Free Social Media Content Calendar Template (Google Sheets and Excel)
By PostMax Team · Updated · 7 min read
Quick answer
Download the free template below. It has 6 tabs: a calendar (one row per post, with status dropdowns), content themes, a client brief, an account list, caption limits for each platform, and how to use it.
To use it in Google Sheets: open Sheets, choose File → Import → Upload, and pick the file.
On this page
A content calendar is the difference between deciding what to post every morning and having the week done by Monday. This template is built for people who post for several brands or clients across several platforms, but it works just as well for one brand.
Download the free content calendar template
No sign-up and no email needed. The .xlsx file opens in Google Sheets, Excel, Numbers and LibreOffice.
What’s inside the template
| Tab | What it’s for |
|---|---|
| Calendar | One row per post: date, day (fills itself in), time, client, platforms, theme, idea, caption, media, link, status, live link and notes. Frozen header, filters and 300 ready rows. |
| Content themes | 3 or 4 themes per client, what each covers, and how often to post it. |
| Client brief | One page per client: voice, words to avoid, hashtags, links, key dates, posting times, approvals. |
| Accounts | Every account you manage, who owns it and how you have access. No passwords. |
| Caption limits | The character limit for X, Bluesky, Threads, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook. |
| How to use | A short guide, so a teammate or client can pick it up. |
The Status column has a dropdown that follows a post from start to finish: Idea → Writing → Ready → Approved → Scheduled → Posted.
How to open the template in Google Sheets
- 1
Download the .xlsx file
Use the button above. It saves to your computer.
- 2
Open Google Sheets
Go to sheets.google.com and start a blank spreadsheet.
- 3
Import the file
Choose File → Import → Upload, pick the template, then choose “Replace spreadsheet”.
- 4
Name it and share it
Rename it (for example “Content calendar 2026”) and share it with clients or teammates who need to see it.
How to fill in your content calendar
1. Start with themes
In the Content themes tab, give each client 3 or 4 recurring themes. A café might have menu news, behind the scenes and customer stories. When you plan, pick a theme first. It turns “what do I post?” into a 2-minute choice.
2. Plan a week in one sitting
Add one row per post in the Calendar tab. Fill in the date, time, client, platforms, theme and a one-line idea for the whole week before writing any captions. You’ll spot gaps and repeats early.
3. Write captions, then adjust per platform
Write the main caption in the Caption column. If it’s too long for X (280 characters) or Bluesky (300), note a shorter version in Notes. The Caption limits tab has every platform’s limit.
4. Move each post along with Status
Update the Status dropdown as you go. Filter by “Ready” to see what needs client approval, and by “Idea” to see what still needs writing.
5. Add the live link after it posts
Paste the link to the live post in Live link. At the end of the week you can send each client a list of everything that went out.
An example week
The template comes with these example rows (made up) so you can see how it fits together. Delete them when you start.
| Date | Client | Platforms | Theme | Post idea | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 3 p.m. | Café Lumen | Instagram, TikTok, Facebook | Menu news | Fall menu launch | Scheduled |
| Tue 11 a.m. | Café Lumen | Behind the scenes | Meet the baker | Ready | |
| Wed 8 p.m. | Studio Nine | TikTok, Instagram, YouTube | Tips | 3 stretches for desk workers | Writing |
| Thu 9 a.m. | Studio Nine | X, Threads, Bluesky | Community | Ask followers a question | Idea |
| Fri 4 p.m. | Café Lumen | Instagram, Facebook | Customer stories | Regular of the week | Idea |
Not sure what times to pick? See the best time to post on every platform.
Tips for using it in Google Sheets
- Turn on filters (Data → Create a filter) to see one client, one platform or one status at a time.
- Use filter views (Data → Filter views) so each person can filter without changing what others see.
- Color each client’s rows with conditional formatting (Format → Conditional formatting) on the Client column.
- Share with clients as “Commenter” so they can leave notes on posts without editing your plan.
- Keep media in a shared Drive folder and paste the folder link in Media link.
When a spreadsheet isn’t enough
A spreadsheet is a great place to plan. But it can’t post for you, so every row still means opening each app, pasting the caption and hitting post.
Once that copy and paste is eating your day, a scheduler takes over the posting part. In PostMax you make a profile for each client, write the post once, change it for any platform, and schedule it to all 8 platforms. Its calendar shows every client’s scheduled and sent posts, with live links, so the Status and Live link columns fill themselves in.
More on running several clients: how to manage multiple social media accounts.
Frequently asked questions
Is the content calendar template free?
Yes. Download it, copy it and change it however you like. You don’t need to sign up or give an email.
How do I open the template in Google Sheets?
Download the .xlsx file, then in Google Sheets open File → Import → Upload and choose the file. Or upload it to Google Drive, open it, and pick File → Save as Google Sheets. All 6 tabs, the dropdowns and the Day formula come along.
Does it work in Excel?
Yes. The .xlsx file opens in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, Apple Numbers and LibreOffice. The .csv file holds only the Calendar tab, for any other tool.
Can I use one calendar for several clients?
Yes. Every row has a Client column. Turn on a filter (Data → Create a filter in Google Sheets) and filter by client to see one client’s week. Fill in a Client brief tab for each one.
How far ahead should I plan social media content?
Plan themes a month ahead and write posts one or two weeks ahead. That leaves room for news, trends and client changes without last-minute scrambling.
What should a social media content calendar include?
At minimum: date, time, platforms, the post idea, the caption, the media, and a status. For client work also add the client, an approval step and the live link, so you can show clients what went out.
Keep reading
- How to Post to All Social Media at Once (Free and Paid Ways)The free ways, the paid way, and what to change for each platform so one post works everywhere.
- How to Manage Multiple Social Media Accounts (Without Losing Track)A 6-step system for running many accounts and clients, with an account list template and access steps for each platform.
- Best Time to Post on TikTok (Every Day of the Week, 2026)Today’s best time in your audience’s time zone, every day of the week, and what four studies agree on.