Content calendar template, built around your posting plan
Pick your platforms, how many posts a week and for how many weeks, add your topics, and the generator lays out a full content calendar. Download it as a spreadsheet (CSV or XLSX) or as a calendar file for Google Calendar, Outlook and Apple Calendar. It runs in your browser, so nothing is stored.
By Lena Hartwig, Product and scheduler
Updated on November 9, 2026
24 posts from Mon, Nov 16 to Sat, Dec 12
| Date | Time | Platform | Format | Topic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, Nov 16 | 18:00 | Reel | No topic yet | |
| Tue, Nov 17 | 18:00 | TikTok | Video | No topic yet |
| Wed, Nov 18 | 18:00 | Carousel | No topic yet | |
| Thu, Nov 19 | 18:00 | TikTok | Video | No topic yet |
| Fri, Nov 20 | 18:00 | Image | No topic yet | |
| Sat, Nov 21 | 18:00 | TikTok | Video | No topic yet |
| Mon, Nov 23 | 18:00 | Story | No topic yet | |
| Tue, Nov 24 | 18:00 | TikTok | Video | No topic yet |
| Wed, Nov 25 | 18:00 | Reel | No topic yet | |
| Thu, Nov 26 | 18:00 | TikTok | Video | No topic yet |
Plus 14 more in the file.
The CSV fits straight into the Crowdbird planner import, where the posts land as drafts. Plan for free in Crowdbird
How to make a content calendar in six steps
Everything happens on this page, and you only download the file at the end.
Pick your platforms
Choose any mix of Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest and Threads.
Set your posting rhythm
Choose 1 to 7 posts a week. The same rhythm applies to every platform you picked.
Choose the time span
Plan 1, 2, 4, 8 or 13 weeks ahead, and set the time of day your posts should go out.
Add your topics
Type one topic per line, for example product, behind the scenes and customer questions. The calendar rotates them in order.
Check the preview
The preview shows your first 10 posts with the format for each platform, such as Reel, carousel, image or story on Instagram.
Download the file you need
Get a CSV, an Excel file (XLSX) or a calendar file (ICS). The CSV imports straight into the Crowdbird planner.
CSV, XLSX or ICS: which download fits
All three hold the same plan. They differ in where you use it.
| File | Opens in | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| CSV | Google Sheets, Excel, Crowdbird planner | Importing posts as drafts |
| XLSX | Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers | Editing the plan with a team |
| ICS | Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple Calendar | Seeing each post as a 30 minute slot |
What a good content calendar includes
A content calendar answers four questions for every post. The template fills in the first three for you, you add the fourth.
When
date and time for each platform.
What
the topic for that day, taken in turn from your topic list.
How
the format, like a Reel, carousel, image or Story on Instagram.
Status
whether the post is an idea, a draft or scheduled. That way you see what's still missing.
Find topics that last
A calendar is only as good as its topics. Three to five recurring themes are enough for weeks.
Write down what you can show again and again
products, behind the scenes, customer questions, seasonal moments.
One topic per line
The template spreads them across the weeks in turn.
Pick a pace you can keep
Three posts a week for eight weeks beats posting daily for one week and then going quiet.
Write the captions later
The calendar gives you dates and topics. You write each caption when the post is up next.
From calendar to scheduled post
A calendar only helps once the posts actually go out. Download the CSV and import it into the Crowdbird scheduler. Each row becomes a draft for your connected account, with date, time and topic. You just add the text and media.
To find times that suit your account, use the best time to post tools for Instagram and TikTok. The caption generator drafts the captions.
Common mistakes
Too much at once
A pace you drop after two weeks helps no one.
Only one topic
Variety keeps your profile alive.
The same format everywhere
Use what each platform does well.
A plan without dates
Only scheduled posts actually go out.
What is a content calendar?
A content calendar is a schedule of what you will post, where and when, usually for several weeks ahead. It lists the date, time, platform, format and topic of each post, so you can plan themes, avoid gaps and prepare content before it is due.
How do I make a content calendar in Google Sheets?
Generate your plan above and download it as CSV or XLSX, then open the file in Google Sheets with File, Import. Each row is one post with its date, time, platform, format and topic, so you can sort, filter and add captions right in the sheet.
Is there a free content calendar template?
Yes. This generator is free, needs no account and builds the template from your own platforms, rhythm and topics instead of a blank grid. It runs in your browser and nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.
What should a social media content calendar include?
At minimum the date and time, the platform, the format and the topic of each post. Many teams add the caption, the media file, who is responsible and the status. The generated file covers the first four, and the Crowdbird planner holds the rest once you import it.
How far ahead should I plan social media content?
Four to eight weeks is a practical range for most small teams: far enough to plan themes and launches, short enough to react to trends. The generator plans 1, 2, 4, 8 or 13 weeks, so you can start short and extend once the rhythm works.
Should I download CSV or ICS?
Download CSV or XLSX if you want to edit the plan or import it into the Crowdbird planner as drafts. Download ICS if you want each post as a 30 minute slot in your calendar app, in your local time, as a reminder of when to publish.
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