The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Social Media Distribution Strategy

Updated on May 23, 2023

6 min to read

Head of Marketing @ Vista Social

Published May 23, 2023

The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Social Media Distribution Strategy
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Designing your own social media distribution strategy? It’s totally doable and a proven way to see steady growth in your online presence!

Why? Well, with a unique and effective strategy, you’re not just throwing out content and hoping it sticks.

You’re artistically blending your creativity with real insights about your audience. By understanding what they connect with, and timing your posts just right, you’re setting your strategy up for success.

via GIPHY

Remember, it’s not just what you’re sharing, but when and how. That’s the sweet spot – mixing engaging content with the right timing. It’s like turning your social media from a random playlist into a beautifully curated concert.

So, Vista Social’s team is breaking down how to create a successful social media distribution strategy, including our number one tool for publishing. Keep reading! 👀

Table of contents

What Is a Social Media Distribution Strategy?

A social media distribution strategy is your unique blueprint for sharing, promoting, and maximizing visibility of your content across various platforms.

This covers a broad spectrum, from Instagram and Facebook to LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and more.

There are a few different ways to create a social media distribution strategy:

  • The traditional pen and paper route, like a physical planner or printed calendar
  • Excel spreadsheets or Google Sheets are a good, basic way to get started
  •  A project management tool like ClickUp or Asana offers a more robust way to organize your tasks and deadlines 
  • Social media management tools like Vista Social, which is the most efficient option (more on that, later)

ICYMI: Vista Social is trusted by over 1.9M social media profiles from agencies to creators, and small businesses to enterprises. Create an account today! 💙

Why Your Business Needs a Social Media Distribution Strategy in 2023

Why Your Business Needs a Social Media Distribution Strategy in 2023 A social media distribution strategy is crucial for anyone seeking to make a splash in the digital world or build a brand.

Here’s why your business should have one in 2023:

#1: Maximize Your Efforts 

With a strategy, you can distribute your content more efficiently and effectively. 

It’s like having a master plan for your week’s or month’s content output, saving you precious hours in the process.

#2: Share More Consistently

Consistency continues to reign supreme in 2023. A good distribution strategy keeps you in line with a steady rhythm of content sharing. 

Knowing when to post on social media based on your audience’s engagement patterns is like finding a secret shortcut. 

It leads to consistently sharing content and scoring big on engagement. Trust us, it’s a game-changer! 🤩

#3: Repurpose Your Content

 A well-laid-out distribution strategy allows you to see what’s already out there and identify chances to share your content across multiple platforms.

For instance, if a post is a hit on Instagram, it’s worth sharing on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

#4: Enrich Your Content Mix

With a social media distribution strategy in hand, you’ve got the ultimate bird’s-eye view. 

This lets you shake things up by sharing a diverse range of content. 

The result? You keep your audience intrigued and engaged across all platforms.

#5: Promote Team Synergy 

Collaborating on a social media distribution strategy makes it a true team effort. 

It becomes a shared roadmap everyone can contribute to and follow. 

Plus, with Vista Social, you get cool features like Content Approval Workflow, Access Groups, and Shared Calendar — which lets you and your team manage individual posts and campaigns in one collaborative dashboard. 

Curious how it works? We’ve set up a live shared calendar link to our own content. Feel free to click the link or check out the live embed below. And yes, password protection is optional! 🔐

#6: Elevate Your Quality 

Mapping out your distribution strategy in advance isn’t just about planning. It gives you the breathing space to ensure your content is the best it can be. 

And though social media can be unpredictable, having content up your sleeve keeps you ready for any surprise turns. 

Brought to you by Try Vista Social for Free

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So here’s to less stress and more success!

FYI: Vista Social is your one-stop shop for social media management — from scheduling tools to in-depth analytics. Sign up today — for free!

How To Create a Social Media Distribution Strategy in 2023

As you set out to create your social media distribution strategy for 2023, it’s important to map out what it should include.

