Your council's social media presence is not about self-promotion... it’s about visibility, engagement, education, and sustainability and ensures the organization remains relevant, respected, and connected in a profession built on trust and relationships.  Much like an appealing and thorough website, the investment your council makes in its social presence will:

Increase Awareness and Credibility 
Attract and Engages New Members
Strengthen Member Engagement and Retention
Support Sponsors and Strategic Partners
Extend the Impact of Educational Content
Improve Communication Efficiency
Support Leadership Succession and Longevity
Reflect the Council’s Relevance in a Modern Profession

Once your council has decided upon its platforms, the work really begins!  

Your Editorial Calendar

An editorial calendar is a planning tool that organizes what content will be published, when it will be published, and where it will appear. It helps an organization communicate consistently, strategically, and efficiently and answers four key questions: what are we sharing; when are we sharing it; where will it be published; and why are we sharing it?  Samples are available online and we particularly like the options found here, but we have found that using ChatGPT or a similar service can be equally (if not more) efficient and helpful.

Anchor the Calendar to the Annual Program Schedule
The council’s meeting calendar should be the backbone of the editorial plan.  Build content around what is already happening rather than inventing ideas, but don’t make all content event related.

Define Core Content Pillars
Choose four to six categories that become the pillars for recurring slots in the calendar, remembering to mix the business of the council with the human side of growing relationships with members.

Education & Thought Leadership
Event Promotion & Recaps
Member & Leadership Spotlights
Sponsor Recognition
Council Culture & Community
Professional Development
Daily Life (Holidays, Observances, Awareness Weeks & Months, etc.)

Choose a Realistic Posting Frequency
Consistency matters more than volume and most councils succeed with 1–2 posts per week.

Assign Ownership and Workflow
Designate a social media chair or committee (or assigning your staff member to the duties) and create a plan for who drafts, approves, and posts content.  Sharing tools like Google Sheets are helpful for this purpose. 

Plan Content in Advance
Quarterly calendars are recommended.

Keep Compliance and Professionalism Front and Center
The calendar and postings should reflect the council’s professional standards.

Templates & Help from NAEPC

NAEPC has provided resources to get your council started or to refresh the work it's already doing.  

2026 Calendar of Holidays, Observances, Work-Related Holidays, and Fun Highlights

Customizable LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram Social Media Posts to Accompany the Calendar*

Daily and Monthly Observances
LinkedIn I Facebook I Instagram

Federal, Family, and Non-Religious Holidays
LinkedIn I Facebook I Instagram

Quirky, Fun, and Social Media Holidays
LinkedIn I Facebook I Instagram

Religious Holidays
LinkedIn I Facebook I Instagram

Workplace & Business Holidays
LinkedIn I Facebook I Instagram

Additional Templates

Membership & Recognition
LinkedIn I Facebook I Instagram

*Templates have been provided in Canva, an easy-to-use, online graphic design platform that empowers anyone to create professional-looking visuals.  With a Canva account, you may download the images to use as-is or you may tailor them to meet your council's needs or to include your council's logo and branding. New to Canva?  Watch this 15 minute video to learn more.