comments.

Instagram is very much a community, and one great way to get involved in that community is to follow back the people who follow you. It’s the most natural way to draw attention to your own Instagram account.

This accomplishes two things: for one, when they get the notification that you‘ve followed them, there’s a good chance they’ll engage with your profile more. This goes back to the importance of having great content on your account before you start connecting.

Secondly, it means you’ll be seeing their recent posts in your feed, so you can Like and interact with them if you choose to.

As you build a following, celebrate your followers by responding to and pinning their comments, and even reposting their posts for user-generated content.

2. Run Instagram contests to encourage engagement.

Another great way to expand your reach while increasing engagement with your photos is to run an Instagram contest or giveaway. As part of your contest, you can ask users to follow your account, like, and/or comment on the post to be eligible to win.

I mean, come on. Who doesn’t love winning free stuff?

You can also add a user-generated content (UGC) element to the contest, too, where people post a photo of their own and use a specific hashtag.

3. Post content that’s meant to be re-shared.

Each post on your Instagram should have a purpose. It could be to generate likes, comments, engagement, or shares. But you can’t expect followers to re-share content just for the heck of it. There needs to be a reason.

Because of this, reverse engineer your Instagram posts. Think, “What type of content would my audience re-share?” Then, create that content. It could be a quote, a meme, an infographic, statistics, etc.

To gain new followers, you should post content that’s meant to be re-shared, so that when others do re-share it on their own Instagram Stories and tag you, their audience will find you and follow you.

4. Lean into trending content formats.

With the arrival of TikTok on the social media scene, short-form videos have become one of the most effective content formats on social media.

In fact, according to a HubSpot Blog survey, 85% of marketers who use short-form videos find them to be the most effective content format. And 95% of marketers who use short-form videos plan to increase their investment or continue investing the same amount in the following year.

That‘s why it’s important to lean into trending content formats. After TikTok, Instagram came out with IG Reels, and this feature is a great way to post funny, relatable content.

When Instagram comes out with new tools, like IG Reels, don’t be afraid to use those features because they can help you gain Instagram followers.

How Not to Increase Instagram Followers

Now that we’ve discussed some tips on how to increase your Instagram followers, here are some things you should never do. These tactics often do more harm than good and can result in losing followers, decreased engagement, penalizations, or even bans from Instagram.

Buy fake Instagram followers.

Authenticity and honesty are key if you want to grow your audience on Instagram. But to quickly grow their IG accounts, some resort to buying followers.

If this is a step you‘re considering, first think about the philosophy of this decision. At its core, buying followers is unethical and in violation of Instagram’s community guidelines. This move can damage your brand’s reputation by eroding trust.

Then there are the tactical impacts of this approach.

Fake followers can‘t engage, and they won’t like, comment, share, or repost your content. This lack of engagement sends a signal to the platform that your content isn’t interesting or useful to your followers.

While inflating your follower count, fake followers will erode metrics like:

• Organic reach
• Likes
• Comments

An inflated follower count will also make it tougher for you to measure the actual effects of social campaigns and strategies. Instead, focus on growing organic followers who are excited about your brand and content.

Overuse hashtags.

Using too many hashtags in your Instagram captions can have a negative impact on your follower count for a few reasons:

• It can dilute the message or storytelling behind your post, distracting viewers from the core content and making your captions appear less clear and cohesive.
• It can attract an audience that is not genuinely interested in your posts. This can lead to low engagement and a high bounce rate, as those followers are unlikely to interact with your content or become loyal followers.
• It can make your posts look spammy or desperate for engagement. This can deter users from viewing or following your account, as it may appear less authentic or professional.

Instead of casting a wide net with numerous hashtags, focus on using relevant and targeted hashtags that align with the content of your post. This way, you are more likely to attract users who are genuinely interested in your niche and increase the chances of engagement and follower growth.

Post low-quality or unoriginal content.

If you consistently share low-quality content, your account is unlikely to attract new followers. Users’ feeds are oversaturated with content as is — unoriginal posts will likely be scrolled passed because they don’t cut through the noise.

Your content is a reflection of your brand or personal image on Instagram. Posting low-quality content can make you appear unprofessional, inauthentic, or disinterested in providing value to your audience. This can damage your brand reputation and make users less likely to engage with your posts or follow your account.

High-quality and original content is essential for capturing users’ attention, creating a positive brand image, and attracting and retaining followers.

By focusing on producing visually appealing and unique content that provides value to your audience, you can enhance engagement, increase reach, and foster a positive perception of your brand on Instagram.

Quality Over Quantity Still Matters

Ultimately, it’s important to focus less on the number of followers you have, and more on the quality of content you create. Your audience will grow naturally if you put effort and time into creating engaging, informative, or inspirational content without worrying about “quick fixes” for boosts in followers.

