Publishing Cadence Lock (Delivery)
A sequence with 8 steps: Freeze the client's posting calendar for the next 30 days before any queue is built.
By InnovaAI ResearchPublished
What are the steps?
Publishing Cadence Lock (Delivery)
- 01
Freeze the client's posting calendar for the next 30 days before any queue is built
Agree channel-by-channel frequency (for example 3 LinkedIn posts and 5 Instagram posts per week), then write it into the retainer scope so cadence changes become a change order rather than a quiet expectation.
- 02
Map each channel to the publishing path it actually requires
Native schedulers cover most feeds, but Pinterest-led e-commerce work needs pin-specific tooling such as Tailwind, and newsletter-led clients need a programmatic route such as API Substack. Assign one owner per path.
- 03
Set the asset cut-off at 72 hours before publish
Anything arriving later rolls to the next slot. This single rule removes most of the late-night rework that erodes delivery margin on social retainers.
- 04
Standardise the cross-platform image spec at 1080x1080 px, 1:1
Square remains the safest universal feed size as of October 2026, so one master asset can serve every channel before per-platform crops are made.
- 05
Run a dry-run publish to a private or test account on every connected channel
Confirm media uploads, link previews, and first-comment behaviour before the first live post. A failed first post in front of a client audience costs more trust than a day of setup.
- 06
Stage the queue in weekly batches with a named approver per client
Batch review on a fixed weekday keeps approval inside working hours. Where approval complexity is low, a single approver is enough; where legal or brand review exists, add a second gate before the batch goes live.
- 07
Log publish confirmations and failures in one shared sheet
Record timestamp, channel, asset ID, and status for each post. This log is the evidence base for the monthly delivery report and for any dispute about whether something went out.
- 08
Review cadence against engagement data at the 30-day mark
Compare planned versus published volume and flag channels where the queue consistently slips. Adjust frequency in writing rather than absorbing the shortfall into unbilled hours.