Start with these essential building blocks:

  • Every platform where you aim to distribute content
  • Ideal distribution dates and times (keeping different time zones in mind!)
  • The messaging for each post
  • Content format
  • Links or labels to relevant assets
  • Tracking links (if you’re using them)

Next, consider your workflow style. Do you like planning week by week? Or are you all about mapping out a whole month or quarter in advance?

For those who think big, a project management tool like ClickUp is a perfect companion to prepare your strategy on a quarterly basis.

However, if you’re more of a ‘steady-as-you-go’ planner (think weekly or bi-weekly), a spreadsheet or social management tool would suit you better.

Using tools like Excel or Google Sheets, you can digitally craft, color-code, and share your distribution strategy with your team.

Here’s how your distribution strategy could potentially look:

Example in Google Sheets
Content categorization in Vista Social’s Media Library

But remember, while spreadsheets are great for structuring your strategy, when it comes to execution, scheduling, and analysis, you’ll want a third-party tool like Vista Social — which will make your workflow easier.

With Vista Social, you can:

  • Develop and manage all your social posts from one central dashboard
  • Handle all your visual content with an integrated media library
  • Schedule your content for optimal distribution, across multiple platforms
  • Toggle between weekly and monthly views to stay on top of your plan
  • Use visual planning features to ensure your content stays consistent and aligned with your brand

And there’s so much more!

Streamline your social media distribution with Vista Social’s suite of social media management toolsGet started with setting up your account today — it’s free!

How to Manage Visuals for Your Social Media Distribution Strategy

Managing visuals is a critical piece of your social media distribution strategy for 2023. 

Just like you plan out what platforms to post to, it’s equally important to plan out the type of visuals you’ll be sharing.

These could be videos, memes, carousel posts – you name it! Having a stash of different “content types” that you can easily plug into your distribution strategy is a true game changer.

Notice the icons which show what content type was published.

Keeping a keen eye on your content’s performance lets you know which visuals truly vibe with your audience. For example, your followers might really engage with and share your text-based carousel posts full of industry tips or news.

In light of this, consider creating a template for this content type that you can customize and pop into your strategy every week. Recycle and shine! ✨

Whether you’re a one-woman show or part of a large crew, a well-organized visual strategy is key to staying consistent and achieving your goals.

And the best part? It gives you the flexibility to plan out your content days, weeks, or even months in advance – hello, time-saver!

Content Planning Tools in Vista Social

Here are some tools that can help streamline your visual content planning process in Vista Social:

🎞️ Media library & organization: Store and manage your visuals and audio in one place. There’s even a browser extension for quick import and a Google Drive integration! 

🏷️ Labels: Keep your media organized with labels so you can quickly find the right visuals and audio when needed.

🖼️ Editing tools for polished posts: Built-in editing tools can help you refine your images and videos, and choose the perfect cover for your Reels.

🎨  Design with Canva: Create eye-catching visuals directly within your Vista Social dashboard with Canva.

⬇️ Saved captions: Keep your captions neatly stored and organized, ready to be used when needed. Plus, try out the AI Assistant powered by ChatGPT to effortlessly generate captions and responses!

🔥 Hashtag Tools: Manage hashtag groups and get suggestions for posts.

👀 Shared Calendar: Share your planned content with others easily without requiring them to log in.

🗓️ Preview your content with 3 types of views: Post previews, feed view, and calendar view. 

Whether it’s posting 10 minute videos on TikTok to scheduling Reels with trending audio, and publishing carousel posts to direct stories scheduling  – Vista Social’s got your back!

Gear up your social media distribution strategy for 2023 with comprehensive social media management tools. Set up your free account today and get started!

About the Author

Head of Marketing @ Vista Social

Brittany Garlin serves as the Head of Marketing at Vista Social, the leading social media suite that's pushing the boundaries of innovation. Steering the platform to achieve an impressive milestone of over 2 million connected social profiles, Brittany's expertise has been acknowledged in a recent appearance on the Social Pros podcast, where she discussed making marketing to marketers more human-centered. With a knack for strategic disruption, Brittany also redefines what it means to be a woman in the tech sector. Her thought leadership is frequently highlighted in prestigious outlets like Forbes and HubSpot.

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