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- Ideas bank: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)
- Idea sources: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)
- Scoring guide: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)
In Google Sheets: File, Import, Upload, then pick the CSV.
What's inside
- An ideas bank: each idea with its pillar, format, source, evergreen or seasonal, scores for fit and effort, an overall score, status and where it was used
- A list of idea sources and how often to check each one
- A scoring guide so everyone scores ideas the same way
- A filled example for Studio Fern, a fictional hair salon (every detail is made up), and a blank CSV of each sheet
How to use it
- Add ideas the moment you have them, even half-formed ones. A phone shortcut to the sheet helps.
- Write down where each idea came from. Customer questions usually make the most useful posts.
- Give each idea a pillar and a likely format.
- Score fit and effort with the scoring guide, and let the sheet rank them.
- When you plan the month, pick the top-scoring ideas that suit the dates and the mix of pillars.
- Mark ideas as used, with the date and platform, so you don't repeat them by accident. Evergreen ideas can come back later.
Preview: Ideas bank
A filled example for a made-up small business, first 8 of 10 rows.
| ID | Idea | Pillar | Format | Where it came from | Evergreen or seasonal | Fit (1 to 3) | Effort (1 easy to 3 hard) | Score (fit x 2 minus effort) | Status | Used on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I01 | How to make a blow-dry last three days | Tips | Reel | Client question, asked weekly | Evergreen | 3 | 1 | 5 | Used | Instagram, Tue 3 Nov |
| I02 | What happens at a colour consultation | Behind the scenes | Carousel | Nervous first-time colour clients | Evergreen | 3 | 2 | 4 | Planned | Instagram, Thu 19 Nov |
| I03 | Party hair for Christmas: three styles you can do at home | Tips | Reel | Seasonal searches from clients | Seasonal: December | 3 | 2 | 4 | Planned | Instagram and TikTok, Tue 1 Dec |
| I04 | Meet our new junior stylist, Grace | Team | Single image | New starter | One-off | 2 | 1 | 3 | Planned | Instagram and Facebook, Mon 16 Nov |
| I05 | Myth: cutting hair makes it grow faster | Tips | Short video | Comment on an old post | Evergreen | 2 | 1 | 3 | Idea | |
| I06 | Before and after: grey blending | Before and after | Carousel | Client asked if we'd share it (written consent) | Evergreen | 3 | 1 | 5 | Idea | |
| I07 | Our favourite products under £15 | Offers | Carousel | Retail shelf | Evergreen | 2 | 2 | 2 | Idea | |
| I08 | A day in the salon in 30 seconds | Behind the scenes | Reel | Team suggestion | Evergreen | 2 | 3 | 1 | Idea |
Preview: Idea sources
A filled example for a made-up small business.
| Source | What to look for | How often | Who checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Client questions in the chair | Anything asked more than twice | Ongoing: note it on the booking | Every stylist |
| Messages and comments | Questions, objections and compliments | Weekly | Leah (manager) |
| Reviews | What people praise and what they wish was different | Monthly | Leah |
| Bookings and sales | What's busy, what's quiet, what's new | Monthly | Owner |
| Our holidays calendar | Dates that fit the salon | Monthly | Leah |
| Old posts that did well | Ideas worth doing again in a new way | Quarterly | Leah |
Preview: Scoring guide
A filled example for a made-up small business.
| Score | Fit means | Effort means |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loosely related to what we sell or who we serve | Can be made in under 30 minutes with what we have |
| 2 | Clearly useful or interesting to our clients | Needs a short shoot or some design work |
| 3 | Answers a real client question or supports a current offer | Needs a planned shoot, a model or several people |
| Overall | Fit x 2 minus effort, so a useful, easy idea scores highest (5) and a loose, hard one lowest (-1) |
Tips
- Studio Fern, its staff and every detail in the example are made up. The scoring formula is a suggestion; change the weights if effort matters more to you.
- Keep one bank for the whole team. Ideas scattered across notebooks and phones never get used.
- Customer questions are the most reliable source of ideas: if one person asked, others are wondering.
- Get written consent before using a client's photo, and note it in the source column.
- Review the bottom of the list each quarter and delete ideas nobody wants to make.
- If you use Zolyp, our product, you can paste an idea from the bank into Create or Composer and it writes the post in your brand voice, with a visual, for you to approve.
Common questions
What is a content ideas bank?
A single running list of post ideas, each with a pillar, format, source and status, so planning starts from a list of ideas instead of a blank page.
How do I come up with social media content ideas?
Start with your customers' questions, comments and reviews, then add your busy and quiet times, new products, your team and the dates that matter to your business. Write every idea down as it comes.
How do I decide which ideas to use first?
Score each idea for how well it fits your customers and how much work it is, then pick the high-fit, low-effort ideas first, balanced across your pillars and the dates in the month.
Is the salon real?
No. Studio Fern and its ideas are made up to show how a filled bank reads.
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