How to Create a Facebook Content Calendar That Actually Gets Results

Do you think Facebook is just that app your grandma uses to send Candy Crush invites for bonus points (don’t ask me how I know...), or where that one random teacher from high school can’t stop sharing motivational quotes on their Stories?

I get it! Facebook had its golden era. Back in the day, it was the coolest thing on the internet. But now, with Instagram, TikTok, and every new shiny platform stealing the spotlight, Facebook often feels like that “mandatory” app you keep around because it was your first love in your teen years.

But here's the twist. It’s still very relevant. For some brands, it’s even a quiet engine driving growth, revenue, and direct lead acquisition. So, it’s time to kickstart your engine, oil your machine, and throttle up your Facebook game.

Let’s break down exactly how to create a Facebook content calendar that doesn’t just look good on paper but delivers too.

Why is posting on Facebook still good for brands?

Facebook is far from dead, and here’s why your brand still needs to be there.

1. It’s the world’s biggest party and everyone’s invited

With over 3 billion monthly active users, Facebook is still the biggest social hangout spot on the planet. That means your potential audience is massive.

Whether you're selling local cupcakes or running an international tech startup, your customers are scrolling, liking, and sharing there. You just need to show up and say hi.

2. The young crowd is making a comeback

Remember when you thought Facebook was only for “older folks”? More than 40 million people aged 18 to 29 in the US and Canada are now logging in daily.

They're back, and they're scrolling through feeds just like everyone else, giving your brand fresh chances to connect with the next generation of fans.

3. People don’t just lurk, they interact

Facebook isn’t a ghost town of passive users. About 44% of people interact with brand content daily. That’s almost half the platform, billions of people.

People are liking, commenting, sharing, and even sliding into brand DMs. If you want to build relationships and not just broadcast ads, this is the place.

4. Shopping is serious business here

Facebook’s Marketplace is a goldmine, with 40% of users actively shopping. That means your posts can turn into sales, fast.

From discovering new products to checking reviews or messaging sellers, Facebook’s shopping ecosystem is a direct line to customers ready to buy.

5. Be ready to hit the gas

When you post on Facebook, timing is everything. About 75% of post interactions happen within the first 150 minutes.

So, if you want to grab eyeballs and start conversations, your content has to be ready to roll and roll fast.

6. Trust is the name of the game

People trust Facebook to connect them with real brands and real people. Over 54% of users follow and research brands on the platform, and nearly 6 out of 10 have reached out to businesses directly through Facebook. 

This makes it more than just a social network; it’s a trusted business hub.

So yeah, Facebook might have had the reputation of the “been there, done that” platform, but it’s still bringing serious growth for brands willing to put in the work.

Read: TikTok vs Reels vs Shorts: An Exclusive Measure Studio Study

Which kind of posts should you share on Facebook?

We dug into how long different Facebook post types keep working for you by measuring when they hit 95% of their total views.

Here’s the lowdown:

1. Videos

   

   
   

Facebook Videos have a solid lifespan of about 70 days. Most of the views happen quickly, about 70% on day one, but they keep getting traction for over two months.

What this means for you:

Bring your A-game with Videos that hook viewers in the first 3 seconds. Post 1-2 times a week to avoid cannibalizing your own views, and let each video breathe before dropping the next. Evergreen, engaging videos are gold here.

2. Photos

   

   
   

Photos also enjoy a long life on Facebook. Similar to Videos, they stick around for about 70 days. Facebook photos last over three times longer than Instagram photos, so you have got room to experiment and see what your audience loves.

What this means for you:

Post 3-4 photos a week and use bold, eye-catching images or text overlays to stop the scroll. Once you find a winner, consider turning it into a video or reel for extra reach.

3. Reels

Reels start slow but last about 65 days. Unlike Videos, their views build gradually, with about 30% of their total growth happening after the first month.

What this means for you:

Post 2-3 Reels weekly and don’t expect instant fireworks. Give your Reels time to gather momentum. Repurpose top-performing Reels into Stories or refresh them with new hooks after 60 days.

4. Carousels

Carousels peak quickly, lasting about 35 days, half the lifespan of Videos and Photos.

