What Should I Post on Instagram This Month? A Done-For-You Content Plan

 

Blank content calendar? No problem. If youโ€™re a small business owner, content creator, or social media manager staring down a new month thinking, โ€œWhat do I even post now?โ€ โ€” this is for you.

You donโ€™t need to start from scratch. You need a plan that works with your real life (aka your client work, kid drop-offs, and coffee reheat cycles), not against it.

This post will give you a full month of Instagram post ideas you can use as-is or tweak to match your brand โ€” plus tips for batching it all using Canva.

Letโ€™s make Instagram feel lighter, shall we?

Why Planning Your Instagram Content Ahead of Time Justโ€ฆ Works

When you plan even a little, youโ€ฆ

๐Ÿ‘‰ Show up more consistently
๐Ÿ‘‰ Feel way less overwhelmed
๐Ÿ‘‰ Actually promote your offers (instead of winging it daily)
๐Ÿ‘‰ Have space to get creative again

And when your posts are already designed and written? Youโ€™re way more likely to actually post them โ€” no blank screen panic, no last-minute scramble.

Your 4-Week Instagram Content Plan (That Doesnโ€™t Feel Like a Second Job)

You can post 3x/week, 5x/week, or daily โ€” but hereโ€™s a sample plan based on posting 4 times per week, which weโ€™ve found to be a sustainable sweet spot for small biz owners:

๐Ÿ—“ WEEK 1: Connect + Build Trust

  1. Your Face + Story
    โ†’ โ€œHey, I havenโ€™t introduced myself in a while!โ€
    Share something real about why you do what you do.

  2. Client Win or Transformation
    โ†’ Screenshot a DM or describe a before/after.

  3. Behind-the-Scenes Reel
    โ†’ Show your process โ€” even if itโ€™s just your screen or coffee + to-do list.

  4. Helpful Tip Carousel
    โ†’ Teach something quick. Use 3โ€“5 slides max.

๐Ÿ—“ WEEK 2: Educate + Entertain

  1. Myth-Busting Post
    โ†’ โ€œYou donโ€™t need ___ to ___.โ€
    Break a misconception in your niche.

  2. Time-Saving Tool or App
    โ†’ Bonus points if itโ€™s something free or unexpected!

  3. Template Preview
    โ†’ Show part of your Canva template, caption with a CTA to your offer.

  4. โ€œOne Thing Iโ€™d Never Do Againโ€ Reel
    โ†’ A spicy take always boosts engagement.

๐Ÿ—“ WEEK 3: Promote Without Being Pushy

  1. Soft Sell Post
    โ†’ โ€œHereโ€™s what Iโ€™ve been helping my clients with latelyโ€ฆโ€
    Invite DMs, donโ€™t drop a hard pitch.

  2. Offer Walkthrough (Carousel or Reel)
    โ†’ What it is, who itโ€™s for, why it works.

  3. Social Proof Screenshot
    โ†’ Pair it with โ€œThis made my dayโ€ or โ€œResults that speak.โ€

  4. Poll or Question Sticker in Stories
    โ†’ Ask what they want more of โ€” and use that to guide next weekโ€™s content.

๐Ÿ—“ WEEK 4: Build Authority + Community

  1. Hot Take Carousel or Reel
    โ†’ Share a strong opinion โ€” with kindness.

  2. Mini Tutorial (Swipe or Reel)
    โ†’ Show how to do one tiny thing your audience struggles with.

  3. โ€œYouโ€™re Not Alone Ifโ€ฆโ€ Relatable Post
    โ†’ High share/save potential.

  4. Friday Freebie or Tip Drop
    โ†’ Bonus tip or resource with โ€œSave this for later!โ€

Want These Posts Pre-Made in Canva for you?

This is a preview of our Monthy Content Calendar and templates, all inside Canva and available inside Your Template Club.

Weโ€™ve got you covered ๐Ÿ’…
Inside Your Template Club, you get:

โœ… Immediate access to 3,000+ Canva templates for Instagram and other platforms
โœ… Our Monthly Content Packs, every month we batch content for you and create a whole content calendar you can tweak and post!
โœ… Captions, Bonuses and More

Whether you want to post 3x a week or fill your grid for the month in one afternoon, this makes it plug-and-post easy.

How to Make These Posts Fast in Canva

Hereโ€™s how to speed up the process (no design degree needed):

๐Ÿ‘‰ Pick 3โ€“4 colors and 2 fonts to keep your content cohesive
๐Ÿ‘‰ Reuse slide layouts (donโ€™t reinvent the wheel!)
๐Ÿ‘‰ Use animated white outline stickers or subtle motion to boost engagement
๐Ÿ‘‰ Batch create 4โ€“6 posts in one sitting, schedule them in Meta or Later

Still not sure where to start? Try this:

๐Ÿ”ฅ Start with a carousel: 3โ€“5 tips in a bold, branded design
๐Ÿ’ฌ Pair it with a caption that ends with a question
๐Ÿ“… Schedule it for your highest engagement time (check your IG insights!)


Reels Cover Templates editable in Canva (For Free)? ๐ŸŽ‰

I made you a free pack of 20 Canva Reels cover templates โ€” totally customizable, super easy to use, and perfect for creators, coaches, and content pros.

Theyโ€™re designed to:


โ†’ Help you create consistent, branded covers in minutes
โ†’ Make your Reels grid look polished AF
โ†’ Save you from ever opening Canva with zero ideas again

By feeling this form you will be added to Your Social Teamโ€™s email list. We respect your privacy.

TL;DR: What Should I Post on Instagram This Month?

โœ… Use a weekly theme to make planning easier
โœ… Mix education, connection, and promotion
โœ… Batch your posts with Canva to save time
โœ… Get pre-made Instagram Canva templates + captions inside Your Template Club
โœ… Show up consistently โ€” even if itโ€™s just 2x/week

You donโ€™t need to go viral. You just need to show up with strategy and style (which is exactly what weโ€™re here to help you do).


Manu Muraro is the founder of Your Social Team, which helps small entrepreneurs grow their business through content marketing, especially email and Instagram.

In 2021 Manu launched Your Template Club, one of the first Canva Template for Instagram subscriptions in the world to provide social media managers and small business owners with content templates designed for engagement.

Manu has also more recebtly started the first Instagram Reels Award Show, The Reelies Awards and an email marketing membership, Your Inbox Team.

Born and raised in Brazil, Manu moved to the U.S. in 2000 right out of college to work for Cartoon Network, where she made an award winning career in creative and strategy.


 
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