You want to play the long game on Instagram, and that starts with focusing on what you can control: the quality of the content you produce, the messages you promote, and the brand you build.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in February 2016 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Confession: I’m squatting on probably 10 different blogs and even more URLs. What can I say? This marketer gets a bit idea-happy — but how much does it cost to start a blog that I can afford this quirky habit?

Lucky for people like me, starting a blog costs next to nothing, which is surprising considering its power.

Blogs are still one of the most effective ways to share thought leadership, drive traffic to a website, build a brand, and market a business today. And in my day, I have started and successfully managed many with little to no budget.

I know what it takes to get one off the ground and fly it to the top of Google without breaking the bank. So, let’s talk. I’ll break down how much it costs to start a blog and unpack some tips on keeping the price low.

The (Brief) State of Blogging in 2024

Blogs (a shortened form of the phrase “web logs”) first appeared in the late 1990s. At the time, they were limited to hosts like LiveJournal and topics like entertainment fandoms. But today, the landscape looks a little different.

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Tumblr — where I turn for all my blog minimum viable products like the one below — hosts over 600 million blogs alone. By comparison, WordPress is believed to host over 60 million.

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Huffington Post, TechCrunch, and Engadget are trusted news outlets and sources of information. And, most impressively, 90% of businesses use blogs to achieve their marketing goals.

Blogs are no longer just internet havens for niche communities. They’re powerful media voices and reliable marketing mediums. So, how much will it cost for you to start capitalizing on one?

How much does it cost to start a blog?

Honestly, you can start and maintain a blog with literally no money down. I’ve done it many times.

But things get more complicated when you scale your operation or integrate it into a larger strategy (e.g., setting up a blog subscription or generating leads).

It’s like a car. Sure, you get everything you need to function at the lowest price point. But the cost goes up if you want extras like a sunroof, leather seats, or — my favorite — a heated steering wheel. As you want more than just the basics, you have to spend more.

That said, the cost of having a blog can vary depending on your specific needs, but getting started is roughly the same for everyone.

I can include a lot here, but Iet’s cut the fluff. Based on my 10+ years of experience, here is a breakdown of the true non-negotiable costs of starting a blog.

Upfront Costs of Starting a Blog

Web Host

Estimated Cost: ~$0-25/month

A blog exists on a website, so you can’t have one without a web host. Thankfully, there are dozens of free web hosts and blogging platforms available today, including:

• Tumblr
• Blogger
• WordPress (paid plans beginning at $4/month)
• Medium
• Substrack
• WIX

All of these will give you a free place to publish your content and build an audience. However, they do come with their share of trade-offs.

For instance, some don’t allow much customization in terms of design and user interface (i.e., Substack and Medium). Others come with a long, clunky subdomain (e.g. WIX).

Some also have usage limits or are prone to security issues (looking at you, WordPress).

Pro Tip: You can set up a blog for free using HubSpot’s Content Hub. With it, you get tons of customization options as well as free marketing, sales, and service tools.

For more flexibility and security, you may want to opt for a paid web host. These typically cost between $3 and $30 per month. Some of the most popular are:

• Bluehost (starting at $2.95/month)
• GoDaddy (starting at $5.99/month)
• Squarespace (starting at $25/month)

Several of the free platforms we mentioned earlier also offer monetization and premium features with paid plans.

Domain Registration

Estimated Cost: ~$10-20/year

If you start a blog paying for nothing else, let it be your domain registration.

A unique or branded domain gives you a short and memorable URL for audiences to visit. It also helps establish awareness and credibility for your brand.

Think about it. Sending someone to “ramonasukhraj.com” (still pending) has a much bigger impact than saying go to “webhost.com/site/ramonasukhraj051101” right?

A custom domain shows you’re starting your own foundation, not just building on someone else’s.

Many web hosts we mentioned offer domain services. If you register yours separately, the price tag will vary on your choice. But generally, it’s pretty affordable.

For example, a dot com on Bluehost costs around $12.99/year, but a dot net on GoDaddy could be as low as $0.01 for the first year.

HubSpot Chief Technology Officer, Dharmesh Shah, ran “wordplay.com” on his domain appraiser on agency.ai recently, showing just how much things can range:

But this is an extreme. Considering variations, it’s safe to estimate that domain registration will cost about $10-$20 per year.

Website Theme/Design

Estimated Cost: ~$0-500

If your platform allows for customization or you’re building your own website, a theme or template can help give you a running start.

Like a domain, a unique theme is a highly effective way to affirm your brand and have more control over user experience.

Many of the hosts I mentioned offer free templates/themes (including HubSpot), but you can also purchase premium themes with advanced functionality on ThemeForest.

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This can cost anywhere from $2 to $10,000, but like domain names, this is extreme. You’ll find that most premium themes suitable for a blog are around $200-500.

