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Launching a new business? A social media plan for the first 90 days
A social media plan for new business owners: pre-launch content, grand opening posts and a week-by-week 90-day plan for a new shop, gym, clinic or café.
The equipment arrived on Tuesday, the painter is still finishing the signboard, and the opening is in three weeks. Your list has forty items on it: electricity connection, staff uniforms, the music system, the GST registration papers, the ribbon for the opening. Somewhere near the bottom is "Instagram page". It stays there until two days before opening, when you make an account, post one photo of the ribbon, and wonder why only your relatives liked it.
A social media plan for new business owners is not about going viral. It is about one simple thing: when the shutter goes up on day one, people nearby should already know you exist, what you offer and how to reach you. This guide gives you a practical 90-day plan, starting before you open, with concrete post ideas for each stage. The examples use a new gym, but the plan works the same for a café, clinic, salon, boutique or shop.
Why the first 90 days matter so much
A new business has a short window when it is genuinely news. Neighbours notice the new board. People walking past wonder what is coming. Once you have been open for six months, you are just part of the street. The first three months are when curiosity is free, and social media helps you catch it.
There is a second reason. Whatever page you build in the first 90 days is what every future customer will scroll through when they check you out. A page that started with a steady stream of useful posts looks established. A page with one ribbon photo and then silence looks like a business that may not last.
Before you post: set up the page properly
Every social media plan for new business owners starts with the page itself. Do this at least four weeks before opening. It takes an evening.
- Pick one name and use it everywhere. Same name and username on Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp Business and Google. Check that the username is free on all of them before you print the signboard.
- Write a clear bio. What you are, where, when you open, how to contact you. Our guide on writing an Instagram bio for business has formulas you can copy.
- Make a profile picture from the simplest version of your logo.
- Create a Google Business Profile as early as your area allows, so people searching nearby can find you.
- Decide your look. Two or three brand colours and one logo position. You will thank yourself by post 30.
- Set up WhatsApp Business with your timings, address and a short greeting message.
Pre-launch content: weeks 4 to 1 before opening
The aim of pre-launch content is to make people curious and get them to follow, save your number or plan to visit. Two or three posts a week is enough.
Four weeks out: the announcement. "Something new is coming to Gachibowli." Show the signboard, the area, or a hint of what you do. Give the opening month if you are sure of it.
Three weeks out: the why. Why you are starting this business. A short, honest note from the owner. People like knowing there is a real person behind the board.
Two weeks out: behind the scenes. Equipment arriving, the space being set up, staff training. This is the easiest content you will ever have, because it is happening in front of you. Take photos every day.
One week out: the details. Opening date, time, address, a map pin, what visitors can expect on day one. If there is an opening offer, explain it clearly and honestly.
The last three days: the countdown. "3 days to go", "2 days", "Tomorrow". Short, simple posts. Share each one on WhatsApp Status too.
Grand opening posts for launch week
Launch week is when people are most interested, so post every day. Here are grand opening posts that work for almost any business:
| Day | Post idea | For a gym, for example |
|---|---|---|
| Opening day | "We are open" with timings, address, contact | Doors open, timings, trial session details |
| Day 2 | A photo or short video of the place | Walk-through of the training floor |
| Day 3 | Introduce the team | The trainers and what each one does |
| Day 4 | Your main service, explained simply | What a first session looks like |
| Day 5 | Thank you to the first visitors | A thank-you note (photos only with permission) |
| Day 6 | Answers to the questions people asked | Fees, timings, women's batches, parking |
| Day 7 | A reminder of the opening offer, if any | Last days of the opening offer |
A few rules for new shop opening posts:
- Put the address and phone on the post itself, not just in the caption. People screenshot posts and share them on WhatsApp.
- Ask before you post photos of customers. Always, and in writing if children are involved.
- Do not over-promise. Offers should be clear, with an end date and any conditions spelt out.
Weeks 2 to 6: settle into a rhythm
After the excitement of launch week, most new businesses go quiet. This is exactly where the page starts to look abandoned. The fix is a simple weekly rhythm you can keep.
A rhythm for a new gym, which you can adapt:
- Monday: a useful tip, such as a warm-up routine or a common form mistake.
- Tuesday: one service or class in focus.
- Wednesday: a short "meet the trainer" or behind-the-scenes post.
