The point of scheduling is that the account keeps working while you are on a beach. The risk is that something fails while nobody is watching. A few checks before you go make the difference.
Before you leave
- 1Look at the calendar for the week and read each post once, in the preview.
- 2Check that every connected account is healthy. A connection that has expired will fail on the day, and that account’s posts will not go out.
- 3Make sure the post files are final. Swapping a file is hard from a phone in another timezone.
- 4Check timezones. A post set for 9am in the wrong zone goes out at 3am somewhere.
Make failure loud
Turn on notifications so that a failed post tells you. Postgust can message you on Telegram or by email when a post does not go out. Decide in advance who will look at it if you do not.
Plan the conversation
- Ask a colleague to reply to comments and messages, or write a line in your bio saying when you will be back.
- Many networks let you set an away message for direct messages. Use it if yours does.
- Pin a comment with the hours you answer.
Do not overfill
A quiet week is fine. Fewer, better posts are safer than seven you cannot supervise.
The test of the checklist: could you get the week wrong without looking at anything? If so, look again.