What this means for you:

Post 3-4 Carousels a week as quick hits to boost visibility. Make the first slide impossible to ignore with curiosity-sparking visuals or text. They're easy to create and great for quick engagement, but don’t expect them to stick around long.

5. Text posts

Text posts burn bright but fast, peaking in about 10 days before fading away.

What this means for you:

Use text posts to keep your timeline fresh and test messaging. If a line doesn’t hit, try again later with a twist. They’re low effort but offer high insight for tweaking your tone and voice.

6. Links

Links have the shortest life on Facebook, less than a week.

What this means for you:

Avoid posting links directly. Instead, put URLs in the comments to keep your post’s reach alive. If you must share links, give them a second life with new headlines or creativity after their first run.

Read: TikTok vs Reels vs Shorts: An Exclusive study of Measure Studio

What’s the best content mix for Facebook?

Your Facebook goals matter, but so do your time, resources, and team size.

Whether you're a solo entrepreneur juggling product, marketing, and customer service, a small business marketer wearing way too many hats, or a big brand with a social team and weekly brainstorms, your Facebook content calendar has to fit what you can realistically produce. Otherwise, it’ll fizzle out.

The secret is to build your Facebook calendar around formats that last the longest and drive the most engagement for the effort you put in.

1. Solo creator / small team

If you're running the show solo or with a tiny crew, you’ll need a Facebook content mix that works hard long after you press “Post,” so you can focus on the other hundred things on your to-do list.

Here’s a simple, proven mix for you:

• Videos (1x/week) – Lifespan ~70 days. Go for evergreen topics like tutorials, relatable advice, or story-driven content. Hook viewers in the first 3 seconds.

• Photos (3–4x/week) – Lifespan ~70 days. Use high-contrast visuals, bold text overlays, or behind-the-scenes snapshots.

• Reels (2x/week) – Lifespan ~65 days. Repurpose video content or share quick, personality-driven clips. They start slow but rack up views over weeks.

• Carousels (1x/week) – Lifespan ~35 days. Perfect for step-by-step tips, mini collections, or storytelling—make the first slide impossible to scroll past.

• Text posts (2x/month) – Lifespan ~10 days. Spark quick conversations or test messaging before investing in bigger content.

  
  

A great example of a small team doing this brilliantly is Fjällräven. They're not posting for the sake of posting. They're strategically mixing formats to maximize reach without burning out their team.

How Fjällräven nails it:

• Videos: Short, evergreen clips showing product care tips, gear packing demos, and adventure stories.

• Photos: Gorgeous outdoor shots (often from their community) that inspire wanderlust and product love.

• Reels: Quick hikes, packing challenges, and scenic moments paired with trending audio.

• Carousels: How-to guides for outdoor prep, trip recaps, and seasonal product lineups.

• Text posts: Fun, quirky outdoor prompts or questions that drive comments and engagement.

  
  

Fjällräven focuses on quality over quantity, leaning on formats that last and letting their community’s content do a lot of the heavy lifting. It’s a smart way for a small team to look big on Facebook.

2. Midsize content team

If you've got a lean-but-mighty marketing crew, you can run multiple campaigns without enterprise red tape. This is your sweet spot for consistency and creativity.

Here’s a proven content mix to keep Facebook fresh and growing:

• Videos (2x/week) – Lifespan ~70 days. Alternate between product education, behind-the-scenes looks, and evergreen lifestyle content. Keep them short, high-quality, and with strong hooks.

• Photos (4–5x/week) – Lifespan ~70 days. Showcase your products in real-life settings, mix in seasonal campaigns, and use bold visuals to stop the scroll.

• Reels (3x/week) – Lifespan ~65 days. Lean into quick, playful, or trend-based storytelling that complements your brand tone.

• Carousels (2x/week) – Lifespan ~35 days. Great for showing product details, step-by-step processes, or storytelling in chapters.

• Text posts (1x/week) – Lifespan ~10 days. Use for witty, relatable commentary or brand voice moments that spark conversation.