Talent

Estimated Cost: ~$0-150/hour/person

If you’re a solopreneur doing it all on your own, you can add $0 to your tab for talent. However, if you have a larger venture, help may be in order.

Let’s say you want to publish at a high volume or you haven’t already delegated blogging to a team member. You will need to hire a writer or content creator. If you have a complex web experience, you may need a designer and/or developer.

Hiring professionals in these areas with a conservative 3-5 years of experience can cost you about $15-40/hour or $15-150/hour, respectively.

Hidden Costs of Starting a Blog

At this point, you can certainly just drop everything and start publishing. But as you get going, I wouldn’t be surprised if you realized there are some incidentals you may have overlooked.

Tools, Software, and Equipment

Starting a blog may call for additional tools to supplement your blog’s functionality, increase security, or even improve content quality.

This may include but is not limited to:

• SEO Tools
• Analytics
• Editing/Writing (i.e. Grammarly)
• Multimedia Plugins/Integrations
• Camera Equipment
• Video Editing Software
• Graphic Design Software (i.e. Adobe Creative Suite or Canva)
• Social Media Scheduling Tools (i.e. Buffer)
• Email Marketing Tools (i.e. MailChimp)

These items may not be make-or-break, but they can help take your blog’s performance to the next level. Costs will vary depending on specific vendors and features, but make sure you research and account for them.

Skill Development

If you’re in the tech space for the first time, blogging may come with a great deal of new skills to learn (or sharpen).

Aside from the obvious writing and editing, you may need to learn a bit about search engine optimization, social media marketing, conversion rate optimization, user experience, and even code.

In many ways, these skills are like the additional “tools” on our list. You can start a blog without them, but having them in your toolbelt makes success much more attainable.

Time & Commitment

Now, here’s the biggy. Financials aside, the biggest investment you make when starting a blog is time.

Time for writing, research, editing, interviewing, strategizing, staging, optimizing for search, and promoting. Time to learn new skills and keep your finger on the pulse of your industry and audience.

And this isn’t limited to just when you’re getting started. It is a consistent habit.

Blogging is a full-time job and a long-term strategy that requires commitment. One of my previous employers had been blogging for nearly five years before it started seeing the organic traffic and high ranks in Google they set out for.

Whether you’re a team of one or many at an organization, you must be ready to dedicate this time to see results.

Learn more about using HubSpot for Blogging in our Free Academy Course.

How much does it cost to maintain a blog?

While many of the big-ticket items like your website theme are one-time or annual investments, most are recurring monthly expenses.

Again, many hosts offer “free publishing forever,” but add-ons will cost you.

In my experience, you’ll want to make sure you have an email marketing and social media publishing tool in your arsenal — at a bare minimum. That said, I would say plan on dedicating a minimum of roughly $50-100 a month to maintain your blog long-term.

How to Start a Blog for Free (or Almost)

Now, time is one expense you can’t avoid, but you can very well cut costs in other areas when starting a blog. How, you ask?

Lean into free tools.

There is no shortage of free tools available to start and maintain the basic functions of a blog — writing, publishing, and hosting.

Leaning into them will help you lay the foundation for a successful blog. You’ll also be able to test things out before making a big monetary investment.

Some free tools I have used and recommend:

• Blogging: Tumblr, HubSpot, Medium
• Design: Canva
• Video Editing: CapCut
• Social Media Scheduling: HootSuite, Buffer
• Email Marketing: MailChimp
• Leading Code: Codecademy

Supplement efforts with AI.

HubSpot’s 2024 State of Marketing Report found that 81% of marketers who use generative AI say it’s effective at assisting them in their role. How exactly? Well, specifically, they reported it helps them:

• improve the quality of the content they create (85%).
• create content more efficiently (84%).
• make significantly more content (82%).
• create more personalized content (77%).

In other words, they’re supplementing their content efforts with AI, not replacing them.

I’m a writer, and I will never tell you to let AI entirely create your content for you, considering the risks of plagiarism and other concerns. But AI truly can help you be more efficient and cost-effective, especially if your operation is lean.

Need an image for a blog? There’s Adobe Firefly and several AI image generators to help instead of designing one or hiring someone to do so.

Stuck on blog titles or topics? Try HubSpot’s free blog title generator.

How about an outline for an article? HubSpot’s free AI content writer can help.

Need suggestions on how to improve a piece? Run it through ChatGPT.

Supplementing your content creation efforts with AI tools like these can help you cut talent costs and move more quickly.

Blog With Benefits

So, there you have it: a straightforward, no-nonsense breakdown of how much it costs to start a blog from someone who’s done it an embarrassing number of times.

Starting a blog shouldn’t be an expensive initiative, but it should be a fruitful one. With everything I outlined in this article, you’ll be well on your way to crushing your brand awareness, traffic, leads, and sales goals.