- Thursday: answer one question you got that week.
- Friday: a motivating post for the weekend.
- Saturday: a reminder of timings, batches or how to join.
- Sunday: something light: the place at dawn, the team, a festival greeting if there is one.
If daily is too much at first, pick three of these days and do them every week without fail. Steady matters more than frequent. Our guide to gym and fitness social media content has a full year of ideas for fitness businesses in particular.
Weeks 7 to 12: from new to trusted
By the second month, you are no longer "new". The goal shifts from "we exist" to "we are good at this, and we are here to stay".
Launch marketing ideas for months two and three:
- Show the process. How you do what you do. For a gym, how a beginner's plan is built. For a café, how the coffee is made. For a clinic, what a first visit involves.
- Answer real questions. Every question a customer asks at the counter is a post.
- Teach one thing a week. A small, genuinely useful tip builds trust faster than offers.
- Mark your first milestone. "One month open, thank you." Keep it to the facts; no invented numbers.
- Ask for honest reviews. Invite visitors who were happy to leave a review on Google. Never write or buy fake ones.
- Plan for the next festival. Check which festivals fall in your next two months and plan posts a week ahead. Lunar festivals like Diwali, Holi and Eid move every year, so check this year's dates.
At the end of 90 days, do a quick review of your page with a stranger's eyes. Our social media audit for small business guide gives you a 20-minute checklist for exactly that.
Your 90-day social media plan for new business at a glance
| Stage | When | Posts per week | Main goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set-up | 4 or more weeks before | 0 | Name, bio, look, contacts ready |
| Pre-launch | Weeks 4 to 1 before | 2 to 3 | Curiosity and follows |
| Countdown | Last 3 days | Daily | Reminder of date and place |
| Launch week | Days 1 to 7 | Daily | Visits and enquiries |
| Rhythm | Weeks 2 to 6 | 3 to 7 | Stay visible, answer questions |
| Trust | Weeks 7 to 12 | 3 to 7 | Show expertise, reviews, festivals |
Print this table and stick it near your desk. A new owner has too much to remember, and a plan on paper does not forget.
How Content365 fills the months after the launch
The pre-launch and launch-week posts are best made by you: they are your photos of your place, your team and your opening. The hard part comes after, in weeks 2 to 52, when the excitement fades and the daily post slips. That is where Content365 helps.
It makes 365 posts for one brand, one for every day of the year. Each is a 1080 x 1350 image with a square-safe centre, ready for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X and WhatsApp, and captions are written for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and X, plus one in your own language (Hindi, Tamil, Bengali and 9 more), for every day. An image model paints a scene with no text in it, and the studio's compositor places your real logo, business name, phone, website and call to action on top, from the exact text you gave, so a new brand looks the same from its first month.
Indian festivals and the financial year are planned into the calendar on the days they fall, so your first Diwali or Republic Day as a business is not missed in the rush. You review every day in your own gallery first. We do not post on your pages; you or your team post them. Ratings, testimonials and awards appear only when your brand confirmed them, which matters for a new business that has none yet.
One brand for the whole year is ₹3,999 including GST, not per month. If you are not ready to commit while the shop is still being set up, start free: the free plan gives you 2 posts for your brand every 48 hours, no payment needed.
Frequently asked questions
When should a new business start posting on social media?
About four weeks before opening is a good start. That gives you time to set up the page, build some curiosity and gather a few followers before the opening day.
What should my first post be?
A simple announcement: what is coming, where, and roughly when. Show the signboard, the space or a hint of your product, and invite people to follow for the opening date.
How many posts should I make in launch week?
One a day is a good target during launch week, because interest is at its highest. After that, a steady three or more a week is better than daily posts that stop after a month.
Should I run an opening offer?
It can help bring in first visitors, but it is a business decision, not a social media one. If you run one, state it clearly with an end date and conditions, and do not promise what you cannot deliver.
Can I post photos of my first customers?
Only with their permission, and with written permission from a parent for anyone under 18. A thank-you post without faces works just as well.
Open with a plan, not just a ribbon
The best time to make your social media plan is before the paint dries. Make your launch posts yourself, then let the rest of the year take care of itself. See pricing for the yearly plan, or check what each extra brand costs if you are opening more than one.