• Stories (5–7x/week) – Lifespan 24 hours. Perfect for real-time updates, polls, and sneak peeks that keep your audience engaged daily.

  
  

A great example here is Allbirds, the sustainable shoe brand. They’ve built a strong Facebook presence without a massive corporate army.

How Allbirds nails it:

• Videos: Short clips showing shoe craftsmanship, eco-friendly materials, and community events.

• Photos: Clean lifestyle shots of people wearing Allbirds in everyday moments—walking the dog, grabbing coffee, traveling light.

• Reels: Playful, nature-inspired clips that show off colors, textures, and style in motion.

• Carousels: Mini lookbooks, sustainability stats, and seasonal collections.

• Text posts: Puns, clever quips, or sustainability facts that get quick likes and comments.

• Stories: Limited drops, Q&As, and behind-the-scenes from design to production.

  
  

Allbirds’ mid-size team manages to keep the content consistent, on-brand, and engaging, without trying to compete with the constant content churn of huge corporations.

3. Enterprise/ large brand

If you're running Facebook for a major brand, you've got a big team, multiple product lines, and probably a content calendar that looks like a NASA launch schedule.

The challenge isn’t “what to post” but “how to keep it fresh while managing the sheer volume.”

Your strategy should balance always-on content with big campaign moments, while staying flexible for trends and reactive posts. Here’s a content mix that keeps Facebook firing on all cylinders:

• Videos (3–4x/week) – Lifespan ~70 days. Rotate between high-production campaigns, influencer features, tutorials, and UGC. Use subtitles, quick cuts, and bold visuals to grab attention in the first 3 seconds.

• Photos (5–7x/week) – Lifespan ~70 days. Spotlight products, in-store experiences, and lifestyle imagery that reflects your brand’s world.

• Reels (4–5x/week) – Lifespan ~65 days. Pair trending sounds with product reveals, quick how-tos, or behind-the-scenes campaign shoots.

• Carousels (3x/week) – Lifespan ~35 days. Perfect for launching collections, showing before-and-after results, or telling multi-step stories.

• Text posts (2x/week) – Lifespan ~10 days. Great for conversation starters, brand challenges, or fun, snappy hooks tied to cultural moments.

• Stories (daily) – Keep the brand top-of-mind with polls, quizzes, flash sales, and daily tips.

• Live streams (1–2x/month) – Stream events, tutorials, or celebrity collaborations to maximize engagement.

  
  

A perfect example here is Sephora, the beauty retailer with a global presence.

How Sephora nails it:

• Videos: Step-by-step makeup tutorials, influencer collabs, and brand story mini-docs.

• Photos: Glossy, high-quality product shots mixed with diverse, relatable faces wearing the products.

• Reels: Quick transformations, trending audio with makeup reveals, and seasonal color trends.

• Carousels: New product drops, bundle offers, and “shop the look” guides.

• Text posts: Beauty tips, seasonal reminders (“Don’t forget SPF!”), and playful beauty challenges.

• Stories: Limited-time offers, event recaps, and interactive polls.

• Live streams: Exclusive product launches, Q&A with makeup artists, and virtual masterclasses.

  
  

Sephora’s Facebook strategy works because it blends high-gloss branding with interactive community-building, leveraging its scale without losing a sense of personality.

Read: How Should You Plan Your Instagram Content Calendar?

How do you plan a foolproof Facebook calendar?

You don’t need to post daily. You need to post deliberately. Here’s how to plan a Facebook content calendar that scales with your team and your goals:

1. Identify your pillars

Stop scrambling for last-minute ideas. Build your calendar around 3–5 core themes that reflect your brand’s mission and audience needs.

Popular Facebook pillars:

• Evergreen tips, tutorials, or how-tos

• Product education and feature walkthroughs

• Customer stories, testimonials, and UGC

• Behind-the-scenes or team culture moments

• Campaigns tied to seasonal events or brand initiatives

  
  

These pillars make it easier to batch content, assign to different team members, and maintain variety without feeling repetitive.

2. Let your data shape your strategy

Facebook’s algorithm loves engagement and relevance, but your own data will tell you what’s actually moving the needle.

