How to Create a Post for Third-Party Content Creators

How to Create a Post as a Third-Party Content Creator

You can now create and distribute posts in Catholic Social Media as a third-party content provider. These posts are designed for dioceses and their parishes to use, with built-in tools to optimize content and make it easy for them to schedule and publish.

Starting a New Post

• Log in to Catholic Social Media.
• Click Create Post from either:
  • The Planner, or
  • The Calendar view.
• A blank post editor will open for you to begin creating content.

Adding Media

• Drag and drop or click to upload:
  • Images
  • Videos
  • Graphics
  • Reels
  • Multi-image posts
• A preview of your uploaded media will appear below the upload area.
  

Selecting Platforms and Post Type

• At the top, use the platform toggles (Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter) to indicate which platforms you are optimizing the post for.
  • All platforms are toggled on by default.
  • If your caption exceeds 280 characters, toggle X/Twitter off so it won’t be checked against X’s limits.
• Choose the post type:
  • Regular feed post (default), or
  • Story post where available.

Writing the Caption

• Enter your caption in the text area.
• Use personalization parameters where possible to help parishes and schools localize the content automatically, such as:
  • Organization informal name
  • Weekend Mass times
• Example:
  • “Hey there, {{Organization informal name}} family. Join us for Mass this weekend. Here are our Mass times: {{Weekend Mass times}}.”
  • Parameters will automatically fill with each parish’s information when they use the post.

Using the Editor’s Note

• Add an Editor’s Note if you want to provide internal context to dioceses or parishes.
• This note does not appear in the public post.
• Use it for:
  • Extra background or instructions
  • Links to related resources or articles
  • Suggestions on how or when to use the content

Scheduling for Dioceses and Parishes

• Choose how the post should appear in the Planner for dioceses and parishes:
  • On a day (recommended for most posts):
    • Pick a recommended date (ideally at least two weeks in advance).
    • Optionally set a recommended time.
    • Dioceses and parishes can change the final date and time if needed.
  • For a month:
    • Make the post available for one month with no specific recommended date.
  • Seasonal:
    • Set a start and end date so the post appears in the Seasonal section for a longer period.
  • Forever:
    • Mark the post as evergreen so it remains available until removed.

Tagging Content

• Add one or more content tags to your post.
• Tags help you later:
  • Filter content in the Planner.
  • Analyze performance by tag in Analytics.
• You can use multiple tags or none at all, depending on your needs.

Distributing to Dioceses

• Under distribution options, select Distribute to Dioceses.
  • Do not select premium or sponsored parish options for standard diocesan distribution.
• If you are working with a pilot group or a subset of dioceses, use distribution groups to target only those dioceses.
• If no distribution group is selected, your post will be available to all dioceses by default.

Publishing and Managing Posts

• Choose Save as Draft if you want to come back later, or Publish to distribute the post.
• Once published:
  • Your content will appear in the Planner under your third-party branding.
  • Dioceses will see your posts in their suggested content and can schedule them out to their parishes and schools.

Best Practices

• Work at least two weeks ahead so dioceses and parishes have time to plan.
• Use personalization parameters whenever possible to make content feel local and relevant.
• Recommend a specific date for most posts to guide diocesan and parish users.
• Apply clear, consistent tags to support reporting and analytics later.
• Use the Editor’s Note to give dioceses context and links they may need before publishing.