How to plan the social media content for your next launch: a step-by-step guide
So you’ve got something exciting to launch — a course, a new service, an offer you’ve been working on for months. You know you need to show up on social media to get the word out. But where do you even start?
If you're staring at a blank content calendar wondering, “what the heck am I supposed to post during a launch?”, you’re not alone. In fact, someone DM’d me this exact question recently, which inspired this post (and a full podcast episode — link below).
Here’s your step-by-step guide to planning the social media side of your launch — without losing your mind or panic-typing captions at 11pm.
As always, if you prefer to listen to the podcast episode instead of reading this blog post, click on the player below. Follow my podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Deezer, and all the other platforms to get notified as soon as a new episode becomes available!
1) Map out your overall launch timeline:
Before you think about your first Instagram post or Reel, zoom out. Big picture first.
Ask yourself:
When do doors open?
When do doors close?
Are there any bonuses, early bird prices or expiring promos?
Are you hosting any launch events (like a webinar or challenge)?
Are there holidays, school breaks or other things to work around?
These answers will form your launch skeleton — everything else will hang off this.
So…how long should your launch be?
The annoying answer: it depends. But here are some helpful questions to guide you:
Is this a brand new offer or a relaunch?
Is your audience already familiar with it or do they need warming up?
What's the price point? (Higher ticket means longer lead time)
What platforms are you using? (If it's mostly Instagram, you might need more time to build momentum)
Do you actually have the time and energy for a long launch?
My usual recommendation:
Warm-up period: 1–2 weeks of teasing, re-engaging your audience, and building buzz.
Launch period (cart open): 5–10 days, depending on your audience and energy levels.
2) Plug in your key launch dates:
Now that you have your timeline, plug in your anchor points — the moments that actually matter in your launch.
These include:
Cart open date
Cart close date
Bonus deadline
Webinar or live event
Payment plan expiring
Spots filling up
These are the moments you want to highlight with content: posts, Stories, Reels, countdowns, email reminders. You’ll likely talk about them more than once (and you should).
3) Get clear on what your social media is supposed to do:
Social media can do a lot, but it can’t do everything. So what’s its job in your launch?
Ask yourself:
👉 Is social meant to drive direct sign-ups?
👉 Is it there to build hype and awareness?
👉 Will it mostly send people to your email list or a webinar?
That answer will shape your entire content strategy.
For example:
If your email list is doing the heavy lifting, let Instagram be the hype girl: sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes, gentle nudges to check emails.
If you’re launching mostly on social, be more direct: talk about the offer in your posts, give all the info, and make it easy for people to buy or DM you with questions.
4) Choose your platforms and formats:
No, you don’t need to be on every single platform.
Pick 1–2 platforms where your audience is warm and where you already enjoy showing up. Then double down on formats that work for you:
Love talking to camera? Batch some Reels.
Hate video but love writing? Do carousels and great captions.
Want to build connection? Focus on Instagram Stories.
You don’t need to go viral. You do need to be clear, consistent, and strategic.
5) Create content around your anchor dates:
With your timeline and key moments mapped out, you can now start planning your actual launch content.
I always start with the non-negotiables: doors open, bonuses expiring, events happening.
Then, I fill in the gaps with posts that:
Address objections
Speak to pain points
Highlight your USP
Talk about what makes your offer different
Example: When I launched my paid book club, I knew people might wonder why they should pay for something they can get for free elsewhere. So I created content around that — talking about the value, structure, and commitment level that free clubs don’t usually offer.
Pro tip: Write your emails first, then repurpose them into captions, video scripts, or carousels. Makes life so much easier and reinforces your message across platforms.
6) Pre-write and schedule what you can:
Will you be able to pre-write everything? Probably not.
But future-you will be very happy if you get the big stuff done in advance.
Things like:
Doors open/close announcements
Bonus deadline reminders
Webinar promo content
Behind-the-scenes teasers
Having a rough roadmap means you can be more present during the actual launch, responding to DMs, answering questions, and tweaking things on the fly. And not having to write last-minute captions at midnight 🥴
If you’re planning a launch and want a second pair of eyes on your plan, book a 1:1 session with me!
Talk soon,
Hanna