Free SOP Template for Google Docs

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Blank template Filled exampleSocial Media Posting SOP

1.Title Block & Document Control

SOP Title	{{SOP Title}}
SOP ID	{{SOP ID}}
Version	{{Version}}
Effective Date	{{Effective Date}}
Review Date	{{Review Date}}
Document Owner	{{Document Owner}}
Approver	{{Approver}}

Keep this block on page one so anyone can audit the document at a glance. Set a Review Date 6–12 months out and assign a single Document Owner who is accountable for keeping it current.

2.Purpose

State in one or two sentences why this procedure exists and what result it delivers when followed correctly.

Write the “why”, not the steps. Example: “This SOP ensures every customer refund is processed accurately, within policy, and within two business days.”

3.Scope

Define which teams, locations, systems, and situations this SOP applies to — and explicitly note what it does not cover.

Naming the boundaries prevents the procedure from being applied to the wrong cases. List any exclusions on their own line.

4.Definitions & Abbreviations

Term	Definition
{{Term}}	{{Plain-language definition}}
{{Abbreviation}}	{{What it stands for}}

Only define terms that could be misread by someone new to the process. If there are none, keep this section and write “None” — auditors expect it to exist.

5.Roles & Responsibilities

Role	Responsibility
{{Role}}	{{What this role is accountable for in this procedure}}
{{Role}}	{{What this role is accountable for in this procedure}}

Assign responsibilities to roles, not named individuals, so the SOP survives staff changes. Keep each role to one or two lines.

6.Prerequisites, Materials & Equipment

{{Access or permission required before starting}}
{{Tool, system, or login needed}}
{{Material or document that must be on hand}}

List everything that must be ready before step one. A short checklist here prevents half-finished runs.

7.Safety & Compliance

Note any safety precautions and the regulations or internal policies this procedure must comply with.

If this procedure has no safety or compliance angle, keep the section and write “N/A”. Reference the specific policy or regulation by name where one applies.

8.Procedure (Step-by-Step)

Step	Action	Owner	Expected Result
1	{{Start with a verb — one action per step}}	{{Role}}	{{What “done right” looks like}}
2	{{Next action}}	{{Role}}	{{Expected result}}
3	{{Next action}}	{{Role}}	{{Expected result}}

Aim for roughly 5–15 numbered steps. Begin each with a verb, keep it to one action, and make the Expected Result observable so anyone can confirm the step is complete.

9.Quality Checks & Acceptance Criteria

{{Measurable check that confirms the work was done correctly}}
{{Second acceptance criterion}}

Write 2–4 checks that are measurable — a reviewer should be able to answer each with a clear yes or no.

10.Troubleshooting & Exceptions

Failure scenario	What to do	Escalate to
{{Common thing that goes wrong}}	{{Corrective action}}	{{Role / contact}}
{{Edge case}}	{{How to handle it}}	{{Role / contact}}

Capture the failures you have actually seen. Naming the escalation point keeps exceptions from stalling.

11.Related Documents & References

{{Form, checklist, or policy this SOP relies on}}
{{Upstream or downstream SOP}}

Link the forms, policies, and adjacent SOPs a reader will need next.

12.Revision History

Version	Date	Author	Summary of change
1.0	{{Effective Date}}	{{Document Owner}}	Initial release
{{Version}}	{{Date}}	{{Author}}	{{What changed}}

Update this table every time the SOP changes. The v1.0 row is pre-filled as an example.

13.Approval

Document Owner Name Signature Date

Approver Name Signature Date

Both sign-offs confirm the procedure is accurate and authorised for use.

Sharing & Review

Keep one master copy as the source of truth. Share working copies for review, then merge accepted comments back into the master.

Master copy owned by {{Document Owner}}, set to “Restricted”
Reviewers added with “Commenter” access only
Suggestions resolved and the Revision History updated before publishing

A worked example for a marketing team collaborating in Google Docs.

1.Title Block & Document Control

SOP Title	Social Media Posting
SOP ID	MKT-009
Version	1.0
Effective Date	June 1, 2026
Review Date	September 1, 2026
Document Owner	Social Media Manager
Approver	Head of Marketing

2.Purpose

This SOP keeps our social posts on-brand, approved, and scheduled consistently across Instagram, LinkedIn, and X, so nothing goes out unreviewed.

3.Scope

Covers organic posts on owned channels. It does not cover paid campaigns (see MKT-014) or community replies, which follow the response playbook.

4.Definitions & Abbreviations

Term	Definition
Evergreen	A post that stays relevant regardless of date
UTM	Tracking parameters added to links for analytics

5.Roles & Responsibilities

Role	Responsibility
Content Creator	Drafts copy and creative in the calendar
Social Media Manager	Reviews, approves, and schedules
Head of Marketing	Approves campaign and sensitive posts

6.Prerequisites, Materials & Equipment

Access to the scheduling tool (Buffer)
Brand voice and visual guidelines
Approved creative in the asset library
UTM builder for any links

7.Safety & Compliance

Use only licensed or owned imagery. Disclose paid partnerships per FTC guidelines (#ad). Never post customer data or unreleased product details.

8.Procedure (Step-by-Step)

Step	Action	Owner	Expected Result
1	Draft copy and attach creative in the content calendar	Content Creator	Draft ready with channel and date
2	Add UTM-tagged links and alt text	Content Creator	Links tracked; post accessible
3	Submit for review via comment	Content Creator	Status set to “In review”
4	Review for brand, accuracy, and timing	Social Media Manager	Approved or returned with comments
5	Schedule in Buffer at the channel’s best time	Social Media Manager	Post queued and visible on the calendar

9.Quality Checks & Acceptance Criteria

Copy matches brand voice and has no typos
All links carry correct UTMs and resolve
Image has alt text and correct aspect ratio per channel

10.Troubleshooting & Exceptions

Failure scenario	What to do	Escalate to
Time-sensitive post needs same-day approval	Tag the manager directly with a deadline	Social Media Manager
Published post has an error	Delete or edit, then log the fix	Social Media Manager

11.Related Documents & References

Brand voice & style guide
MKT-014 Paid Campaign SOP
Community response playbook

12.Revision History

Version	Date	Author	Summary of change
1.0	June 1, 2026	Social Media Manager	Initial release

13.Approval

Document Owner Name Signature Date

Approver Name Signature Date

Sharing & Review

Master copy lives in the Marketing shared drive, restricted to the team. Reviewers get Commenter access only; the Social Media Manager resolves comments before publishing.

How it works

Preview the SOP template on the page.
Copy it to your Google Drive, or download the .docx and import it into Docs.
Use View → Show outline to navigate, and share with Commenter access for review.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make an SOP in Google Docs?

Copy this template into your Drive, then replace the highlighted placeholders. Use View → Show outline to jump between sections — Docs builds the outline from the headings automatically, so you do not need a manual table of contents.

How do I share an SOP for review?

Share the document with “Commenter” access so reviewers can suggest changes without editing the master. Resolve the comments, update the revision history, then publish the final version.

Do I need a Google account?

Copying to Drive happens on Google’s side, so it asks you to sign in there — not on this site. If you would rather not, download the .docx and import it into Google Docs instead.