AI Summary
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are the secret to marketing consistency, scalability, and team productivity. In this blog, we unpack a practical, easy-to-follow framework, Who, What, When, Why & How, so you can create marketing SOPs that empower your team and free you up to grow. We also list must-have marketing SOPs every business should have, the tools to document them (like Loom, Tango, and OBMHub), and how to use them daily.
Why You Need SOPs for Your Marketing Tasks
If you’re constantly saying things like:
❌ “I’ll just do it myself, it’s quicker”
❌ “Why isn’t this getting done properly?”
❌ “My VA keeps asking the same questions…”
Then it’s time to build your marketing SOPs.
Marketing SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) are documented step-by-step guides that ensure tasks get done correctly and consistently, no matter who’s doing them.
They:
- Save you hours of explaining
- Make it easy to delegate
- Reduce costly errors
- Allow your business to scale without becoming chaotic
- Help you train and onboard new staff in minutes, not months
The SOP Framework: Who, What, When, Why & How
This 5-part framework is simple enough for your VA or team to follow, yet powerful enough to transform your operations.
Here’s how it works:
| Section | What to Include | Example (Social Media Post Scheduling) |
| WHO | Who is responsible for completing this task? Who else is involved (e.g., reviewer)? | Marketing VA – Content Assistant
Reviewed by Business Owner |
| WHEN | How often should this task be done? What’s the due day/time? | Every Monday by 12 PM for that week’s content |
| WHAT | What exactly is this task? Describe the task briefly and include the goal. | Schedule weekly social media posts using captions and images from the content calendar |
| WHY | Why does this task matter? What is the benefit or desired outcome? | To maintain consistent online visibility, stay top of mind with our audience, and drive traffic to our offers |
| HOW | Step-by-step instructions on how to complete the task. Include tools, links, and screenshots or Loom videos if needed. | 1. Open Google Drive → Content Calendar
2. Copy post captions 3. Open Meta Business Suite 4. Upload image and paste caption 5. Add hashtags 6. Schedule for correct time 7. Confirm scheduled posts 8. Mark task as completed in Trello |
Examples of Marketing SOPs Every Business Should Have
Here’s a list of core marketing SOPs most service-based businesses need, especially if you work with a VA or marketing team.
🔵 Social Media SOPs
- How to schedule weekly social posts using Meta Business Suite or OBMHub
- How to create and publish Instagram Reels from Canva
- How to post LinkedIn articles with repurposed blog content
- How to report social media insights weekly
🟡 Email Marketing SOPs
- How to create and send an email
- How to set up an automation for lead magnet delivery
- How to segment and clean your email list every quarter
- How to resend unopened campaigns after 72 hours
🔴 Content Marketing SOPs
- How to write, format, and upload a blog to WordPress
- How to create carousel graphics in Canva
- How to repurpose one blog into 5 social posts and 1 newsletter
🟢 Lead Generation & CRM SOPs
- How to log a new lead into OBMHub and assign tags
- How to create and follow up with a new lead via SMS/email
- How to run DM appointment setting campaigns on LinkedIn
- How to post and pitch in facebook groups to generate leads
🟣 Event & Launch SOPs
- How to set up a Facebook event, invite and follow up on attendees
- How to write reminder emails for upcoming webinars
- How to upload a replay and send a follow-up offer
⚪ Website & SEO SOPs
- How to set up lead captures on the website
- How to do a basic SEO check on a blog (Yoast or RankMath)
- How to update google my business
Recommended Tools for Documenting SOPs
These tools make writing SOPs faster, more visual, and team-friendly:
Recording Step-by-Step Tasks
- Loom – Record screen tutorials with voiceovers
- Tango.us – Auto-generate SOPs with screenshots and steps
- Zoom – Record task walk-throughs and transcribe later
Transcription Tools
- Otter.ai – Transcribes Zoom/Loom recordings into editable text
- Descript – Edit video and audio via the transcript
Storage & Sharing
- Google Docs – Create and share SOPs with step-by-step clarity
- Google Sheets – SOP tracker with task categories, owners, and links
Pro Tips for Making SOPs Work
- ✅ Add SOP links to task checklists (e.g., Trello, Asana)
- ✅ Include videos + screenshots for visual learners
- ✅ Set a recurring task to update SOPs every 3-6 months
- ✅ Train your VA to write the first draft — then you review
- ✅ Make SOPs part of onboarding and reviews
- ✅ Add the date of the Last update at the top of the document
Ready to Systemise Your Marketing?
If you’re ready to stop being the bottleneck in your business and want a trained VA to execute your marketing with confidence, we can help you:
- ✅ Audit and Optimise your marketing strategy and implementation plan
- ✅ Train your VA to implement your marketing, lead and sales
- ✅ Set up a system that simplifiers your business as it grows
Book a free 30-minute discovery call here