Look for:

• Which formats (Reels, Photos, Videos, Carousels) deliver the most reach or conversions

• Topics that drive shares, saves, and meaningful comments

• Hooks, visuals, or CTAs that improve click-through rates

Use Post Groups in Measure Studio to group content by campaign, topic, or format and compare them side-by-side. You can also run Cross-Platform Analytics to see if that winning Facebook Reel is also dominating on Instagram or TikTok.

3. Define your outcome

Not every brand needs viral reach. For some, the win is direct sales. For others, it’s brand loyalty or community engagement.

Set KPIs that match your goals, not vanity metrics:

• % of posts driving clicks or sign-ups

• Engagement rate from your target audience segment

• Watch time on videos and Reels

• Comment sentiment (positive vs. neutral vs. negative)

With custom metrics in Measure Studio, you can track exactly what matters and ignore the noise.

4. Play with formats

You have already seen the data: Reels grow steadily, Photos stick around for 70 days, Carousels spike fast, and Text fades quickly. Plan for those behaviors.

Structured testing ideas:

• Repurpose your top Video into a Reel: does it perform better?

• Try the same product promo as a Carousel, then as a Photo, which wins?

• Change your opening hook on a Video: does watch time improve?

• Add links in comments vs. in the post to see which drives more clicks.

Use Post Content AI in Measure Studio to see how algorithms categorize your post (e.g., “educational,” “entertainment,” “promotional”) and whether that affects performance.

5. Leave room for spontaneity

Most Facebook content has a max shelf life of 90 days, but that doesn’t mean everything needs to be pre-scheduled months in advance.

Keep 20–30% of your calendar open for:

• Trendjacking (jumping on viral memes or industry news)

• Timely promotions or flash sales

• Real-time Q&As or polls to spark conversation

  
  

Some of your most engaging posts will be the ones you didn’t plan weeks ahead.

6. Benchmark against yourself

Don’t compare your 4-person marketing team to a million-dollar social squad. Measure against your own progress.

Track:

• How your Reels did this month vs. last month

• What happens when you increase Carousels from 1/week to 3/week

• If Live streams are actually converting or just building awareness

  
  

With auto-benchmarking in Measure Studio, you’ll see patterns without building endless spreadsheets.

Read: What Engagement Data Reveals About Content Lifespan in TikTok vs Instagram

Wrapping up

Time to wipe the dust off your Facebook brand page and bring it back to life. Don’t just post and ghost, build a real ecosystem around your page.

Create a Facebook Group where your fans can swap tips, share feedback, and feel like insiders. Test the waters with Facebook Marketplace to move products faster than you can say “add to cart.”

Play around with features like Events for launches or workshops, and tap into Stories, Live streams, and even Messenger for direct engagement that feels personal.

The truth is, Facebook rewards the brands that show up, mix it up, and keep the conversation going. The more active and intentional you are, the more you’ll stay top-of-feed and top-of-mind.

And if you want to see exactly what’s working (and what’s just taking up space), let Measure Studio do the heavy lifting. Track your best formats, find your winning hooks, and optimize your calendar without drowning in spreadsheets.

Get started with Measure Studio today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which types of posts get the most engagement on Facebook?

Videos and Photos have the longest lifespan (around 70 days) and usually get the most views. Reels build momentum slowly but keep gaining traction for over two months. Carousels give quick engagement but fade faster, while text posts and links burn bright but fade fast. Focus on formats that fit your brand and goals.

Should I schedule all my Facebook posts months in advance?

Not entirely! While planning ahead is smart, leave 20-30% of your calendar open for trending topics, flash promotions, or spontaneous posts. Facebook rewards timely, relevant content, so mixing planned posts with “in-the-moment” updates keeps your audience engaged and your page fresh.

How long do different types of Facebook posts stay effective?

Lifespan varies by format. Videos and Photos stick around for about 70 days, giving you long-term engagement. Reels last around 65 days but grow more slowly. Carousels peak quickly and last about 35 days, while text posts and links have the shortest lifespan. Text posts about 10 days and links less than a week. Knowing this helps you schedule content for maximum impact.